5 Tips To Improve Mobility With Arthritis

 

For many people, espeically the elederly, arthritis is a debilitating illness. Arthritis causes increased inflammation around the joint that can lead to immobility and pain. 

 

While there are conventional medical treatments that are available for people with arthritis, many wonder what can be done along with medication to help improve mobility with their arthritis. In fact, there are many natural methods to help manage pain and improve mobility.

This article will show you five different alternative therapies and treatments that can help you manage your daily arthritis symptoms and mobility issues.

 

Hydrotherapy

 

Web M.D. recommends hydrotherapy as a form of exercise for those with arthritis. Hydrotherapy is similar to exercise and a pool, however, the pool tends to be warmer than a traditional swimming pool. With hydrotherapy, participants can get all of the benefits of regular exercise without any of the impact on joints.

 

This may be especially beneficial to those with arthritis because the joints are particularly affected. Having an option for exercise that has zero impact on the joints can increase mobility as well as range of motion. Many times hydrotherapy is considered a form of physical therapy and may be covered by insurance.

 

Range of Motion Exercise

Many sufferers of arthritis keep the affected joints in a tightened position to alleviate pain. Unfortunately, this has the unintended side effect of increasing pain because it shortens ligaments and muscles around the affected joint. This means that instead of decreasing pain over the long-term keeping the joints in a tightened position will increase pain.

 

The Cleveland Clinic recommends all arthritis sufferers participate in range of motion exercises. The rangeof motion exercises typically includes stretching and extending the joints to their full ability. Some range of motion programs may include yoga or tai chi.

 

Lose Weight

 

Because arthritis causes pain and immobility many sufferers of arthritis have excess weight. The excess weight increases pressure and damage on the joints. The increased pressure and damage on the joints increases pain which causes decreased mobility. It becomes a never ending cycle of increased pain and decreased mobility.

 

Mayo Clinic recommends that if you have arthritis, you maintain a healthy body weight. If you’re currently overweight and have a difficult time moving a healthy body weight can be maintained through proper diet. 

 

A meeting with a dietitian can help you start a healthy diet if you are not sure where to begin. The dietitian or nutritionist may also have ideas on foods that can help decrease inflammation in the body and reduce pain from your arthritis.

 

Hot and Cold Therapy

 

One of the benefits of hot and cold therapy is that it can be done at home. The second benefit to hot and cold therapy is that it is very inexpensive. Heating pads and ice packs are easy to have on hand and don’t cost a lot of money. Healthline suggests that arthritis sufferers try alternating hot and cold therapy to affected joints to decrease pain.

 

You may find that some days cold therapy works the best on your arthritic joints while other days a heating pad may be better. Having both on hand to use is going to be the best way to ensure that this therapy is effective at increasing your mobility and decreasing your pain.

 

Massage

 

The arthritis foundation notes that one of the most beneficial treatments for mobility in arthritis patients is massage. Massage can help increase range of motion simply by relieving tension on stiff muscles and ligaments that surround the arthritic joints.

 

The arthritis foundation says that the best types of massage for people with arthritis are either deep tissue massage or Swedish massage. If you are having a high amount of pain deep tissue massage may be difficult to tolerate because of how deep into the muscle massage therapist will go. Either way, massage therapy is an easily accessible treatment to help increase your range of motion when you have arthritis.

 

While arthritis will not go away no matter how well you take care of your body, you can manage your symptoms and stop the progression of the disease. If you combine medication with these holistic approaches to treatment, you are sure to have a happier and pain-free life.

10 Reasons To Drink Coffee Every Day

Ah, nothing beats the sweet smell and taste of coffee in the morning. However, should we really be drinking a cup each day?

 

54% of Americans drink coffee daily; in fact, coffee is the most drank beverage in the world. While some people drink coffee for energy or because they love the taste, it actually offers numerous health benefits.

 

Let’s take a look at 10 more reasons you should drink coffee on the daily:

 

1.     Coffee Can Reduce Your Risk Of Developing Diabetes

 

Over 9% of American’s now have diabetes, and the number one factor behind its development is a poor diet and overall bad lifestyle choices. 

 

Although drinking too much coffee is itself a bad lifestyle choice, drinking a couple of cups daily is not only okay, it also reduces your risk of developing diabetes. 

 

Scientists at Harvard School of Public Health evaluated data from 128,000 healthcare professionals who were surveyed about their diet choices for more than 20 years. During those two decades, 7,300 of them were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, but the ones who drank more than one cup of coffee daily, had an 11% lower risk for the disease.

 

2.     Coffee Can Prevent Cavities

 

One main health benefit of coffee is that decreases tooth decay. Several studies have shown that roasted coffee beans are antibacterial against the S. mutans, the bacterium that causes tooth decay.

 

Studies also show that roasted coffee prevents the absorption of such bacteria by the teeth. In the studies, various types of coffee beans were used, both roasted and unroasted, Arabia and Robusta and while all of them provided similar benefits, the roasted varieties seemed to be more active in preventing bacteria from sticking to the teeth.

 

3.     Coffee May Reduce Your Risk Of Developing Alzheimer’s 

 

The cases of Alzheimer’s disease are growing at a scary rate, but there are preventative measures you can take to lower your risk and drinking coffee is one of them.

 

4.     Coffee Improves Your Mood

 

Coffee contains caffeine, a nootropic that improves your mood and cognitive functioning. In short, it makes you more alert, but it also boosts your mood. 

 

This is especially noticeable if you’ve been drinking coffee each day for a year and suddenly stop. You might experience a downshift in your mood, and only by drinking more coffee are you able to raise your spirits. 

 

5.     Coffee Is Good For Your Liver

 

Avoid alcohol and drink more coffee is the advice here. While the former can damage your liver beyond repair, the latter just wants to protect it. 

 

6.     Coffee Could Prevent Skin Cancer

 

Skin cancer is now one of the fastest growing cancers in the world, and more and more people each year are being diagnosed with it. 

 

There are things you can do to cut your risk, and this includes drinking more coffee. Scientists have theorized that caffeine is responsible for this, though no final conclusion has yet been reached. 

 

7.     Coffee Improves Your Cardiovascular Health

 

We’re always being told that coffee is bad for our heart.

 

True, too much coffee is bad for your heart. If you drank 30 cups a day, as the great French writer Balzac was reported to have done, you are putting yourself at massive risk of having a heart attack. However, if you drink coffee each day in moderation, you can actually improve the health of your heart. 

 

8.     Coffee Strengthens Your DNA

 

You might be wondering why you’d need to strengthen your DNA. But why wouldn’t you?

DNA strands can break. To prevent this rather alarming thing from happening all too often, you could drink more coffee, as caffeine tightens DNA integrity. 

 

9.     Coffee Is Rich In Antioxidants

 

Antioxidants are your body’s first line of defense against rogue free radicals, and coffee contains more than many fruits, including oranges and grapes. 

 

10.  And, Yes, Coffee Could Help You Live Longer

 

Okay, let’s expand on that carrot at the top of this article. We’ll let Ming Ding, M.D. explain this one:

 

“Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation. They might be responsible for the inverse association between coffee and mortality. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects.”

 

In short, there are many good reasons to drink coffee each day.

 

Where’s the barista?

5 Natural Ways To Improve Your Sleep

 

Getting a good night’s sleep can be refreshing and rejuvenating. For millions, though, a good night’s sleep seems just out of reach. People of all ages across the globe suffer from occasional to chronic insomnia.

 

Insomnia is a condition that interrupts your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep. If you are suffering from this sleep disturbance, you may be hesitant to turn to harsh medications to help you fall asleep. Here are 5 ways that you can help improve your sleep naturally.

 

Eliminate Caffeine 

 

The morning cup of coffee seems to be a staple beverage for many people. However, caffeine is not just in coffee. Caffeine can be hiding in the cola you drink, the tea, and even some of the foods you eat. While eliminating caffeine out of your diet 100% may not be possible, try to limit your consumption of caffeine to the mornings only. Prevention Magazine tells us that ingesting caffeine, even 6 hours before bedtime, can disrupt sleep. 

 

Exercise

 

Not only does exercise help you maintain a healthy body weight and better mental outlook but a Sleep Foundation study found that those who exercised were less sleepy during the day and slept better at night. 

 

While a new exercise routine may leave you a little tired at first, regular exercise will give you more energy and help you fall asleep at bedtime. This may have to do with the chemicals released by the body when you exercise. The neurotransmitters released by the brain during exercise have all sorts of beneficial properties and improved sleep is one of them. 

 

Meditate 

 

Meditation has a restorative effect on the brain. There are all sorts of benefits that meditation can have for a person. Many of the benefits of meditation include reduced stress and a better ability to cope with difficult issues in one’s life.

 

Meditation is also great for insomnia. A Harvard study found that mindful meditation helped combat insomnia. It invokes a relaxation response in those who participate helping them relax enough to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep through the night. If you are not familiar with how to meditate there are many guided meditation audio programs that you can buy or check out from your library.  

 

Sleep Hygiene

 

Sleep hygiene is a practice to help you sleep better at night. It has to do with environmental cues. Alaska sleep notes that these environmental cues should be taken into consideration if you aren’t sleeping.

 

·      Use the bedroom for sex and sleep only

·      No electronics

·      Keep the room dark and quiet

·      Keep your room cool

·      Have a good mattress

·      Set your alarm clock away from your bed

Get Up Every Morning

 

Getting up at the same time every day and avoiding naps helps your body follow a circadian rhythm. According to Verywell we need this to sleep well at night.  There are two really important elements to this step. 

 

1.     Stop hitting the snooze and train yourself to get up at the same time every day. If you hit the snooze button once or twice (or 6 times), you are not really training yourself to get up at the same time every day. If you know you do not need to get up until a7:30, stop setting your alarm for 7. Save yourself the 30 minutes of interrupted sleep and set the alarm for 7:30, get up the first time it rings. 

 

2.     NO NAPS. If you are not used to getting up in the morning, then this may be the hard part for you. Napping can throw you off for sleeping at night because you simply are not tired enough to get to bed on time. Skip the nap (and the caffeine), and stay up so that you can get a good nights sleep. 

 

Now you have an arsenal of information that should help you fall asleep faster at night. Remember, finding what works well for you may take some playing around. So, if you don’t get it right the first night or two don’t give up. 

These sleep strategies are proven to work. They just take time. Give them a few weeks and you should be sleeping soundly. 

Learning To Say No As Part Of Better Self-Care

 

There are too many nice people in the world today…or so it might seem, with the number of “yes” folks you run into on a daily basis. However, what about the lesser heard “evil sibling”, the word NO? 

 

As a child, you were raised to be considerate to others, and to accommodate them as much as possible. 

 

How do you know exactly when enough is enough? And more importantly, are you saying no to yourself by saying yes to others every time? Chances are that is exactly what you are doing, even if only subliminally.

 

Wondering when is the time for you to use your no’s effectively? We’ve got you covered!

 

Piling On Stress

 

Not being able to say no can greatly contribute to elevated stress and real quick! Doing too much feelings of overwhelm cause and add to chronic stress, and people who cannot say no are usually the first to fall victim. 

 

It is important to understand your own boundaries and limitations, and while helping others is important, you have to take care of yourself first.

 

This means sometimes saying no to friends and family, in order to maintain an optimal level of health and wellness for yourself.

 

Feelings Of Obligation

 

This is by far the most common cause of resentment in persons, since they are basically “forced” to say yes whether or not they want to. Maybe the person asking did a major favor for you in life, maybe it is a family member. 

 

You feel a sense of obligation to always be on beck and call for whatever that person requests of you, but you need to ask yourself “when is my bill paid in full?” will you continue to feel a forced sense of obligation forever? 

 

This constant obligatory situation builds resentment, and resentment can literally make you physically ill! 

 

You need to let them know you have to put yourself first, by doing what you need to do. If an issue arises, it may be best to sever ties and remove a toxic person from your life.

 

Weekday Partying

 

We sincerely hope you are not one of those weekday party animals! Though we fully understand the need to unwind after a tiring week’s work, there is absolutely no justification for staying out late and drinking on a weekday when you have responsibilities to meet the next morning! It is more than likely the result of friends asking or guilting you out even though your better sense says no. 

 

You’re not doing yourself any favors as you will be sleep deficient the following day, not to mention likely hungover and miserable. Saying yes to that, is saying no to your well-being.

 

Enabling Bad Behavior

 

It has happened to all of us before, from a kid asking for something, hearing no and slowly breaking you down, to much worse influences on your life.

 

From friends begging you for a loan, to unnecessary spending, while it may seem ok or insignificant at the time, it enables bad behavior and disrespect over the long haul. 

 

When you say no, it needs to stay that way. You will gain infinite respect for having unbendable beliefs and will be looked at as a pillar of strength.

 

Not Speaking Up

 

There have undoubtedly been numerous times when you sit quietly while something (or someone) boils your blood to the point of an eruption, yet you show no outward emotions. This can range from a boss berating you in the office, a bully, or a random stranger who finds it appropriate to assert their dominance over you. 

 

By allowing it, you are doing just that, rolling over and assuming the fetal position. Open your mouth, demand your respect and speak for what you believe in.

 

Conclusion

 

NO is not a bad word. It has been criminalized via society and the illusion that things must be ok all the time. You will only end up resenting yourself for being weak, and not ever doing what you want to do by allowing others to always walk over you. You need to look after yourself before you look after anyone else after all, lead by example!

 

5 Ways To A More Balanced Life

Creating a work-life balance can be tough. It is very hard to find the delicate balance between a happy boss and happy home life. There are a few things that you should do both at work and at home to create a balanced life.

 

Because this is such an important topic, it has been covered by groups like Mental Health America, Web M.D., Forbes, and Business News Daily. Instead of sending you all over the Internet to try and find some tips to help you manage your time and create a work-life balance we’ve combined them into five tips that you can create a more balanced life both at home and at work.

 

1.     Create a Routine

One of the best routine tools to use at work is to make a list of tasks based on priority. Prioritizing your work allows you to get the most important things done and using a checklist allows you to see what you have achieved during the day. Having a daily routine will make you less stressed about what you will do each day at work.

 

Routines are great for home as well. They let everyone know what’s going on and when. However, sometimes you need downtime too. Don’t be afraid to allow yourself and your family some downtime. You can even put it on the calendar if you want to. Scheduling in downtime for you and your family is a great way to make sure you all are able to relax and bond together.

 

2.     Telecommute

 

If you can telecommute to work especially on days where you are sick, your children are sick, or the commute will be extra-long due to weather or outside circumstances. Telecommuting is a great way to provide your employer with what they need while giving you some breathing room.

 

3.     Learn to Say No

 

Many of us think we don’t have the ability to say no at work. This results in taking on too many tasks, working overtime, and being stressed about not being able to get everything done. If there’s a job you know,you won’t be able to get done or that you are not suited for say no. You may be surprised at how well this is received by your employer.

 

It is important to learn how to say no to social events and home life events that will be too taxing as well. Maybe you have social obligations that are just too draining, or don’t allow you enough time with your family in the evenings. Cutting these out will help you  find balance.

 

4.     Learn Your Employer’s Policies

 

Learning leave, vacation, sick, and disability policies are paramount. Also, learn what telecommunication systems your company has in place. If there aren’t any, you may need to ask. This will alleviate any stress if you need to use vacation or sick days or if you need to telecommute.

 

If you have children, learn their school's policies too. Knowing the procedure for turning in sick notes, calling out for the day, or showing up late is going to save a lot of headache for both you and them!

 

5.     Communicate

 

Let your employer know what’s going on. Let them know where you’re at on individual projects, if you’re going to be on time ahead of deadline or behind on schedule. Communicating these vital elements to your employer will alleviate stress on the job.

 

At home, communication is essential. This is even more so if there are a marriage and kids at home. Make sure you are letting everyone know what is going on with you. In addition, you need to know what is going on with everyone else. 

 

Set a family meeting once a week to discuss upcoming events, stress points, things that may need planning and other elements of life that could cause stress if not well planned. This simple act will aid in your ability to find that balance between work and home.

 

These five steps will help you find some balance in your busy life. What are some ways that you have found a balance between work and home that weren’t on our list?

How Water Intake Helps You Regulate What And How Much You Eat

Weight loss can be a hard task for anyone. There're so many different elements that go into losing weight it can be like learning a whole new set of information. There is one simple thing that you can do to help regulate how much and what you eat. Drinking water is not a magical cure-all, but it may seem like it after you learn what it can do to help you regulate your eating.

Water Aids Digestion Through Saliva

 

Digestion starts with saliva. Saliva is made mostly of water. According to Everyday Health, the enzymes in saliva are the beginning of the digestive tract. These enzymes help break down food so that they can be properly digested in the stomach. Without these and times food would never be able to be processed in the stomach.

 

Water also helps break down the fiber. Water-soluble fiber is one of the biggest factors of filling full after you eat. If you have not had enough water, or are dehydrated digesting water soluble fiber becomes almost impossible. Make sure that you are able to digest this food element properly by 

drinking lots of water.

 

Water Soluble Vitamines

 

One of the reasons that we eat food is to get access to vitamins. Vitamins and minerals are vital to various body functions. Deficits in these minerals and vitamins can cause cravings in the body. San Fransisco Gate tells how the body cannot digest certain water-soluble vitamins without enough water in the body.

 

Water-soluble vitamins are vitamins that can only be absorbed with the aid of water. These vitamins break down with the water in the digestive tract and men are absorbed into the body. Absorption of these essential vitamins stops when dehydration occurs, or when there is not enough water in the body. When even slight deficiencies are present, you may begin craving additional foods even though you’re not hungry. These cravings are due to vitamin deficiencies and not hunger so make sure that you have enough water so that you can digest all of your water-soluble vitamins.

 

Eat Fewer Calories

 

Water can help you eat fewer calories than you would if you didn’t drink water before meals. Livestrong notes a study where participants consumed 75-90 fewer calories with 2 8-oz glasses before dinner per meal. Now consuming 90 fewer calories per meal may not seem like a whole lot. However, if you did this every meal you could lose up to 28 pounds a year. 

 

How?

 

If you save 90 calories a meal three times a day, that’s 270 calories every day that you’re not eating. If you do this every day for a week you’ve not consumed 1890 calories. Continue saving that 90 calories a meal every week for a year, and you’ve saved 98,280 calories. 3500 calories make up a pound. In weight loss, the theory is that a deficit of 3500 cal means 1 pound of weight loss. By saving 98,280 cals you’ve created a pretty big gap.

 

Meaning 28 pounds!

 

On the flipside, if you were to continue eating as normal that 90 calories could be in excess. So instead of saving yourself you’ve actually gained 28 pounds in a year. All of this weight loss or weight gain is changed by onlydrinking two 8-ounce glasses of water before each meal.

 

Hunger And Thirst Cues Are the Same

 

You may be reaching for a snack when what you should be reaching for is a tall glass of water. Spark people recently did an article describing how the body sends out the exact same signal for hunger that it does for thirst. Many people don’t know how to tell the difference between hunger and thirst, and because we so rarely think about dehydration we assume that we are hungry. Next time you’re getting hungry signals from your brain try reaching for a glass of water instead. You may find out that you were just thirsty.

 

Now you know four surprising ways that water can help you control how much and what you eat. Helping you stop cravings and eat less water is a fantastic one stop shop for your diet solutions. What are some ways that you have noticed water help you with your diet?