health Archives - Page 17 of 22

Hand Sanitizers, The Good & Bad.

A lot of times when we are unable to wash our hands, we will use hand sanitizers as our cleaners. Hand sanitizers have become popular over the years, it is even plastered on almost every wall in hospitals. There has been a lot of debate over the years whether this method is good for you, or actually harms you. Some studies suggest that using them may not kill all the bacterial growth, and actually promote the growth of super germs. When it comes down to it, using a hand sanitizer depends on the situation at hand. There are times when hand sanitizers are convenient and easy for use, but washing your hands is always best.

Hand sanitizers are useful to get rid of bacteria, when you can not wash your hands. — *Hand sanitizers are useful for getting rid of bacteria, when you can not wash your hands.*

Is It Useful?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, recommends using hand sanitizers when there is no water and soap available. It is best to go for hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol in it. Alcohol-free sanitizers are appealing because it will not dry out your hands as much, but they have been shown to be less effective.

When Not To Use It

Washing your hands is the best way to get rid of most bacteria and microbes in any situation. When your hands are visibly dirty, or contain certain fluids, then hand sanitizers simply won’t do the trick. Situations where water and soap is needed are:

When you have blood or body fluids on your hands.
When you use the bathroom.
When you have chemicals on your hands.
When you have been exposed to a person who is sick.
When you are preparing or handling food.
Washing your hands is better than hand sanitizer in most situations.

The Proper Way to Use Hand Sanitizer

The same concept goes for handling hand sanitizers as it does when washing your hands. A quick pump or quick wash will not be as effective. In order to properly apply sanitizer, you must apply a dime size amount to the palm of your hand. Then rub your hands together, covering the top and bottom of your hands. Include in between your fingers. Make sure to get the tips of your fingers that touch most things, and even the fingernails. Rub for 30 seconds, or until your hands completely absorb the sanitizer and is dry.

Hand sanitizers do not replace the efficiency of washing with water and soap. But, it is great for times when you may be exposed to people who are sick and need to kill some germs. It is proven to reduce the number of microbes on your hands, but not as much as washing your hands with soap. Hand sanitizers can add that needed protection from spreading germs when you are in a pinch. Make sure to apply it correctly, and know that washing your hands is your best protection.

Bone & Joint Myths

Did you know that one in every five people suffer from arthritis in their joint and bones? Arthritis usually develops over a couple of years, with symptoms such as stiffness, tenderness, pain, and limited range of motion. Even though a lot of people develop arthritis, there are a number of myths and misconceptions about bone and joint pain. Here are some of the debunked myths and actual facts:

*It has not been proven that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.*

Myth: Cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis.

Fact: We have all heard this before, cracking your knuckles will cause arthritis. But the reality is you are just releasing the nitrogen gas that dissolved in your blood. This habit, though annoying to some, will not cause arthritis. There is no link or correlation between cracking your knuckles and arthritis.

Myth: All joint pain is arthritis.

Fact: There are many varieties of arthritis, but if your joint or bones are achy or swollen, it does not necessarily mean arthritis. There are other conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, even celiac disease that cause joint pain. If you do experience any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with your doctor for treatment.

Myth: Arthritis only happens to old people.

Fact: Arthritis can happen to anyone from the age of 2 to the age of 80. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has studies that show two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65. Another study shows that 1 in 250 kids have arthritis,and so it can happen at any age.

*Going on a bike ride is a low impact exercise on your joints.*

Myth: Exercise will make arthritis pain worse.

Fact: Regular exercise will actually help your bone and joint pain, as long as it is done correctly. Keeping your strength up, and your range of motion is important in battling the pain. If the pain is unbearable, try some light stretching or workouts like swimming that are less pressure on your joints. The more you exercise, the more your range of motion gets better, so it is actually important to do some light to moderate exercises.

Myth: There is nothing you can do to alleviate the pain.

Fact: There are actually many things you can do to alleviate the pain of arthritis. Keeping a healthy weight will keep less pressure on your joints and reduce pain. There are medications you can take such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and doctor prescribed medication/cream to help prevent pain and damage. You can apply heat during the day to relax muscles and stiffness, while applying ice at night to east inflammation.

Are You Partaking in No Shave November?

Stop men dying too young. It happens too often and is not spoken about as it should be- prostate cancer. Men do not like to talk about their health or take action. That is until the Movember Foundation began in Australia in 2003. During Movember, a man or woman can partake in advocating for the benefit of other men. Movember was created in order to raise awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s mental health issues. It is all about focusing on men’s health, finding a cure, and saving a life.

Movember is about raising awareness to men's health and prostate cancer. — *Movember is about raising awareness to men’s health and prostate cancer. Growing a mustache and talking about it helps spread awareness.*

You will begin to see a number if men growing out mustaches during the month of November. It has become a global known fundraiser that many people partake in now. The objective is for men who participate to donate their faces and ask their family and friends to sponsor the cause. They then donate the money to the Movember foundation. Women can also participate in the movement by donating to a partner’s campaign, and/or running one of the Mo Sistas runs during November.

The Rules

The rules of Movember are pretty simple.

Sign up at Movember.com
On November 1st, start with a clean shaven face.
Begin growing your mustache, but no beard for the whole month. The mustache is supposed to be the topic of discussion. All other hair on your face should be trimmed or kept to a minimum.
Make your mustache a conversation starter, and share the importance of Movember and why you are doing it. Spread awareness and inspire others to partake in the movement. Discuss the facts about men’s health issues that needs a spotlight: depression, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.
Send in your donations to the Movember foundation.

The Facts

Men are more likely to commit suicide than women, ranging about 75% of suicides in a year are by men.
Suicide is the most common death for men under the age of 35.
One in eight men will suffer from prostate cancer at some point in their life.
Almost 90% of testicular cancer happens to men under the age of 50.
Too many young men die from depression, prostate and testicular cancer. Movember hopes to find the cure and save lives.
9% of men experience depression on a daily basis.

Men’s health is not often spoken about, especially with the focus on women’s breast and ovarian cancer. But since the Movember foundation began, it has been getting a lot of attention, and spreading awareness on men’s health. By the year 2030, the foundation hopes to reduce the number of premature deaths in men by 25%. During the month of November, take part in a great cause to help men around the world from dying too young. Make a difference with a small gesture of growing a mustache, sending in donations, or running in one of the Movember runs near you.

Depression in Teens Is On The Rise

Trying to fit in and find yourself during your teenage years is tough. There are constant changes in friends, clothing style, likes, and dislikes. On top of the changes teens experience, they have to keep up with school work, and after school activities. There is a lot of pressure for them with unrealistic academic, social and family expectations, which brings on emotional highs and lows. One of the lows they can experience is depression. Depression has been on the rise for teens as years go by, and they feel like they go through these tough years by themselves. We all remember what it was like being a teenager, feeling alone and like our parents do not understand us. Take the time to talk to your kids, notice the signs, and get help when needed.

*Teens entering the hospital for depression and suicide has been on the rise. It is important to notice the signs before it is too late.*

Symptoms

One in five teens will experience depression. Statistics show the number of teens experiencing depression has climbed by over 40% over the past couple of years. Of those numbers, nearly half of them were in the hospital for suicide attempts or thoughts. It is important for parents to identify if their kid is experiencing depression, because if it is left unnoticed, it can be harmful, and even deadly. Symptoms can include:

Irritability
Social withdrawal
Anger or agitation
Changes in appetite
Changes in sleep patterns
Difficulty concentrating
No motivation
Guilt or worthlessness
Poor school performance
Thoughts of death or suicide
Poems or writing about suicide

In order to avoid the feelings of depression, a lot of teens may experiment with drugs or alcohol. Some may even use sex as an escape of their feelings. These are temporary fixes, and can lead to self-destruction. These behaviors will lead to ruined relationships with friends, and family, which will worsen their depression. The more serious the depression gets, the worse the outcome, including suicide. Some teenagers may feel like the only way to escape these feelings is by ending their lives. Some may seek help to avoid these feelings, while some kids keep a happy appearance but struggle internally.

How To Help

If your kids are acting different, take the time to talk to them and find out what is bothering them. There are different approaches to take to provide support and help.

Pay attention- Ask questions and notice the signs of depression.
Listen- Take the time to listen to the teen’s problems, talking about their feelings. Do not lecture them, just listen, and offer help.
Exercise- Exercising promotes mental health. It releases hormones that make you feel good. Suggest going out together and get active.
One on One Time- Talking with your child helps to reconnect with them. Make them a priority.

*Group therapy is one way to treat teen depression. It offers a sense of understanding and belonging.*

Treatment

If things do not improve, there are ways to treat depression:

Group therapy- Talking about what is going on internally with other people who feel the same builds a sense of belonging. They understand the struggle and create support for each other to help get through it.
Psychotherapy- Talking with a therapist or counselor will help with limited cases of depression.
Medication- Doctors may prescribe antidepressants, which are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. It is very important to make sure this is necessary by a psychiatrist, because of the risk these medications come with. The FDA issued a warning of kids and teens taking these because of increased risks of suicidal thoughts.

Anxiety accompanies depression, and with kids on their phones more than ever, anxiety has increased in teens. Some of these anxious feelings will increase a person’s feelings of despair and hopelessness. Depression is on the rise for teens with all the expectations they feel they must achieve. Between trying to excel in school, be accepted socially, and make their parents proud, it can become overwhelming. Not to mention the issues they may be going through in all of these areas. Talk to your kids, and notice the signs because a lot more kids are experiencing depression more than ever. Reach out, you may be saving a life.

Benefits of Cooking With Kids

When you invite children to cook with you in the kitchen, you teach them lifelong lessons and the ability to make healthier decisions. Kids cooking with their parents/guardians or grandparents has many benefits. Children learn life skills that help build their confidence and a stronger relationship with their parents. It also helps a child develop cognitive and motor skills that prepares them for success academically, and socially.

Making healthier choices

Bringing kids into the kitchen to help you cook teaches them about different kinds of food and their ingredients Giving kids an idea of what ingredients are in their food gives them a better understanding of what is healthy and

Children are more likely to make healtheir eating choices and try new things when they help cook. — *Children are more likely to make healtheir eating choices when they cook with you. They learn to try new things.*

what is not. This also gives you and your kids the opportunity to experiment and try to find healthier alternatives to your favorite snacks. For example, when making ice cream with bananas instead of purchasing it in the store, you cut down on sugar and artificial flavors that are in store-bought ice cream.

Going over ingredients when looking at packaging helps kids understand what to look for and what to avoid. For younger kids being in the kitchen is a great opportunity for them to develop their sense of smell, touch, and taste by experimenting with different foods.A child’s ability to make healthier choices in their adult life starts with their parents and what they are fed at home. Cooking with kids and introducing them to healthy options will help them be comfortable picking vegetables or salads, and trying new things, over always having greasy fried foods. Studies show over time as the kids grow up, they will choose healthier options when they learn to cook with their parents while growing up.

Building Confidence

When cooking, kids have to pay attention to details of a recipe and remain focused to get to the end product. Kids will build confidence and gain independence from learning to prep and cook a meal. After a few rounds of cooking with an adult kids may even have the confidence to want to try and cook something on their own. It is always easy to start with something like a sandwich or a simple snack recipe when they insist they want to do it on their own. Kids get a sense of accomplishment and pride when they complete a recipe and see their completed fully cooked meal.

This is also a good time to teach children about kitchen safety, things such as not touching the stove top, how to use the microwave, and how to safely check hot food. They learn teamwork and how working together to reach an end goal is better than doing it alone. Remember to continuously compliment your child’s efforts, even when they get frustrated. This will help your child keep calm and boost their confidence so they do not want to quit and give up on cooking. Praising your child in the kitchen also helps build a bond between the adult and child and lets them know that you believe in them.

A kid's reading skills improve from from being in the kitchen. They learn different measurements, and to follow steps. — *A kid’s reading skills improve from from being in the kitchen. They learn different measurements needed, and to follow steps.*

Math & Reading Skills Improve

Cooking helps a child understand measurements in a real world setting. Kids who learn things like numbers and measurements in a setting like a kitchen as opposed to just on paper are more likely to pick them up easier and remember them. You can help younger kids learn their numbers by having them count out each ingredient as you gather them and add them to the recipe. Older children on the other hand can work on more advanced skills like reading and fractions in the recipe.

Next time you cook a meal, bring your children in the kitchen to help you so they can begin learning these valuable life skills. Both you and your children will benefit from cooking together. You get to have a partner while cooking who will make the experience more fun, while your children learn to be more confident, enhance their cognitive skills, and use the knowledge to make healthier decisions as the grow into adults.

The Importance of Family Mealtimes

When was the last time you sat down with your family and ate dinner? Is the answer not in a while? Between going to work, taking kids to after-school activities, and making sure their homework is done, there is no time for a sit down meal. Most of the time, a dinner together is the only time of the day to reconnect with your children and spouse. Family dinner is the best time to laugh, talk about your ups and downs of the day, and take the time to listen to each other.

Having dinner together as a family strengthens a family's relationship. — *Having dinner together as a family strengthens a family’s relationship. It is a time to unwind, talk, and listen to each other.*

Stronger Relationship

It goes without saying that an open line of communication is what makes a relationship successful. This goes the same for relationships with your kids.

Something as simple as sitting at the table together and enjoying each other will build a kid’s self esteem. It also builds their sense of belonging, which in turn helps them with their friends and finding out who they are in school. Kids will less likely fall into peer pressure due to not only their high self-esteem, but the ability to come talk with their parents. And as for those who were bullied? Studies show they bounce back quicker. That strong bond between your children you build with them at the dinner table, will follow them through life.

Produces Productivity

Dinner conversation has great benefits on a young child’s language skills. Studies have shown that when young kids sit at the table for dinner, they learn more words than when being read to aloud. These kids learned approximately 1,000 words more than kids who did not sit at the dinner table with the family. Dinner together also teaches kids manners and social skills.

*Family dinners increase productivity and better grades in school.*

Older kids also benefit from sitting at the dinner table. Studies provided that young aged school kids and teens who ate at the table 5 to 7 days a week, were twice as likely to get A’s and B’s. These kids were also less likely to be depressed, and less likely to use drugs.

Save Money

Do you want to save money? If the answer is yes, then eat at home more! Eating a meal at the dinner table with your family is cheaper than eating out. Let’s do the math for a week of eating out versus eating at home. A meal for a person is about $10. A family of four’s check will be about $40 for the night. Doing this for 5 days a week will cost about $200. However, if you cook a meal at home, it will cost about $20 of groceries to make a meal for 4. This will cost you about $100 for 5 days. You save $100. Win!

Better Eating Habits

Getting kids to eat healthy food, such as vegetables and fruits, is a struggle. It is sometimes such a fight that even I want to just give up, and consider it a loss. But, studies show that kids who sit down and eat with their family are more likely to make healthier choices growing up. Kids will have a lower body-mass index and more controlled weight. This is because home cooked meals are just healthier than restaurants and fast food. I mean do we really need that double cheese gordita crunch wrap supreme? No, it is extremely unhealthy and lacks the nutrients your

child’s growing body needs.

Having dinner with your family helps you all to escape the drama from the day. Home is a safe place for you and your family, and the dinner table is where you can let loose and relax with them. Make a rule to unplug and put away the technology at the table, and plug into each other. If it may seem like it is too hectic to fit in, try to plan ahead meals, and have your kids help you cook. It can be a fun bonding experience.

Tag: health