All Posts by Hollye Gallion

4 Things Your Teeth Reveal About You

Your teeth definitely play a significant role in your overall physiology. They don’t only help you in the way you eat. They also help you enunciate your words more clearly. On top of that, your teeth serve as one of the primary features of how you present yourself to the world.

Your set of teeth is one of those things that makes you more appealing to other people. A 2016 study published in Evolution and Human Behavior suggests that the perception of sexual appeal is associated to signs that indicate the likelihood of producing healthy offspring. Examples of which are good general health, developmental stability, and fertility.

Don’t you ask yourself why you see a woman with petite jawbones to be beautiful? This is facial feature is in fact a sign that she has higher levels of female hormones, thus higher fertility. This is similar to how women find men with strong jaw lines attractive. It’s because it indicates higher levels of testosterone.

Nowadays, completely straight and bleached white teeth are striking, all thanks to celebrities flashing those pearly whites in movies and commercials. Looking beyond attractiveness and its utility in the body, your teeth actually say more about you in ways you may not even imagine. Progressions in dental medicine confirms that your teeth are indicators for a plethora of other things. Surprised? Here are four things your teeth can reveal about you.

Your Health

Some of the most complicated diseases can be diagnosed initially in your mouth. That’s because your teeth are considered to be a primary indicator for your health.

Dentists can spot the signs of anorexia and bulimia in your mouth. With anorexia, nutritional deficiencies, which include a lack of calcium, iron, and B vitamins, can cause tooth decay, gum disease, canker sores, and dry mouth, according to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). With bulimia, stomach acid from vomiting can erode tooth enamel, causing sensitivity to hot and cold food and changing the color and shape of the teeth. In some cases, teeth can become weak enough that they actually break.

Tooth loss is another sign of possible serious ailments. If you’re starting to experience inexplicable tooth loss, you might want to consider having your dentist check you out immediately. Learn more about how you can address this issue and any possible complications that come along with it.

Moreover, a lingering case of bad breath can be a signal for certain health problems, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). You may not even know you have it since GERD is “silent condition” and may occur during sleep. However, over time, GERD can wear away your teeth. In fact, research shows that 24 percent of people with GERD have tooth erosion, which a dentist can easily spot.

Your Femininity and Masculinity

As mentioned earlier, your teeth may prove to be one of your primary assets. It may dictate how you’re going to appeal to other people. This is one reason why you should be taking extra care of your choppers. Diving in on the matter, the structure and shape of your teeth may indicate the level of hormones you have, thus your level of femininity or masculinity.

It all goes down to your lateral incisors. The medical dictionary defines the lateral incisor as a tooth adapted for cutting or gnawing, located at the front of the mouth along the apex of the dental arch. The lateral incisors play a significant factor on the way you smile, and smiling has a psychological implication on different genders:

• Smaller lateral Incisors make your smile look more feminine, while larger lateral incisors make your smile look more masculine.
• Lateral incisors that are tilted slightly toward the middle and tucked in slightly behind the middle teeth look more feminine, while straighter lateral incisors look more masculine.
• Lateral incisors that have rounded edges and are shorter than the middle teeth look more feminine, while lateral incisors that are the same length as the middle teeth look more masculine.
• Lateral incisors that are more triangular in shape, which are also narrower at the gum line, look more feminine, while side teeth that are squarer in shape look more masculine.

Your Stress Level

Do you know that your dentist can tell your level of stress or if you’re handling your stress well or not? During routine dental examinations and cleanings, dentists can detect oral symptoms of stress, including orofacial pain, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), mouth sores, and gum disease.

At any moment you grind or clench your teeth, you are already in a condition medically known as bruxism. This is also happens involuntarily when you grind and clench your teeth at night while you are asleep. If you notice that the tips of your teeth appear flatter than they once did, or if your teeth become extremely sensitive, you may have bruxism. A sore jaw is another symptom to look out for.

Another thing that dentists may diagnose you when you aren’t handling your stress well is Temporomandibular Joint Disorders or TMD. TMD refers to a group of conditions that affects the jaw joint or the temporomandibular joint and the associated muscles used in moving the jaw and neck. Stress is thought to be a factor in TMD. Stressful situations can aggravate TMD by causing overuse of jaw muscles, specifically clenching or grinding teeth, as with bruxism. However, even if you aren’t seeing signs of bruxism, such as flat tips of teeth or decreasing tooth enamel, you may still experience other symptoms of TMD, such as jaw joint pain or popping and clicking of the jaw.

Stress can also increase your chances of experiencing gum disease. Gum disease starts out as gingivitis and progresses to a more severe form, periodontitis, if left untreated. The symptoms of gum disease include red, swollen gums that bleed easily. In periodontitis, the gums pull away from the teeth, creating pockets that are the perfect place for infections to take root.

Your Lifestyle

Yes, your teeth may be a significant pointer that tells your type of lifestyle, primarily your eating and drinking habits.

For instance, chemical compounds, called polyphenols, found in black and green teas, slow the growth of bacteria associated with cavities and gum disease. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have found that people who rinsed their mouths with black tea for one minute, 10 times a day, had less plaque buildup on their teeth than people who rinsed their mouths with water. Tea undermines the ability of some bacteria to clump together with other bacteria, so if you’re taking your usual morning black and green tea, keep going.

Research published in the journal General Dentistry has also reported that people who ate cheddar cheese had lower acid levels in their mouths than those who ate sugar-free yogurt or drank a glass of milk. The same findings have been established regarding eating raisins and cranberries which are naturally flavored and help kill cavity-causing plaque bacteria. If you’re enjoying your fruits and dairy, then you might just be living a good healthy life.

On the other hand, your teeth may also point out if you’re in the middle of the party scene. Smoking can actually leave stains in your mouth that can last for a long time if you don’t pay your dentist a visit. That goes the same if you’re drinking too much as alcohol can leave certain marks on your grinders.

3 Simple Habits to Control Weight in the Workplace

Focusing on a career is both stressful and fruitful at the same time. For one, you are able to advance yourself further than the tight competition this generation is pitted against. At the same time, you become more aware of the many aspects which underline your career.

The other side of it is that when you devote so much time for your work, you tend to forget the other facets of your life, such as social life, family, and, most importantly, your health. This is common for many people, as modern life in America has led many to eat more unhealthy foods, eat bigger food portions, and be less active. As a result, the number of Americans who are overweight or obese (very overweight) has been rising for the past years. Recent studies show about 1 in 3 American adults being obese, and another 1 in 3 is overweight.

Considering the fact that the demand for competent employees nowadays is strikingly high, the unfortunate reality is that your time is packed in a schedule where it is hard to fit in a regular schedule for exercise and healthy living. This is why it is important that you take note of the simple habits in which you can be healthy while also considering the limitations that are laid on you.

Cheat the way you eat

While most of you find it hard to stick to a diet plan that actually works for you, it is important that you consider making small adjustments not only to your portions, but also to your mindset. Eating habits are much more mental than physical. Cheating your brain into thinking that your stomach is full can actually help you control your weight fast.

How exactly do you do that? There are a variety of ways that can help you do just that.

First things first, it is important that you stay disciplined in eating regularly. By regular, it means that you eat at specific times when you should, such as for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Skipping these three important meals of the day makes it harder for you to actually control your weight.

Although it proves difficult to actually get off at work to eat right at schedule, one hack that may just aid your problems in your eating schedule is by packing your food to eat at work. With packed food, you have more control with your portions, and it is more convenient because you don’t have to waste time “hunting” for food outside of the office.

Another way to cheat your brain is to use downsized dinnerware. Studies show that you are likely to eat less when your plates are smaller. The theory is that your eyes get tricked into thinking you are eating more because your plate makes the food portions look bigger and your plate full. The result: you are satisfied with less food.

In addition to using smaller plates, it is best that you focus on eating when it’s eating time. It can be tough to focus on eating when there’s work to do, but chowing down when you’re distracted can lead to accidentally taking in more than you need. Distracted eating doesn’t just lead to more consumption in the moment. It can even compel you to eat more than necessary later on in the day, according to a systematic review of 24 studies in the February 2013 edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

If you find all of this hard to stick with, there are actually alternative means to control your weight. With humans learning and understanding more about the science behind everything in this world, even weight control has become that you can master. Help shed fat with these products, and you might just find yourself on your way to better health.

Simple Physical Activity Can Give You a Boost

New research has found that prolonged sitting—like the kind you do all day at work—is sabotaging your health and turning you into a 9-to-5 couch potato. One study last year has found that sitting can increase your risk for cancer by more than 60%. What’s a desk jockey to do? Luckily, spending all day at the office doesn’t have to mean spending it sedentarily.

A variety of specialized exercises at work have been produced since many employees find it hard to make time for actual workouts. Before actual office hours, there are easy steps in which you can maximize your time to work your body while taking into consideration your daily time constraints.

Walking to work comes with a host of great benefits, and not just for the environment. Your body, mind and bank balance can all benefit, too, so why not make this simple change and see what a difference it can make? Walking is a great form of cardio exercise that doesn’t require you to sweat it out at the gym. If you walk fast enough to raise your heart rate, temperature and breathing, you can still reap the same kind of rewards as a run on the treadmill.

After a while, you’ll find that you don’t feel as worn out when you get to the office. Moreover, you have burned more energy than when you commute.

While walking to work seems to be a good idea, taking the stairs levels it up for a better physical exercise. Climbing stairs burns calories, which can help you better manage your weight. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator helps you increase your overall activity, contributing to a higher daily calorie burn.

For example, a 150-lb person burns about 544 calories just walking up stairs for an hour, according to CaloriesPerHour.com. The sport of stair climbing, which involves running up the stairs, can help you burn nearly twice as much calorie as compared to other sports like volleyball and baseball, according to StairClimbingSport.com. The number of calories you burn depends on your weight, the slope of the stairs, number of stairs and your pace.

Water is Power

Other diet therapies can be harsh to follow since they require a lot of time and discipline. However, one method which proves useful and convenient especially for you working people is water therapy. Drinking a lot of water can be a useful tool in a dieter’s arsenal when weight loss is a goal. It helps boosts your metabolism, suppresses your appetite, and, surprisingly, helps you shed water weight. Getting in the recommended 8-10 glasses a day can be difficult, but with determination, you can soon be on the right track of using water to your weight loss advantage.

The benefits of water are numerous. Well-hydrated body helps your muscles and organs work quickly and efficiently. When your body is working well, it boosts your metabolic rate and helps you to feel more energetic. Water can help improve your metabolism, burning calories 3% faster than normal. Metabolism plays a big role in losing weight so it’s important to give your body what it needs in order for it to work the way you want.

Since feeling thirsty and hungry often go hand-in-hand, if you’re feeling thirsty, you might accidentally start eating instead of going for a glass of water. Try to listen to what your body needs and keep a water bottle close at hand. You don’t want to be adding on the extra pounds by eating when you’re not even hungry.

If you’re feeling hungry, drink a glass of water 15 minutes before eating. It helps your body control the hunger so that you can better manage your portion control. It is also a good idea to have a glass of water with every meal. Try to take a sip of water between every few bites, which can help you feel full faster.

Health Magic – 6 Tips on How to Eat Healthy

Eating healthy shouldn’t be a hard task for anyone. Surely, calculating calories or keeping the cholesterol count in check could be too hard for anyone at the start. When the challenge becomes too much to bear, eventually, people would rather opt to eat unhealthily just because of the fact that eating properly could be a chore.

Then again, healthy options shouldn’t be too hard to choose. Something as simple as going for water instead of soda can be one of the most important health decisions you would ever make.

Find out more about the easiest ways for you to be healthy – you don’t even need to think too hard. These health hacks targets your unconscious mind:

Using Smaller Plates

One of the best actions you could take is to get smaller plates. The simple idea is that when using smaller plates, you brain is wired that only a small amount of food can fit on it.

Of course, bigger plates mean bigger portions, and that means you eat more. According to many studies, opting for a smaller plate can help you eat significantly less amount of food. For example, if you made a simple change and served your dinner on 10-inch plates instead of a 12-inch plate, you would eat 22% less food over the course of the next year.

Also, psychology says that eating less is not as easy as just putting less food on your plate regardless of the diameter of the plate. If you’re thinking, “maybe I’ll just put less food on my plate,” you become more susceptible to being unsuccessful as compared to someone who uses a smaller plate. Additionally, psychology says that when you eat a small portion off of a large plate, your mind feels unsatisfied. Meanwhile, the same portion seems more filling when eaten off of a small plate.

Make water more accessible

Most people mindlessly give in to the temptation of drinking soda or a sip of iced tea while the mind is busy doing something else. The human mind would choose to drink the nearest possible potable liquid that the arms could reach, especially when thirsty. This is why a good measure for you to be healthier is to put enough distance between you and any unhealthy drink.

Try this instead: buy a large water bottle and set it somewhere near you throughout the day. You would find that if it’s sitting next to you, you would often opt for water instead and avoid less healthy options naturally.

Drinking water helps maintain the balance of body fluids – and having fresh water with you any time you need it can definitely help you a lot. For one, your body is composed of about 60% water. The functions of these bodily fluids include digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature.

Don’t keep junk food in the house.

Much like the idea of keeping water close to you at all times, if you keep away the junk food from yourself, you can put yourself into a position to be healthier. There are numerous reasons for this.

For example, if you’re hungry and looking for something salty to munch on, you’d most likely opt not to eat at all when there is no junk food on one of your cupboards – the idea of having to go out of the house and go to the nearest convenience store is most often enough to deter you from satisfying your temptations to eat junk food. Conversely, if there is any junk food inside your house – even if it’s not your favorite one – you would easily fall into the temptation of binging on them.

Learn to eat more vegetables and fruits a day

Not everyone is fond of eating a lot of vegetables; you may be even that kind of person who generally hates eating vegetables. Surely, the taste of vegetables (or the healthiest fruits) isn’t that desirable for everyone. The big problem, however, is that the most common health concerns arise from people not eating the vegetables or fruits regularly.

Then again, you can teach yourself to get used to eating healthy food that you don’t like. Yes, you can learn to love vegetables if you start eating smaller portions then increase your rations as time goes by. By starting small then slowly increase, you can acclimate your taste buds to like vegetables and fruits after a given period of time.

First, for one week, keep track of how often you eat fruits and vegetables. One serving equals one-half cup of chopped fruit or most vegetables; for raw leafy vegetables like lettuce and spinach, a serving is one cup. Once you have your baseline, try adding one fruit or vegetable serving a day.

Always opt for the healthiest snacks.

The biggest misconception about packing snacks is that it’s hard to do. One thing that works for most fit people is preparing healthy snacks for the entire week, or getting them together the night before. It literally takes five minutes. Doing so can help you eat healthier throughout the day.

Here are some healthy snacks that take no time to prepare:

Beet Chips With Curried Yogurt: Mix together 2 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek yogurt and ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon curry powder. Serve with 1 cup beet chips.

Crackers With Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread and Banana: Dividing evenly, spread 2 crisp bread crackers with 1 tablespoon chocolate-hazelnut spread. Top with 1 sliced small banana.

Ham and Jicama Wraps: Wrap 6 jicama or celery sticks with 3 slices ham. Serve with 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard for dipping.

Banana, Kale, and Almond Milk Smoothie: In a blender, puree 1 medium banana, 1 cup chopped kale, and 1 cup almond milk until smooth.

Minty Pea Dip With Pretzel Chips: Mash ½ cup frozen peas with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint and 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice. Serve with 15 pretzel chips.

Bagel With Ricotta and Strawberries: Spread ½ toasted whole-grain “flat” bagel with 2 tablespoons fresh ricotta. Top with ⅓ cup sliced strawberries. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar.

Lemony Avocado With Endive Dippers: Mash ⅓ chopped avocado with 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice and a pinch of kosher salt. Serve with endive leaves.

If you opt for these easy meals based on very healthy ingredients, you could find yourself craving for the healthiest types of food almost every time.

Definitely don’t skip breakfast.

Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast – that’s where its name originates, breaking the fast. Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car without petrol. Nutritionists advise that breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking, and that a healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your guideline daily allowance (GDA).

Apart from providing people with energy, common breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fiber. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals. Try to include a portion of your daily five at breakfast, whether that be a banana or glass of fruit juice.

6 Common Misconceptions About Oral Health

Dental health is more than just having white teeth! There are other factors beyond just having pearly whites that you need to take into consideration if you really want to achieve truly superior oral health. To enlighten you more, here are six common misconceptions about dental health and the real truth behind them.

It’s best if You Brush Your Teeth After Eating…

A study was conducted where a group of volunteers were observed for three weeks as researchers examined the impact of brushing on their teeth after they drank diet soda. In this study, the scientists found an increase in dentin loss when brushing in the 20 minutes after drinking soda. However, there was considerably less wear when brushing took place 30 or 60 minutes afterward.

Contrary to popular belief, brushing your teeth immediately after eating is not good for the enamel of your teeth. Your human nature would tell you to grab your toothbrush and scrub away at your teeth straight after a meal to get rid of any food particles. However, modern studies have proven that brushing right after eating not only gives you a weird taste in your mouth; it can also be detrimental to your overall dental health.

Research shows that brushing too soon after eating, especially with meals that are partnered with acidic drinks, can do more harm than good. Acid attacks the teeth, eroding enamel and the layer below it, called dentin. By brushing, you could actually push the acid deeper into the enamel and the dentin.

Whiter Teeth are Healthier Teeth…

Perhaps the most common myth is that having whiter teeth means that your teeth are healthy. Your teeth may be white, but this cannot show if there is an infection or cavities between the teeth. Pure white teeth do not equate to healthier teeth, although they should be on the whiter side. The natural color of teeth varies from one person to another where people with healthy teeth could have more yellowish teeth than the next person.

Your teeth also yellow with age, but that doesn’t mean they’re not healthy. On the contrary, ultra white teeth could be bad. It can mean your teeth have excessive fluorides or hypocalcified spots that denote calcium deficiency.

What’s important is the pinkness of your gums: Healthy gums should look pink and firm, not red and swollen. To keep gums healthy, practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash once or twice a day, see your dentist regularly, and avoid smoking or chewing tobacco.

You only need the dentist when the tooth aches…

Usually, people only go to see the dentist when they have toothaches, and by this time, the problem is almost severe. Do not have that mentality of if it ain’t broke don’t fix it applied on your dental health. Have your teeth checked up regularly because you won’t know if you have a dental health problem unless a dentist checks it. You’ll save yourself more dollars and, of course, your teeth if you keep yourself regularly checked.

Experts recommend that adults should be called for dental check-ups, depending on risk factors including alcohol, tobacco use and diet. It is recommended to go to a dentist every three months for those most at risk of dental problems and every two years for those with the lowest risk.

It’s wise to visit your dental team regularly even if you are not experiencing any problems with your mouth or teeth. Having check-ups regularly helps you and your dentist, dental hygienist or dental therapist keep your teeth and gums healthy and pain-free. They understand your needs and can recommend how often you should visit them back based on their assessments.

Regular dental check-ups should also be practiced all the more when you already have dentures. You can have the best dentures from Anchorage Dentures or Instant Smile premium dentures, but you still need them checked frequently for overall dental health.

Bleaching is Dangerous for your Teeth…

Before, people have claimed that bleaching their teeth developed several oral problems. However, bleaching has been mastered by dentists for years now, and it’s not any more dangerous to your dental health.

Bleaching is one of the most used dental aesthetics services in recent years with the new technology allowing patients to get whiter smiles faster and safer. Prior to 90’s, the acidic raw materials has been used to bleach teeth, causing unnatural enamel break down, but now, these bleaching materials are PH neutral and do not show damage to the enamel or root of the tooth with its use.

When you are bleaching your teeth, you are simply oxidizing your teeth using carbamide peroxide so that light refracts more favorably off the enamel. What can be dangerous are aggressively high concentrations of whitening gels that can traumatize or shock the tooth. Prolonged use of bleaching could cause sensitivity, but once one ceases to use the trays, the pain should go away.

Sugar is the killer of teeth…

Excessive sugar can be bad for your teeth. However, it’s not actually the sugar that is hurting them. Bacteria in the mouth needs processed sugar to survive, but if you don’t consume sugar and have poor oral hygiene habits, you can still be prone to the same decay. Conversely, if you eat a lot of processed sugars you are more likely to incur a certain amount of tooth decay, but with proper dental hygiene you, won’t get them.

Several species of oral bacteria feed on carbohydrates and produce acid as a by-product through a process of simple fermentation. These bacteria live on the teeth in a biofilm called plaque. The acid slowly eats away at the tooth enamel, a thin layer of calcium that covers the tooth.

Basically, the human tooth is in a constant state of mineralization and demineralization. Saliva helps neutralize acid from food to keep demineralization at a minimum. However, if the region gets too acidic, then demineralization takes over and rot sets in.

Nevertheless, maintaining oral hygiene through brushing and flossing regularly can clear away food residue and starve the bacteria, keeping its growth in check. In the absence of brushing, the carbohydrates that linger the longest can cause the most damage.

Overall, the true cause of tooth decay is the combination of bacteria, sugar, and acid. Your gums can get irritated if sugar gets caught in between your teeth. It is important to brush or rinse after eating, especially after sweets, to get rid of the sugars and acids that can damage the enamel.

Flossing is optional…

Flossing is an extra step many people tend to skip after brushing our teeth but this can lead to the buildup of bacteria. If someone doesn’t floss, he or she is not cleaning almost 33% of their tooth surfaces that regular brushing can’t reach.

Brushing alone cannot clean the whole area around a tooth when there is another tooth beside it. Flossing completes tooth brushing by removing dental plaque and food debris remaining in the inter-proximal region (the area that is between two teeth). That region is a place where tooth decay commonly forms.

Also, if dental plaque that is found between teeth is not cleaned, it can eventually release a bad odor from your mouth. This is a major reason why a person may suffer from bad breath (halitosis). Tooth decay and gum disease, also caused by dental plaque, are a source of a bad smell in the mouth as well.

3 Things to Do to Achieve Overall Good Health

There are many different factors to consider in order to declare that a person is healthy. Acquiring good physical stature by means of exercise and good diet is one of the factors that people usually hear. However, aside from that, having an excellent mental state of mind, emotional and social stability and controlled judgement are also vital elements to achieve your overall wellness.

Fusing them all together, a person can be seen as a holistically healthy and fundamentally fit. Since being healthy can only exist if all factors come into play, achieving good overall health seems to be quite a challenge for many people of practically all ages and gender.  It would most likely take time and a whole lot of patience and determination to hear from a health practitioner that you are one of the lucky, healthy ones.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that good health is not merely the absence of disease; it is also a reflection of the social and mental well-being of a person in a community. Many influences affect one’s health.  According to WHO, in order to effectively provide good health for everyone in a community, actions should aim not simply to reduce disease, but also to reduce social tensions and mental ill-health to acceptable levels.

Then again, it is important to always note that being healthy always starts with the person themselves.

To start being healthy overall, one must take various steps forward in the physical, emotional, mental and social facets of his or her life. Some people do not recognize that some of their habits actually play significant roles on these factors. Routinely talking and mingling with people at work induces a sense of belonging, thus create a positive attitude. A for one’s physicality, a simple walk makes up for a good exercise in the physical aspect. These small steps are assured to jumpstart any aspiring efforts for one to attain their ultimate health goal.

So what can one do to finally attain that vision of health and wellness? Here are 3 good ways to spark people’s drives on their way to achieving good overall health.

Eat Right, Work Out Mighty

The most obvious thing to go about in attaining good physical health is by having a balanced diet and working out.

So how does one really define a balanced diet?

A balanced diet is one that gives the human body the nutrients it needs to function properly. In order to get the proper nutrition from one’s diet, research notes that people should obtain the majority of his or her daily calories from fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and lean proteins.

Children with a poor diet run the risk of growth and developmental problems and poor academic performance. More importantly, bad eating habits can persist for the rest of their lives, so it is definitely better to start at an early age.

Furthermore, eating the right foods ultimately aids the body’s organs and tissues and gives them the proper nutrition they need to work effectively. Without good nutrition, a person’s body is more prone to disease, infection, fatigue and poor performance of daily activities. With that in mind, a diet that is planned out for the week may help a person track what he or she puts in his or her body. The person may also have an idea how many calories he or she may have taken and thus needs to burn to stay fit.

This is where the exercising part comes in.

Working out goes hand in hand with eating healthy mainly because what a person eats is what a person has to burn. In order to stay healthy, a person has to “burn” the food with an equivalent workout. Every person aspiring to work out should know that there are specific approaches or types of exercise which can be done based on a person’s body type and preferred results.

To choosing a specific workout method, it greatly helps to find out the possible results that the exercise could provide as this could provide a great sense of motivation for a person. Besides, working out is part mental and part physical. Also, hiring a personal trainer can provide a lot of benefits for any individual. Not only are they qualified for the job because of their experience, they also have their ways in motivating a person by keeping them in check for their workouts. Plus, they can provide really good tips about working out and life in general.

Good Smile, Positive Attitude

Having a positive attitude is a very important facet in achieving overall health. This is because a positive attitude attracts other people to socialize and be comfortable in their presence. It also allows for a possible emotional connection.

What should be kept in mind when it comes to having a healthy social and emotional pull?

The fact is that it always boils down to presentation. Someone who smells good or has an attractive dress may easily attract other people. However, reports suggest that it all starts with a person’s smile. A person’s smile affects the body inside and outside.  The act of smiling activates neural messages that benefits one’s health and sense of happiness.

A person is actually better looking when he or she smiles. When someone sees another person smiles, their reaction towards the smiling individual changes drastically. A person is viewed as attractive, reliable, relaxed and sincere. A study published in the journal Neuropsychologia reported that seeing an attractive smiling face activates the orbitofrontal cortex, the region in the brain that process sensory rewards. This suggests that when one views a person smiling, he is actually feeling rewarded.

As such, good dental care comes into play. People are now learning that good teeth allows for better smiles, ergo, allows for a positive attitude. Many dental clinics and professionals, like those at Case Orthodontics are providing the right amount of attention to one’s dental care needs for a person to help them improve on their physical and even social life. Those sparkling whites really get the job done!

Be Headstrong with Mental Therapy

One of the more overlooked facets in overall health is having a good mental state of mind. This is because there is a stigma that when a person goes for the services of a mental health professional, he or she might have some severe mental illness. Not necessarily so.

People who are open to seeking professional services of mental health professionals are actually reaping the benefits. Having a therapist who listens to their challenges and provides them plausible ways to go about achieving their goals can ultimately revamp one’s outlooks and perspective.

National Health Service in the United Kingdom  notes that sometimes, it is easier to talk to a stranger than to relatives or friends. During talking therapy, a trained counselor or therapist listens to the person and helps him or her find their own answers to problems, without the judgement factor. The therapist gives time for the person to talk, cry, shout or just think. It’s an opportunity to look at one’s problems in a different way with someone who can respect the person and his or her opinions.

Usually, patients seeking advice talk one-on-one with a therapist. Sometimes, talking treatments are held in groups or couples, such as relationship counseling. Although there are lots of different types of talking therapy, they all have a similar aim: to help a person feel better. Some people say that talking therapies don’t make their problems go away, but they find it easier to cope with them and feel happier.

A Stitch in Time – A Physician’s Guide to Saving Time

Today’s hustle and bustle proves to be a huge challenge for the majority of the population. From the arduous trials brought about by balancing time for yourself, your family and school or work, you can easily note that time management is as important as it gets. Allowing time for each of the important things in your life is vital in achieving a balanced and healthy social, emotional and personal state.

Given this, if you’re a physician, the word ‘leisure’ may seem to be rare term in your vocabulary.

Being a physician has always been a busy job. A study entitled “Time and the Patient–Physician Relationship” found in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health suggests that physician time is a major factor in the whole process of medication. This is especially true for primary care physicians who set as their goal the delivery and coordination of comprehensive care for patients. Achieving such a goal requires availability, a broad spectrum of medical knowledge, effective use of the local health care system, and attention to both the “big picture” and the details of a patient’s general health.

The life of a physician is mostly a demanding mix of work and education, plus the slightest hint of personal of family time.  If you’re one of them, you would agree that your life may be described as extremely routine-based. You drive to the hospital, and then you put on your scrubs. You may or may not start with looking at the charts and doing your rounds, but most of the time you do. Truth be told, most doctors would likely be burnt out trying to manage what remains of their time.

This is why many studies have been done to try to help physicians become more efficient, just like what a Stanford study did. The method includes you “banking” the time you spend doing the often-unappreciated work of mentoring, serving on committees, covering colleagues’ shifts on short notice or deploying in emergencies, and earn credits to use for work or home-related services.

The simple idea is aimed at addressing a complex challenge: doctors, on average, work 10 hours more every week than other professionals, with nearly 40 percent working 60 hours or more, according to a 2012 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

It shows that 1 in 2 physicians report at least one symptom of being burnout and that they’re twice as dissatisfied with their work-life balance as those in other professions. Within 10 years of joining an academic medical faculty, 5 of every 10 doctors leave, with four leave academic medicine entirely.

If you’re trying to start on your own in managing time, it can be very frustrating to keep track and be consistent with what you’re doing. It can also be a challenge for you how to bring back the spark in your ride towards a more balanced life.

At the end of it all, you might find the light in your quest to bring back that balance in your life. As such, it is to take note of the different ways, whether big or small, to help physicians save time.

Start Your Work Right on Time

The key factor in every time management plan is starting your day on time. It is important to note what the term “on-time” exactly means. Starting late can cause nuisance for you at work since you have to cope with the time you that could have been used to be more productive. Sadly, this is an accepted fact.

Now, you might begin to wonder – why starting early is bad too?

Researches showed that every minute that you’re earlier than the required time you have to be equates to an overall lack of sleep. Physicians don’t get a lot of sleep to begin with, and this may cause early symptoms of burnout. In fact, physicians may or may not have any at all. Similarly, you would be off-sync with most people at the hospital who start at the specified time.

In a new survey, physicians report that they are not getting the sleep they need to function at their best, and current work schedules may contribute to their inadequate sleep. The survey, issued by the American College of Chest Physicians Sleep Institute (ACCP-SI), shows that most physicians sleep fewer hours than needed for peak performance, and nearly half of physicians believe their work schedules do not allow for adequate sleep. Results further indicated that, when compared to the general population, who sleeps 7-9 hours, physicians take in more caffeine to function in their profession.

This is an alarming fact that may be addressed by regulating the time to start work.

Work Smarter

Dictate your charts. If you belong to the minority of physicians who keep records in longhand, change your ways and dictate your charts. With the time you save, you should be able to see enough additional patients to pay for the service easily. As a bonus, your notes become more complete and more legible.

Immediately after you see a patient, dictate your notes (some physicians even do their dictation in the patient’s presence). Don’t let anything stand in the way of this rule. Dictation takes longer if you are trying to remember the patient’s history or what your plans were even an hour after the encounter, much less at the end of the day. In addition, when the patient encounter is not fresh in your mind, errors are inevitable and may lead to wasted time during the patient’s next visit or call.

Avoid needless breaks. When you are in the office, move directly from one patient to the next. A surprising number of doctors fall into the habit of taking a break between each patient encounter — drinking coffee, making personal phone calls, casually conversing with colleagues and so on. Of course, an occasional break or conversation is necessary, but it shouldn’t be a distractive habit. A doctor who wants to stay on schedule and manage their time must stay on task.

Another thing to note is to always keep yourself busy. Instruct your support staff to keep you busy at all times. All office activities stem from physician activities, either directly or indirectly. If the physician isn’t making good use of his or her time, the practice eventually suffers. Train your staff that it is their responsibility to make sure you always have something productive to do.

Utilize Physician Scheduling Software

While it may seem a drastic method for others, using a Physician Scheduling Software is turning out to be a popular option for new age physicians, and it can provide huge benefits for you. In fact, top medical organizations and physicians across the United States and other countries use this computer integration in their roster, proving to be a vital cog in professional time management processes for doctors.

The best physician scheduling software provides easy to use tools to simplify physician scheduling, pay calculation, and communications for medical professionals. Users all across the nation are reaping the benefits of using it, having up to a resounding 90% time savings in schedule preparation.  The emergence of a more technologically advanced tool has turned out to be a useful practice tool and professional business launch pad.

When time is saved, it automatically follows that you improve retention and workplace morale. Medical and administrative staffers are able to work as one unit. Private practice levels up and becomes more equipped to take on more clients. The bottom line is that time saved through proper organization equates to savings. This ultimately provides improved patient care, all because of the incorporation of a technological advancement to support proper time alignment in the workplace.

Things Nurses will tell Patients about their Asthma

Nurses all over the world are aware that lung ailments are some of the hardest conditions to combat, because it can cause a lot of complications in breathing and, eventually, going about regular daily activities. Especially in the present day, when pollution and smoke disturbs the atmosphere, it should come as no surprise that the number of people having respiratory related health problems is likewise on the rise. Given that fact, various diseases have escalated to become common ailments in the household. One of the more popular ones is asthma.

Asthma is a lasting medical condition that affects the lungs, specifically its airways. Wheezing and difficulty breathing are the main indicators of the disease. Nonetheless, the more apparent symptoms of asthma appear to be irregular cough or chest tightness. Nurses are aware of further dangers that this disease can cause, since they often attend to people inflicted with it – personally.

Come to think of it, having this ailment can be compared to gearing up a hand grenade, where the ring, which acts as trigger, must be displaced for it to work. Similarly, in having asthma, there are various factors that trigger its attacks, which can be based from different environmental factors.

These triggers may include pollution, pollen, animal dander, chemicals, smoke, exercise and anxiety or other emotions that may induce adverse reactions. However, these triggers depend on the patient because each person may have variable triggers. Since these variable triggers and environmental factors are rampant, people have come to believe many so-called “facts” about asthma.

Nursing practitioners are prime witnesses to the struggle of patients when they have episodes of coughing and chest pains. As part of their duty, nurses would not hesitate to shed light on the realities of asthma as they help those who had the misfortune of having the challenge of this respiratory condition.

At this point, it is important to learn from the first hand heroes of healthcare and find out what nurses would unselfishly share with patients the truth behind asthma.

Asthma and Allergies are different

Asthma and having allergies are two closely related but different conditions. Because of their close ties, it may have caused a lot of people to think that asthma is an allergy. It is not. Having allergies is a “smaller” condition compared to having Asthma mainly because the former entails both a lot more and worse complications.

True enough, both respiratory conditions can make it a toll to breath for people afflicted. However, allergies are when the immune system has a reaction to normally harmless things. Allergies may be induced by irritants, or the more aptly coined term allergens, which may include pollens, dust or animal dander.

Nurses emphasize that asthma is a much more severe, chronic condition that ensues in the bronchial tubes. Then again, there is a type of asthma which can be induced by allergies. Allergic asthma is a kind of asthma that is triggered by allergens, causing the inflicted person to have difficulty in breathing as well as coughing.

This is why it is important that children and adults alike be in an environment that is free of these allergens. Simple steps like having the best air purifier for allergies can play a big role in preventing these attacks from happening. Nurses also suggest keeping away from places filled with dust and dirt to prevent any possible allergy-induced episodes.

Patients Need Constant Medication

Since asthma is primarily a chronic, lasting disease, it also comes as an antecedent that medication may be required over a long period of time depending on the indicators felt.

Inhalers are among the most popular medications  in treating asthma. It acts as a more efficient manner of injecting medicine because the drug is inhaled directly where the airways are. This is to soothe the throat region and prevent more hard coughs which can be a huge struggle for patients. There are also nebulisers which are machines used in hospitals to transfer short-acting bronchodilator medicines and convert it to aerosols for easier absorption.

All in all, medicines and maintenance procedures should not be taken lightly because it is first in line in curing the ailment. Since asthma is a very serious matter, unlike common perceptions, consistent evaluation of what medicine to use definitely comes into play.

People CAN and SHOULD exercise

True enough, having asthma can have some serious (and evident) repercussions such as heavy breathing. However, in spite of the difficulty in breathing, it is still important for the patient to continue to do exercise.

Exercising is an integral therapy to any health-related condition. In fact, doing physical activities is still a vital approach to having a fortified immune system. There are various ways to go about exercising when inflicted with asthma.

Employing warm ups and cool downs in an exercise regimen is one approach to make it easier for people to exercise. Exercise not only helps build muscles and strengthen the bones, one of the more obvious benefits of it is that it also helps strengthen the lungs. With exercised lungs, breathing is more manageable, thus, the less the symptoms can be felt. Exercise can also reduce asthma risks since it induces better lung function. Then again, it is as important to consult doctors when planning to exercise to know what safe ways it can be done.

A balanced diet and a good exercise regimen, plus proper medication, are keys towards living life happily with asthma.

Humidity CAN help but won’t cure it

Often, dry settings and high altitude can trigger some attacks in the bronchial region.This is because it can make the region dry and itchy which can induce coughing. Humid surroundings are actually more ideal for keeping the airways moist. Since asthma can be very dependent on which environment people exist in, some people ought to think that just moving to a place with humid climate just poofs away the ailment.  This is not necessarily true.

Generally speaking, it has been proven that the environment is a major factor in developing any disease. Truly, a change in the surroundings can somehow make asthmatic symptoms lessen. Nonetheless, it cannot totally cure it. In fact, the lessened effect of the change is so much temporary that new environmental allergens can adapt to evolve into triggers for one’s asthma.

The best way to go about it is to have a controlled environment. A controlled environment can and will help any asthma-inflicted person in many ways.

It won’t just go away

A common misconception about the disease is that a person will outgrow it. The main problem in that is it is a chronic illness, thus, it is lasting and continues to endure when there is no proper medication.

Technically speaking, children can outgrow asthma. In fact, according studies in the United States, half of children with ages 2-10 have indicators of the ailment, such as lessened difficulty to breath and wheezing. Unfortunately, those who “outgrew” their asthma can most likely recur in adulthood, especially when these people start the habit of smoking as well as being introduced to a polluted environment.

What parents can work with in children is setting the proper environment where they can eat and play. This is one of the better steps towards not developing the disease. With proper medication and consistent, evaluated primary care, asthma may soon be an ailment of the past and completely (and literally) disappear.

How poor air quality could damage your lungs

It’s pretty obvious that most living things need air to stay alive. In the past, air had been considered as just being made up of a single type of matter. Through the course of scientific history, it was eventually learned that air is actually a mixture of different gases. Oxygen and nitrogen are two of the main components of air, which plays a huge role in the survival of all living things on the planet.

Organisms living on Earth directly take oxygen from the layer of air that envelops the planet, more commonly known as the atmosphere. As for aquatic organisms, they get their much needed oxygen from air in small concentrations dispersed in water.

Plants, however, need carbon dioxide to stay alive. They absorb it from the air exhaled by humans and animals. As plants collect carbon dioxide, they process it to be converted and release it back again into the atmosphere as oxygen. Hence, plants and animals have a mutual and interdependent relationship with each other as they maintain atmospheric oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in equilibrium.

Although invisible to the naked eye, air has always been around since the earlier years of the planet as it sustains and maintains the life of all things living on Earth. While air can’t be seen, it can definitely be felt when the leaves and tree branches sway. However, the sad reality is that just like a good number of natural resources that are needed to sustain life, air has been treated poorly and rarely given value.

Poor Air Quality

Pollution in the air is the dispersal in the atmosphere of chemicals, particles, and gaseous waste materials that cause discomfort, illnesses, fatality to humans, and damage to other living things such as livestock and crops. It comes from vehicular smoke emissions, coal and other industrial power plants, cargo and passenger ships, and also from natural phenomena like wildfires.

Air pollution has worsened in the past decades and is considered to be one of the most alarming issues that needs to be addressed – especially in large cities and states. Along with industrialization and incredible technological advancements, pollutants in the atmosphere have become more rampant. This situation has posed a threat to the health of all living things and to the rest of the environment.

Regularly inhaling polluted air takes away at least a year or two from a typical human lifespan. In fact, rising levels of air pollution in Beijing, China have resulted to a new respiratory disease called Beijing cough. Similarly, one of the deadliest air pollution situations in history is the Great Smog of London phenomenon in 1952, which has recorded at least 8000 casualties.

Also, air pollution related deaths are fast-increasing in Asia. In fact, 65% of deaths in Asian countries are accounted to poor air quality that resulted from serious respiratory ailments. In India alone, air pollution is causing approximately 527, 700 deaths a year. In China, however, about 750, 000 Chinese die prematurely due to a polluted atmosphere.

Within the American region however, records show that 25, 000 people die prematurely in California due to respiratory ailments, and $200 million worth of medical expenses are incurred yearly. Furthermore, deaths caused by air pollution cost the European Union €161 billion.

These numbers prove that the most visible effects of air pollution is more than just smog or yellow dust. Inhaling these particles do have negative effects that can put anyone’s respiratory health at risk.

Respiratory Health Risk 1 – Asthma

Even though asthma is not directly caused by air pollutants, asthma episodes or attacks can be triggered by high levels of harmful particles and chemicals in the air. According to a non-profit international environmental advocacy group in New York called the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), asthma is chronic, a lingering and debilitating inflammatory disease in the body’s airways that may be caused by smoke emissions from cars, factories, and power plants.

NRDC states that ground level ozone, sulfur dioxide, fine particles, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide are common triggers of asthma. These pollutants cause the constriction and inflammation of the smaller airways in the lungs that make breathing a burden even for healthy people. For asthmatic people, sudden constrictions may pose a threat to his or her life.

Furthermore, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC considers second-hand tobacco and cigarette smoke as another cause of asthmatic attacks. In Europe and North America, asthma attacks related to poor air quality is one of the most common diseases that cause mortality.

CDC recommends that parents, friends, and relatives of people with asthma should not smoke in close proximity or greatly consider totally quitting smoking. Also, medical professionals suggest investing in the best air purifier in the market today to ensure the highest quality of air in one’s home.

Respiratory Health Risk 2 – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder

Increase in air pollution levels can also cause Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder or COPD. It is a progressive disease that refers to repetitive manifestations of respiratory problems such as bronchitis. Progressive means that the disease can get worse overtime if not treated immediately.

Smoking is recognized to be the main factor in the development of COPD. Also, current studies of respondents who lived during the Great Smog in 1952 show significant decrease in breathing capacity and vulnerability to respiratory ailments.

COPD causes coughing that yields mucus in large amounts, wheezing, shortness of breath, and other symptoms. As it develops slowly, symptoms worsen over time that may limit or eventually lose a patient’s ability to accomplish daily activities like walking, cooking, and other regular daily activity.

Furthermore, it can lead to disability and even death, with COPD considered as the third leading cause of death in the United States. Current statistics show that millions of people are diagnosed to have the disease. However, there can still be more people that may have it but are not aware of their condition. Middle-aged and older adults are often diagnosed to have this disease. Although COPD is chronic and progressive, it is not contagious and non-infectious.

There is no medicine available as of today for the said disease, and doctors are still researching ways to reverse the damage to the airways and lungs. However, breathing clean air and a change in lifestyle can prevent a person from developing the disease.

Respiratory Health Risk 3 – Lung Cancer

Although smoking is known to elevate the risk of lung cancer, it is also important to keep other factors in check, such as indoor and outdoor air pollutants.

In 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer gathered a panel of experts to review the relationship of air pollution and lung cancer. The panel has then concluded that there was enough proof that outdoor air pollutants can cause cancer in people.

The risk is dependent on the air pollution level in the environment that a person is exposed to. Air pollution known as PM 2.5 (or Particulate Matter that is less than 2.5 millionths of a meter across) is the level that causes cancer.

According to LungCancer.org, this type of cancer is regarded as an involuntary growth of abnormal cells in the respiratory tract. These abnormal cells develop into tumors, spread throughout the lungs, and eventually impair the organ’s main function to supply oxygen throughout the body.

In a research conducted by Dr. C. Arden Pope III and his colleagues, exposure to combustion-generated fine particulate matter for a long period of time poses a threat to the cardiopulmonary health of a person. Also, urban air pollution boosts risk of lung cancer. Most specifically, pollutants emitted by vehicles are considered to be the most dangerous.