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Category: Lifestyle

Fighting Fit: Staying Healthy At Work, And For Work

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

It’s a real fight sometimes staying fit and healthy at work. However, it’s definitely worth doing, and this is for two reasons. The first is that no job is worth sacrificing your health for. After all, it’s really the only thing we have when you take all the trappings of life away. The second is that poor health can endanger your job. Leading to excessive time off sick and even resulting in you no longer being able to work and support your family. With this in mind read on for some advice on how to stay healthy at work, and for work.

Look at your work environment

The first thing you do to keep healthy at work is to look at the environment that you work in. Is it conducive to health and wellbeing? If not, what can you then do, or ask your employers to do to improve it?

It may be that you work in a shop or restaurant and are on your feet all day so you can decide to swap from heel shoes to flats. Something that will put less strain on your back and knees. You may work in an environment where the risk of infection is high, such as a hospital or public building. In this case why not ask your employers to provide hand sanitizer, and items like automatic doors, that can reduce the risk of infection? If you work in an office environment and are indoors all day, you may choose to start taking your breaks outside. This can help you stay healthier because you can access natural light that helps your body to create D vitamins, as well as getting a break from your desk.

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Just remember whether it is a change that you or your employer makes your environment can have a big impact on your health.

Use work health benefits

Next, a good way of staying fighting fit at and for work is to use the health benefits that your company provides. They may offer a free or reduced-priced gym membership. They may even be generous enough to provide health insurance. Although it is always worth asking what is covered by your policy, as not all grant access to eye health services as well as medical help. If this is the case with yours ask to add vision to your business insurance plan that your employer provides. They may even offer to pay for this for you, especially if you can prove that your eye health is vital to your job.

Manage your stress

Next, to stay fighting fit for work, it’s absolutely essential that you acknowledge and deal with stress. Just pretending that it isn’t affecting you will not stop it having a negative impact. Instead, you need to find constructive ways of dealing with it, ones that you can use while you are at work.

To this end, consider short guided meditations at your desk, taking breaks outside of the office, or even using a stress relief app like the ones here to help you manage any negative feelings. This will then help to stop them building up and causing more major health problems later on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Fall Is The Perfect Time To Try Something New

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

It can be all too easy to start feeling blue around this time of year. The skies are getting a little darker, the days are getting a little colder and everywhere you look people seem just a little grumpier and more ill tempered. This is a shame because there’s a lot to love about the autumnal season. The reddish brown leaves of the trees, the slight mist that pervades in the air, the slightly smoky scent carried on the breeze. It’s a beautiful time of year! The trouble is that when the sun starts to retreat behind the clouds and the nights grow longer most of us find ourselves starting to feel down through no fault of our own. Fear not, however, you can mitigate the effects of these seasonal blues by shaking things up and trying new things.

Going back to school

It’s this time of year when kids and college students are going back to school which lends the season a certain frisson of excitement and opportunity. Just because your school or college days are behind you, doesn’t mean that you can’t energize yourself by trying something new. As we get older we tend to fall into the same habits and behavioral patterns and our brains go on autopilot as it’s not required to make new neural pathways. That’s why the days seem to last forever when we’re young and months go by in the blink of an eye when we get older, it’s because back then our brains were making new pathways all the time and we felt stimulated and excited. No matter how old we get, fall always seems like the start of the new year so now’s the time to reignite those feelings again.

Image by Pixabay

Change your eating and drinking habits

Even if you enjoy a healthy, balanced diet now is the perfect time to open yourself up to new culinary experiences. If you only ever drink white wine, try red. If you only ever drink vodka try whiskey, which can be an intimidating drink but there are plenty of more accessible starter whiskeys. Check out this Kikori review for a great example. The food we eat is a great way of understanding the various cultures of the world so trying a new cuisine is a great way of broadening your cultural horizons (without having to read subtitles). If you’ve always likes your food on the bland side, open yourself up to trying Indian, Thai or Malaysian foods. While these richly flavored foods utilize a broad palettes of spices to create dynamic and interesting flavors there are often plenty of accessible dishes to ease new diners into the flavors.

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Take a class

If you were a drama queen at school, join a local amateur dramatics society or (better yet) get yourself an agent and try and get some paid acting work in your free time. Or, why not learn a new craft. Most community centres and colleges offer classes in all kinds of arts, music and dance as well as sports. These are great ways of keeping in shape (why wait till new year?) while teaching new new skills and introducing you to a whole new circle of friends.

 

 

 

 

Don’t Wait Until The New Year to Break Those Bad Habits

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

If there’s one phrase guaranteed to make eyes roll the world over it’s New Year’s Resolution. This ancient custom has been with us since the days of ancient Rome and while we’ll never know for sure, it’s a good bet that those ancient Romans sucked at keeping them as much as we do. And they didn’t have nearly as many temptations as we face in the modern age. Let’s face it, we all have habits we’d prefer to kick and it can be all too easy to mollify ourselves into indulging our bad habits as we embrace fall and face the coming prospect of winter. After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly (and for jolly read gluttonous). As the skies darken and our hibernation instinct kicks in it’s tempting to spend every available moment huddled under a duvet quietly stuffing our faces, vaguely assuring ourselves that we’ll kick our bad habits utterly and completely (and this time we really mean it). There is, of course, one problem with that logic…

Image by PxHere

If it’s difficult now, it’ll be even worse in January

Sure, it’s getting darker, colder and drearier outside. The thing is, come January, it’ll be really dark, cold and dreary outside. As hard as it is to stay motivated to develop healthy habits in the fall, it’s much, much harder at the height of winter. Instead of deferring your self-improvement for a few months, this is a better time than ever to work towards a happier healthier you.

Now is the time to get in shape

It’s around this time of year when many of us begin to experience the onset of Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. While this can lead to a sharp decline in motivation and energy, the natural endorphin spike that exercise provides is a great antidote to this affliction. Start your day with a trip to the gym or even a brisk jog and you’ll start to feel brighter and more positive as you go about your day.

Now is the time to admit you may have a problem

The upcoming festive period brings certain temptations with it, and these are often accompanied by a spike in alcohol related crime and illness. If you (or those close to you) are worried about your current alcohol consumption then you may need support over the coming months or risk lapsing into problem drinking. If you admit that you may have a problem now, you stand a much better chance of staying strong when the temptation is at its greatest. Check out https://broadwaytreatmentcenter.com/treatment/detox-program/ for examples of treatment that may be beneficial to you. Even if you don’t feel that formal help is appropriate to you, now is the perfect time to open up to someone you love. There’s no reason why you should face your troubles alone.

Now is the time to treat your body to some real nutrition

Of course your brain’s telling you to load up on fatty, sugary, salty convenience foods, but these will only feed the cycle of lethargy and unhappiness. Treat your body to fresh, natural whole foods which are scientifically proven to beat the winter blues and give your metabolism the boost that will help mitigate the wobbly effects of the inevitable indulgence of Thanksgiving and Christmas.

When Work Makes You Sick: What Next?

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

The work you do is meant to enrich your life. It gives you a focus, and of course is the way you generate the income that you need to provide for your family. Work, on the whole, is something that can be a force for tremendous good in your life.

However, there is a potential downside; the threat of work-related illnesses. Below, you can explore some of the most common questions that relate to the idea of work causing harm to your health. If you suspect you — or someone you know — might have been affected, there’s also some valuable advice on next steps.

What Illnesses Are Caused By Working Environments?

  • Mental health conditions
  • Repetitive Strain Injury
  • Mesothelioma, due to asbestos exposure
  • Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

The above are the most common, but realistically, any work could have an impact on your health. If you suspect that work is involved in your misfortune, then you’ll need to look deeper into the matter. The four mentioned might be the most common, but they’re far from the only health issues a bad working environment can cause.

How Do I Know It’s Specifically Work That Caused My Problem?

Some conditions are easier to trace to work-related sources, as the conditions required for the illness are unlikely to exist outside of working environments. It’s easier to obtain Mesothelioma help or Noise-Induced Hearing Loss assistance than it is for RSI or mental health conditions. With Mesothelioma or hearing loss, the issues that cause these are very obviously related to employment; few people will have experienced asbestos or extensive volumes in their personal lives. The same cannot be said for RSI or mental health conditions.

So if you have worked with asbestos or around high volume without adequate ear protection, Occam’s Razor dictates that it will be your working environment that has caused the issue. For mental health problems or RSI, it’s worth thinking through your personal life and seeing if there are any obvious causes. That’s not to say work isn’t the cause of these issues, but just that the matter requires a little more inspection before you pursue the idea.

 Do I Have To Tell My Employer? 

Yes. It is only right to inform your employer if you suspect something you are doing at work is causing health issues.

Do I Have The Right To Time Off Work? 

If you have been made unwell for any reason then you should have time off work if needed. However, few companies have a specific dispensation for extra sickness leave solely due to work-related illness. You will need to talk to your employer about this.

Can I Sue?

It’s impossible to answer this without being sure of your individual situation. The best thing to do is to speak to a lawyer and see if they believe you have a case.

In Conclusion

If you think your work is making you unwell, then don’t ignore the matter. Speak to your employer and a doctor to see what they say. There might be changes or assistance that can be put in place, or you might have a legal case to help pay associated health costs. Don’t just ignore the problem; work is meant to be a method to earn money, and you don’t have to just accept ill health as a part of that deal.

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The Dangers Of Introducing Young Children To Tech

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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These days, children can be extremely technologically advanced. Whenever you are out and about, you will often see some very young children, toddlers even, playing on their parent’s smartphone. Some may even have their very own smartphone or tablet device themselves. Lots of people think that introducing children to technology in this way at an early age is good for them. It gives them the chance to develop some useful tech skills that will help them in later lives and getting to know tech from an early stage can keep them safe when online.

But is it really such a good idea to introduce young children to technology at such an early age? It is important to remember that there are some dangers associated with it.

Damage

One of the main worries about letting your kids loose on smartphones and tablet devices is that they might damage the expensive appliances. Kids can be very clumsy, and your phone or tablet might easily slip out of their hands and smash on a hard floor. Or, your kids might press something they shouldn’t and they could delete a lot of important data. But there are ways to protect your devices. Firstly, invest in a good quality cover that can protect it against physical damage. Secondly, make sure everything is backed up. In this video, Casey explains exactly how to back up your iPhone, and this process isn’t too different for Android phones. Once backed up, all your data and information is safe and secure.

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Obesity

There is a growing problem with obesity currently in a number of Western countries. And the problem is becoming increasingly serious with children. A few parents are wary about letting their children spend a lot of time with technology because it encourages a sedentary way of life. When they aren’t exposed to technology, they will be much more inclined to play outside and lead an active lifestyle. So, if you are already worried about your child’s weight, it might be a good idea to wait a few years to introduce them to these technologies.

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Sleep Deprivation

Another health issue that many parents associate with children and technology is sleep deprivation. The screens on all laptops, smartphones, and tablet devices emit a soft blue light that isn’t visible when you are looking at the screen. However, even though you can’t see it, the light is definitely there and can play havoc with melatonin, the hormone that helps us sleep. As a result, if a child is on a device too close to their bedtime, they will find it much harder to fall asleep. Plus, they won’t sleep as deeply as they should do, and will suffer from broken sleep through the night. So, if you do introduce your child to tech, be sure that you have a cut off point in the early evening. That way, they aren’t playing on games right up to bedtime.

Whether or not you do introduce your child to tech at an early age is up to you. But it’s good to weigh up both sides of the argument!

 

 

Are These Unhealthy Habits Ruling Your Life?

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Everyone has unhealthy habits. Some of us eat a bit too much junk food, while others aren’t so good at keeping their home clean. While it’s important to try and kick bad habits, most of them don’t have too big of an impact on your life. But there are some unhealthy habits that can take over your life, and you might end up planning everything around them. Sometimes, it’s not even possible to make plans, because your unhealthy habit rules over all your time. It’s important to be aware of when something unhealthy has become more than that, and how you can get your life back.

By Pixabay

Smoking

Smoking is a pretty common habit, and it can be difficult to stop. It’s important to remember that it’s addictive, and kicking any addiction is tough. Many smokers probably think smoking doesn’t rule their life, but from an outside perspective, things can look a little different. If you smoke so much that you need to plan a journey with smoke breaks or you have to remove yourself from situations so you can go and smoke, it could be affecting your life more than you think. It’s also very bad for your body. If you want to quit, it’s always useful to access resources and support. You can speak to your doctor and find plenty of help online.

Drinking Too Much

Drinking alcohol is another thing that many people do but, unlike smoking, most people don’t get addicted. However, even those who might not technically be described as an alcoholic can still have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. There are responsible ways to drink and less responsible ways, and there is a danger of it affecting your life. If your drinking habits are having a negative impact on your life, you might need to reassess them. A resource like alcoholrehab.me can help with anyone who thinks they might have an addiction or drinking problem. In some situations, you can take control of the problem yourself and change your habits.

Working Too Much

You might not see yourself as a workaholic, but it might be a different story if you ask anyone you know. Working can be addictive for a few reasons, ranging from money to feeling like you have a purpose or ignoring other things in your life. But if you work all the time, you could exhaust yourself and have no time to do anything else. There’s no point working if you don’t have the time or energy to use the money you make. It could be time to start reorganizing your priorities and your schedule.

Running Away from Problems

Avoiding your problems can be an easier habit to fall into than you might think. Even though it doesn’t make your problem go away, it can make you feel like they have. But the longer you ignore a problem, the bigger it could become. If you’re always running away from your problems, only you can make a change. It might be helpful, however, to get support from friends and family or from a therapist.

The unhealthy habits could be ruling your life, and you shouldn’t let them. Maybe it’s time to make a change.

Which Optional Insurance Types Are Actually Worth Having?

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Insurance can help to pay for those unexpected out-of-pocket life costs. Some insurance schemes are compulsory such as motor insurance if you’re a driver. Others are optional. It’s possible to take a gamble and forgo insurance altogether in the hope that you never run into a disaster. It’s also possible to spend a fortune insuring everything from your phone to your new pet hamster. When it comes to getting your money’s worth, here are some of the optional insurance schemes that you should be considering.

Medical insurance 

Getting medical treatment is expensive. If you do fall ill or have an injury, you don’t want to be in a position where you cannot pay for surgery or medication. Medical insurance can help to pay for such a situation. If you’re not in and out of the hospital on a regular basis, it’s likely you’ll pay lower rates. You can also save money on family bundle rates and by upping your deductible (many people are able to use a savings account called an FSA to pay for this deductible). Sites like CompareMedicalPlans.net can help you shop for the best rate.

Property insurance

Property insurance can help to cover the costs of theft or damage to your home. This is worth having as such costs can be huge and unpredictable. Property insurance is more expensive in risk-prone zones (such as a flood zone or an area with a high burglary rate). In such cases, you may need to take a specialist scheme out from a specialist insurer as some may outright refuse to insure you. In many areas where it isn’t a risk it can be very cheap. Just make sure you always read the small-print and keep on top of policy changes (some property insurance companies have recently started rejecting claims from property owners without a burglar alarm).

Life insurance

Taking out life insurance can be a great way of ensuring that those left behind don’t have to financially suffer. It can help to pay for funeral costs as well as giving your loved ones something to keep them going if you were the main breadwinner. There are two types of life insurance – term insurance and whole life insurance – which a site such as TermLifeInsurance.co can offer more information on. Those that are in a dangerous career should be wary as life insurance rates could be much higher to cover the risk.

Travel insurance 

When going on holiday abroad, it can often be worth getting insured, mainly in case you get ill and need medical attention. Travel insurance schemes can also cover loss of baggage as well as flight cancellations. You can take them out on an individual basis as and when you travel and they are generally very cheap, unless you’re going to an extreme location and taking part in an extreme activity. Sometimes you can buy these schemes with a holiday package, although it could be cheaper to buy them separately.

How to Talk to Elderly About Handing Over The Car Keys

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Image source: Pexels

 

Driving is a sensitive topic when we’re young as well as old. To a teenager, being able to get their license and own their own car means independence and freedom – two of the keywords that most people appreciate today. To an older person, keeping their driver’s license and continuing to transport themselves around means exactly the same.

 

So how do we approach a relative or neighbor tactfully when we suspect it’s time for them to hand over the keys? Realizing how difficult it can be to give this up is just the first step; here is how you can address the issue and eliminate your worries without sparking resentment.

 

Understanding their situation

 

Empathy is the way to success in this case, and the more you have of it, the easier it will be to understand why a relative or friend will be reluctant to give up on driving. The older we get, the more losses we tend to experience in life, and many elderly will rigidly hold onto whatever they can to avoid losing even more control of their lives.

 

When so much has been taken away already, how can one give up on the only thing that enables us in seeing who we want, going where we’d like to go, and pursuing the same activities? In the eyes of many seniors, this is just not going to happen.

 

This is why it’s so important that you plan ahead and approach the topic tactfully. Take some time to consider your own role in all of this – is it really up to you to decide if they can drive or not, and do you even have any recent experience with not being able to drive?

 

Talking by listening

 

While you’re still in the process of planning the talk, it’s a good idea to challenge yourself. By not driving for a week or two, you can approach the conversation with some first-hand experience and a fresh layer of empathy.

 

Whatever you choose, make sure you find a quiet time of the day to mention your concerns. Remember that this is a gradual process and you’re not going to triumphantly end the conversation with their keys in your hand.

 

The truth is that if you’ve noticed that their driving is a bit more reckless than it was, they’ve probably noticed it themselves. We all need a nudge in the right direction, especially with regards to our health, and asking them about a recent parking ticket can be an effective way of starting the conversation.

 

Just like the presence of medicalert.systems is a way to keep them safe and your own worries at bay, a conversation like this should be built around ensuring their health. How do they feel about driving lately? Try to listen rather than finding solutions to their problems with being unable to drive – sure, somebody may be happy to drive them around, but it’s not what they need to hear right now.

 

Reflective listening is a term in psychology and especially helpful with such a sensitive topic. It should be a long talk, encouraged by a type of listening where you reflect some of his worries by repeating them. Read more about it at caring.com for a detailed guide on how to approach the talk.

 

No matter how much you dread it, you’re not doing anyone any favors by procrastinating. Spend some time on thinking about your own role and try to understand their feelings before attempting to talk about it; although it may not be resolved by the end of the day, you’ll be well on your way.

Into The Wild In The Modern Age: The Importance Of Keeping Lines Of Communication Open

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Ever since the release of Cheryl Strayed’s ‘Wild,’ many of us have fancied an isolated camping trip. Strayed’s fallout in the face of mourning for her mother was heartbreaking, and her subsequent time on the Pacific Crest Trail turned her life around.

It’s no wonder, then, that many of us decide to follow a similar path whenever life gets us down. And, Cheryl wasn’t the first person to start this trend. There’s something cleansing about the idea of spending time alone in the wild. Sometimes, it seems like the best and only way to hit the reset button.

But, far from the romantic depictions in literature, it’s important to consider the practicalities of such an experience. While a completely isolated camping trip will work wonders for your soul, there are clear downfalls. For one, it’s not always safe. There are so many risks in the world today that our loved ones are sure to want to stay in touch. Plus, complete isolation is such a rarity in the modern age that you may find it harder that you’re anticipating. So, small levels of communication could actually help, rather than hinder, your experience.

But, how do can you insert communication into your trip without ruining the process?

Write letters

Your first port of call should be letter writing. Sending letters as you go is sure to ease the loneliness. It’ll also put your loved one’s minds at rest. Plus, letter writing can be incredibly therapeutic. During face to face/phone conversations, we rarely stop and think about what we’re saying. But, when writing a letter, you have to think about every word. You have time to consider each before committing them to paper. Hence, you may find communication like this helps you come to terms with more demons.

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Why not use wifi?

Wifi may not be what you had in mind, but inviting it into your trip could make all the difference. As long as you set boundaries, there’s no reason this needs to have any impact on your journey. Of course, wifi in the middle of nowhere isn’t easy to come by. But, you’re sure to pass through towns on your route with free wifi hotspots. Make the most of these by posting pictures of your trip on Instagram. You could even send postcards via app services like those offered by My Postcard. This is a fast way to update loved ones with a quick message. If you’re taking your phone with you, download the app before you head off and make use of it whenever you get the chance.

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Find a spot for a daily phone call

You may be doing this to get away, but a five-minute phone call each day will make the experience much easier for you. Plus, this can work as a fantastic security backup. Aim to reach a pay phone at some point during the same hour each day. Then, if you don’t ring, your loved ones will know straight away that there’s a problem.

 

Safeguarding Your Health The Smart Way

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Safeguarding your health is absolutely crucial, especially for those who aren’t exactly getting younger! That being said, the younger you are when you start, the better. Here are some smart ways to look after your health for a great quality of life:

Live A More Balanced Lifestyle

Some people think to protect their health, that they need to eat clean, exercise every day, and do every little thing they can. While this level of commitment is admirable, it isn’t necessary. It’s much better to live a balanced lifestyle, with the odd glass of wine and food with friends. Make smart choices 90% of the time and have fun. When you have fun, studies say you will live longer!

Track Your Health

Fitness trackers are a brilliant way of measuring how fit you really are. There are plenty of brands around today, so it depends on the sort of look and features you think will be best for you. Just some of the features you can enjoy include sleep tracking, finding out your cardio fitness level, comparing yourself against similar people in your demographic, your heartrate, and more. You can really improve these way!

Invest In Lifesaving Equipment

Did you know that mature adults are more at risk of suffering from cardiac arrest than other people? Anybody can suffer at any time, but there are ways that it can be prevented. Equipment is becoming more advanced, and having some of it in the workplace or at home could really prevent the worst from taking place. The infographic below can give more information.


By Foremost Equipment

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