Category: Health

Beds 101: 5 Reasons Why a Mattress Can Cause Back Pain

pain in the backMany people underestimate what sort of impact their bed can have on their back-pain problems. With that in mind, in the following article, we are going to briefly outline five reasons why a mattress can cause back pain. Keep in mind that the list is not exhaustive and there are many more factors you need to take into consideration if you are in the market for a new mattress.

1. Too Hard

A mattress that is too firm can cause inflammation of the joints. This is because it offers no cushioning to the soft ligament fibers and tenants in the body. While the skeleton needs support, a solid surface can be detrimental and can cause extreme back pain. If your mattress has no give what so ever, it is too hard for your body weight. Of course, if you are someone that has a higher body weight than average, you are going to need a mattress that would be too firm for the average person.

2. Too Soft

The backbone needs support while you sleeping. A bed that is too soft can result in spine disc compression which can lead to intense back pain. A soft, spongy bed that your body sinks into might seems like a go-to option when you are in a bed store, but the human body needs some support. Some of the super soft mattresses you might have tried out in a store are designed for those that naturally have a very low body fat percentage and so need a more forgiving surface than the average person to sleep on.

3. Poor Breathability Rating

If a mattress does not allow air to circulate around your body, heat can build up in the joints and cause inflammation. It is for that reason that you need to look for mattresses made from natural fibers.

4. Not Hypoallergenic

When many people think about back pain, they think about internal back pain due to issues with the spine. The reality is that humans can also experience external back pain. If you buy a non-hypoallergenic mattress, there is a chance you could be allergic to the material the item is made from. If you are allergic, the result could be an itchy, weeping back due to skin irritation. So, in general, it’s best to buy a hypoallergenic mattress unless you are someone with a bulletproof immune system. Here’s a good bed that is hypoallergenic at http://laylamattresscoupons.com/.

5. Faulty

This final point might be a scary prospect, but if you buy a budget box spring mattress from an unknown manufacturer, there is a higher probability of a fault developing. Such a failure could mean the tension on one of the springs fails during the night and the metal spring punctures your spine. That’s why it’s essential to invest in quality products.

In this article, we are briefly touched on 5 key reasons why a mattress can cause back pain. Hopefully, you find the information presented above helpful and will proceed to read a detailed buyers’ guide before investing in a new bed. Remember, nobody deserves back pain and if a change to your environment can reduce the pain, the investment is worthwhile.

Injuries That Cause an Ankle Sprain


Ankle sprains are the most common sports injuries but can also happen during normal daily activities. An ankle sprain happens when the ankle joint, which connects the bones of the lower leg with the foot, is injured. The ligaments surrounding the ankle are stretched or torn when you accidentally twist or turn your ankle in an unnatural way.

There are two types of ankle injuries: inversion and eversion injuries. Inversion injuries are the most common and happen when the foot rolls inward. Eversion injuries, on the other hand, don’t occur often. It is also known as a high ankle sprain and happens when the foot twists outward.

Causes of an Ankle Sprain

A sprain occurs when the ligaments of your ankle are forced to stretch beyond their normal range of motion. This forces your ankle joint out of its normal position, turning the foot inward or inverted. Ankle sprains can happen to anyone irrespective of age. This kind of injury often happens in the following ways:

Stepping on an uneven surface – walking or running on irregular surfaces like an uneven terrain or a field with holes, can cause you to twist your ankle.

Awkwardly landing on your foot – you can twist your ankle when jumping or pivoting, stepping up or down, running, or when doing simple tasks like getting out of bed.

Participating in sports – you can twist your ankle when participating in sports activities that require rolling, jumping, cutting action or twisting of the foot. These include playing soccer, basketball, football, tennis, and trail running. Also, someone could step or land on your foot when playing. You are taking a risk with sports ankle support.

Engaging in physical activity or doing exercises – you can sprain your ankle when exercising, running, hiking or climbing.

Wearing improper shoes – ill-fitting shoes or shoes that aren’t fit for physical activity like high-heels can cause you to twist your ankle.

How to Know if You Have an Ankle Sprain

When you sprain your ankle, tissues surrounding the ankle are injured which causes inflammation. Depending on the severity of the injury you will experience pain especially when you try to stand on the affected foot. You may also experience swelling, bruising and tenderness as well as instability in the ankle and a restricted range of motion.

Home Treatments for an Ankle Sprain

In most cases, an ankle sprain isn’t severe. However, before making any home care decisions, it is advisable to speak to your doctor first.  If you have a mild sprain, you may be able to treat it at home.  The RICE method is the recommended way of dealing with a sprained ankle at home.  RICE stands for rest, ice, compress and elevate.

 Rest – you need to rest your ankle and avoid putting any weight on your foot. If you don’t want to limp or hop around, you can use crutches.

Ice – For the first two days after injury, ice your ankle for 20 to 30 minutes every day to reduce swelling.

Compress – wrap the ankle gently, not tightly. You can use an elastic bandage or wear a brace to support the ankle

Elevate – for the first 48 hours, raise your foot higher than your heart when lying down to increase blood flow.

When to See a Doctor

Go to the emergency room if you are in a lot of pain, bleeding, and the ankle is severely swollen, numb or has changed color. If your ankle seems dislocated or deformed and you can’t put any weight on it, you should see a doctor.

Spraining your ankle is painful and can take a while to heal. So be careful when exercising, wear the correct shoes for an activity, pay attention to surfaces you are walking on and warm up before exercising. If you sprain your ankle, be sure to call your doctor because if left untreated, an ankle sprain can lead to instability and long-term pain.

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5 Tips For Healthy and Shiny Hair

Hair, most of us possess it, but not all of us love the way it looks.

For many women, it is their crowning glory. Having a healthy and glossy hair can make you feel beautiful. The problem is, most of the shampoos and conditioners sold in the market use the same chemicals that can only work temporarily.

Fortunately, there is a myriad of tips, tricks, and hacks to help you tame your frizz and keep your hair strong and shiny. You don’t have to see a professional hair stylist to do them. Here are 5 ways to achieve gorgeous hair.

Wash Your Hair The Right Way

Shampooing is simple, right? The instructions are typical – you just need to lather, rinse and repeat.

But the truth is, this process is not for everyone. Each person has a distinct set of hair. But the right way to wash your hair to squirt some shampoo on your palms. Make sure it is about the size of a quarter. Next, you need to lather them on your palms and start massaging them into your roots.

Give your roots a good massage, there’s no need to scrub the ends of your hair. After about 2 minutes, you can rinse the shampoo off and apply your conditioner from the midsection of your hair.

Allow it to sit for at least three minutes and give it another rinse. When you towel your hair, avoid rubbing it vigorously. Instead, squeeze it gently with a dry towel and avoid combing it while it is still wet.

Choose Natural Oils

Once your hair is dry, find a thick brush and start brushing your hair from the tips to the ends. Your scalp produces its own natural oils which will help keep your hair shiny. Skip the hair-shimmering products that promise you shiny hair. They could be doing more harm than good. –

For people with curly locks, using argan oil is excellent in keeping the hair shiny without adding any chemicals that can cause skin breakouts. Find natural hair care products that contain natural oils like avocado and Moroccan oil.

Take Your Vitamins and Supplements

Experts say that vitamin E helps boost hair growth. Some people would even take vitamin E oil and apply it on their scalp to make the hair thicker and healthier. Another supplement that is great for your hair is fish oil.

They are rich in omega-3 and antioxidants that can keep your hair, skin, and nails look healthy. So on your next visit to Whole Foods, make sure to grab some of these vitamins and supplements.

Be Generous With The Conditioner

This applies to those who have thick curly hair. Because of how curly strands are shaped, it takes a while for the natural oils on the scalp to reach the ends of the curls – which makes the locks look dry and broken.

If they are not conditioned well, they can lead to split-ends. To bring a little more shine, be generous when using your conditioner, especially on the ends of your hair.

Use Natural Hair Masks

Hair masks are products sold in the market that can help you deep condition your hair. One of the most effective yet natural products to use is coconut oil. You just need to massage it from roots to tips and leave it on for a night. The following day, you just need to clean your hair off with shampoo and just skip the conditioner.

You can also use fresh coconut milk, heat it up to a creamy consistency and let it cool down, but don’t let it get too cold. Use it while it’s still warm and apply the same procedure. Leave it on for a night and wash it off in the morning.

As a rule of thumb, avoid any hair care products that contain sulfates. They can damage your hair and make it look dry, dull and brittle. Furthermore, a sulfate-based shampoo makes it difficult for your hair to style. On top of eating a nutritious diet, follow the five tips above and your hair will surely stay healthy.

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Medications For Treating Diabetes

There are a number of medications for diabetes on the market.

How to treat type-2 diabetes

Metformin is usually the first drug prescribed when a patient is diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. This product appears under numerous brand names such as glucophage and diabex. It helps diabetics respond more normally to insulin, with the goal of lowering blood sugar.

In the ebook 7 steps to health and the big diabetes lie, some doctors argue that you can treat your diabetes naturally without the use of any medication, but this requires a serious lifestyle change.

First of all regarding nutrition, carbs, sweets and alcohol must be removed from daily consumption, maybe allowing some of it once or twice a month. Most people do not have the will and fortitude for such drastic diet, and they prefer to continue indulging in french fries and cheeseburgers, opting for the medication path.

But that is not all. For completely removing high glucose in your bloodstream, it is also often required to hit the gym regularly, for some daily. Here again most people cannot do it. This is why they take prescription drugs, but the price is hefty.

People that suffer from diabetes need their medication in order to live. If they are unable to get the medication that they need, they could go into diabetic shock. Unfortunately, a lot of people struggle to afford their prescriptions, as these drugs are not cheap.

With that said, there are ways to save on medications for diabetics. If you are looking for ways to get medication for less, here are a few simple tips you can try.

Shop Around And Look For Better Prices

Not every pharmacy is going to charge the same price for medication. In many cases, certain pharmacies will have cheaper prices than others. Shop around and find the place that has the most affordable medication rates.

If you are able to find a pharmacy with cheaper prices, you’ll be able to save whenever you pick up your prescription. It’ll be much easier for you to get the money that you need for less.

Buy Your Medication Online

You don’t necessarily have to limit yourself to local pharmacies. If you’re really interested in saving money, you could try out online pharmacies as well. While you will still need a valid prescription to get medication from one of these websites, you should be able to get what you need for less.

Some of these online pharmacies have deeply discount medications. Another benefit of using online pharmacies is that you won’t have to pick up your medications in person. You’ll be able to have your medication sent straight to your home.

Consider Signing Up For A Prescription Discount Program

If your insurance plan isn’t bringing down the cost of your prescription enough, you should see if you can join a prescription discount plan. The right program should allow you to get your prescriptions for a lower price.

There are all kinds of prescription discount programs out there, and some of these programs offer incredible savings. If you know that you want to save on your prescriptions, you should see if one of these programs might be an option for you. Don’t miss out on any opportunity for you to save.

Talk To Your Doctor About Your Struggles

If you are having a hard time affording your essential medication, you should convey this information to your doctor. Let them know that you are worried that you won’t be able to pay for your medication. They may be able to come up with a solution that will help you.

Your doctor wants you to remain healthy, and if they can help you save money, they will do that. Whether your doctor connects you with a discount program or writes you a prescription for the generic version of the medication, they may be able to help you to cut back your bills.

It isn’t impossible to save on medications for diabetics. As you can see, there are all kinds of things that you can do if you want to cut back your spending. If you need medication and are struggling to pay for it, you should start looking at some of your most affordable options.

But ultimately the choice is yours.

Do you want to spend so much money on these drugs, which do not cure the disease and have negative effects in the long run? Or should you eat healthy and exercise often in order to cure yourself naturally? The choice is yours!

Diabetes

Lean Belly Breakthrough To Help Promote Weight Loss

flat belly
Did you know that 70% of weight loss originates from proper nutrition? By knowing what to and what not to eat, you maximize your efforts in trying to lose weight. The seven tips below will guide you on your way to proper nutrition and efficient weight loss.

1. Cut Sugars and Starches

The most crucial part to cut off in your diet when trying to lose weight is carbohydrates (starches). To give you a little bit of a background, insulin is responsible for storing your fat. Insulin-release is also stimulated when you eat too much sugar that comes from starch or carbohydrates.

The more sugar you eat, the more your body releases insulin, and the more it stores fat. But when insulin goes down, you don’t give your body a lot of chance to store up on fat, making it burn more to fuel your body instead.

Another benefit of lowered your insulin level is that it allows your kidneys to do what they are supposed to do – and that is to get rid of excess sodium and water in your body. Excess sodium causes you to bloat up and store the water as weight excess. As soon as you get rid of carbohydrates on the first few weeks of your diet, you will notice you are losing more weight than expected.

2. Eat Vegetables, Healthy Fats and Protein

Taking away the usual source of your carbohydrates does not mean you can’t have them anymore. Carbohydrates from vegetables sources can provide the recommended range of 20 to 50 grams per day. You can get your daily requirements of carbohydrates through low-carb, yet eating vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and swiss chard.

The healthiest protein sources would be beef, chicken, turkey and lamb. Fish and eggs are also rich in omega 3 – an important antioxidant needed by your body. Aside from that, eating proteins and healthy fats is a must. Healthy fats can be obtained by including fish oil, avocado, olive oil, peanut oil and alike.

By constructing your daily meal in these three components, you help better boost your metabolism. The best part about eating these kinds of fat is it doesn’t raise the risk of you getting a heart disease.

3. Lift Weights

Yes, it’s possible for you to lose weight without exercise, but getting your body active is always recommended for better results. Going to the gym at least 3 times a week to warm up, stretch out and lift some weights is beneficial in speeding up your weight loss. Lifting weights allow you to burn more calories and create more muscle mass.

Remember, muscle metabolism takes up a lot of calories. When done right, you will most likely gain weight because of the gained muscle mass, but lose fat because your body had converted it to supply the energy it requires for using your muscles.

4. Have A Cheat Day

Deprivation is usually the cause why so many people falter on their weight loss journey. Allow yourself to indulge at least once a week. If you have fully restricted yourself from carbohydrates, it’s good to take a day off from it.

But just because you’re allowed a cheat day doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you can. Opt for complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, or brown rice and make sure you only do it once a week.

Overdoing it will cause you to fall behind on the results you want to achieve. This is the day you can eat something unhealthy, but make sure you do it to satisfy your taste buds and not your appetite.

5. Control Portions and Calories

Without proper nutrition knowledge, calorie counting will be both exhausting and somewhat useless. The truth about it is calorie counting becomes unnecessary when you stick to the protein – healthy fat – low carb vegetables plan.

Sticking to that diet alone tells you that you’re already hitting the kind of nutrition you need in order to lose weight. But if you still want to count your calories to make sure you’re sticking to the plan, by all means, go right ahead.

Using a calorie counter or a calorie calculator is the best option if you’re not into keeping a food journal.

6. Drink Plenty Of Water

Always remember that your body needs the proper hydration to make sure that all metabolic processes are working like a well-oiled machine. Water can make you feel fuller, help you reduce cravings, and hydrate your cells and skin.

If you feel like you’re losing more weight than expected, drinking lots of water will improve the elasticity of your skin – thereby preventing it from sagging or stretch marks. Water is also a great way to help flush down the excess sodium in the body.

Remember when we said too much insulin can stock up on sodium? Well, as soon as you cut back on your carbs, and lower down your insulin, your body is going to need the right hydration to help eliminate the excess salt that’s causing you to keep your water weight. So, drink up like there’s no tomorrow!

7. Sleep Right

The body regenerates cell repair faster while you’re sleeping. If you think your exercise routine has gotten you feeling completely sore, a good night’s rest will help heal the torn tissues caused by working out. You can also de-stress by bathing in warm water. Every movement in the body causes wear-and-tear, so if you want to naturally get rid of the pain, sleeping will help hasten the healing.

Signs of Aging and Therapies

Aging can be defined as our body decline and wear as time goes by.  Some of these things are caused by our own bodies whereas the others are accrued as a result of time.  In itself, getting old is a mixture of changes occurring in our bodies as well as the effects of what we do with them.

The effects of time on our body normally occur on many levels.

Cellular Aging

In this case, cells age according to the number of times which they have  duplicated and a cell is capable of replicating about 50 times prior to getting to the point where the genetic material  cannot be duplicated accurately due to the shortening of telomeres. This means that as damage to your cells increases via free radicals and various factors, there is dire need for your cells to replicate.

Hormonal aging

Hormones are undoubtedly a big player in the aging process in growth from childhood, adolescence and maturity.  There is a continuous lifelong change in hormonal levels that lead to menopause plus other changes associated with age.

Metabolic aging

As you go about your daily activities, your cells convert food to energy thereby producing by-products which are potentially destructive.  The metabolism process coupled with the creation of energy tends to cause harm to our body as time goes by.  It is believed by some experts that there may be a slowdown in aging in humans if the metabolic process is also slowed by means of practices like calorie constraint.

Accrued damage

Harmful diets, the sunlight’s UV radiation, toxins and pollution affect our bodies.  Such toxins can cause tissue damage, thus making it difficult for the body to maintain and repair your cells, tissues as well as organs.

There are numerous aging signs and symptoms, most of which develop slowly.  They are varied, but it should be noted that diagnosing aging singularly on the basis of isolated signs and symptoms is impracticable.  There exists broadly varying degrees of such signs and symptoms in different people and among them are:

  • A general decrease in energy and dynamism
  • Variations in sleeping patterns
  • An inclination to easily tire out
  • Reduced memory
  • Variations in behavior
  • Variations in menstrual cycle
  • Changes in hair (such as hair loss) and skin, like loss of skin elasticity, brown blemishes on the skin and creases
  • Variations in hair color
  • Loss or reduced vision and hearing
  • Changes in the functioning of bowels
  • Belly obesity and difficulties in losing weight
  • Urinary complications like trickling, incontinence and variations in the rate of urination
  • A decline in libido
  • Sexual dysfunction

A large number of people tend to develop some of the degenerative ailments that are associated with aging which include the following:

  • Arthritis
  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Cancer
  • Stroke
  • Heart attack
  • Cataracts
  • Glaucoma
  • Hearing loss
  • Osteoporosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Alzheimer’s disease

All these conditions are painful and many patients suffer along with their family.  They are also economically very costly.

Presently, there are several anti-aging therapies on the market, which allegedly, are helpful in combating symptoms that are related with age and eliminate some of the side-effects.  However, one needs to be careful in the choice of any one of them because some can end up being harmful.

The latest anti-aging therapy caused a big stir when it hit the market and was recommended by medical experts as capable of slowing the process of aging.  The HGH, which is short for Human Growth Hormone, is a very significant hormone that exists in the human body, among others, with the pituitary gland which is situated under the brain managing its secretion.  It is significant in the process of growth in children and teenagers and also in the entire regenerative actions occurring in the bodies of grownups.  Without it, the repair of tissues, cells and organs in our body is not possible.

Anti-aging therapy to augment hormone levels

After the age of thirty, your pituitary gland yields reduced human growth hormone.  This is what leads in deficiency in hormone growth and several disorders in the body that includes the beginning of aging.  Thus, the compensation of low HGH levels in the blood can be achieved through the use of HGH releasers.  It may be possible to reinstate the production of the growth hormones needed by the body by using this kind of natural anti-aging therapy.

This growth hormone is credited for allowing the body organs to function normally once more with no health complications, helping the whole body to repair any damages and overwhelm any disease rapidly and in a more efficient manner.  You will be able to enjoy your night sleep and your general mood will receive a boost.  This natural HGH therapy has the ability to enhance memory, decrease wrinkles and age spots, increase muscle mass and help in losing extra weight.

You should beware of artificially made anti-aging treatments containing HGH that may not work for you after all.  The natural anti-aging HGH treatments are effective and safe with negligible or no side-effects.

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