Natural Wellness Trends for this Summer

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This year has some exciting natural wellness trends you can try to feel better. With a focus on health and reducing the usual costs, some are highly beneficial for your health. From addressing your sleep to yoga for your face, here are some things you can try out this summer.

Addressing Women’s Health

Women’s health relates to the health issues faced by females. This addresses the sweeping hormonal changes to do with pregnancy, sexual health, and reproduction. And if you are a woman, then you will know how bad a time you can have. Fortunately, there are some trending topics you can address for female health. Delta 8 gummies and the THC content have been shown to help with easing the pain of periods and the mood and sleep issues of menopause.

How to Take Care of Your Parents as They Age

 Your parents took care of you when you were young. When they’re older, it’ll be your turn to take care of them. Of course, you won’t need to provide the same level of care that they gave you. They’re adults, after all, and will be capable of taking care of many of their responsibilities. But as they get older, they’ll need a little bit of help. Showing care won’t just ensure that they’re healthy and safe; it’ll also ensure that they’re able to live as happily as possible during their retirement years. In this blog, we’ll look at just a handful of ways you can help them — and none of them requires too much time or effort on your behalf!

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Daily Phone Calls

It’s normal for people to become slightly more isolated as they age. That’s because they’re no longer going out to work. In the end, many older parents end up spending more time at home. While that’s fine, it does mean they can become a little disengaged from the wider world. What is the solution to this issue? A simple phone call. Calling your parents each day will help to make them feel connected to the world. Even if it’s just chatting about your day, it’ll make a difference.

How to Help Your Aging Parents without Taking Control

 

Everyone ages eventually; it’s a part of life. Everyday tasks such as cooking and cleaning can become far more challenging. When this happens usually assistance steps in such as loved ones or professionals. If your parents are struggling to manage basic everyday tasks, then there’s a chance that you’re wanting to get more involved and help them out. 

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to do that! Of course, when helping them out, you don’t want to be overbearing or take on too much control. The role reversal of being cared for to being the caretaker is already very awkward. So how can you help your parents without coming off as condescending or making them feel as if they lost their independence? Look no further, because this post has it all!

3 Mistakes That Age You Unexpectedly

 Age is only a number. Yet, it doesn't matter how often you repeat it like a safe mantra. Age may only be a number, but it is a number that is constantly growing. And we all have a natural aversion to old age. 

Why? Blame it on society and culture. It is commonly accepted that age can affect your physical appearance and health. While there is no denying that the aging process can impact your physical and cognitive health, it doesn't mean that growing old makes you inadequate. Unfortunately, society has trained us to perceive signs of age as a weakness. As a result, we grind our teeth on each birthday. Another year becomes synonymous with skin, hair, health problems. 

But the fear that growing old affects our worthiness as a person is incorrect. Everybody changes throughout their lives. During our lifetime, we welcome puberty proudly as it is the sign we are no longer children. We approach our 20s and 30s with a knowing smile when we finally lose our baby cheeks and start looking more grown-up. 

A Miscarriage Memorial, Hashimoto's, and my Husband Got Hit by a Car

Warning: sad post and a little long. I am usually a pretty upbeat person, but sometimes certain things happen in our lives and we need a little time to recover, and they change who we are. We all grieve in our own way. I think it's important to journal and share, if you feel comfortable doing so (originally posted September 23, 2018)

Back in March of 2018, I had a miscarriage. I was 46 years old and excited to be pregnant with my sixth child with my wonderful husband. Our other kids were 8, 10, 13, 14, and 16 at the time. They were also excited, as were our friends, our families, our neighbors. I had waited a couple of weeks after my period to take a pregnancy test because my periods had been irregular about once a year. I just figured this was that once-a-year period that went long. One Friday, I took a pregnancy test and was excited to see my nausea and exhaustion now had a reason!

Wonder Woman and Bravehart; I'm holding baby #6 and he's holding the pregnancy test!

Sadly, the next day I started to bleed, right after the Brookside St. Patrick's Day parade. I wish I had taken a pregnancy test sooner just to have the idea of this child in my mind and heart longer! I'll spare you the heartbreaking details of the next seven days (at least in this post), but I lost the baby.

Growing Older: 4 Things You Need to Think About

 Growing older is something that we all have to do. It's a natural process that happens to everyone. However, as we age, there are certain things we need to think about in order to make the process as smooth as possible. This blog post will discuss four things that everyone needs to think about as they grow older.

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1) A Life Insurance Policy

One of the most important things you can do as you get older is to make sure that you have a life insurance policy in place. This will provide financial security for your loved ones if something happens to you. Make sure that you choose the right policy and that you are fully aware of what it covers and what it excludes. You don't want to be left with any surprises if something happens. It's also essential to keep your policy up-to-date. As you get older, your health may change, which could impact the coverage you receive. Make sure to talk to your insurer about any changes that need to be made.

How To Help Your Parents Make The Most Out Of Their Retirement

 When your parents retire, they might have all kinds of plans that will help them really make the most of their time now they’re no longer working – they have spent decades getting things ready, which includes understanding they needed to save for retirement and they have a list of what they want to do. Some of those plans may involve your help, and since your parents have taken care of you your whole life, it’s great to be able to give back. So, if you need to give your parents a helping hand to ensure they enjoy their retirement as much as they can, here are some ideas of what you – and they – can do. 

 

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Downsizing 

Retirement is the ideal time to downsize your property. When you retire, you will have less money coming in, so the bills that were once easy to pay may start to become an issue. If your parents own their home and they feel it’s time to move, you can help them with the search for something new. 

3 Crafts to Try

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 Even if you've never considered yourself a very crafty person, you might want to get started on a new hobby, something fun and relaxing that leads to beautiful results. If this describes you, then read on for three creative crafts to try.

How to Help Your Weight Loss Journey When It Plateaus

 In a perfect world, everyone would have the time to exercise and eat healthy every single day. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many people. What happens when you are eating well and exercising regularly but your weight loss journey has plateaued?

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What Is A Plateau?

A plateau is when your weight loss progress stops or slows down. It doesn't mean that you have stopped losing weight, it just means that the scale isn't moving in a positive direction and you're not burning as many calories as before. Plateaus can happen for all sorts of reasons: increased stress levels, lack of sleep, bad eating habits, traveling, lack of exercise, or even hormonal changes.

What you need to do is try and figure out why your weight loss journey has plateaued so that you can start losing weight again.

Surgery

Some people have gone down a surgical route and that may help for a while, but even after weight loss surgery, your weight loss can plateau before you have reached your goal weight. If this is the case, then it is best to see a specialist for a gastric sleeve revision. This surgery will help more than just your weight loss plateau, it can also help with any conditions related to weight including diabetes and sleep apnea. 

Supplements

You can always try a weight loss supplement that will help make your body more efficient at losing weight, but it's important to use only the best ones. If you choose one of these options and still cannot lose weight, then there may be something else going on with your health or hormones.

Exercise

There are plenty of exercise options that you can try for weight loss. Things like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or boot camp workouts might work well. You don't have to do these alone either, they make great group classes and friends will be happy to help motivate you when the going gets tough during your workout.

Adjusting your lifestyle so that you are more active is another way to help weight loss along. Park a bit further away so you have to walk a bit further, or take the stairs. Little adjustments to your daily life can help break that stagnant weight loss.

Eating Habits

When it comes to eating habits, you need to make sure that you are not falling into bad traps. You can try a high-fat diet for weight loss by limiting carbohydrates and increasing the percentage of your daily calories from healthy fats. The ketogenic diet is a great way to get rid of extra body fat without doing any exercise at all!

Get More Sleep

Your body slows down when you don’t get enough sleep, which means that it won't burn off the food that you eat as quickly. This is why it's important to get around eight hours of sleep per night. During this time, your body will burn off calories and create more energy for the next day so that you can exercise or just generally get stuff done.

Hormones

If none of these options work for you then there may be something wrong with your hormones that needs to be managed by a specialist such as an endocrinologist. Hormonal imbalances can cause many problems including weight gain, fatigue, and even depression.

Cut Back On Alcohol

If you are drinking one or two alcoholic drinks per day, then it might be time to cut back. If you're not sure how many calories are in your drink, try an online calorie counter so that you can see exactly what sort of damage this is doing to your weight loss journey.

Stress Management

High levels of stress can cause your body to store more fat and slow down weight loss. This is why it's important to try and reduce the amount of stress that you're dealing with every day, even if this means taking up a new hobby or spending time with family members.

Check Your Water Intake

If you are not drinking enough water then it means that your body is dehydrated. This decreases the amount of energy being produced so you won't have as much motivation to exercise or burn off calories with physical activity.

While these are all great ways for helping out your weight loss journey when it plateaus, sometimes you just have to try something else. This is where the real work starts because now you need to figure out what worked for other people in your situation and see if their methods can help with yours too.

There are options for helping your weight loss journey when it plateaus so never give up hope and remember that there is always someone who can help. Finally, try not to be discouraged if you hit a plateau because this is an all too common symptom of weight loss!

How to Prevent Hearing Loss

 

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Do you want to protect yourself from hearing loss? There are many ways that you can do this, and it is important for all people of all ages to take the necessary steps to preserve their hearing. 

In this blog post, we will go over tips on how to protect yourself from hearing loss. 

Turn Down the Volume

If you’re listening to your iPod, stereo, or TV with earbuds and there is no one in the room but you, turn it way down!

If you are in a room with music and you have to yell, the sound is too loud!  Also if you find yourself shouting during a movie or speaking very loudly in your home, it’s too loud.

Ear Protection at Home

If you are vacuuming or blow-drying your hair, put on ear protection. When you are working with power saws and equipment that is loud, use hearing protection as well.

Sometimes loud noises come from someone mowing the lawn next to your window. If this is the case you should close the windows to protect your hearing!

Protect your ears when you are using tools that generate high-pitched noise like lawnmowers, leaf blowers, or power tools.

Protect Your Kids

Make sure your kids are wearing the right kind of ear protection when they go to a concert or other event that has loud music and noise. If you let them attend these events unprotected, it could seriously damage their hearing for life!

Let your kids know exactly why you are insisting on them wearing hearing protection. Keep them informed so they protect their hearing even without your prompting.

Wear Hearing Protection At Work

If you are working in a professional environment or at school where there is loud noise around, wear hearing protection. if you find yourself having difficulty understanding what people said because of the noise in the workplace then, it is too loud!

Sounds over 90dB can cause damage to your hearing. In the workplace, you may be exposed to sounds in this range from machinery or other noise sources. This includes your own voice when you use a phone or work in a loud environment. But if you stay aware of sounds in this range and take precautions, you can protect your hearing.

Stop Using Cotton Swabs In Your Ears

Cotton swabs can often push wax deeper into your ear canal, causing pain and even infection in severe cases.

Additionally, it is not recommended that you use Q-tips for anything other than removing excess dirt or wax from your outer ear canal.

Give Your Ears Some Rest After Loud Noises

Like your muscles, your ears need rest after being put to work. Most people recommend waiting at least 90 minutes before trying to listen to anything or watch TV. 

If you notice ringing, buzzing, or another symptom of temporary hearing loss after exposure to loud noise, you should wait 24 hours before listening to audio from a device like a phone or music player and avoid as much as possible any other potential sources of sound.

If you hear ringing or buzzing bear in mind that it is usually caused by damage to the inner ear or the auditory nerve that transmits sound data to the brain. Scientists are not sure what causes tinnitus, but it is often associated with hearing loss due to noise exposure (such as from loud power tools) and some medications. 

Resting your hearing may be all that is needed, if this doesn't work visit an audiologist. You can learn more about temporary hearing loss by reading informative articles about it.

Get Your Hearing Checked

It's also a good idea to get your hearing checked every year to make sure you're not suffering from hearing loss. The best way to do this is by visiting an audiologist and getting a hearing test. 

This will hopefully show how much damage has been done if you suspect that your hearing is damaged. It will also keep you up to date about the status of your hearing as you age. Since aging can cause hearing loss. 

Create a Healthy Hearing Plan

Taking care of your hearing is an important part of any health plan. Make sure that you turn the volume down when listening to music. Avoid loud noises whenever you can.

Make sure you use hearing protection if you work in a noisy environment and visit an audiologist if you are having trouble with your hearing.

Tips to Find Your Bra Size

 Can you remember the last time you measured your bra size? If it has been more than six months, there’s a good chance that your letter and number combo may have changed.

Not only do the number and letters change, but do you even know what these represent? Now is the time to find a bra that fits and feels good. This all starts with getting your bra measurements.  

Purpose of the Numbers and Letters in Your Bra Size

The number in the bra measurements represents the band size of the bra. The letter tells you the cup size, which is the difference between the biggest part of your bust and the bend size. When these are taken together, you have determined your bra size or a version of it. That’s because every bra varies slightly in size from one brand to another.

While you can go to a department store to have your bra size measured for you, you probably want to handle this on your own if you are like most. All you need for this is a measuring tape and something to write your numbers on. With a few calculations, you can finally see what a properly fit bra feels like.

Measuring the Band Size

It’s best to be topless when you take this measurement. Wrap the measuring tape around your ribcage, just beneath the bust. The measuring tape should be sitting parallel to the ground.

Make sure you can fit a finger under the measuring tape since if you pull it too tight, you may get a bra that is too tight. For heavier or larger busts, go with a slightly tighter band, but begin with accurate measurements.

Measure Your Bust Size

At this point, you want to measure the fullest (biggest) part of your bust. Be sure to keep the measuring tape parallel to the ground and wrap the tape measurer around your body at the nipples. You may also want to measure your bust while lying down to help you avoid getting an inaccurate number.

Once you have your numbers, you can start shopping. Use these numbers to look at the size charts on the websites where you plan to buy the bra. This will help ensure you get one that is the right size and that will fit you well. In the end, this is going to provide you with a high-quality, well-fit bra that you love to wear. 

Which are the Different Types of Care in Assisted Living?

 

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Taking care of a senior loved one can be daunting, especially if you have other commitments, such as school or work. Fortunately, that is why Cypress Cove and other assisted living facilities are in place to help you out with caring for your grandma or grandpa. However, before signing up your loved one into such institutions, do you know what kind of care they need? Read on to understand more about the types of care offered in assisted living. 

What is Family Medicine?

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With more and more Baby Boomers entering retirement age, and with the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, there is an increased need for healthcare workers. Trying to get in to see a family medicine specialist is becoming increasingly difficult for many. Often, appointments need to be made several days and even weeks in advance. And those looking for a general practitioner often find that they have a full caseload and no longer accepting new patients. With all that is happening around us, it is more important than ever to stay on top of your health, and getting in to see your physician for a checkup, or to check on health issues is crucial. We have all heard from the CDC that COVID-19, is most serious for those that have underlying health conditions.

Those that live in the Huntsville and Athens area are in luck because doctors like Dr. Francene Gayle are currently practicing in the area and are taking on new patients. If you are in the area and are in need of a family medical practitioner, doctors are always available to see new patients and make sure they are healthy and fit.

River Market KCMO Date: Pigwich, Planter's, Lock up Your Love, Betty Rae's, Opera House, a Park

So when you've been with someone almost 26 years (we met in July of 1995, and here's our love story) and you have 5 kids together, it's easy to get into a routine of work, kids, busy, house projects, dishes, cooking, laundry, driving, errands, homeschooling, dentist, eye doctor, orthodontist, social stuff at home and other places, taxes, fishing, etc.

Maybe you try to carve out a day, put it on the calendar, but then something else comes up and you have to move the date to another time or maybe it just falls off the radar altogether. Also, with 5 kids coming and going, a couple driving, some with other plans, it becomes a homework assignment in rocket science to make it all work out. Not to mention you have to make sure there is plenty of food at home, and then you have to run down the ground rules again.

I'm happy to report that, although my husband and I didn't date much when the kids were younger (simply because we enjoyed being with them so dang much and also we had like 6 years together before we ever had kids), we are dating more now, when we can. Recently we went to Ronnie's Restaurant in Lenexa and it was fantastic!

I put this date on the calendar several weeks ago. It was originally supposed to be May 8, but I was consulted and agreed that a fishing trip with Mr. McLoughlin and Twin and 6 of the kids (4 of ours and 2 of Twin's) would be fine as long as we could move the date to May 1. 

Look, I know the MALE is supposed to plan the date and all that. I get where you're coming from, and we teach our boys that THEY call the girls and not the other way around. And we teach our girls that they should expect to have doors opened for them, etc. They are very blessed to have many friends whose parents have similar values. 

But sometimes you want to plan something nice for someone, you know? I chose a restaurant I knew he would like, a shopping experience I thought he would enjoy, and some exercise I knew he was craving. Then I got one more surprise idea. Here's our day in pictures! I hope it gives you some inspiration!

The Importance of Counseling

 Have you been stressed as of late and want to reduce such stress? Counseling is the best way you can do so. The good news is that you can easily get a counselor. Thanks to the internet, you can access groups, such as Centennial counseling, to offer you the guidance you need in life. Below are some benefits you will get from counseling sessions.

Improve reflection in personal relationships

Sometimes, people can be caught up in challenging relationships and fail to know the best cause of their actions. For instance, an individual might find it challenging relating with their parents, siblings, or spouse. If such happens to you, groups such as Centennial counseling will offer you the necessary guidance on how to go about the situation. Once you have attended several counseling sessions, you will realize that you can reflect and make important decisions regarding the challenging relationship. People who attend counseling have reported a huge improvement in how they reflect on personal relationships.

Improves self-esteem

Counseling enables an individual to appreciate their flaws. This makes it easy for them to love and appreciate themselves more and hence, raising their self-esteem. However, through counseling, people can learn how to appreciate themselves, and this raises their self-esteem. According to Central Park Counseling, people living with low self-esteem deserve counseling regardless of what caused the low self-esteem.

Improves decision-making

The counseling process makes it easy for an individual to improve their decision-making abilities. Through the counseling process, an individual gets to learn important skills that enable them to view life from a clear perspective. It is such a perspective that enables an individual to make better decisions than they used to make before the counseling process. According to Central Park Counseling, people should seek counseling often, whenever they feel like they are not in a position to make the right decision. The counseling process gives someone the insight they require in making such decisions. 

Encourages self -awareness

Counseling helps an individual in understanding their feelings and character. A substantial number of people do not have self-awareness, and this affects the manner in which they react with other people. Some people tend to increase their self-awareness through yoga and meditation. However, counseling is considered to be the most effective strategy for improving self-awareness since the counselor helps you understand your character. Other methods of increasing self-awareness will only help you understand your feelings. If you are seeking better results, it is advisable to find a counselor near you, and you will not regret the results.

Enhances how you understand other people

The best part about counseling is that it enhances how you understand other people. If you had a certain perspective about an individual, counseling might make you understand their character better. It gives you a better understanding of other people’s behavior by changing your views about life. An example is a case where you tend to judge someone based on their actions. If you attend counseling, the chances are high that you might understand why they behave so.

Going for counseling is not a decision that other people can make for you. It comes to a situation where you feel the process is necessary since it will help you live a happier life. It is also advisable to seek counseling even when you feel that you do not need it. You might have issues that need resolving through counseling and fail to know it.

Creating the Best Retirement for Your Parents

 As your parents get older, the tables turn and you start to think about how you can best care for them. While it's not guaranteed, you know that they're likely to experience some health problems as they age. They're going to slow down and they might need extra support to help them. Even before that happens, though, you want to make sure that they are able to have a comfortable retirement. After working and raising a family, it's their turn to get some rest - or maybe spend some time having as much fun as possible. So how can you help your parents so that they can have the best retirement?

How To Give Yourself More Focus

 How To Give Yourself More Focus

Time flies when you have your head down and are focused. It can be too easy to let time pass by and not focus or check-in with yourself. Think back to the last time you really focused on yourself and thought about how you are feeling. If you are having a hard time remembering, that is an obvious sign to give yourself more time. 

Today, you will discover simple ways for how to give yourself more focus. Instead of continuing with your head down and dismissing how you really feel, give yourself a few minutes each day to think about how to focus on yourself. Or, use those few minutes for self-focus. 

Top 9 Ways to Look After your Hearing and Ear Health

 

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Do you know the implications of damaged hearing? Once damaged, it is not possible to reverse. It is essential to be aware of the problems related to hearing loss. And it’s advisable to plan for early diagnosis and the options available for hearing solutions.

Please do not delay to start taking care of your ears. Continue reading to know about the top nine ways to protect your hearing health.

Make Your Bed More Comfortable: Smart Ways to Do It

 You probably spend around a third of your time in your bed. If you're not sleeping in it, there are plenty of other things you might use it for. Because your bed is such an important part of your life, it's essential that it's comfortable and feels welcoming when you slide in at the end of the day. When your bed doesn't offer the comfort that you need, it can mean anything from restless sleep to a bad back or just general dissatisfaction. Everyone should get to enjoy a bed that feels like home, so why not think about how you can make your bed more comfy?

Assisted Living Checklist: Things to Check for in an Assisted Living Facility

 Assisted living facilities vary greatly in terms of cost, services offered, types of homes available to residents, location, climate, and more. It’s easy to see how looking for the right assisted living facility can be overwhelming. However, there are a few things that one should look for in every assisted living facility before choosing one. 

• Licensure. An assisted living facility should be licensed by the state’s designated licensing board. Licensure ensures that the facility is clean, up-to-code, has properly trained and licensed staff, and emergency plans (such as for a fire) in place. 
• Culture. For many, an assisted living facility does not just become home, but it is also often the final resting place of aging seniors. That’s why it’s really important that before deciding on a facility, that the culture of the facility is vetted. For example, for some seniors, they will be most comfortable in a religious environment, and would benefit from faith-based assisted living facilities. Other facilities, such as assisted living in Orlando, work hard to create cultures centered around well-being and happiness. 
• Emergency Plans. Finally, before choosing a facility, it’s important to look for solidified plans they have in the case of a medical emergency of your loved one, and non-medical emergencies. Does every room have an emergency call button? How does staff contact family in the case of an emergency? For non-medical emergencies such as a fire or hurricane, does the staff have a safety plan in place that they have practiced? Knowing the emergency plans of a facility are very important to the decision-making process.