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15 Food Intolerance Signs Never to Ignore

December 30, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Do you or one of your family members suffer from a food intolerance? Food allergies and intolerances have become quite commonplace these days. The outwards signs of a food allergy are nothing more than your immune system, putting up a defense. Your body views the food as harmful rather than nourishing.

Your system kicks into overdrive, producing antibodies to fight this invader. A reaction occurs when the antibodies are in a battle with the protein in a specific food item. Commonly, allergies are observed in things like shellfish and peanuts.

Now, food intolerance is different. An intolerance is a digestive problem more than an allergy. When you eat something, it passes the many channels through your digestive system.

If it’s something that your system cannot tolerate, then it makes it difficult for your body to digest it properly. One of the most common intolerance issues is caused by dairy, especially milk, cheese, ice cream, and yogurt.

The Prevalence of Food Allergies and Intolerances

Both food allergies and intolerances are quite common. It’s estimated that about one percent of the adult population in this country suffers from food allergies. Shockingly, about seven percent of the children have hypersensitivities that plague their system, some of which can be dangerous. Thankfully, most kids can overcome these issues as they grow.

Food intolerances are much more common than allergies. Almost everybody will experience some intolerance to the food they eat. The reaction is quite unpleasant, but you can learn to adjust your diet by making simple modifications.

When it comes to food intolerances, the most observed are those to lactose, an ingredient in milk products. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases states that there are more than 68 million people who suffer from lactose intolerance globally.

Identifying an Allergy from Food Intolerance

Food intolerance is not as severe, though it can still cause a great deal of discomfort. If your system cannot handle lactose, then eating anything with milk in it can cause you to have all sorts of symptoms. Sure, you can still have milk in your coffee or cereal, but you will pay the price for it afterward.

Intolerances aren’t deadly, in most cases, but they are certainly uncomfortable to handle. A food allergy is poisoning your system when you eat certain foods, while an intolerance makes it difficult for your body to process.

There may be some cases when a food allergy and intolerance lines are blurred, so you should ask your healthcare provider for help. An allergy test can quickly identify things that you should avoid.

Fifteen Signs of Food Intolerance

If you have a food allergy, then eating anything your allergic to will cause things like a rash, diarrhea, shortness of breath, chest pains, and swelling of the airways. Anaphylaxis can occur if the food allergy is severe, and this allergic reaction can cause you to have a full system failure. Your airways can close off, and you can experience a drop in your blood pressure.

Though not as severe, intolerance can be observed with the following symptoms:

1. Bloating & Cramping

2. Diarrhea & Constipation

3. Fatigue

4. Hives

5. Gas

6. Arthritis

7. Migraine Headaches

8. Heartburn & Acid Reflux

9. Joint Pain

10. Shortness of Breath

11. Irritability or Nervousness

12. Rash

13. Stomach Pain

14. Vomiting

15. Runny Nose

It’s essential to chart any adverse effects you have when eating foods. It’s not uncommon for people to develop intolerances after years of having no issues. Keeping a journal of the foods you eat and your digestive system’s problems can help your doctor target the issue.

What Causes Food Allergies?

First, you should know that there are genetic components to allergies and intolerances. For instance, if your mother or father was allergic to dairy products, then they may pass it along to you. Genetics plays a significant part in your medical issues, so this may be a contributing factor.

Nevertheless, you can develop a reaction without anyone else in your family suffering from it. So, this is not the only deciding factor. An allergy develops the very first time you eat a food that your system can’t process.

As stated above, it’s a protein found in foods that your body sees as harmful. The immune system does what it’s meant to do, and it tries to fight off what it sees as dangerous. Your body creates a substance called immunoglobulin E, or it’s often called IgE.

If you should eat that food again, then the body has already marked it as dangerous. So, it immediately sends out IgE and histamine to try to combat it. The goal is for the system to get rid of the foreign invader from your body.

The problem is that histamine is quite potent, and this chemical can affect not only your respiratory system but your heart, skin, and digestive system. If your allergic to shellfish, the first time you eat it, you might feel your airway close. However, the next time you may experience intense itching and a rash.

It’s all dependent on where the body releases the histamine. If your body releases it into your skin, you will develop things like hives or an intense rash. However, if it’s released into your digestive system, then you will spend the day in the restroom.

It’s also not uncommon to have a myriad of symptoms if histamine is released into diverse areas of the body at once.

What Causes an Intolerance?

When it comes to intolerance with food, many factors can contribute to this common issue. For instance, those who have lactose intolerance don’t have the enzymes to digest the proteins found in these foods properly.

Additionally, it’s not uncommon for a person to develop an intolerance to food additives. Have you ever heard of monosodium glutamate or MSG? It’s a common additive used to help enhance the flavor of food and make it last longer.

The problem is that this additive is a chemical ingredient that the body has complications digesting. Now, some people’s system builds tolerance for this chemical while others don’t. The same thing can happen with things like red dyes or gluten.

Gluten intolerance, or celiac disease, is quite common these days. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, about one in 100 people in this country suffer from this ailment. Sadly, more than 2.5 million individuals have this intolerance to rice, barley, and wheat, and they don’t even know it. The long-term effects of not managing this intolerance can be devastating.

It doesn’t have to be food alone that causes intolerance as you can develop them with drinks too. Red wine is a beverage that many can’t tolerate. Did you know that this wine has sulfites in it that occur naturally? Furthermore, the manufacturing company can put additives in the wines that help them to keep from growing mold as they age.

These additives might not set well with your system. In July of 1986, the Food and Drug Administration issued a ban on the use of any spray-on sulfates. These were often used to help preserve vegetation, but there’s nothing they can do about the ones that are found naturally.

Salicylates are found naturally in many fruits and veggies, which means products like coffee, juice, and wine are affected. Did you know that the same aspirin you take for pain is also a member of the salicylate family?

If you are allergic to aspirin, then you will have issues with any foods that have naturally occurring salicylates in them. Many people have intolerances to food but have no comprehension of how intricate their system and what’s going on inside.

Why Allergies and Intolerance Can Be Serious?

In July of 2013, Camp Sacramento welcomed students for the summer. Among those students was Natalie Giorgi. She was full of life and only 13 years old.

Giorgi knew about her allergy, and she was very diligent about guarding what she put in her mouth. A fellow student offered her a crispy rice treat that had frosting on top. As soon as Giorgi bit into it, she knew that it had peanuts in it.

The teenager chewed the bite, but she spit it out. The girl went running to her mother, who gave her some medicine to combat it. Her father also came to her side to administer an emergency injection. It seemed like things were going to be okay, but then about 20 minutes later, she couldn’t breathe.

The little girl died in her father’s arms that day. Her official cause of death was from laryngeal edema. A simple mistake cost her life.

Jaie Benson didn’t have an allergy but an intolerance to gluten that made her deathly ill.

She found it troubling to get out of bed. She said the pain in her head was so bad he felt like she couldn’t go on. Eventually, she ended up in the emergency room, where she was diagnosed with a possible aneurysm.

Her disease caused a small spot on her brain to form. She didn’t think she would live to see another day if she didn’t get help. Once she switched to a gluten-free diet and cut out all wheat products, she noticed a change. She slowly started getting better and now uses her experience as a mission to help others.

Whether it be a food allergy or intolerance to food, they both can kill you under the right circumstances.

Final Thoughts on Food Intolerance

Food intolerances have become so commonplace these days that people think they have to live with them. While there is a vast difference between an allergy and an intolerance, they both are dangerous. If you suspect that you have any issues with your system and certain foods, it’s imperative to avoid those foods and seek medical help.

8 Signs You’re A Highly Resilient Person

December 30, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

Resilience is grit. It means strength, power, and growth. Being resilient is is one of the key traits needed to advance in the world!

So, do you have what it takes to become resilient? Or are you already someone who bears that grit and ability? Here are eight signs you’re a highly resilient person.

1. You Are Self-Aware

You cannot be resilient if you aren’t self-aware. Without self-awareness, resilience fades into plain stubbornness, which is unproductive and can halt your progress or stop you from moving forward. This is because resilience achieves these ends:

Coping with problems healthily, which you cannot do if you are not aware of what works best for you
Involves understanding your skills, flaws, emotions, thoughts, and perspectives
Requires that you are aware of your actions, choices, and behaviors, as well as the effects of those decisions
It means being able to correct yourself when you make mistakes, which cannot be done if you’re not aware of those mistakes in the first place
Long-term, so it cannot rely on the “ignorance is bliss” concept that is only workable in the short term

Essentially, self-awareness can help you realize what you need, what can be worked on, what can be changed, and when it’s time to seek additional assistance. If you don’t know yourself or the world around you, you can’t possibly be strong against it in a truly healthy way.

2. You Aren’t Ashamed Of Your Flaws and Weaknesses

Being resilient doesn’t mean that you don’t have flaws or setbacks. It just means that you’re brave enough to confront them. While flaunting or shrugging at your weaknesses isn’t productive, not being afraid to own up to what you lack is a powerful move. It shows that you’re willing to show difficult parts of yourself to address your flaws.

If you don’t want to stare at your weaknesses in the face and understand them for what they are, you can’t learn or grow. This would be a significant hindrance to your momentum. So if you’re not ashamed of talking about and addressing your weaknesses, go you! Here are some signs that you’re resilient enough to own up to your flaws:

· You Don’t Try To Hide Your Flaws

Trying to hide weaknesses is a huge waste of time, effort, and energy, and it distracts from all the time you could be spending on improving those weaknesses. Be open about your flaws and be willing to tell others that you’re working through them. You can even ask for help!

· You Hold Yourself Accountable

It’s easy to shift responsibility for problems onto others. If you have no problem holding yourself responsible and accepting blame for your mistakes, you’re not ashamed of your flaws and are resilient!

· You Can Take Constructive Criticism

The perspectives of others are a big asset in your personal journey. They can show you things you didn’t think about or realize and provide alternative ideas and opinions. Constructive criticism is, therefore, immeasurably valuable. Ignoring trolls who only spew insults is fine and good for you. But ignoring genuine feedback presented with kindness is a mistake!

· You’ve Accepted Your Past

Everyone has their share of baggage, but you have to come to terms with it to be resilient. Understanding how the past has shaped you without letting it weigh you down or define you is a powerful sign that you accept even the ugliest parts of what makes you who you are.

3. You Can Find Humor In Tough Times

You can’t avoid the reality that not everything in life will be good. Sometimes, it’s going to be so, so bad that it even borders on the absurd. Being able to find humor in these types of times could be key to you getting through them. So if you tend to laugh and crack jokes in the face of difficulty, you’re likely more resilient to the negativity those times come with.

Studies have actually shown that laughter truly can be the best medicine. Making jokes – as long as you’re not ignoring reality altogether – can help you maintain better positive thinking, especially when you’re going through a situation that is incredibly taxing.

4. You Have Good Boundaries

Resilient people often have a good social support system. In some cases, they indeed got good luck, but in many, the fact is that resilient people are likely to attract those who will love, care for, and support them in healthy and positive ways.

This is partly due to resilient people’s ability to enforce reasonable boundaries. If you’re someone who can maintain healthy communication and great relationships with those around you without feeling burned out, overextending, or expecting your companions to overextend for you, you’re probably pretty resilient!

Other boundaries that resilient people are aware of are boundaries in logic versus emotion and perception versus reality. Can you determine the difference between what you feel and what you should do? Are you able to see where certain behaviors of yours stem from without excusing their negativity? You might be a resilient individual!

Learn six ways to increase your resilience

5. You Are Comfortable With Uncertainty

Nothing in life is certain. The way of the universe is such that sometimes, things will happen out of the left field. Best-laid plans fall apart. You’re probably pretty resilient if you keep your positive thinking through it all. Here are some additional signs in this vein of your resilience by accepting the world’s natural chaos!

· You’re Okay With The Unpredictable

A resilient person knows that there’s no way to prepare for everything coming in life. They don’t hold on too hard to one single plan, knowing that things may shift without their expectation.

· You Know That Change Is Inevitable

Nothing is constant. Everything changes. It’s a difficult and even uncomfortable fact, but it’s one that must be accepted. If you’re resilient, you don’t try too hard to keep things the same and embrace shifts in your world.

· You Are Adaptable

With all the constant change, you have to be adaptable and flexible to be resilient. You know how to navigate the tides of change and understand the necessity of going with the flow instead of resisting.

· You Can Release Control

People who feel the need to always be in control will be hit hardest when those unpredictable changes come around. If you’re resilient, you’re likely comfortable with releasing and letting go of the need for control. Ironically, the more you try to control something, the less you’ll feel in control.

6. You Look For The Positive In Hard Lessons

You can’t know everything from the start, and sadly, some lessons are ones you’ll learn the hard way. For many people, lessons like these are enough to make them slump over and want to give up due to the pain that may come with those events.

It’s entirely reasonable for feel down when you’ve had to learn a painful lesson, but if you’re resilient, then you’ll also do what you can to find the positive silver linings in your dark clouds. You’re looking through the tough times and lifting the veil to find the hidden golden teachings – and that’s resilience at its finest!

Research indicates that those who try and experience as many positive emotions as possible are often much more resilient and bear many other great traits that help them overcome hurdles. You might feel bad at first, but if you don’t dwell on that negativity and if you try to move on quickly and make new plans with newly acquired learning, congratulations! You’re a resilient person!

7. You Have A Wider Perspective and Vision

Those who are resilient don’t have time to be narrow-minded. The world is wide and complex, and they know they have to broaden their horizons to give it the understanding it needs. You’re probably resilient if you’ve got a wide perspective for yourself and the universe beyond just you! Here are some additional signs that indicate this:

· Your Vision Is Clear

You have an idea of the future you want, and you know the steps you may have to take to get there. You don’t stress over individual moments. Knowing each step brings you closer to where you want to be.

· You Keep Yourself Inspired

You like to find new and alternative ways of viewing the world and always seek new ideas and thoughts from people around you. It keeps you inspired to move forward.

· Your Eyes Are On The Big Picture

You don’t obsess over tiny details. You like looking at the wider world and the big picture above small little notes. Best yet, you believe in greater possibilities and notice all sorts of wonderful things in the future.

8. You Have Good Self-Esteem

Many people struggle with insecurities and self-esteem issues. If you’re someone who does their best to build their confidence in themselves and maintain a positive self-image, then the good news is you’re resilient!

Positive self-esteem has been linked in studies to higher resilience and life satisfaction. Of course, it’s easier said than done; self-esteem doesn’t happen overnight. Here are some signs that your self-esteem is improving or is doing well!

· Achievements Don’t Define You

Some people feel like they fail when they don’t achieve their goals or have trouble reaching success, which often works against them and dampens their chances to begin with. Failure, or even a lack of progress, will not deplete your feelings of self-worth if you don’t allow yourself to be defined by what you’ve achieved. This is a sign of strong and stable self-esteem, as your self-worth comes from within, not external sources.

· You Don’t Play Games Of Comparison

Someone who lacks self-esteem may try to define their standing in society via comparison against others. This isn’t a great way to live your life, as each individual is going through their own unique journey and story. It’s unfair to start trying to compare everyone, and you should feel confident and comfortable in yourself without being obviously “better” than others.

· You Can Generally Say You’re Happy With Who You Are

While you should always seek to learn, grow, and improve, you should also like yourself. A resilient person with good self-esteem focuses on their good side and uses those strengths to their advantage. They don’t feel like they’re missing anything, and if you feel content in your identity, you have good self-esteem!

Final Thoughts On Some Signs You’re A Highly Resilient Person

Without resilience, you can’t move forward in life towards your goals. If you don’t think you bear any of these signs that you’re a highly resilient person, don’t fret! You can build resilience over time, just like with any other trait.

5 Facts To Remember Before Trying To Lose Weight Fast

December 30, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

You’ve probably seen all sorts of Lose Weight Fast With This Diet! advertisements plastered across social media and as advertisements on all sorts of websites. They’re everywhere, and you can’t avoid them.

If you ever feel tempted to try these quick weight-loss methods, restrain yourself and think, first, of science. Here are 5 facts to keep in mind before trying to lose weight fast.

1. Each Body Is Different

Every single person is unique. Your lifestyle, body type and composition, genetics, and other factors can contribute to how your body stores and loses weight. This means that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet, and each person will find that different things work best for them. Here are some things to keep in mind:

· Very Specific Diets May Not Work

Celebrity endorsement, nice write-ups in health magazines, and articles claiming success stories can often make you think that a specific diet is an answer. But of course, since your body is unique, particular options are rarely going to be as useful to you as ones that you can adjust as you go.

· Something That Works For Others May Not Work For You

Do you have a friend who claims that a certain meal plan, dieting style, or even set of healthy weight loss tips helped them? Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see the same results when you follow their advice. Just because something works for someone else doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you.

· It Can Take Time To Find What Works

There are so many different options out there for weight loss, and even when you eliminate the most obviously unhelpful ones, there are still so many left to choose from. It can take a while of experimenting, trying out different methods, and finding foods that you love and work for you before you’re in the running for long-term weight loss. The reality of the matter is that trying to lose weight quickly doesn’t work because of how unique your body is!

2. Fast Diets Are Counterproductive

The thing about fast crash diets is that you’ll probably end up gaining more than you lose – both in terms of weight and overall health. This basically makes them completely counterproductive and hardly worth their effort! Here’s why:

· It’s Not Healthy

Losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time isn’t good for your body. Shedding that many pounds in a short amount of time can mess up your entire system, leaving you feeling even worse than you did before you began. It’s okay to take things slow, and it’s much better to do so!

· It’s Not Sustainable

How long do you really think you can sustain a fad diet? How long can you manage constant hunger pangs? And how many days a week can you devote to your strict eating schedule? It’s simply not doable, and no matter how determined you are, it’s scientifically not going to work out!

· You’ll Gain More Weight In The Long Run

Fad dieting usually leads to weight gain in the future, according to studies. In exchange for a fast shedding of pounds in an unhealthy way, you’ll basically gain it all back and then more later. At the end of the day, it simply isn’t worth it.

3. Fast Diets Can Be Bad For You

Fast diets involve a lot of restrictions on what you eat and how much of it, and they are terrible for you for a litany of reasons. Think about it – the human body needs food to live. Extremely restricting food for the sake of speedy results can’t be good for it, and there are so many causes for this. Here are some of them:

· You Won’t Get The Necessary Nutrients

Fad diets and crash diets that cut many calories quickly usually require a lot of food elimination. The restriction involved forces you to remove a ton of important nutrients from your diet and research shows that a lot of what you lose isn’t worth the briefly shed pounds! The loss of essential macronutrients like carbohydrates and certain minerals and vitamins can lead to illness and decrease energy and immunity.

· It Ruins Your Mood

For a brief moment, starting a restrictive diet can feel pretty good, but that’s only because you’re experiencing the short-term benefits of cutting out unhealthy food from your diet, which you’d get even with more reasonable meal plans. After a little while, you’ll start feeling more irritable, experiencing low energy, and losing positive thinking. As it turns out, feeling “hangry” is a genuine thing, and it can mess up your life!

· You Could Damage Your Organs

It’s shocking to think that weight loss can severely hurt you since most people frame weight loss as always healthy and always good for you. But the reality is that crash diets can very quickly set you up for a significant amount of difficulty. A study even found that low-calorie diets can lead to lowered cardiovascular function, causing worsened heart health. Yikes!

4. Long-Term Discipline Is What Wins The Day

Losing weight fast may not be “easy,” but it sure is much easier than maintaining healthier eating habits and exercise routines over a long period of time. That’s why so many people are so lured in by the idea of fast weight loss. You only need to stay disciplined for a short time. The problem, of course, is that crash diets don’t work.

Long-term discipline is the only real way to achieve long-term weight loss. If you want the weight you work off to stay off, you have to make lifestyle changes that you sustain over the course of, well, the rest of your life! Here are some tips for weight loss and that long-term willpower:

· You Need Internal Motivation

Yes, you may be motivated by the idea of looking more like an influencer you follow, or by the idea of social acceptance, or by the ability to fit into a cute dress you used to wear all the time. But these forms of motivation are external, and they’re not going to sustain you because your self-worth will depend on these external factors.

If you don’t have that influencer’s body type and money, you’re going to be discouraged when you don’t get their look. If people don’t offer you social acceptance, you’ll feel bad about yourself and your journey. So if you still can’t wear that dress, you’re going to wonder if it’s worth it. Take some time to find intrinsic motivation. Ask yourself: why do you want to lose weight? What health benefits would you gain? How would you feel if you got there?

· You Have To Be Realistic

You need to know where your limits are and what you can feasibly sustain. For example, if you hate cooking, you need to set realistic goals about how often you’ll cook and dine out at a healthy food place. Or, if you work ridiculously long hours, you need to adjust your exercise schedule to work with the energy levels you have to spare. If your plan, from the beginning, is unrealistic, you’re not going to be able to stay disciplined.

· Build On Your Resolve

You need to keep maintaining your goals, coming up with new challenges, and moving forward to stay motivated. Once you hit your main weight loss goal, it can be tough to keep up your discipline, as there’s no more goal to work towards. So find new goals. Do you want to be able to run a marathon? Build a certain muscle to better strength? Break your record for the number of push-ups you can do in a row? Work towards better sleep? Whatever it is, keep moving and keep challenging yourself to stay disciplined and motivated!

5. Certain Foods Help Weight Loss

A lot of people think weight loss means eating less. While you need to control your portions and eat a reasonable number of calories, you still need to eat a good amount to achieve sustainable weight loss.

The problem with losing weight fast is that it cuts many foods, including ones that could help sustainable weight loss, very quickly. Eating healthily is more likely to facilitate permanent weight loss, and if you know what to eat, you’ll be amazed at how many food options you have that are delicious but still healthy and great for your progress! Here are some examples of foods that facilitate weight loss:

· Protein

There is no food more crucial or central to weight loss than protein. It can cut off a lot of your caloric intake while keeping you full, and it boosts your metabolism on top of that! In other words, protein is the most positive macronutrient for weight loss, so make sure you’re not cutting it out. Just eating protein for 25% of your daily calories can make a huge difference!

· Fiber

Fiber keeps you full and helps you naturally control portions, and it can also potentially lead to better long-term control of your weight. It also helps many foods digest, and the fact that it increases satiety means you’ll eat less without losing positive thinking.

· Fruit and Vegetables

This sounds like a no-brainer, but so many fad diets try to get you to cut out fruits because they contain sugar in the form of fructose! These diets don’t say that the high water content, high fiber, and high nutritional value more than outweigh any of those completely healthy, whole sugars. Almost all studies indicate that vegetable and fruit consumption is positive for weight loss.

· Healthy Snacks In General

This fact of life remains simple: you have to eat to live. If you deny yourself food when you’re hungry, you’re only going to open up the risk of binging, losing discipline, or feeling negative mental effects later. The trick, then, is not to eliminate food but to replace unhealthy choices with healthy ones. Swap out your potato chips for unsalted peanuts. Replace your candy bar with a square of dark chocolate—Trade the chocolate chip cookies for apple slices with nut butter. Don’t remove – replace!

Final Thoughts On Some Facts To Keep In Mind Before Trying To Lose Weight Fast

The appeal of quick weight loss is obvious. Unfortunately, it’s just too good to be true. Instead of wasting your time on disappointing fast weight loss methods, focus on long-term, slow-and-steady goals, and you’ll see much better results!

How to Break The Stigma of Mental Health Counseling

December 30, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

A stigma is a feeling of judgment or shame, whether perceived or real, that affects an individual due to their performance of a task or inclusion in a group. It is almost always unfair, and many individuals struggle to overcome stigma every day. Worse still, many stigmas are perpetuated by wider society towards individuals who are already in vulnerable positions.

Mental health is one area that faces a lot of unwarranted stigmas. It can be so bad that it often becomes a barrier to someone’s ability to seek help for a mental disorder. The individual may feel as though their illness is proof of their failure or lack of “goodness,” or the people around them may tell them that their illness isn’t real or is too dangerous to treat.

The stigma surrounding mental health has led to many difficulties in seeking treatment and holding open discussions about mental disorders. People are reluctant to talk about what they experience, sometimes to the point where they self-destruct or are severely harmed before help – if any – gets to them. Stigma actually harms 1 in 5 people with mental conditions, says the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

If you are struggling with your mental health but feel weighed down by its stigma, you need to find a way to break through those barriers. Unfortunately, that’s much easier said than done, and it often requires overcoming years of personally internalized stigma. To help you out, here are 5 ways to break the stigma of receiving mental health counseling.

1. Use Affirming Language

It’s easy to accidentally slip into the habit of using language harmful to those who need mental health aid. Some would refer to this as internalized ableism. Without terminology, though, at its core, this is the simple act of language normalizing stigma. For example:

“She’s insane!” creates the connotation that “insanity,” which is really a rude term used to refer to the mentally ill, is inherently negative and toxic.
“I’m so OCD” when you do not have obsessive-compulsive disorder creates false ideas and narratives about what OCD really is, shaping a poor understanding of the disorder by others.
“He’s such a sociopath” when you talk about someone you dislike who does not have antisocial personality disorder creates a false narrative about a severe mental disorder, making it synonymous with a general feeling of dislike towards someone.

Remove the more incorrect versions from your vocabulary, and you’re already helping to bring down stigma. Instead of using these phrases, try changing them to options that are more accurate to reality. For example:

“She’s really eccentric” instead of “She’s insane!”
“I’m such a neat freak” instead of “I’m so OCD!” (if you do not have OCD)
“He’s such a jerk” instead of “He’s such a sociopath” (if he is not a diagnosed sociopath)

If someone misuses language, try to correct them gently. But do keep in mind that language constantly evolves, meaning words and the best ways to use them will change over time. It’s okay for you and others to make mistakes regarding evolving language, as long as you’re all willing to learn!

2. Educate Yourself On Common Myths

There are, sadly, a lot of myths in the mental health world about those with mental disorders and how to treat them. You might believe some of them and might not be aware that they’re false! Learning about the most common myths of mental health can help you feel more confident about receiving counseling or supporting those seeking counseling.

Some examples of common myths include:

· “Mental illness isn’t treatable.”

Though many mental disorders have no cure, treatment can allow them to be more manageable.

· “Those with mental illness are weak.”

The reality is that these illnesses are just that – illnesses. They’re disorders, akin to a broken leg or a cold. They don’t define someone’s mental strength or capacity.

· “It’s possible to ignore mental illness or utilize positive thinking to completely and utterly overcome it.”

This isn’t how it works, as the chemicals in the brain are responsible for creating the reactions that lead to mental stress.

· “People with severe mental illnesses are violent.”

It’s definitely possible for those with severe mental illnesses to lash out. Still, it’s not really any more common than the percentage of non mentally ill people who are just as violent!

· “If you had a mental illness, you wouldn’t be able to work.”

In the years 2009 and 2010, a whopping 54.5% of those with severe mental disorders were employed – and the fact that this is no big deal becomes apparent when you realize that only 75.9% of those who aren’t mentally ill are employed. There are more positive ways to work than you may think!

· “Mental health problems aren’t common.”

Hundreds of millions of people have been diagnosed with depression, and several million with anxiety and a total of 450 million individuals worldwide have mental illness struggles.

3. Compare It To Physical Illness

Something many people don’t think about is how mental illness isn’t that different from physical illness. It involves a part of your body – in this case, the brain – unable to perform its function optimally, leading to imbalances and problems.

When you talk to others about mental illness, framing it like a physical illness can help to demonstrate to others how to take these disorders seriously. Here are some examples.

Statement: Why would anyone go to a doctor for trauma? Just get over it!

Reframed statement: Why would anyone go to a doctor for breaking their leg? Just fix it!

Statement: Why are you so anxious all the time? Haven’t you been through that stuff already?

Reframed statement: Why are you so asthmatic all the time? Haven’t you been through asthma already?

Statement: I think if you tried harder, your depression wouldn’t be a problem.

Reframed statement: I think if you tried harder, your high blood pressure wouldn’t be a problem.

Forcibly reframing ignorant comments in this way is a quick and easy way to demonstrate how nonsensical those initial statements are. You don’t have to do this with others if you don’t want to, but at least do it with yourself! If you have internalized shame about your disorders, reframe them to yourself – would you say the same about a physical illness? If not, then it certainly doesn’t apply to a mental one!

4. Know That Mental Illness Is A Spectrum and A Range

Mental illness is not black or white. Each individual has a unique experience of a certain disorder, and different people will respond to different forms of treatment in varying ways. But how can we think of mental illness in such a way that we’re able to understand it better?

To begin with, mental illness is a spectrum with so many different facets. Each person experiences the same mental illness differently because they sit somewhere else on the spectrum. Some people will have more severe forms of a specific mental illness, while others will experience fewer symptoms. Both people are valid and need to be normalized, so people understand that mental illness is not one-size-fits-all.

Another thing to understand is that mental illness is an entire range. On some days, certain illnesses quiet down and give you a bit of a break from their incessant annoyance. Then, on other days, the disorder will be terrible. Sometimes you’ll be able to find triggers, but many times, you just won’t!

But why do you need to keep all this in mind? Well, a lot of stigma in mental illness comes from the fear that you’re faking things or being overdramatic. This means that you may:

Realize others have more severe versions of your disorder and wonder if that means yours isn’t real or worth treating
Wonder if you’re faking your disorders when you experience a good day but being totally off guard when you experience a bad day
Feel the need to “perform” aspects of your mental illness to be taken seriously

When you come to learn and accept that mental illness is a spectrum, you’ll realize pretty quickly that a lot of your internally-directed stigma was unfounded, to begin with.

5. Join A Support Group

You are not alone. So many people around the world are struggling with stigma. It’s okay to need help to overcome stigma, to begin with. Many people make the mistake of isolating themselves when they’re experiencing mental illness, but this is dangerous and means you can’t get the help you need.

Look up local, national, or online support groups for people with similar problems or disorders. You will likely be able to learn from the leaders of these groups and may even be able to help educate others on mental health issues with them!

Final Thoughts On Some Ways To Break The Stigma Of Receiving Mental Health Care

It is simply beyond unfair that anyone is ever made to feel like they do not deserve or should not receive mental health treatment for disorders and troubles. The brain is an organ in the body, too, and it can get just as sick as every other part. That’s exactly what mental health counseling and other similar treatments are for.

Sadly, stigma can be extremely dangerous. It means the people who need help the most cannot have access to any help that can work for them. It’s tragic and can result in lives lost, which is an upsetting thought. Over time, we’ve just come to accept that mental illness reflects poorly on the person who has it, with villainized mentally ill characters all over the media.

This is exactly why the world needs to begin breaking through common forms of stigma and showing that reality isn’t like those rumors. Breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health is tough, and the movement is still in its earlier stages. But it’s certainly doable, and the world has already come pretty far in trying to normalize mental health treatment and general counseling.

If you’re burdened by stigma, it’s time to take a stand. Do what you can to get onto your feet and fight to break the stigma. Seek treatment from qualified counselors and other mental health professionals. Support your friends and family who are seeking counseling. Correct people who have negative and inaccurate views on the field. Together, we can work to break the stigma against mental health treatment once and for all!

6 Ways To Feel Sleepy In Less Than 10 Minutes

December 30, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

Have you ever spent far too long tossing and turning at night, trying to find sleep that eludes you? Do you struggle to feel sleepy at bedtime, leading to exhaustion and decreased positive thinking the next day?

Feeling sleepy doesn’t have to be difficult, and lots of methods have been found that can aid with the drowsiness process. Here are 6 effective ways to feel sleepy in less than 10 minutes!

1. Think To Yourself

For many people, it’s difficult to feel sleepy when your mind is full. But what if the secret lay in what you were thinking, not the idea of thinking at all? Here are some things to “think” or say to yourself to help you feel sleepy, especially if you’re already in bed:

· Counting

When you need to get sleepy, start counting down backward from 100. At some point, before you hit zero, you’re likely to slip into sleep. It helps distract from negative thoughts and can make you feel bored enough to check out for the night.

· “Stay awake!”

A concept called paradoxical intention, proven in research, suggests that telling yourself to stay awake may cause you to fall asleep more quickly. This reduces a lot of the anxiety that can be caused by the inability to sleep, as telling yourself you need to sleep often causes you to stay alert due to the incurred stress.

· Delegate Worries

Anxiety before sleep is a common reason that many people are unable to turn in when they want to. So start telling your brain that the time before bed is a no-worry zone. If you’re in bed and nervousness kicks in, tell those worries “I will attend to you tomorrow”. Then, the next day, spend ten to fifteen minutes allowing those worries to be felt and processed before they’re delegated, again, to the next day. Chances are some of those anxieties will have faded by the morning, anyway.

2. The Military Method

This rather impressive method of getting to sleep claims to allow individuals to fall asleep very quickly, within just a total of 120 seconds. It was created as a routine for pilots in the United States Navy Pre-Flight School.

The Military Method can take 6 weeks to perfect. But once you do, it will effectively put you to sleep even with very loud noises in the background or after a heavy dose of caffeine! It’s also said to work for those trying to sleep while sitting. Do note that if you have a disorder such as anxiety or ADHD, you may not be able to benefit from this method.

Here’s how to perform the Military Method of falling asleep:

Step 1: Start by relaxing the muscles of your face, including those within your mouth.
Step 2: Lower your shoulders and let your hands go limp, falling beside your body, releasing tension in these areas.
Step 3: Relax your chest as you breathe out deeply.
Step 4: Relax your lower body – the thighs, legs, and calves.
Step 5: Empty your mind over the course of 10 seconds, clearing it by going to your happy place or envisioning something relaxing. If unable to do so, you can also repeatedly “say” the words “don’t think” to yourself again and again.
Step 6: That’s it; you should be snoozing in a mere 10 seconds, but keep doing this until you do fall asleep.

The act of visualizing a calm place can help manage the thoughts you experience that could keep you awake, and it’s even been found to have positive results for those with insomnia. Combined with careful breathing and muscle relaxation, you’ll be asleep in no time!

3. Ensure A Sleep-Conducive Room

If you’re trying to sleep, make sure the environment of your rest is conducive to such activities. A room full of things that will keep you awake is definitely not going to help matters. Most people naturally begin to fall asleep in 15 minutes – so 10 minutes in a well-suited room is more than enough to get you sleepy. Here are some factors to consider:

· Bed Comfort

A comfortable bed is a key to getting in the mood to sleep. It should be the right firmness with suitably comfortable pillows, all providing enough support to prevent pain. If you’re trying to sleep on something that isn’t a bed, try and make it as comfortable as possible with make-do pillows or blankets if you want to fall asleep faster.

· Light

The body’s production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, is dictated by the light that it receives. The brain adjusts its Circadian rhythm in response to light levels, so maintaining a dark room is key to feeling sleepy quickly.

· Temperature

A room that is too cold or too warm can easily make you too uncomfortable to quickly feel sleepy. The best temperature setting is believed to be around 60 to 67 degrees, as reported by the National Sleep Foundation. However, any cool room temperature can typically do the trick.

· Noise

Noise can disturb anyone’s ability to sleep, and even if you do manage to rest with a bunch of goings-on in the background, you’ll likely endure poorer sleep quality. Try and maintain a comfortable level of silence in your environment or opt for more positive and relaxing sounds to drown out the unwanted ones, like calming music or white noise.

4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation refers to the act of tensing and relaxing your muscles in order from your head to your toes. This allows you to completely relax your body by the time you’re done, as long as you don’t strain yourself in the process, as the tension melts away from your muscles.

Here’s how to perform progressive muscle relaxation:

Step 1: Start at the top of your head by lifting your eyebrows as high as you can, thus tensing the muscles of your forehead. Hold for five seconds.
Step 2: As soon as the five seconds are up, drop your muscles by relaxing them. Pause for ten seconds.
Step 3: Move on to your cheeks. Smile as widely as you can, thus tensing the muscles of your cheeks. Hold for five seconds, then drop and relax the muscles. Pause for ten seconds.
Step 4: Close your eyes and squint as hard as you can, thus tensing muscles in that part of your face. Hold for five seconds, then drop and relax the muscles. Pause for ten seconds.
Step 5: Tilt your head gently back to tense the muscles of your neck, making sure you’re still comfortable, but keeping your eyes on the ceiling with ease. Hold for five seconds, then drop your neck into your pillow and relax the muscles. Pause for ten seconds.
Step 6: Continue repeating this process of tensing and relaxing progressively throughout your body. Go from your triceps to your chest, then to your thighs, and eventually to your feet.
Step 7: As you do your relaxation, focus on the feeling of heaviness and comfort experienced by your body as you move on. You may fall asleep before you get to your feet!

5. Acupressure

You’ve probably heard of acupuncture, which involves inserting specific needles into specific points in the body to relieve tension and promote healing. Acupressure is that but without the needles! It involves finding points in the body to apply pressure to.

While a lot more research is still needed in the field, most have found that forms of acupressure boost their positive thinking and help them relax and get sleepy more quickly. Locating spots that are noticeably tense are key, but you can also try performing the following forms of acupressure:

· Inner Frontier Gate

Hold one palm face-up, then measure three widths of a finger down from the crease of your wrist. Apply pressure between the tendons here with your thumb in a downward, steady motion.

· Spirit Gate

Start by looking for the hollow space on the pinky side of your hand, under the palm. Place gentle pressure here with an up-and-down or circular motion over the course of two or three minutes. Then, do the same on the back of the hand, then repeat on the other hand.

· Wind Pool

Begin by locking your fingers with your palms touching, then open up your hands in a cup-like shape. Move your thumbs to the bottom of your skull so they touch where the head connects to the neck. Press down with a firm, deep pressure and massage in up-and-down and circular motions.

6. 4-7-8 Breathing

This breathing exercise is a way to quickly relax, mixing the powers of visualization, meditation, and deep breathing to create a fast creator of drowsiness. The more often you practice this kind of breathing, the better it will work for you. Here’s how to do it!

Step 1: Start by resting your tongue tip behind your two front teeth, against your mouth’s roof. Make sure that your tongue stays here throughout the exercise, even if you have to purse your lips to make it happen!
Step 2: Part your lips just a little bit and breath out from your mouth, creating a whooshing noise as you do so.
Step 3: Close your lips once more and breathe in as quietly as possible through your nose. Do so for four seconds.
Step 4: Stop inhaling and simply hold your breath, maintaining it for seven seconds.
Step 5: Finally, exhale once more through slightly parted lips, creating a whooshing noise as you do so, over the course of eight seconds.
Step 6: Repeat this process for about four complete breaths, trying your best to keep your mind empty and alertness levels down. If you feel relaxed before hitting four breaths, allow yourself to drift to sleep.

Do note that if you have a respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, you should ask your doctor first before trying the 4-7-8 breathing exercise. For some patients with respiratory conditions, their symptoms can be aggravated by the practice!

Final Thoughts On Some Effective Ways To Feel Sleepy In Less Than 10 Minutes

You need sleep to function at your best, and you can’t get the rest you need if you struggle to feel sleepy. Incorporating these science-backed methods can help you get to Dreamland a little quicker! If you think you have a sleep disorder or similar condition affecting your sleep, speak to a doctor for advice.

5 Ways To Set Healthy Boundaries (And Keep Them)

December 30, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

Do you tend to have trouble setting healthy boundaries, especially with loved ones? Do you worry about hurting other people’s feelings and, therefore, take many things you dislike lying down? It’s time to change that!

It would be best if you had positive boundaries to maintain a good level of well-being. Without boundaries, you won’t be able to continue genuine, honest, or truly healthy relationships with those around you. But how can you do it? Here are 5 ways to set and maintain healthy boundaries around people you care about.

1. Know Yourself

To set healthy boundaries, you must know what kinds of boundaries you need. You can’t do that if you don’t know yourself first. Here are some things you should be aware of regarding yourself before you start setting boundaries:

· Values

What are your personal beliefs and values? It’s important that you first and foremost determine what matters to you before you decide where your boundaries lie. Often, you might make a boundary dictated by one person’s negative actions towards you, which results in them being too harsh on those you love. On the other end of the spectrum, you might be worried about offending people with boundaries, and consequently, make boundaries too loose. So focus, first, on your values, and identify how other people poking at them may hurt you.

· Feelings

People often make the mistake of trying to rationalize everything they experience. When they are uncomfortable with something, they might not set a boundary there because they think there’s no “rational” or logical reason to be uncomfortable in the first place. But emotions are a part of human nature! If something elicits a negative reaction, you need to know if it’s something you should set a boundary for or work on personally.

· Limits

Once you understand your values and feelings, you can get more specific about limits. Different people will likely have different limits in your list of boundaries. For example, you’ll have much more relaxed limits with a significant other than you would with a colleague. What are you uncomfortable discussing, and where do the limits scale for your different relationships? Do you have personal space requirements, and if so, how do they differ by the person? If you need to, draw up a chart of different people and boundaries and mark off the limit for each person.

2. Communicate Your Boundaries

For others to be aware of your boundaries, you have to inform them that they exist. But communication about boundaries must be done correctly to be effective. Here are some tips for talking about your boundaries in a productive, effective, and positive way:

· Be Assertive

Your boundaries and needs are clear-cut. Don’t let other people talk over you, invalidate you, or test to see how far they can push your limits. When you talk about your boundaries, make sure you sound like you mean every word. Others need to understand that what you’re talking about is serious and important. If you’re not used to being assertive, practice until you can convey that seriousness to those around you. It’s an important part of positive boundary enforcement.

· Be Direct

If you’re talking about your boundaries, you can’t leave any room for miscommunication and error. Be honest and even blunt about where your limits are, and try to keep in mind the communication style and comprehension ability of the person you’re talking to. Don’t hint about what you need, be direct and genuine – especially if the person you’re speaking to is of a different cultural background, personality type, or is an individual neurodivergent. In closer relationships, sometimes boundary talk can be more of a discussion or compromise. If that’s the case for some of your relationships, make sure you continue the directness pattern throughout.

· Say, “No Thanks.”

No is a complete sentence, and the word “no” is sufficient communication in many circumstances, especially among those you aren’t particularly close to. Don’t feel like you must always provide a lengthy excuse for your boundaries. If you say “no, thank you” to something, that’s effective and direct communication and should be respected. Try learning to say “no thanks” without tacking on a lengthy reason!

· Prepare A Disclaimer

For certain people, you may be worried about hurting their feelings, and it might be important enough to you that you are kind to them in explaining your boundaries. In this case, it’s helpful to prepare an honest but gentle disclaimer. Start by informing them of your decision to set boundaries first, talking genuinely about why this is a crucial and big step for you. Focus on talking about your well-being. The people who care about you, even if it stings to hear at first, will understand.

3. Ensure Your Boundaries Are Respected

Now that you’ve set your boundaries, you must make sure they are enforced. Nothing good will come of boundaries that people can see they are allowed to break left and right. Here are some ways to enforce your boundaries and ensure that they are respected:

· Speak Through Actions, Not Words

When you tell someone to respect your boundaries, it should go without saying that you won’t engage with them if they disrespect those limits. When someone tries to get a rise out of you by being dismissive or ignoring boundaries, please don’t give them a berating reaction. Instead, ignore them and disengage from interaction with them. Your actions will tell them all they need to know about respecting your needs.

· Determine Consequences For Boundary-Breaking

No matter how well you set your boundaries, someone is sure to break them, whether intentionally or unintentionally. To avoid being stunned at the moment, it’s a good idea to decide from the beginning what will happen when someone breaks your boundaries. How will you remind them to be respectful? At what point do you start enforcing ultimatums? How much understanding will you give those who matter most to you for their learning process to respect your boundaries?

· When You Say Something, Mean It

If you want people to take you seriously, you have to mean what you say. So when you enforce a boundary, mean it. When you warn someone of consequences, follow through. And when you tell someone how they can better interact with you, make sure you respond positively when they put that into practice. If your words don’t seem to match up with reality, people will stop listening.

4. Respect Yourself

Often, people fall into the trap of denying themselves boundaries because they don’t respect themselves enough. Even if you’ve started to try setting some limits, if you lack self-respect, the chances are that you’ll struggle to maintain them. That’s why respecting yourself is central to maintaining healthy boundaries around people you care about. Here are some tips for doing so:

· Give Yourself Permission

Many people feel guilty about setting boundaries because they feel they don’t deserve it or hurt others. If you feel this way, learn to step back and permit yourself to be “selfish” about these things. You deserve the respect of your limits!

· Build Your Self-Esteem

If you haven’t set boundaries before, the chances are that your self-esteem and positive thinking regarding yourself are very, very low. Keeping in mind that your self-esteem is important and working on that on the side will help you feel more like you deserve the boundaries you set up.

· Prioritize Self-Care

Putting self-care as a priority in your life is a great way to practice the principles of boundary-setting. Why? Well, it sets a pattern: you are permitting yourself to let yourself come first. You get boosts to your positive thinking, energy, outlook, and mental health when you care for yourself, and you learn that it’s okay to come first now and then, especially when it comes to your wellbeing.

5. Work On It Step By Step

If you’re not used to maintaining boundaries, trying to set a whole bunch of them at once and manage them with different people can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s totally okay to take it slowly and go one step at a time. This gradual learning process lets you ease yourself into the habit of setting and enforcing boundaries without it being too tall of an order. Here are some ways to work on your healthy boundaries, step by step:

· Start With Something Small

When you learn to set boundaries, you’re learning a new skill. That skill may not come naturally to you, and if so, it’s okay to start small. Set a reasonable and easy boundary first, then gradually work your way up to the more intimidating boundaries. Communicate about each one, in turn, incrementally increasing their severity until you’re confident enough to maintain all your personal boundaries. Remember – challenge yourself, but don’t overwhelm yourself!

· Keep Practising

As with any skill, setting and maintaining healthy boundaries will take practice. For it to become a seamless habit, you need to work on it regularly. Affirm your boundaries and practice enforcing them, beginning with the people closest to you and working your way outwards to other less-tight-knight relationships.

· Work With A Friend

Working together with a friend who is also learning to set boundaries can help you find motivation. You can support each other, cheer each other on, and learn from each other as you go. The feedback that you can provide to each other will be instrumental in keeping you inspired and realistic!

· Request Assistance

If you face many challenges setting boundaries, there is no shame in seeking personal or professional help for the learning process. This is especially true if you’re working through trauma or have many mental disorders that affect your ability to set and enforce realistic and positive boundaries. In that case, the advice and guidance of a mental health professional will work wonders.

Final Thoughts On Some Ways To Set And Maintain Healthy Boundaries Around Loved Ones

Boundaries are crucial to every single human being. They keep us safe, comfortable, and secure around others. Even in close, loving relationships, boundaries are necessary, and each person will experience a different preference when it comes to limits. Don’t be afraid to take your time to find yours.

12 Ways to Show You Appreciate Your Spouse

December 30, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Do you appreciate your spouse every day? If you want your relationship to make it for the long haul, then you will learn that big gestures are nice, but it’s the little things that count. Never let an opportunity pass you by to tell someone how much they mean to you.

A relationship is like a rose bush as it has the potential to blossom into something beautiful. Why is it that some roses turn out to be something magnificent while others never have a blossom? It all comes down to feeding and nurturing.

Some plants die because they don’t have the nutrients or the right environment to do their best. Like your relationship, you must cultivate it so that it can flourish into something spectacular.

Twelve Easy Ways to Appreciate Your Partner

How will your partner know how you feel about them unless you tell them or show them? It really takes both your verbal and physical appreciation as your actions always speak much louder than your words. If you need ways to help you appreciate your spouse more, then here are 12 that are sure to assist.

1. Say You Love Them Every day

Some people need to know how much they are loved and appreciated. As they pass you by, take time to tell them how you feel. Don’t say it too much as it loses its meaning if you say it more than ten times a day.

However, when you hang up the phone or leave for work, take time to tell them how much you care about them. Love is the foundation of any relationship, and you both must always have that assurance from one another.

2. Plan Date Night

Many people feel that once they get married or move in together and have kids, they don’t get date nights anymore. If you want your relationship to last, then you should continue these special days. Just because you take on more responsibilities doesn’t mean that you should lose that time between you.

It’s even more vital that you have time that is set aside for you both. It can destroy your relationship if you don’t make time for each other as you can grow apart. When you have a set date night, you have something to look forward to, and you get to spend quality time with the one you love.

3. Warm or Cool the Car for Them

Whether you live in a hot or cold climate, there are times when it helps to start the car. If the temperatures are scorching, they will appreciate getting into a nice cool automobile, especially if it has leather seats.

If it’s snowed and the windshield is full of ice, they will love having it scraped and the vehicle warmed before they climb in to drive. It’s all those little things that add up and has such a significant impact on your relationship.

4. Leave Love Letters Around the House

If you want to show how much you appreciate your spouse, why not leave little love letters around the house. Using sticky notes are a great way to put messages for them to find. If they’re having a tough time, why not encourage them with some little notes that will help to promote and show your support?

5. Send Flowers for No Reason

Why do people always wait for weddings, funerals, or a holiday to send flowers? Why not send your girl a bouquet at work just because? If it’s a guy, they might not like flowers, but you can send a pre-paid lunch to them, or why not a singing telegram?

Sometimes the element of surprise is just what people need to know how much they are loved. Never pass up a moment to show your true feelings to the one you promised forever to.

6. Give Them Breakfast in Bed

Nothing is better than rolling over to an excellent breakfast in bed. You can go as elaborate or as simple as you want. Best of all, they will love the fact that you took time out of your busy day to appreciate your spouse.

For an extra touch, why not do some freshly squeezed orange juice or bake their favorite muffins? They will appreciate your efforts.

7. Offer Massages and Back/Neck Rubs

Nothing feels better after a long day than a back and neck rub. You can take turns massaging each other’s feet, necks, and backs. It’s an excellent way to release tension from stress and feel the loving touch of the one who holds your heart.

The power of communication can be greatly beneficial in life, and it can release those feel-good endorphins in your body. Reiki is a fascinating art that focuses on the power of a touch, so there’s something special about the ability to heal and bond through this simple gesture.

8. Listen and Communicate with Them

The best thing that you can do for your spouse is to listen and effectively communicate with them. Don’t interrupt then when they’re trying to tell you about their day. Listen to every word they say, and validate their feelings.

Any counselor will tell you that sometimes people need someone to listen to their frustrations and things affecting them in life. Communication requires less of you interjecting and more of you listening. Your spouse should feel comfortable to run to you with everything.

9. Hug Often

According to the National Library of Medicine, touch is a significant part of interacting socially. A study was conducted by the University of North Carolina’s Department of Psychiatry. They used animals to see what hugging or ventral rubbing did for their brain and feel-good chemicals.

Within five days of constant ventral stroking, the animals showed higher oxytocin levels, but they also decreased blood pressure. Not only does hugging your spouse feel good, but it does great things for your wellbeing too.

10. Do Impromptu Dances in The Kitchen

Never lose that playfulness that you had with your spouse from the start. Help them cook dinner, put on some great music, and take a quick dance around the room. Hold them close and look deep into their eyes, then show off your dancing skills with a quick twirl and a promenade.

Not only will you make memories that will last a lifetime, but you will also show how much you appreciate your spouse. Remember to dance like no one is watching and take time for fun in your life.

11. Smile When They Look at You

Sometimes the best thing to do is to say nothing but instead offer them a look that says it all. When your lover looks at you, grin. Not just any smile, but you want a smile so deep and genuine that it lights up your eyes.

According to an article by the Balaji Dental College and Hospital, a smile is your gateway to the world. Do you know that you can make someone’s bad mood disappear just by smiling at them? Your spouse needs the assurance from you that you’re there and will always be, and you can do that by simply smiling.

12. Have the Coffee Ready in The Morning

Both you and your spouse have a morning routine. You get up in the morning, get a shower, get dressed, stumble to the coffeepot for something to help wake you up. Wouldn’t it be nice if you surprised your spouse one day with coffee already made?

Sure, today’s technology allows the coffee pot to brew while you’re showering, but you can prepare their favorite cup with the cream and sugar they like. It seems like a small gesture, but it really can have such a significant impact on how their day goes.

When you show you appreciate your spouse like this, you send them off to work with a reason to smile. Everyone wants to feel loved and adored, and you just showed that doing something so small can have a significant impact.

Final Thoughts on How to Appreciate Your Spouse Every Day

Never let a moment pass you by where you don’t show the one you love how much you care. You’re not promised tomorrow, and life is but a vapor that can quickly be gone. Make sure that if tomorrow never comes, they know how much you loved them.

You don’t need gifts that cost thousands or big diamonds to show someone you love and support them. You can offer a shoulder to cry on, an embrace to secure them, and an impromptu dancing session to show that they still make you feel so happy.

Life together is as good as you make it, and relationships take work to survive. You will be able to get farther than any statistics show when you appreciate your spouse by loving and supporting them. While your words are important, never underestimate the power of body language.

13 Fish to Never Eat (And What to Eat Instead)

December 30, 2020 by Deborah Tayloe

Fish and seafood have a wide variety of health benefits. Yet, you want to be sure your seafood is safe to eat from contaminants and high levels of mercury, which can be dangerous to your health. Here’s a list of the fish never to eat and what you can eat to stay healthy.

Why eat fish?

Heart disease is a growing problem around the world. It’s estimated that 40% of deaths across the globe are due to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks, angina, and arterial diseases. An unhealthy diet, lack of physical exercise, and smoking contribute to heart disease. The benefits of adding fish to your diet are huge. Fish is packed with fatty acids, vitamin D, iodine, and selenium, which are fundamental to improving cardiovascular health.

Is it safe to eat fish?

Fish and seafood are great sources of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, but because fish can contain mercury and other toxins, eating too much fish may not be good for you. You could avoid eating fish to avoid mercury contamination, but that isn’t the best health option. One study calculated that out of 100,000 people eating farm-raised salmon twice a week for 70 years, there were 24 deaths due to cancer, but 7,000 deaths from heart disease were prevented.

Plus, the amount of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), a group of human-made chemicals of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine atoms that are no longer made in the United States. But they’re still in some older products, including meats, eggs, vegetables, and dairy products you buy. Surprisingly, most of today’s PCBs in the United States come from non-seafood sources.

So, because of all the health benefits of fish, just as you continue to eat vegetables, dairy, and meat, you should keep eating fish. One caution, though, is that if you eat local freshwater fish caught by family or friends, be sure to check with local authorities about the limit of fish to eat regarding contaminants in the area.

Which fish have the highest levels of mercury?

Eating fish is still a good health choice, depending on your choice, since some fish contain higher mercury levels.

Here’s a list of thirteen fish never to eat (or to consume only moderately) since they are high in mercury.

Swordfish
Shark
King mackerel
Marlin
Orange roughy
Tilefish
Ahi tuna
Bigeye tuna
Albacore tuna (not more than once a week)
Bass (eat in moderation)
Pike (eat in moderation)
Muskellunge (eat in moderation)
Walleye (eat in moderation)

Safeguards for eating fish

Fish has impressive health benefits, but there are essential practices to follow when eating fish.

Eat only twelve ounces of fish a week. This is around two meals a week. Choose tuna, catfish, salmon, and pollock since they are low-mercury fish.
Light canned tuna has less mercury than albacore tuna.
Always check with your local authorities before eating freshwater fish caught by friends or family in lakes, rivers, or ponds. If you’re unsure, limit your consumption to no more than six ounces per week of this fresh-caught fish.
Pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and kids should eat fish only once a week, avoiding higher mercury.

Sadly, almost all types of fish are somewhat contaminated due to environmental pollutants. Despite this, don’t stop eating fish because the health benefits outweigh the contamination risks. So limit your intake of fish to no more than twice a week.

What should I eat instead?

Don’t stop eating fish; be picky about what fish you choose. The best fish choices are those high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are fatty acids. DHA and EPA are two omega 3s fatty acids found in some fish. Fatty acids health benefits include the following:

Lower your triglycerides (bad cholesterol), which helps fight against heart disease
Pain: Helps fight stiffness and joint pain.
Depression: Can help curb depression
Asthma: Eating a diet high in omega-3 helps lower inflammation, which is involved in asthma.
ADHD: May reduce symptoms of ADHD in kids.
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia: May protect from these diseases.

Seafood and fish

Here are several lists of the best Omega 3-rich fish and kinds of seafood.

High in omega 3s seafood products include the following:

Herring
Oysters
Anchovies
Atlantic mackerel
Pacific chub mackerel
Sardines
Wild trout
Shad
Wild and Alaskan salmon

Lower in omega 3s, but still healthy choices are these:

Canned light tuna
Atlantic croaker
Catfish
Crab
Flounder
Sole (flatfish)
Lobster
Mullet
Pollock
Squid (wild)
Shrimp
Tilapia
Scallops

What are the healthiest ways to prepare fish?

Once you purchase your seafood, there are many ways to prepare it. Here are the healthiest cooking options.

Steam

Steaming your fish keeps it moist and doesn’t add extra fat to the cooking process. If you have a steaming basket, you can use it to steam your fish. Set the fish in the basket and put it over the pot of boiling water. A thick fillet will probably take 15 minutes.

Broil

Broiling is another way to prepare your fish. Salmon is best for broiling since it has a lot of oil. Other good oily fish to broil include tuna, sea bass, and mackerel. Broil for 6 to 9 minutes for a medium and twelve minutes for well done.

Grill

Grilling is a direct heat method to prepare your fish. Grilling has its heat source underneath the fish rather than above, like broiling, but it can still dry out your fish, so choose the same oily fish for grilling as you do for broiling. To grill, marinate your fish in olive oil and lemon juice. Then grill it for eight to ten minutes per side, depending upon how the filet’s thickness.

Bake

Prepare your fish with olive oil, herbs, lemon, and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Place on a parchment-lined pan and bake. A good rule of thumb is to bake the fish for seven to ten minutes per inch of its thickness.

Know the ten signs of a fatty acid deficiency.

Here are some exciting tips to help you choose seafood

Besides knowing the fish never to eat, don’t shop without knowing these things.

Is your seafood fresh or not?

The sign at the grocery said the fish is fresh, but do you know if that’s true? Here’s a little test you can do yourself to check the freshness of your fresh fish. Fill a pot with cold water. Put your piece of fish in the water. If the fish floats to the top, your fish is fresh. It was probably caught recently. If it sinks, it’s not as fresh as the sign says.

Milk for your fish

If you want to thaw your fish and enhance the flavor, thaw it out in a dish of milk.

Steak versus sardines

If you’re comparing protein sources, eating just 100 grams of sardines has more protein than a seafood filet or steak that weighs the same amount.

Sodium fighter

Eating a lot of fish can help fight the negative effects of the sodium you eat.

Least bacteria

If you compare which items have the least bacteria, tuna and halibut are the safest fish to eat.

Other foods high in omega 3s

Fish isn’t the only food source that contains omega-3s. Plants have alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) rather than EPA and DHA. Eating foods with ALA may not have the same health benefits, but studies show ALA can lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases, especially if you don’t eat omega 3s rich fish. Other sources of omega 3s include:

Flaxseeds
Walnuts
Chia seeds
Soybean oil
Canola oils
Algae
Seaweed
Hemp seeds
Edamame
Kidney beans
Soybeans

What about Omega 3 supplements?

Omega 3 oil supplements aren’t as good as eating fish, but you should probably take a supplement if you don’t eat fish. Be sure you talk to your doctor before taking an Omega 3 supplement. They can react to other medications. There may be a few side effects, such as the following:

Digestive problems: gas, diarrhea, and indigestion
Bleeding: Omega-3 supplements can cause you to bleed if you cut yourself. People with a bleeding problem or who take medication that thins their blood shouldn’t take omega-3 supplements. It’s okay to eat fish, though.
Increase your blood sugar: Omega 3 stimulates the production of glucose, which causes high blood sugar.
Lowers blood pressure
Acid reflux: Many people have trouble taking Omega 3 supplements because it causes acid reflux. If you experience this, reduce the amount of omega-3 oils supplements you take every week.

So, should you take Omega 3 supplements? Yes, especially if you don’t eat fish or plants high in omega-3s.

Final thoughts about the fish never to eat

There’s no doubt about it. Fish is super healthy. Of course, all fish have some contamination, primarily due to environmental pollutants like PCBs and mercury. But some fish don’t have as much mercury, so they’re okay to eat. Be aware of the fish you should never eat because of their high levels of mercury.

Generally, it’s thought that eating a fish high in omega 3s twice a week is best. Omega 3s help fight your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and arteriosclerosis, also called hardening.

If you hate fish, you can take an Omega 3 supplement if your doctor gives you the okay. You can add plants, seeds, nuts, and plant oils to your diet to give your ALA omega 3s.

10 Signs Your Body Sends You When Something May Be Wrong

December 30, 2020 by Deborah Tayloe

Strange cravings and weird sensations all over your body are symptoms that could indicate a health problem. It could be your body trying to tell you something is wrong. Of course, you know your body the best. When you see something amiss, do not ignore the symptoms–especially if they persist for several days. The symptoms you see could be an early indicator or another underlying condition.

Here are ten unusual symptoms you shouldn’t ignore

You may have a health problem and not realize it.

1 – An itching and creeping feeling in your legs

Aching, itching, or throbbing feeling in your legs are symptoms of restless legs syndrome. You may feel these symptoms on one side of your body or both. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) usually occurs in the evening or at night when you’ve been sitting a lot or from lying in your bed. It’s a neurological disorder that affects your brain. The exhaustion from being unable to sleep at night affects your mood and ability to concentrate, eventually leading to anxiety. Studies show that 10% of the United States population have Restless Leg Syndrome, with both men and women getting it, but generally, it occurs more often in women. It’s unknown what causes RLS, but it can be genetic or indicate a brain function disorder. People who have Parkinson’s disease are more likely to have RLS. It’s also more apt to occur because of these factors:

Lack of iron
If you’re taking medications such as antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, antinausea drugs, and some cold and allergy drugs
Overuse of alcohol
Too much caffeine
Last trimester of pregnancy, around four weeks before delivery

Once diagnosed, RLS can be treated through medications.

2 – The sensation of insects running over your body

A feeling of stinging or crawling insects on your body has baffled doctors. At first, it was thought people with these symptoms were because of a delusional problem, but further study revealed this as a tick-borne illness called Morgellons disease. This spirochetal infection causes an overproduction of keratin and collagen skin cells that cause weird sensations on your skin. It was thought at one time there were fibers embedded in your skin because that’s what it feels like. It’s a rare disease, and because few doctors are familiar with it, it can take years to diagnose.

3 – Chewing ice

Chewing ice is often a sign of an iron deficiency. It’s a common disorder in young menstruating females or people who have lost a lot of blood from hemorrhaging or in blood donors because they are at the highest risk of iron deficiency. You will be prescribed iron supplements if you’re diagnosed with an iron deficiency.

4 – Strange salt craving

Do you put salt in your coffee? Strange salt cravings can be an indication of a serious medical problem. One serious disease associated with unusual salt cravings is Addison’s disease, a life-threatening autoimmune disease. Other symptoms of Addison’s disease include:

Dark skin pigment
Fatigue
Nausea
Muscle aches
Weakness
Weight loss
Low blood pressure

This rare disease is hard to diagnose, mainly because many doctors aren’t familiar with it. If you notice any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor. Most people with Addison’s disease are diagnosed during an adrenal crisis, which can lead to death. You know your body. If you feel something is wrong, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor to run tests.

5 – Gray ring around the cornea of your eye

A weird grayish-colored ring around the cornea of your eyes may or may not be something to worry about. It could be a sign of high cholesterol in younger people, but in people older than 45, it’s not that big a deal. If you’re concerned, it’s worth making an appointment with your doctor. They will do a blood test to check your cholesterol levels.

These ten food cravings explain what your body lacks.

6 – Bloodshot eyes

Having bloodshot eyes after a night out on the town isn’t a big deal, but take notice if your eyes are constantly bloodshot. Bloodshot eyes could be an indication of an eye infection called conjunctivitis. It often shows up after a cold. Conjunctivitis is highly contagious, so get your eyes checked by a doctor. They’ll give you a prescription for antibiotic eye drops, which can quickly clear up conjunctivitis. If you have eye pain or vision problems, it could indicate something more serious like glaucoma, which, left untreated, can lead to blindness. Don’t hesitate to get your eyes checked if you have any concerns. Many eye diseases can be prevented if caught soon enough.

7 – Excessive sweating

If you find you have an excessive amount of sweat even when you don’t exercise, it’s more than embarrassing. It could be a sign of a condition called hyperhidrosis. It’s a treatable condition, but it could require surgery to remove your sweat glands in rare situations. A disease may trigger it, but not necessarily. Excessive sweating could also be a sign of a serious disease called non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), a type of cancer that attacks your lymphatic system. Other symptoms of NHL include:

Night sweats
Weight loss
Skin rash
Swelling of your lymph nodes

8 – Black lines on your fingernails

It’s easy not to see strange lines and colors on your fingernails, especially if you regularly get your nails manicured. If you notice a black spot or black line underneath one of your nails, it could be a sign of skin cancer called acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM). This type of cancer shows up under fingernails, on the palm of your hands, or soles of your feet. It’s most common in African Americans or people with an Asian heritage.

Another condition that causes black or brown lines on your nails is called Melanonychia. This condition is more prevalent in people with a darker complexion. It’s caused by pigment cells depositing melanin into your fingernails. The deposits group together, and brown or black stripes appear as the nail grows. The causes of Melanonychia include

Pregnancy
Trauma to the nail like nail-biting, carpal tunnel syndrome
Nail infection
Lichen planus
Psoriasis
Viral warts
Addison’s disease
Cushing disease
Hyperthyroidism
Too much iron
HIV
Lupus
Chemo treatments

Diagnosis involves examination and sometimes a biopsy to rule out cancer or more serious causes.

9 – Sudden or unexplained bruising

Seeing bruises occasionally is no big deal, but if you see many bruises suddenly showing up on your legs and arms, take notice. It could be a sign that you’re iron deficient, or it could be something worse. It could be cancer of the blood and bone marrow called Acute myeloid leukemia or AML. It’s serious when the myeloid cells interrupt your body’s ability to produce white and red blood cells and platelets. Your first symptom could be bruising easily. The American Cancer Society says that AML shows up as red or purple spots on your skin. Other symptoms include:

Fatigue and tiredness
Low-grade fever
Night sweats
Weight loss
Loss of appetite

A shortage of red blood cells causes AML. Don’t hesitate to see your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. They can do a blood test to determine if you have this deadly disease.

10 – Pale stools

What your poop looks like is an awkward topic but an important thing to talk about. Normal bowel movements should be brown and smooth and snake-like. Pale, foul-smelling poop could be a sign of celiac disease. Celiac disease is a serious auto-immune triggered by gluten. When a person with this disease eats gluten, it damages the villi in the small intestines, so your body can’t absorb nutrients. This can lead to malnutrition, anemia, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, and other autoimmune diseases. Other symptoms of celiac disease include

Anemia
Anxiety
Bloating and gas
Diarrhea
Discolored teeth
Constipation
Fatigue
Headaches
Irritability
Joint pain
Liver disease
Infertility
Itchiness
Mouth sores

If your bowel movements are white or clay-like in consistency, you lack bile, which may indicate a serious liver problem. You should get to your doctor right away. This could be a life-threatening disease.

Final thoughts on the signal that your body detects something is amiss.

These are only ten of the many signs you’ll receive that something is out of order. Know yourself, and pay attention to these warnings. For example, sometimes strange food cravings are a symptom of a deep-rooted health problem. That’s why it’s essential never to ignore unusual symptoms, assuming they are normal or they’ll go away.

It’s good to pay attention to any symptoms. Talk to your doctor about these symptoms if they don’t seem concerned. But if the symptoms still persist, don’t hesitate to go back again or find a doctor who will listen to you. You know your body best, so you know when something is not right or unusual. Often, doctors are unfamiliar with a rare disease, so you need to be diligent to get the proper tests and care you need.

Weekly tips, affirmations, and small actions to feel your best.

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