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8 Ways To Always Make The Right Decision

November 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Making decisions can be extremely difficult. After all, you have so many different aspects to consider in the process. Which one will make you happy? What if one of them ruins your life? How can you tell up from down in this confusing time? It’s a challenge to make the right decision always.

Everyone wants to make the right decisions constantly. But is that possible? Truthfully, it isn’t. No one’s perfect, after all. But you can sharpen your choice-making skills so that you can more reliably make the best possible choices at the time.

Here Are 8 Ways To Always Make The Right Decision

1. Keep Calm

Impulsive decisions are often made when you’re feeling less than calm emotions. You may feel anxious, frustrated, stressed out, pressured, or angry. These emotions are not ideal for making good decisions. Before doing so, you should opt to calm yourself down.

Here’s a great calming exercise you can perform to bring your positive thinking back:

#1: Start by sitting straight in a relaxed position.
#2: Put one hand on your stomach so it rests just beneath your ribcage.
#3: Put your other hand on your chest.
#4: Inhale deeply and slowly over a count of around four, through your nose. Let your mind and respective hand focus on how your chest feels as your lungs fill with air.
#5: Hold the breath you inhaled for approximately two seconds.
#6: Exhale gently and slowly over a count of around four. You can breathe out through your mouth or your nose.
#7: Repeat the whole process. Try to do this between six and ten times every minute over the course of 10 minutes.

Can’t take 10 minutes to breathe? Need to make an urgent decision? Close your eyes if you can and take some breaths deeply and slowly to give yourself a quick calming boost.

If you have more time, you can do things that relax you, such as:

Going for a walk
Listening to music
Exercising
Journalling
Meditating
Playing with pets

2. Free Yourself From Negative Thoughts And Feelings

Negative emotions can be highly detrimental to making smart decisions. Acting on them can lead to choices that aren’t logical or rational, and it can cause you to make choices that prevent you from improving and advancing. Some emotions you should eradicate are:

· Desperation

When you’re desperate, you’ll hop on virtually any possible solution impulsively. It’s important to keep your positive thinking. Yes, it can sometimes feel like the world is ending, but remember that it isn’t truly ending! There is a good solution out there, and you can find it.

· Fear

When you’re afraid, you can make decisions that feel safest. This can prevent progress and keep you stagnant. You need to take some time to consider the truth of the situation so you can be brave and overcome your fears.

· Guilt

Many people make decisions out of guilt. You may be made to feel like you have to make a certain decision due to outside pressure. This will ultimately result in you making a decision that you will regret later just to make someone else happy.

Wait until you have more positive thinking, and don’t let anyone guilt-trip you into a choice you aren’t 100% sure about.

· Impatience

If you feel like you need a decision made immediately, you may make quick, impulsive decisions that aren’t well thought out. Impatience will virtually always cause terrible choices.

3. Gather Information

It is important that you keep yourself informed before making any sort of decision, ever. If you don’t have all the information, you can’t possibly make a choice that is definitely the best one for you. Here’s how you can gather information:

· Do Research

If your decision could benefit from some research, then do it. Hop onto the Internet and look up all sorts of things.

Choosing between which apartment to move to? Research the reviews of tenants, what is nearby, how long your daily commute will take, and more. You can also explore apartment for rent Langley to find a place that suits your needs.

Deciding whether to start your own business? Look up what is needed in that process, how much funds you will need, what the market is like, and how the legal process works.

No matter what your decision is, the Internet is your friend! It has all the information you could possibly want to know, right at your fingertips.

· Ask Questions

If your decision is being asked for by a person, don’t be afraid to ask them questions. Don’t feel ashamed of wanting more information from them. Someone who wants you to make a choice should have no problem with your desire to make an informed one in a positive way.

· Don’t Believe Biased Parties

Does this mean that you should call everyone biased a liar? Of course not! Most people are at least subconsciously biased towards one side or another. But it does mean that you should take what everyone says with a grain of salt. Gather all the information and consolidate them into cohesive information.

4. Ask For Opinions

Confused about your decisions? Talk to someone you can trust and ask for their opinion. Friends, family, colleagues, or anyone else you can trust are all options for asking for opinions. But don’t get too many opinions at once, or you may further confuse yourself!

You can also look for other people who have to make similar decisions before or those who are knowledgeable in the related sector that your choices lie in. Online communities will likely have plenty of people, many who may be happy to help you!

5. Be Patient

We’ve talked already about impatience makes for decisions that are less than ideal. If you want positive choices to be made, you need to make sure you’re not rushing into it. Here are some bonus tips:

· Take Your Time

You need time to weigh your options. Pause, reflect on the possible decisions, think about your reactions to them, and breathe. If a choice is demanded from you immediately, ask for more time to deliberate if possible.

· Let Yourself Sleep On It

Sleep is a fantastic thought resetter. After you think you’ve made your choice, sleep on it and see if you feel the same way in the morning.

· Allow Thoughts To Be Punctuated By Space

A lot of people get their best ideas when they’re not focusing on coming up with them. Consider your options, then let it go. Distract yourself with other things. Let the space between your thoughts grow. You never know, the true solution may come to you when you least expect it!

· Be Your Own Devil’s Advocate

Play devil’s advocate for yourself. Attempt to argue for the other side of the decision. If you start to make sense to yourself, you may need to reconsider your position. This is a very common form of decision-making that academics have found to make a positive impact on your thought process!

6. Get Your Thoughts Organized

The thoughts that plague your head when you have a big decision to make can be very disorganized. It’s important to get them organized before making your choice. Here are some ways to do that:

· List Down Your Options

What are all the choices you have? List them all down in an organized manner. That way, you can objectively see what your decisions are without the mess of tangled thoughts interfering.

· List Down The Outcomes

Now that you know your options, list down the possible outcomes of these decisions, too. This will help you to see which choices will have the best long-term results.

· Make A List Of Pros and Cons

Are the decisions still difficult to choose between? Write out the pros and cons of each one. Some cons might be deal-breakers, and some pros may be too good to pass up!

· Talk It Out

If all else fails, talk it out. You don’t even have to talk to anyone, just to yourself! Speaking out loud to make sense of your jumbled can work wonders for untangling thoughts.

7. Make A Decision That Keeps A Clear Conscience

Your decision should not weigh negatively on your conscience. Your choices should align with your personal code of morality and ethics. Here’s how to make sure you’re making the right decision in this respect:

· Think About The People Who It Will Affect

Will your decision affect other people? Yes, ultimately, you get the final say on decisions that change your life, but you may want to consider how these choices affect those you care about.

· Stay True To Yourself

What is important to you? Do you value family? Ambition? Social justice? Monetary gain? The law? Whatever it is, let that value guide your choice.

· Do Not Make Choices To Spite Others

Sure, you can some petty joy out of your success unintentionally making someone who has been cruel to you jealous or hurt. But that shouldn’t be your main reason. Besides, the best option is to move forward with kindness and forgiveness.

8. Trust Your Instincts

Your intuition and instincts are worth trusting. If all else fails, remember the first impressions you felt. These are often indicative of your innermost preferences. Of course, don’t jump right into it, but if you truly can’t figure out which decision is the best, your instincts are a safe bet.

Basically, don’t overanalyze. Those who make choices based on feelings when they have to can actually wind up with more positive feelings towards the resulting decision. Take a moment to reflect by yourself and get in touch with what you truly desire.

In fact, the better you get at making decisions, the more your intuition will be accurate from the beginning. So keep practicing! Soon, your instincts will be extremely reliable.

Final Thoughts on Mastering Making the Right Decision

Making decisions is a skill, and it’s one that you can hone. The more choices you make, the better you’ll get at it. So don’t be afraid to experiment, and if you make the wrong decision, learn from the mistake and move on!

More than anything, trust in yourself and in your ability to make the choices that work best for you, and trust that you can adapt to change and anything life throws your way! You’ve got this, and you don’t need to make the right decisions to live your best life.

Pediatricians Share What Baby Poop Reveals About Infant Health

November 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

You can tell a lot about infant health by the color, smell, consistency, and frequency of their baby poop. Although soiled diapers are one of the less pleasant aspects of having a newborn in the house, it is necessary that parents keep an eye on what goes in them and learn how to interpret what they see.

Learning what is and is not a healthy bowel movement will help parents to catch possible health problems and diagnose illnesses.

Some illnesses don’t have obvious symptoms. Fevers, vomiting, rashes, and swelling are all undeniable signs of disease, but coupled with runny, off-colored, or infrequent bowel movements can change the diagnosis. What seems like an infection can, in fact, be a food allergy. And what may seem like a little gas or crankiness can, in fact, be a severe medical condition. Tracking and observing your child’s bowel movements will help you give your doctor the tools they need to make an accurate diagnosis.

So what is a healthy bowel movement, and how often should your baby be pooping?

Infant Health: Frequency and Consistency of First Bowel Movements

For the first week or so of the child’s life, you should have a dirty diaper for every day of life.

Let’s make that statement more clear.

Meaning on the first day, a single bowel movement is normal. On the second, two bowel movements, and so on until you reach the fifth day. On the fifth day, you should have approximately five soiled diapers, but not all of them need to be bowel movements.

Going forward, the size, consistency, and frequency of bowel movements will change as your little one’s digestive system and a diet change.

Infant health doesn’t have to equal a bowel movement every day or even several times a day. As long as the bowel movements are soft and pass comfortably, the baby is gaining weight normally, and there is no apparent discomfort, you don’t need to worry. Skipping a day or two is normal. This is true for babies who are breastfed, bottle-fed, or a mixture of both.

As for texture, breastfed babies tend to have looser stool. It may be seedy or look curdled like mustard-colored cottage cheese. Formula-fed babies usually have more well-formed stools.

What Baby Poop Reveals About Infant Health

Newborn Poop

The first few diaper changes can be surprising. The poop may be dark or black in color and sticky like tar. These first bowel movements are called meconium and are a sign that your newborn’s brand new digestive system is working. After a few days, the bowel movements should change in color and consistency. They will still be dark in color but seedy or grainy in color, especially if you are breastfeeding exclusively.

Again, this is entirely normal and healthy. After about a week, the stool will change back in color and texture according to your child’s diet.

Breastfed Baby Poop

Breastfed baby poop is usually yellow, green, or brown and resembles cottage cheese or paste. It is generally pretty loose and can be confused with diarrhea. Unlike formula-fed babies, breastfed infants’ poop is sweet-smelling at first. Don’t worry, the odor will come, but not for some time. Breastfed babies poop more, on average than their formula-fed counterparts, though the frequency of their bowel movements decreases significantly during the first three months.

Formula Fed Baby Poop

Typically, formula-fed infants have more significant, smellier bowel movements. The color is usually yellow or brown, and the consistency is like firm peanut butter. They don’t poop as often as breastfed babies, but their bowel movements tend to be larger. Formula-fed infants may go a day or two without a bowel movement during the first few months.

Undigested Food in Bowel Movements

As your infant begins to eat food, you may see bits of undigested food in their stool. Sometimes food travels through the digestive system so fast that the body doesn’t have time to break it down properly. In some cases, your child simply can’t yet digest the food properly.

In either case, there is no need for you to be alarmed. Don’t be surprised if, after introducing them to a new food, their stool comes out the same color or smelling like the new food.

Green Poop

Infants who take iron supplements will often have dark green poop. They will also have green poop as they are introduced to solid foods, especially iron-fortified cereals.

Green poop may also be an indication of an imbalance of hind-milk and fore-milk when breastfeeding. Fore-milk is low in fat and high in sugar. It is the first milk that your breast releases when you breastfeed. If your infant has short nursing sessions or if you switch breasts too quickly, your infant’s poop can come out green and frothy.

Food intolerance can also lead to green poop. If your infant is using a milk-based formula, consider switching to a non-dairy formula.

Orange/Yellow/Brown Poop

These are standard colors for poop. They may vary widely in shade, from a tawny brown to a bright, mustard yellow. Sudden changes in the color of the poop are no cause for concern. It could be caused by changes in their diets as they are introduced to new foods.

Black Blood in Poop

You may find small bits of dried, black blood in your infant’s poop. This is usually caused by small amounts of blood digested with breast milk. Often, this happens when the mother’s nipples are cracked or bleeding.

There is no reason to be alarmed, although you may want to consult a lactation specialist to make sure there isn’t an underlying problem.

However, this shouldn’t be confused with melena, which is thick, black, tarry stool that occurs after the infant is three months old. This is blood in the bowel movement and is an indication of bleeding in the digestive tract. This is a severe problem, and you should call your doctor right away.

Diarrhea Is A Severe Threat to Infant Health

Diarrhea is a simple issue to address and treat. However, for infants, delayed treatment can be fatal. One of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide is diarrhea. The loose and runny stool causes the infant to dehydrate. Most Diarrhea is caused by allergies or infections. While it is essential to address the underlying causes of diarrhea, it is also important to treat the loss of fluids and electrolytes caused by diarrhea, itself.

Pebbled Poop

Hard, pebble-like poop is a sign of constipation. The most common causes of constipation are food allergies or lack of tolerance for an ingredient in the infant formula you use. Some children will also become constipated as they are introduced to new foods.

You should contact your doctor if your child is consistently straining to pass their stool. If the pebbled texture is accompanied by vomiting, dehydration, or discomfort, contact your doctor immediately.

Red Blood in Poop

Poop can turn red if you have introduced red foods to your child’s diet. Strawberries, beets, tomatoes, and even fruit punch can all become the stool red.

Barring that, red stool with a healthy consistency could be a sign of a food allergy. Usually, that allergy is a milk protein.

Red poop that is watery or red diarrhea is a sign of a bacterial infection. Check with your doctor.

Mucus in the Baby Poop

The appearance of slimy streaks in your baby’s poop may be shocking but isn’t necessarily a problem.

The intestines naturally produce mucus to help stool pass through. Sometimes children pass some of that mucus when they move their bowels. Children who are recovering from a cold or the flu may have mucus in their poop. The same is true for children who are teething.

However, mucus in the poop is often a sign of infection. If it persists for more than a day, consult your doctor.

Final Thoughts: Connecting Baby Wellness to Gut Health

Having a healthy gut and regular bowel movements is as important for babies as it is for adults. The effects of poor digestive health or food allergies can compound quickly in children’s bodies, so it’s essential to educate yourself about warning signs. Healthy bowel movements are a sign of good overall health, and monitoring your child’s poop is part of maintaining their health and well-being.

Much of your immune system is found in your child’s gut and a healthy balance of bacteria in the child’s digestive system. The first one thousand days (or roughly three years) will establish the basis of your child’s overall health. The bacteria that colonize your child’s gut in the first few months will vary according to internal and external factors, including diet. Encouraging a healthy, reliable, and diverse colonization of microorganisms in the gut during the first year will set children up for healthier lives.

During the first few months of life, everything is changing rapidly, including the state of the baby’s poop. Knowing the full range of healthy bowel movements will help to relieve some of the anxiety. Keeping your doctor aware of any concerns you may have about your infant’s health or any deviations to the typical pattern is an important task.

Foods to Eat and Avoid for Normal Blood Pressure (#3 is a winner)

November 7, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Are you struggling to maintain normal blood pressure?

Your blood pressure (also referred to as BP) is the force in which your blood is pushing against the walls of your blood vessels. Sometimes, situations will arise where someone will have BP which is too low or too high. This can cause issues for all systems in your body and cause severe medical issues.

High BP is called hypertension, while low BP is called hypotension. Hypertension occurs when the BP in your arteries is higher than the normal range, and the opposite is the case for those with hypotension.

Since BP affects all systems in your body, it is important to try to regulate it as much as possible. It has been proven that the following situations can cause abnormal BP:

Certain foods can cause an increase or decrease in BP.
Gaining weight can cause an increase.
Losing weight can cause a decrease.

What Happens When You Don’t Have Normal Blood Pressure

Normal blood pressure is around 120/80. If your BP is abnormal for any reason, there are side effects that can be life-threatening.

Side effects of high BP:

Hardening of your arteries
Stroke
Kidney disease
Heart failure
Facial flushing
Dizziness

Side effects of low BP:

Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
Nausea or vomiting
Fainting
Dehydration
Overall weakness
Inability to concentrate
Blurry vision
Cold, pale, or clammy skin
Rapid or shallow breathing
Fatigue or always feeling exhausted
Depression

12 Foods to Eat for Normal Blood Pressure

1. Skim or 1% milk

A source of calcium that is low in fat, skim or 1% milk is the perfect drink to help lower BP.

2. Yogurt or Greek yogurt

Eating at least five servings of yogurt is said to lessen your risk of hypertension by 20%. This is because it provides nearly half of the calcium you need and almost a quarter of your required magnesium intake. It provides around 18% of your potassium intake, as well.

3. Lean meat, turkey, and chicken (no skin)

This contains a nice portion of the magnesium and potassium you need each day with much less fat than other options such as red meat. Plus, the added protein will keep your muscles (including the heart) strong. That makes this one a real winner!

4. Cheese that is low in fat and low in salt

Whole fat cheeses contain too much fat to aid in maintaining or achieving a normal BP. So instead, consume cheeses that are low-fat and low-sodium varieties.

5. Fruit

Bananas are a great source of potassium, which is a key nutrient for having normal BP. Berries such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries contain flavonoids, a compound that has been thought to prevent or reverse hypertension.

Mangoes are another fruit to eat for normal BP, as it contains fiber and beta-carotene, two nutrients that can lower BP. Many other fruits are effective, as well.

6. Vegetables

Bell peppers contain large amounts of vitamin C which improves BP. Carrots also contain vitamin C, and they also contain beta-carotene. Even better, spinach contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, and fiber.

Most other vegetables are good for lowering BP, as well, as long as they are not canned. Fresh or frozen is the way to go in order to avoid preservatives and sodium.

7. Pasta

While pasta noodles are a good food to eat for normal BP, you will have to be careful of the ingredients of the sauces you put on top. Bear in mind, though, that pasta is high in carbohydrates. Thus, overeating can add pounds that further complicate your health. Enjoy in moderation.

8. Potatoes

Potassium and magnesium are key nutrients found in potatoes, along with high amounts of fiber. This allows blood vessels to relax in order to control your BP.

Just like with pasta, you still have to be careful of what you put on your potatoes. Some seasonings or toppings may cause hypertension.

9. Seeds that have not been salted

Think of seeds like pumpkin, fenugreek, or sunflower seeds.

10. Leafy greens

Romaine lettuce, arugula, kale, turnip greens, collard greens, spinach, and other leafy greens help lower your BP because their potassium content helps filter sodium out in the urine.

11. Pistachios

A good way to decrease BP is by eating pistachios because they reduce your heart rate and relax any tightening of your blood vessels.

12. Olive oil

Containing polyphenols, olive oil is a good source of healthy fat that can help reduce your BP.

13 Foods to Avoid for Normal Blood Pressure

1. Butter or margarine

Both are full of sodium and fat, leading contributors of high BP.

2. Meats with lots of fat

Full of saturated fat and sodium, fatty meats can lead to hypertension. The red meat especially can contribute to clogged arteries, putting you at a greater risk of heart disease and strokes.

3. Canned soups

If you’re like me, you probably thought that canned soups were at least a little healthy. Quite the opposite is true, however, as the extremely high sodium content in each can of condensed soup can cause many health problems.

4. Salad dressing

You could use more than your daily recommended amount of sodium in one salad if you use a little extra salad dressing.

5. Dairy products made with whole milk

Whole milk contains over 100 mg of sodium in each serving, and the whole fat leads to weight gain. Both sodium consumption and fat content contribute to hypertension.

6. Salty snacks

Processed foods and snacks covered in salt have an enormous amount of sodium. Avoiding these completely is your best bet.

7. Lunchmeat

Lunchmeat (aka deli meat or cold cut meat) is normally preserved using salt, making the salt content extremely high in each serving.

8. Bacon and sausage

Being mostly fat and having high amounts of sodium and calories, bacon and sausage are both pretty unhealthy for you despite the belief that they are a healthy breakfast choice.

9. Table salt

Avoid adding extra salt to anything that you eat. Adding just a little bit of salt to your food can shoot your intake up more than you realize. Most of the foods we consume already contains salt, anyway, so adding more might be unnecessary.

10. Condiments

Ketchup and soy sauce are two huge causes of hypertension, and most other condiments contain a high amount of sodium, as well.

11. Bread

This includes bagels, rolls, tortilla shells, English muffins, and sandwich bread. All of these have a high amount of salt and if you choose to then add lunch meat to your bread, you are well over (or at least close to) the limit you should follow for the day.

12. Pickles

In order to make pickles, they must soak in a salt bath, absorbing every bit of sodium possible.

13. Alcohol

Consuming alcohol can lessen the effects of BP medication, causing your already abnormal BP to worsen. Large amounts of alcohol consumption on a regular basis can lead to BP problems for a previously healthy person, so it is wise to stick to moderate consumption of alcohol to stay on the safe side.

The Problem With Salt and Hypertension When You’re Striving for Normal Blood Pressure

Salt contains sodium, an ingredient that causes your body to hold extra water. When this happens you not only become bloated, but you also run the risk of your BP getting too high. The extra water your body is holding on to causes stress on your blood vessels and your heart.

Other Causes of Abnormal BP

It is important to note that food and drinks are not the only causes of abnormal BP. While a person’s diet is often the cause of their BP issues, the problem may be caused by other factors such as pregnancy, loss of blood, medications, heart conditions, endocrine issues, infection, allergic reactions, and other medical conditions.

Likewise, the cause of high blood pressure could possibly be stress, genetics, old age, smoking, thyroid disorders, or many other conditions. Only after you have sought medical attention for abnormal BP should you assume the problem is with your diet. It wise, however, to follow a low-sodium diet as the American Heart Association suggests that you should only consume 1,500 mg of sodium each day.

Final Thoughts Selecting the Best Foods for Normal Blood Pressure

Maintaining normal blood pressure is important in all stages of life. Hypertension can cause many serious health problems including heart disease and stroke. Hypotension, on the other hand, can cause fatigue, depression, lightheadedness, and many other issues.

While it is important to seek medical advice for the cause and treatment options for any abnormal BP issue you are having, changing your diet could be a huge help in achieving and maintaining normal levels. Furthermore, if you wish to prevent yourself from ever having a BP issue, following these guidelines ahead of time will make that goal achievable.

Doctors Share Skin Cancer Prevention Tips Most Women Forget

November 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

According to a study published by the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma is the second most common form of skin cancer among women under the age of 29.

In this article, we will take a closer look specifically at melanoma and some of the steps that women can take to protect themselves against this disease and other forms of skin cancer.

WHAT IS MELANOMA?

For those who may not be familiar with melanoma, it is a type of cancer that occurs when the cells that are responsible for the skin’s pigment, also known as melanocytes, start to grow abnormally. Unlike other forms of skin cancer, melanoma, which is also known as malignant melanoma and cutaneous melanoma, is more likely to metastasize to other organs if not detected and treated early.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF MELANOMA OR SKIN CANCER?

Although melanoma is more common in women, the symptoms are not too dissimilar from that of men who it. Because melanoma cells are still capable of producing melanin, the moles that form on the skin will often appear brown or black. Additionally, they will be more pronounced on those with lighter complexions.

Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body, including areas not exposed to the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. Such areas include the bottom of the feet, hands, and even underneath fingernails.

However, in women, they are most likely to occur on the face, chest, and legs. It is also worth pointing out that melanoma is not limited to skin surfaces only. Several studies have revealed that this form of cancer can develop in parts of the body that most people would never expect, including the rectum, eyes, mouth, and genitals.

WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO DEVELOP MELANOMA SKIN CANCER?

Having established that melanoma affecting the skin is more common in women than men, it is essential to point out that some women are more at risk of developing the disease than others. According to the American Cancer Society, Caucasians are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition than African-American and other darker-skinned women. However, it is worth noting that those with dark skin often develop melanomas on parts of the body where their Caucasian counterparts generally do not, including on the palms of their hands and bottom of their feet.

HOW TO DETECT MELANOMA EARLY

The earlier melanoma can be detected and treated, the better the chances are of surviving this form of cancer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, when detected early, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is as high as 99 percent. To detect skin cancer early, it helps to perform regular self-exams or skin cancer check at least once per month, which can help you quickly notice changes in the appearance of moles or freckles on your skin, not to mention new marks that might be indicative of cancer. In addition to brown or black moles, signs of melanoma can include the following:

Noticeable changes in the shape, color or size of existing moles
Existing moles that become itchy or painful
Existing moles that start to bleed
New moles or freckles
Sores that take a long time heal

Most general physicians, oncologists, and dermatologists will advise those who are at high risk of developing melanoma to perform self-exams as frequently as possible. Those who have an above-average risk of developing this particular form of cancer include

Those with a family history of melanoma
Those previously diagnosed with melanoma
Those who have dysplastic nevus syndrome (unusual moles with irregular features)

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSIDER SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT WITH A PHYSICIAN?

If you have noticed any of the symptoms detailed in this article, schedule an appointment with a physician.

It is also smart to schedule routine appointments with a physician if you have a family history of melanoma. In addition, advise your doctor if you meet any of the criteria that may increase your risk of developing the disease. During these appointments, the physician will look at moles and freckles to determine if they may be cancerous.

If the physician suspects cancer, they will likely perform a biopsy. This procedure entails cutting away a part of the mole or other marks on the skin and having it evaluated by a pathologist. If the results confirm cancer, the physician will then outline a course of treatment.

HOW TO PREVENT SKIN CANCER

If you’re a woman who is concerned about developing melanoma, you will be happy to know that there are several things that you can do to reduce your risk of developing the disease, including:

1 – Avoid excessive sun exposure

Although sun exposure is great for vitamin D, too much can damage the skin and increase the risk of developing melanoma. So if you have to be in direct sunlight for any length of time, use sunscreen, preferably one that is SPF 30 or above. Also, wear a hat to protect your scalp and sunglasses to protect your eyes as the disease can form on these parts of the body as well.

2 – Avoid indoor tanning

Studies show that the UV lights and sunlamps used in most tanning salons are just as damaging as natural sunlight. According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, inside tanning can increase the risk of melanoma by as much as 20 percent. This rate rises among those who are start tanning before the age of 30.

3 – Stay healthy, in general

A robust immune system has been shown to help decrease the risk of developing melanoma, according to several studies. Fortunately, there are several ways to boost your immune system naturally, some of which include

Not smoking
Consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet
Exercising
Maintaining a healthy weight.
Limiting alcohol consumption
Getting enough sleep
Reducing stress

Making healthy lifestyle choices won’t necessarily prevent cancer. However, they can go a long way toward lowering your chances of developing the disease.

HOW AVOIDING OTHER DISEASES MAY LOWER YOUR RISK OF DEVELOPING MELANOMA

According to the American Cancer Society, some diseases can adversely affect the immune system. and increase the risk of developing melanoma. Some of these diseases include HIV and AIDS. However, you can avoid this by practicing safe sex and not partaking in intravenous drug use. Diabetes can also negatively impact the immune system. However, taking insulin as prescribed can help limit the chances of developing melanoma or diabetic complications.

HOW CERTAIN MEDICATIONS CAN POTENTIALLY LEAD TO DEVELOPING MELANOMA

Ironically, some of the medications that many take to treat certain diseases can also negatively impact the immune system. Some of those prescriptions include those for autoimmune diseases, chemotherapy, and transplant rejection drugs. Of course, this is not to suggest that one avoid taking these medications as a way to prevent cancer. However, it is still worth noting.

HOW DO DOCTORS TREAT MELANOMA?

Sometimes, even leading a healthy lifestyle and consuming a well-balanced diet is not enough to prevent cancer. And melanoma is no exception. That said, some of the most common treatments recommended for those who have developed the disease include

Immunotherapy drugs
Targeted therapy drugs
Chemotherapy
Radiation
Surgery

Melanoma can be treated by a dermatologist, radiation oncologist, medical oncologist, surgical oncologist, or dermatologist, depending on how far the disease has progressed.

FINAL THOUGHTS: IS IT POSSIBLE TO PREVENT CANCER?

In summation, it is impossible to prevent cancer. However, there are several things that women can do to reduce their risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers. So the best way to go about lowering your chances of developing melanoma is by performing self-exams and following the other tips outlined in this article.

Of course, if you suspect that you have skin cancer, you should seek advice from your physician immediately. Early detection can significantly improve your chances of surviving the disease and also improve your overall quality of life.

5 Daily Habits That Reduce Global Warming

November 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

When you think about the global warming issues that plague the world, it’s difficult to not be discouraged. Climate change is happening on such a huge scale, and a lot of the main contributing factors feel very out of the hands of the ordinary citizen. However, your daily habits can make a significant contribution.

But is that really true? You may be pleased to know that you can actually help to reduce global warming all on your own. You see, each person has a carbon footprint, produces waste, consumes energy, and purchases goods. In all these areas, you can take more sustainable actions.

So, what can you do? You have many different options, but there are a few daily habits that are especially easy to incorporate into your busy life.

Here Are 5 Daily Habits That Reduce Global Warming

1. Control Your Energy Usage

Many of us use energy without mindful thinking. You might not even realize the extent of your energy consumption. Luckily, it’s not too difficult to manage your overall consumption to a reasonable level. Here’s how you can do that:

· Read Appliance Labels

The labels of your appliances will give you a good idea of how much energy they use. Try to go for ones that are actively more sustainable than others.

· Choose The Right Light

We all need to use electric lights sometimes. But what you should do is make sure that you choose the right ones. LED lights are great recyclable options, and they come in a large range of colors. There are also plenty of energy-saving lamp options.

· Don’t Use Standby Mode

Standby mode is a very convenient way to keep your appliances ready to go in an instant. But that still takes up energy. Just having the TV’s standby light on, leaving a charger plugged in and switched on, or keeping the main switch of your microwave ready can eat up a lot of energy. Make it a habit to turn things off directly when you’re done using them.

· Put A Lid On

When you cook, put the lid on your pots or pans. This allows the contents to cook more quickly thanks to the trapped steam, saving energy. (On that note, make sure you close your fridge whenever you’re not using it!)

· Use Renewable Energy

Plenty of renewable energy options are now available in this modern time. If you have the means to afford such an investment, then go through with it! Install solar panels and use them for energy. You’ll save on electricity costs while reducing global warming.

· Keep It Warm, Not Hot

We all love a good, comfortable, toasty atmosphere in the colder months. But a lot of heat can wrack up your electricity bill and make your carbon footprint that much more severe. Stick to keeping it warm, not hot. Just one or two degrees less could reduce carbonic acid gas release by 200 kg and save up to 10% of your energy consumption.

The same goes for air conditioning, of course. Keep it cool, not as cold as it can get! In addition, you may hire a dependable contractor to service your ac unit and maintain it’s energy efficiency. If you need a professional ac service in Delray Beach, FL, there are local hvac companies you can depend on. According to a ac repair corona company, your ac unit’s operational lifespan may even get extended if it gets regular maintenance services.

· Be Wise

Some energy-saving tips are fairly obvious. Just be smart about it! Turn off lights and fans when you leave a room. When you’re done listening to music or watching a show, turn off the related electronic. It’s as simple as that to make a positive change!

2. Learn To Recycle

As a rule, everyone should learn to recycle. That’s a crucial skill. You could probably find programs or educational classes about the basics of recycling in your area, and if not, there are lots of resources to do so online. Here are some tips for recycling to reduce global warming:

· Reduce

Start by reducing the number of things you use on a daily basis. Find ways to keep your consumption to a minimum.

· Reuse

Try to reuse as many items as is healthily possible at home. Slowly phase out single-use items from your daily life. When you do need to buy new things, try dropping by second-hand markets, thrift stores, and other similar places. It saves money and the planet at the same time!

· Recycle

Try to only use recyclable materials. Things made from paper, glass, plastic, and metal are fantastic options as they can be recycled most of the time, costing far less energy to manufacture new products from them.

· Up-cycle

Thought there were only three steps in reduce, reuse, and recycle? Well, there are, but up-cycling is an excellent candidate for the fourth. Take your waste items and, instead of throwing them out, turn them into something more useful. You can make art from fragments of certain materials, make pots or item holders, and more!

3. Change How You Travel to Decrease Global Warming

Travel is essential for you to get from point A to point B, but there are more positive ways that you can get around. Chances are, your current travel arrangements are adding a significant contribution to global warming. Here’s what you can change:

· Reduce Car Travel

Motor vehicles reduce countless harmful emissions into the air which leads to air pollution, climate change, and the exacerbation of health problems. This includes an increased risk of complications from heart disease, lung cancer, respiratory infection, stroke, COPD, and asthma.

If your car uses a combustion engine, diesel fuel, or anything similar, you should work on cutting down car travel time.

· Carpool

Carpooling or ride-sharing is a good way to still use common vehicles to get to farther places. It’s not exactly environmentally friendly, but one car is much better than four or five of them – especially if you’re all going to the same place.

So rope your colleagues, schoolmates, friends, or other people heading in the same direction into your environmental efforts!

· Use Public Transportation

Public transportation runs daily and riding this instead of taking your own vehicle can help you get to faraway places quickly without the emissions of your car affecting the world.

· Reduce Air Travel

Air travel burns through huge amounts of fuel and results in the production of high volumes of carbon dioxide. The resulting vapor trails and a wide range of other high-altitude issues can be horrible for the ozone layer, and one plane ride can add the equivalent of a year of driving a car in the carbon footprint.

· Walk or Ride A Bicycle

These are great ways to get some extra exercise. You and the planet will both benefit. As long as you don’t need to travel too far away and will be in a safe area, these are viable options.

4. Stop Using Single-Use Plastics

Single-use plastic production is one of the main reasons behind production-based waste. Here are some 2010 statistics about single-use plastics that do not reflect in a positive way about the state of the world’s plastic pollution. These statistics all occur on an annual basis:

Approximately 275 million tons of plastic waste is produced globally
9 million tons of plastic waste is very poorly managed, causing them to leak into the oceans
5 million tons of plastic waste gets into the oceans from coastline areas
Approximately 270 million tons of plastic are produced per year – plastics virtually never degrade and can never be destroyed
There are between 10,000 and 100,000 tons of plastic in the ocean

So, how can you reduce plastic waste? It’s a good idea to start phasing out all plastic from your life in the things you buy. Of course, we’re not expecting perfection. After all, plastic is cheap, durable, and accessible, and virtually everything is made from it in some way. But work on slowly buying more sustainable products instead! With some positive thinking, you can break away from the daily habit of using plastics..

In the meantime, though, work on phasing out single-use plastics specifically from your life. Here are some things to avoid buying or using:

Food wrapped in plastic wrap
Plastic water bottles
Plastic bags (don’t use paper bags, either; opt for reusable canvas, bamboo, or cloth bags!)
Anything in a plastic wrapper or package

5. Change How You Eat

Diet changes are difficult to make, but doing so can be a big positive step in your personal journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle overall as well as increase healthy daily habits. Here are some changes that you can make:

· Red Meat

The production of red meat – through the raising, breeding, and harsh treatment of lambs, cows, and other livestock – has especially negative effects on the environment.

It can be hard for meat-lovers to give up these foods, but with positive thinking, it can be done. Opt for protein that comes from plants (like nuts) or use white meats instead!

· Shop Locally At A Farmer’s Market

A farmer’s market is full of healthily produced produce from local farmers. As such, they don’t go through the difficult and often problematic production processes of factory farms or large-scale production plants.

In addition, buying local produce means you’re not eating products that had to be flown or shipped to you over long distances. This reduces your carbon footprint and contributes less to the emissions caused by those shipments.

· Go Vegetarian

If you eat a vegetarian diet, you’ll be contributing a mere half of the usual CO2 emissions that a “normal” diet would produce.

· Go Vegan

If you’re very committed to reducing global warming and have the positive thinking needed for this big diet change, you can go vegan. Reducing dairy and meat intake is a huge step forward in doing your part to reduce global warming.

· Reduce Food Waste

Don’t waste food. Cook and take only what you need. Instead of tossing out leftovers, consider composting. Don’t buy food in plastic or non-recyclable plastic when you can.

Final Thoughts: It’s Easy to Adopt New Daily Habits That Reduce Global Warming

It can certainly be upsetting to think about the quick advancement of climate change, but all is not lost. Your one actions may be small, but they still contribute to the world’s efforts, and if even just a fraction of the people on the planet make these changes, there can be hope yet.

Having difficulty adding these global warming reduction methods to your everyday schedule? Don’t worry! These kinds of changes can be pretty tough to make, especially all at once. It’s a learning process, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up now and then.

Just slowly get better and better at implementing these daily habits, and before you know it, you’ll be living an environmentally friendly and sustainable life! And, you will be helping to slow down global warming.

7 Things to Never Do On Social Media

November 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Ah, the wonders of social media. Isn’t it lovely to be able to post whatever you want? To blast your thoughts out into the world and find solidarity in the people who agree with you? In fact, some of us may have found our communities and lifelong friends this way! For architects, social media is also a fantastic platform to market your architecture, showcasing your unique designs and connecting with potential clients who appreciate your vision.

These days, however, social media is getting less and less anonymous. Not necessarily a bad thing, since it means people can’t hide behind a mask when they want to spew hurtful words.

It does, however, mean that you have to be a little more careful when you’re posting things online. Just about anyone can see it – including your future or current boss! For your own sake, here are some things you should never do on social media.

7 Things To Never Do On Social Media

1. Post Identifying Information

Alright, so this seems a bit odd. We exist in an age where we’re posting selfies, showing off our beloved pets, and talking about our glamorous holidays. So, keeping your identity secret seems to be – dare we say it? – the complete antithesis of what social media is for. There are at least two good reasons for this:

· The World Is Still A Dangerous Place

Your full name, your age, your address – these are all basic information that can be easily taken advantage of by the right people, be it a stalker with an ax to grind or a thief planning their next robbery.

· Your Email Is Linked To Too Many Things

If the email you have visible on your social media is the same one you use for said social media (or even your bank account), you have a problem. All would-be thieves need to do is take that information, and that’s half your login details there. They just have to brute force the rest – and that, sadly, can be shockingly easy.

While you can make it harder for that information to be accessed, it’s best to just not post it in the first place – no amount of positive thinking is going to shield you from potential baddies.

2. Publicly Post Things Emotionally

You’ve likely seen it – a post gone viral, is usually some heartfelt story or an incredibly satisfying takedown of some fool who got too big for their britches. It’s all satisfying to read, but it also stands as a terrifying testament to the fact that the internet never forgets.

Remember – even after you’ve deleted a post, all it takes is for someone to screenshot before something gets circulated out of your control. Consider the various people that might see and interact with your posts:

Your boss
Your future boss
Work friends and colleagues
Friends of friends
Friends from different social circles
Acquaintances
Neighbors
Members of your society
Total strangers

Alternatively, have you considered all these separate social circles interacting with each other? Is that really something you want, especially if you’ve been venting your frustrations where everyone can see them? At the very least, if you’re going to vent, put some thought into it first and be prepared for the potential consequences.

On the other hand, you could also take advantage of this. Posting things that encourage positive thinking and brighter outlooks are always wonderful. Perhaps you can publicly write an appreciation post about your friend, or post pictures of your beloved pets!

3. Post Explicit Content

While being positive about sex is certainly a healthy thing, the graphic details of what you have been up to really isn’t something everyone wants or needs to know. There’s a lot of reasons for this – and some of them are more obvious than others:

· People Didn’t Ask For This

If your friends are following you on Twitter or Facebook to stay up to date with you, they really don’t need a graphic description of your genitals’ yeast infection. It’s one thing if you asked for their consent to talk about it – it’s another to dump this information on them when they least expect it.

· It’s Illegal On Some Platforms

Thanks to some more recent rulings, companies can get slammed with lawsuits over illegally-created explicit content – even if it is content created by the users, not the platform itself.

Twitter of the few remaining mainstream social media platform that currently still allows explicit content – but this could change anytime. And when it does, you might get into trouble.

· That Content Can Travel

There’s no guaranteeing just where your explicit photos or content can and will go. What if your boss sees NSFW pictures of you floating around on the internet?

4. Conduct Private Discussions In Public

Yes, this includes the comments section on your friend’s post. The thing about social media is that it is very easy to feel like you’re carrying a personal, private conversation in what is actually public space. While that sort of heart-to-heart talk online actually has positive effects on your well-being, public spaces aren’t really the best place to do it.

With tech savviness on the rise, this isn’t as much of a problem as it used to be. If you rewind the clock a few years, you may notice some people getting angry at Facebook about revealing what they thought was a private chat. In actuality, it had always been public – they just didn’t realize it.

Still, it is very easy to be caught up with an intense discussion with a person on Twitter or the like, forgetting that all your arguments are aired in the open for anyone to see. The next thing you know, someone else sweeps in to hijack the discussion, leaving you shocked and upset!

5. Post Without Thinking

The internet doesn’t forgive, and it doesn’t forget. It can be so very tempting to post that video of you at work or to play up the villainous role of that ex who scorned you in your rant. The problem is, people can and will trace that all back to you – and that might just spell the end of your social life and career.

Need some examples? Run through this list and see if you recognize any of these people who posted something insensitive and paid for it with their career and social life:

Walter Palmer, a dentist who had killed and beheaded a beloved lion.
Justine Sacco, who made an insensitive, racist comment.
Anthony Weiner, a New York Congressman who accidentally tweeted an explicit photo

As their posts went viral, all these people were quickly harassed by the internet into the point of obscurity. They will be lucky if they can get some kind of job without being recognized, let alone continue using their established online presence.

The internet can be a positive place sometimes, full of people trying to help each other. You just have to be careful about the times that it isn’t.

6. Talk Bad About Someone Behind Their Back

This one should be a simple one. No matter how vague your post, no matter how much you obscure it, someone is bound to notice if you are talking about them. And things won’t end well, once they realize what’s up. Remember – information travels, and the person is bound to find out, even if you have them blocked.

If you need convincing for some reason, here’s a list of reasons why you shouldn’t be doing this in the first place:

· Gossip Spreads

Ever seen how a rumor grows? News spreads fast – and on the internet, it spreads like the plague. What may have been just a brief, minor vent about someone you’re struggling to deal with can snowball out of your control. And before you know it, you’ll need to do some serious damage control.

· It’s Hurtful

No matter how malicious your intent originally was, just like in-person slandering, it can hurt people. Relationships may be ruined, and their reputation permanently marred. If it all gets traced back to you, you’ll wind up in some serious trouble – or even a lawsuit on your hands.

· It’s Emotionally Immature

If you get hurt, or if you’re bothered by someone, why not take the higher road? Just talk to them directly, face-to-face, and see if you can resolve the issue. Who knows – perhaps it was just all a misunderstanding, in the end, one that could have been fixed easily.

7. Post Screenshots Of Personal Conversations

This one is just straight up a breach of trust. Unless you have the consent of the other person involved, there should be no reason for you to publicly post a conversation that was private.

Think about it – when you DM a friend or a colleague, you both enter an unspoken contract of privacy. Things said in this chat will be kept private, between the both of you – even more so if it contains sensitive information. So it doesn’t matter if your name was blanked out or not – just how hurt and shocked would you feel if you saw what was a private conversation with you made public?

Even worse – in this day and age, things go viral. Sure, seeing viral conversations from other people on the internet is amusing to read, but can you imagine just how it would be like if that was your secrets aired out in the open for all to see?

If you insist on doing this anyway, don’t be surprised if people stop trusting you with anything personal or important ever again. You would have proven yourself to have the online equivalent of loose lips, after all.

Final Thoughts on Social Media Safety

Younger people reading this may find this list to be just pure common sense, but we have to remember that the internet is a relatively new phenomenon. The internet as we know it today only really came into being in the early to mid-2000s. Only in the last decade or so have we really started figuring out what internet politeness should be like.

As such, don’t feel bad if you’ve been doing these things. This is all stuff we are still learning, and still trying to figure out. The internet is new to us all, after all! With that in mind, hopefully, this article will give you a good idea of things you should not be doing if you want to avoid getting into trouble.

The final takeaway should be easy. If you don’t want something to be potentially used against you, then don’t post it in the first place!

Science Explains Why Grateful People Live Longer

November 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

The scientific research surrounding gratitude and health has led to a multitude of promising discoveries. Among the many significant findings within this field of study, UC Davis Health reports the following: Being grateful is related to decreases in measures of stress and depression.

Furthermore, practicing gratitude can slow the effects of neurodegeneration. Gratitude practices lead to decreased inflammation and lower blood pressure. Writing one letter of appreciation decreased hopelessness in 88 percent of suicidal patients and increased optimism in 94 percent.

The findings detailed above only scratch the surface of the beneficial impacts that science has revealed practicing gratitude can have. It is becoming more and more apparent that practicing gratitude has a plethora of clinical applications. Include utilizing gratitude interventions to improve a person’s mental and physical health and to treat many medical conditions and disorders.

BECOMING A MORE GRATEFUL YOU

With the extraordinary effects of gratitude being consistently demonstrated, more and more people are becoming interested in this topic. But what, exactly, is gratitude, and how can you practice it in your everyday life? Many people learn to express gratitude at an early age. But not nearly as many people learn why it is so important to do so. Nor do many people understand wholly what it looks like to practice gratitude in their daily lives.

This article will explore definitions of gratitude and explain how you can become a more grateful person. Scientific research will be utilized to demonstrate how developing and expressing gratitude can improve the quality and longevity of life. If you are interested in learning how to enhance and lengthen your life by cultivating and practicing gratitude, keep reading.

DEFINING GRATITUDE AND GRATEFULNESS

The authors of “Gratitude and Well-Being: The Benefits of Appreciation” provide the following as a clinical definition of gratitude: “gratitude is the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself; it is a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation.”

Gratitude is both a state and a trait, according to the authors of this peer-reviewed article. The authors explain that as a state, gratitude “is a positive, social emotion experienced when an undeserving act of kindness or generosity is freely given by another person.” As a trait, gratefulness is a characteristic or virtue of people that vary in frequency, magnitude, and length. Grateful people “experience gratitude more times per day and across a wider array of life circumstances compared to those lower in gratitude.”

An important aspect of gratitude is merely having an awareness of and appreciation for the positive aspects of life. People who practice gratitude tend to view the world through a positive lens. This outlook includes acknowledgment of the positives in their own lives and the world as a whole. Even during difficult times, people who practice gratitude count their blessings. When this takes place, people are much more likely to be thankful for their experiences and lives.

HOW BEING GRATEFUL CAN INCREASE QUALITY AND LENGTH OF LIFE

Much scientific research has revealed a significant and strong link between gratitude and improved measures of well-being and health. Being grateful can increase your quality of life and help you to live longer in the following ways:

1 – Increased Happiness:

The results of this scientific study revealed that expressing more gratitude was correlated with less depression in study participants. The study’s data also demonstrated that gratitude “fully mediated” the link between increased well-being and decreasing depression. Another study also aimed to determine the impact that gratitude has on measures of depression. Researchers found that grateful individuals dealing with financial difficulties had significantly fewer depressive symptoms than ungrateful people.

2 – Heightened Physical Health:

The results of this study that examined whether gratitude predicts physical health revealed that participants who practiced gratitude were healthier. The authors discovered that gratitude improved participants’ mental health, healthy activity participation, and willingness to obtain medical attention for health concerns. Another study had participants write a daily list of things that they were thankful for. At the end of the study, the participants practicing gratitude reported less physical affliction. Authors of this groundbreaking study investigated the impact gratitude had on the physical and mental health of breast cancer patients. Their data demonstrated that gratitude was “strongly” related to less cancer re-growth, less distress, and more positive emotions. Additionally, the authors of an article published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology report that gratitude can strengthen the immune system.

3 – Better Sleep:

This scientific study focused on the impact of gratitude on both mental and physical health in 186 heart-failure patients. Researchers discovered that gratitude connected positively with better sleep. Additionally, the study’s data determined that gratitude “fully mediated” the correlation between well-being and sleep quality. In this review of gratitude and health research, the authors report and analyze the findings of much gratitude and health research. One study found that participants who wrote in a gratitude journal for two weeks had “significantly greater sleep quality.” Another study found that gratitude “predicted better sleep quality and duration.”

4 – More Resilience:

Self-efficacy is “the optimistic self-belief that one can perform novel or difficult tasks and attain desired outcomes.” Authors of this peer-reviewed article state that self-efficacy is a “component of resilience,” and resilience is “closely related to self-efficacy.” The results of this study revealed that having more gratitude is related to having more self-efficacy. Another study examining “the role of gratitude in breast cancer patients” found gratitude to be a “common ingredient” of resilience.

5 – Stronger Relationships:

This study is one among many that have examined the role of gratitude in relationships. Results revealed that “gratitude is important for forming and maintaining the most important relationships of our lives.” Similar results indicated in several other scientific studies investigating the impact of gratitude on relationships.

6 – Greater Life Satisfaction:

This study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being examined the outcomes of individuals who participated in a gratitude intervention. Results revealed that after partaking in the 4-week gratitude contemplation, intervention participants reported higher life satisfaction. Based on their findings, the authors of the study concluded that “grateful contemplation can be used to enhance long-term well-being.”

7 – Less Aggression and Improved Patience:

This review of research reports the results of several studies examining the impact of gratitude on aggression and patience. Authors reveal that “feeling grateful seemed to protect against hurt feelings and aggressive reactions.” The research surrounding this topic has shown that individuals who practice gratitude are less likely to be easily provoked. Results demonstrate that people who practice gratitude have higher levels of empathy for others, suggesting they also have more patience.

8 – Better Self-Care Practices:

This chapter from the “Handbook of Positive Psychology” discusses many scientific study results from the leading experts in gratitude research. In one study examining the relationship between gratitude and health, “participants in the gratitude condition spent significantly more time exercising.” Another scientific study revealed that individuals who wrote in a gratitude journal ate 25 percent less fat in their diet.

9 – Can Aid in Addiction Prevention and Recovery:

The leading gratitude researchers that authored this peer-reviewed article report that “gratitude reduces lifetime risk for substance abuse disorders.” Another study evaluated the impact of a web-based gratitude intervention on a randomized sample of individuals receiving treatment for alcoholism. Results revealed that the gratitude intervention increased positive emotions, decreased negative emotions, and “was beneficial in reinforcing recovery” from alcoholism. The author of this dissertation, written for the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, also reported positive findings in this area. Her research revealed that “a grateful disposition has emotional and psychological benefits for individuals in recovery from substance addiction.”

10 – Decreased Bodily Inflammation:

This scientific study analyzed the relationship between gratitude and measures of physical health well-being. The authors of the study focused on how gratitude correlates to measures of fatigue, sleep, mood, inflammation, and cardiac health. Results revealed that patients who expressed more gratitude also had less inflammation.

11 – Reduced Pain:

Authors of this gratitude and health review that appeared in The Journal of Psychology discuss major findings within this field. Including the findings of a pain-induction study in which pain perception was less intense in participants who felt more gratitude.

12 – Lower Blood Pressure:

Both stress and anxiety can elevate a person’s blood pressure. Authors of this study concerning whether gratitude predicts physical health, report that people who express more gratitude have less stress and anxiety. Suggesting that practicing gratitude could lower a person’s blood pressure by decreasing their stress and anxiety. Additionally, the authors of this peer-reviewed article report that gratitude “can lower blood pressure.” And in this review of research, the authors report that high levels of trait gratitude are associated with lower levels of anxiety. The same authors also cite a longitudinal study that reported lower levels of stress in individuals who participated in a gratitude intervention.

10 STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TODAY TO CULTIVATE GRATITUDE

A plethora of scientific research has shown that gratitude and thankfulness can multiply in a variety of ways. You can help yourself to develop more gratitude by adopting any or all of the following practices:

1) Meditate.

2) Thank people often.

3) Write in a gratitude journal.

4) Pay attention to the things you say.

5) Be thankful for people, not things.

6) Practice spirituality and prayers of gratitude.

7) Remember the bad and look for the good in the bad.

8) Think creatively and outside of the box about things.

9) Think positively. Notice, and be thankful for the small things.

10) Do kind things for others and volunteer for meaningful causes.

To learn more about the specific actions that you can take to cultivate gratitude, see the following resource:

Final Thoughts on Growing a More Grateful Heart

In conclusion, developing and practicing gratitude seems to have a variety of health and healing benefits. Appreciation also appears to have the potential to assist in treating quite a few mental and physical health conditions and disorders.

This article proves that a multitude of scientific researchers determined the modalities and efficacy of gratitude interventions for a variety of medical and mental health conditions and disorders. There is much solid research that supports the many beneficial impacts that gratitude may have on one’s psychological and physical health. But being the relatively new area of study that it is, further research continues to provide additional support and evidence for some of the potential uses of gratitude interventions.

Nevertheless, there is no denying that practicing gratitude is beneficial for everyone. Much like any other skill, gratitude is something that needs to be practiced and purposefully developed in everyday life. You can achieve this by incorporating any of the many gratitude-enhancing practices described in this article into your daily routine.

Cultivating gratitude doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming; you can start slowly and gradually increase your abilities. The power of positivity, recognition, and thankfulness are truly magical and life-changing things! Most importantly, you deserve to love a longer, healthier, and happier life!

You stand to gain a lot from practicing gratitude and nothing to lose. So, why not become a more grateful you today?

With A Heavy Heart Owner Closes Restaurant, Employees Discover Truth

November 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Tim Harris is, by all accounts, an extraordinary man. A once-in-a-lifetime kind of man. He’s met various celebrities, been featured in People Magazine, and graduated from Eastern New Mexico University. He was elected homecoming king of his high school class “by the largest margin in school history” while earning “Student of the Year” honors and met President Barack Obama. He went on to become an entrepreneur and open a restaurant.

You could probably ascertain Tim’s passion by looking at his academic record from his university. He graduated with three certificates: Food Service, Office Skills, and Restaurant Hosting.

After college, Mr. Harris spent a couple of years working as a host at Applebee’s and traveling throughout the Bahamas. His real dream? To open his own restaurant.

Tim is a well-traveled man, well-educated, and beloved by just about everyone who’s ever met him.

Tim Harris also has Down syndrome. The condition is genetic, and it impacts learning ability, changes the course of normal development, and causes certain physical alterations.

Tim’s condition, remarkable ambition, and outstanding achievements may help explain his favorite quote, which is from no other than another entrepreneur–Walt Disney.

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” ~Walt Disney

In October of 2010, Tim’s Place opened its doors.

Tim’s Place

“My favorite of all is the people coming through the front door. My hugs are way more important than the food…The food is just food!”

Tim’s Place Claim: “America’s Friendliest Restaurant!”

Tim’s Place motto: “Breakfast. Lunch. Hugs.“ Yes, Tim Harris loves to hug. Per his restaurant’s website, Mr. Harris has hugged over 75,000 people from 38 countries.

With Tim’s unceasing optimism and relentless ambition, Tim’s Place became an extraordinary success. He ran his business while speaking at multiple venues across the U.S.

His message: “I am here to tell you that dreams come true.”

Tim’s incredible business success, loving heart, and myriads of fans led to plenty of publicity. He’s been in front of cameras at CBS Evening News, America Online, ABC News, NBC Today Show, NBC Nightly News, National Public Radio (NPR) and CNN News.

Impressive.

With A Heavy Heart Owner Closes Restaurant, Then Heartbroken Employees Discover Beautiful Truth

In early 2015, Tim walked into the doors of his restaurant with a knot in his stomach. He knew what he was about to do would break his heart. And it would hurt the hearts of the people who worked for and loved him.

Indeed, he was about to close his epic creation. He was about to close Tim’s Place.

Obviously, the reasons were not financial. Tim’s Place had been an outstanding success. Tim Harris had been an outstanding success. His employees and his patrons adored him. He loved his creation.

No, Tim Harris was in love. Deep in love.

He met his girlfriend, Tiffani Johnson at the National Down Syndrome Congress Convention. They began dating and – as love often does – changed his (and her) world.

There was just one problem: Tiffani lived in Iowa.

“I always wanted a restaurant since I was a kid,” Tim says. “I’m going to miss it here, but I’m doing it for love.”

As expected, his employees were sad at first, but soon elated after Tim explained his love story.

“I’ve never met a guy like Tim. I figure I’ve been bit by a love bug.” ~Tiffani, Tim Harris’ girlfriend

From restaurant to non-profit agency, Tim continues his work

In August of 2014, Mr. Harris started ‘Tim’s Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a non-profit corporation “that aims to inspire people from all over the world to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives via entrepreneurship and inclusion in their communities.”

Tim’s vision for TBHF is symbolic of the man’s life: “to help other individuals with intellectual disabilities to start their own business. (Believing) that anyone, with the right support”, can achieve their dreams.

His foundation, fittingly named Big Heart Enterprises, is his latest entrepreneurial endeavor. He announced his new venture on Facebook:

“Hey everyone, did you know that I own my own business? I opened Tim’s Big Heart Enterprises to empower and motivate everyone to live their life to the fullest. I do this by speaking to events, conferences, and families to show that no matter what life has given you, you can live an awesome life because you are awesome! And I would love the chance to share my story with you and give out more hugs!!”

Tim, I think we’d all love to give you a hug!

Feature Image Source: CBS Evening News / YouTube

How To Become An Early Bird (If You Want To…)

November 6, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Unless you’ve been living under a rock on some desert island, you know the ‘early bird’ and ‘night owl’ thing well. Some of us strongly prefer “early to bed, early to rise” while the rest of us say “Screw that!” and stay up late and wake up late.

Supposedly, all of us have an innate preference. It is complicated to change this preference. The ‘morning lark/night owl’ continuum is pretty short, supposedly.

In this article, we will talk about becoming an early bird. If you’re a night owl, the notion of getting to like the (*shiver*) early morning is one that you’ll fight to the death.

But we’re going to make things interesting.

We’ll also discuss the science behind the early bird and night-owl thing; the challenges of switching from one to the other, and the importance of proper sleep hygiene.

Let’s do this!

First, An Offer You Can’t Refuse…

We’ll be conducting a hypothetical experiment for the remainder of this article. Let’s say that you’ve been working some midnight shift somewhere for the last decade-plus. It’s your night owlish dream come true.

Then, some company called ‘Made In Heaven’ discovers your fantastic talent and wants to hire you for twice the salary with full benefits (hey, why not have fun with the hypothetical?). You get two months of paid vacation, too. And, hey, why not a company vehicle of your choice? You got it. Here are the keys.

There’s only one catch.

Your new employers want you there at 7 a.m. sharp. Every morning. *GULP*. Your stomach hits the floor. Your mind screams, “What? What?! Oh, hell, n-…”

Now, you’re a realist. You have bills to pay and mouths to feed. So, you’re not going to abandon all reason and turn this job down. Besides, you’re already packed for that open-date two-month vacation to Tahiti. And that car…

But still.

7 a.m.? Who in their mothereverlovin’ mind would go to a job at 7 in the morning? On purpose?

It’s going to be a tough transition.

The Circadian Rhythm

“It is estimated that nearly 70 million individuals in the United States alone suffer from … disturbance to the self/wake (cycle) … (impeding) normal functioning and has potentially damaging effects on health and well-being.”

~ Facer-Childs, R., et al. (source)

In our hypothetical scenario, a dream job is just enough for a night owl to try and recondition their habits. And make no mistake: it is that hard. Even if they don’t realize it at the time.

Why? Because we’re talking about uprooting deeply ingrained brain pathways that control the sleep/wake cycle – also known as the circadian rhythm.

The circadian rhythm is not just about sleep/wake cycles, either. If it were, things wouldn’t be so bad. One’s circadian rhythm influences mental and physical functioning, behavior, and temperament. Circadian rhythms also affect body temperature, digestion, eating habits, and other bodily functions.

Abnormal rhythms link to many severe physical diseases and disorders, including diabetes, obesity, and sleep disorders. Mental problems related to irregular circadian rhythms include bipolar disorder, depression, and seasonal affective disorder.

All of the abovementioned functions are different in eearly birds than they are in night owls. Why? It’s all in the brain.

The Brains of Morning Larks and Night Owls

“This mismatch between a person’s biological time and social time — which most of us have experienced in the form of jet lag — is a common issue for night owls trying to follow a normal working day.”

~ Elise Facer-Childs (source)

Researchers at the University of Birmingham in the U.K. undertook a study to investigate the functional connectivity (‘FC’) in the default mode network (‘DMN’) of the brain. The study consisted of 38 “Early and Late circadian phenotypes,” 16 ‘morning larks,’ and 22 ‘night owls,’ respectively.

The DMN consists of “an interconnected group of brain structures” posited to operate as part of some neurological system. These areas of the brain were so named after researchers found “surprising” amounts of brain activity in people supposed to be at rest; that is, not engaging in any sort of mental exercise.

Brain activities associated with DMN activity include “daydreaming, recalling memories, envisioning the future, monitoring the environment, thinking about the intentions of others, and so on.” Importantly, research has detected associations between DMN activity and “mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia.” More about this later.

The research team also discovered differences in the brain regions linked to attention and cognitive performance between night owls and morning larks. Concerning functional connectivity, morning larks tested higher in these regions of the brain. These differences, the research team says, account for the higher performance of morning larks in “task performance” tests.

In other words, the brain acts differently in both groups. More importantly, the research shows that morning larks, on average, perform better than night owls. Combine this finding with the increased health risks of being a night owl, and you have two good reasons for converting into a morning lark.

Maybe you don’t need that dream job to convince you, after all.

How To Become An Early Bird

Without further ado, here’s a quick self-guide to becoming an early bird.

Know Your Purpose

Why do you want to wake up earlier? Are you trying to get healthier? Be more productive? Or is it because of the benefits mentioned above?

It’s not easy to get up before everyone else. This is particularly the case if you don’t clarify your purpose for doing so. If your idea of a goal is “I need to get up earlier. Guess I’ll do that” – well, good luck.

Here are a couple of quick examples of having a purpose in this context.

“I need to get that side business going. With that extra couple of hours, I can hammer out a strategy….”
“Waking up a couple hours early will let me get to the gym. I’ll have more energy for the rest of the day, too…”
“That brilliant team at Power of Positivity said I’d become healthier and smarter….”

Extra points if you use that last one.

Manipulate Lighting Exposure

Now that you’ve got your purpose (right?), you must support your body during this transition. An area where many people fail in this regard is not changing up their lighting exposure.

Relatedly, there is another “cycle” worth mentioning here. The natural light and darkness cycles as the day progress. These lightness/darkness cycles are a primary zeitgeber or environmental cue that reboots the internal body clock. Specialized cells in your eyes detect light levels and transmit this data to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The is a tiny area of the brain, located in the hippocampus, that regulates the circadian biological clock.

So, how do you manipulate the lighting? First, if you have an iOS device, consider downloading the free app ‘Entrain,’ a mobile program that recommends changes to light exposure. Second, cut off the mobile devices before bedtime – or install (and remember to use) a blue light filtering program. Third, keep all lights in the bedroom dimmed down – and draw those curtains!

Wake Up At The Same Time

To reset your sleep/wake cycle, you must be consistent with your (ta-da!) sleep/wake times. This means going to bed and waking up simultaneously, preferably every day. You should fully anticipate your body-mind fighting against this change of habit – this is normal. Eventually, falling asleep and waking up at these times will become much more manageable.

In the beginning, give yourself a bit of slack with your wake-up time. Choose to wake up when it is still dark outside, allowing your body to get used to seeing darkness upon awakening and adjust accordingly. You may want to try not to use an alarm clock. Set the intention to wake up at a predetermined time. You may find that your body wakes up automatically and without intervention.

Give It Time

While changing up your sleeping habits may not seem like a big deal, it is. Make no mistake. You are forcing the body to do something it doesn’t want. Understand this and appreciate the inherent difficulty of what you’re doing.

Final Thoughts on Shifting Into Early Bird Mode

All you can ask of yourself is to commit and do the work to become an early bird. If you know what you’re doing, let the rest happen naturally. Set the right conditions and try to change this up with as little effort as possible. You’ll be amazed at just how resilient the body is when this is the case.

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Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!