Thursday, 8 January 2015

Health Living tips for 2015

Make healthy changes and stick to them 

As new year came and went, we saw an influx of people vowing  to shed their bad habits and become healthier people. However, according to research, only one in ten of us will achieve our goals- but why is this, and how can you stick to your goals? Firstly, the key is to be realistic. We all want to improve ourselves in some way but setting suitable goals for our own personal needs and desires is the key to health improvement. Make manageable changes that you can build up gradually rather than setting a goal that is unrealistic. 


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Get moving

If you want to do more exercise and you don't currently do much, start with setting the goal of doing 10 minutes a day and increase it as you see an improvement. Likewise, exercise comes in all different forms and it's important to find one you enjoy, as well as one that's suitable for you personally. This may even be a spot of gardening, or hoovering the steps. You may be reading this thinking; "what if I am not good on my feet?". The answer to this is that even if you have limited or low mobility, this shouldn't discourage you from taking advantage of exercise. There are a variety of limited mobility exercises that are just right for your personal fitness level. Similarly we have products available to provide you with comfort while exercising, as well as products to help you exercise if you have mobility problems. Start small- take baby steps. 

Another way to increase the amount of exercise you do, whilst improving your health as you do it, is to tailor the type of exercise to your mood. If you are feeling lonely or bored, joining a class at a local gym, pool or community centre might work best for you. If you are feeling depressed, try going for a walk outside to boost your happy hormones. Moreover, if you are feeling stressed try mind-body exercises like Yoga or Pilates- both of which can be done in the comfort of your own home! 

When we are stressed our bodies release a hormone called Cortisol. Which can lead to an increase in cravings for sweets and carbs, often leading to overeating and weight increase. By exercising, this relives stress and reduces the chance of your body releasing Cortisol. Which is great if you're trying to eat healthier! 


Nourish your body

One thing that is important when you are trying to either cut back, or eat healthier, is to recognise what your body is telling you. Many people for example, confuse the feeling of thirst, with hunger. Meaning they eat when they don't need to. People also often eat due to boredom, so find a hobby or something you enjoy and get stuck into it! Likewise people who want to eat healthier often think that it means you can never treat yourself. However many healthy eaters choose to have a 'cheat day' where they can eat whatever they want for one day a week, as long as they eat right for the rest of the week. Obviously this technique may not be suitable for you, but by treating yourself for doing well, this encourages you to keep up the good work, as well as making your goals much more manageable. For many, diets are a thing of the past and healthy eating becomes a way of life, rather than a quick fix. The reason for this is "when does the diet end?", do you finish it completely and go back to your old ways? The answer is no, as you would probably go back to square one.

Instead, like exercise, set yourself small goals at a time. If you decide you need to cut down your sugar intake, try reducing the amount of sugars in your tea, or even replace white sugar with the much more natural raw sugar. Small changes go a long way. Another way to improve your health is to reduce your intake of caffeinated drinks. Caffeine, believe it or not increases Cortisol so lay off the caffeine-laden drinks. 

Whilst trying to cut back or eat healthy, it is also important to think about your actions- don't kid yourself. If you sneakily eat a piece of cake, take note of it and continue on your path. It's important to stay focused and not let a few slips here and there completely destroy what you are trying to achieve, get back on the horse! Similarly you need to recognise what is healthy and what is not, its fine to have a salad but if you're drenching it in mayonnaise, then you're defeating the object. Instead try putting in plenty of vitamin packed vegetables that you actually enjoy and to eliminate the problem of it being dry, try out hummus! Hummus is made with chickpeas that are packed with fibre and protein; it can reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering risk factors such as elevated cholesterol and blood pressure.

Lastly, remember portion control is key. Many people overeat, sometimes due to the fact they struggle to cook for one. Or more simply, because they don't know what a suitable portion size is. Although it may differ, it helps to do a bit of research into portion sizing and there are many products to help you monitor this. (see link below)

Get plenty of Kip!

It might sound obvious, but getting plenty of good, quality sleep is vital to living a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping gives your body chance to repair and allows your mind to figure out things which may of happened during the day. Without enough sleep Cortisol levels will rise, making us feel much more hungry and less satisfied with the food we do eat. So while we may think we are hungrier because we need more energy due to the lack of sleep, the reality is its your Cortisol levels interfering again. 

Whatever changes you decide to make, be it exercising more, cutting back, eating healthier, or attending a new class, remember- you're not in it alone. Think about what you will gain by living a healthier lifestyle; who will it benefit other than you? Prepare! Preparation is the key to success, "fail to plan, plain to fail", plan your week out in advance to avoid getting yourself into awkward situations. Make your goals enjoyable, boredom can be demotivating, so try new things and discover what you like. Don't expect instant results, be patient, continue to set small goals, and prosper! Lastly think positive a positive mind, helps to leads to positive a healthy life.


Healthy Living Direct 

Thank you for reading this article, if you enjoyed it, or found it useful please feel free to share. 

To buy and browse our range of health products visit our website at:
www.healthylivingdirect.com




Wednesday, 24 December 2014

Living with incontinence

Living with Incontinence

"Around one in four people have experienced bowel or bladder weakness. It affects men and women, both young and old, yet many people keep it a secret for years."- NHS Choices


Although people find the topic of incontinence difficult to openly discuss, it is hard to ignore when it affects so many people. More than 2.5 million people over 60 in the UK are affected by urinary incontinence and 6.5 million people of all ages have bowel problems. 

There are many reasons why Incontinence can negatively affect a persons quality of life: it may hinder a persons confidence away from home, cause skin irritation, hygiene problems and present both practical and emotional problems. The key to dealing with such issues is addressing the problem early on, as there is a much higher chance of curing incontinence if diagnosed at an early stage. This doesn't mean however, that if you have previously been too embarrassed to seek professional help, that there is nothing you can do. In this post we will discuss different types of incontinence, how to recognise them and how best to manage or even cure them. 

The most common type of incontinence is known as Stress Urinary Incontinence (UI), which often occurs when sneezing, laughing or during certain types of exercise. This type of incontinence is usually a symptom of damage to the pelvic floor muscles or the sphincter, which surrounds the bladder opening and keeps it open or closed when appropriate. As well as other techniques which I will discuss below, the best way to help overcome or improve your incontinence issues is to use Kegel or Pelvic Floor exercises. Kelgel and Pelvic floor exercises are proven to improve UI by reducing leakage in just 2-4 months. Likewise it has been suggested that these exercises may even eliminate them within a year.Urinary Incontinence may be an affect of things such as: long term constipation, some bladder operations, or prostate operations. 

Urge incontinence refers to a 'sudden' urge to pass urine. This is a problem that cannot be ignored and can cause great embarrassment to those who experience it. If you have the urge pass urine frequently, such as every half an hour, or more than 8 times a day. This is known as frequency and should not always be passed off as being 'natural'. Urge incontinence is often due to a urinary infection or a response to a cause of antibiotics, although, it can be associated with neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's Disease. The main thing is, not to panic and to seek medical help before self-diagnosing.

People who suffer with incontinence often talk of being woke up more than a couple of times a night to visit the toilet, which can result in a poor nights sleep. Nocturia, as it is known, describes this type of incontinence and is more common in those over 60. Medical professionals suggest that if you are wanting to seek their advice, that it will benefit both them and you, to keep a diary up to 3 days prior to your appointment. This way you can distinguish patterns, rule out possibilities and choose the best treatments for you personally.

Despite the misconception that those who suffer with types of Incontinence have no control over when they 'go', there are in fact people who struggle to fully empty their bladders. People who suffer with incontinence of this kind often complain of leaking, dribbling and the need to strain- despite a full bladder. Although it may be difficult, it is important to not over strain when trying to urinate, as this can damage your bladder. This type of incontinence is often due to chronic constipation, as a full bowel can press on the bladder, making it difficult to pass water.  Similarly, this type of incontinence is more common in men but can be helped by making to simple lifestyle changes. Changes to your diet as well as regularly exercising is proven to help, as well as helping you to have a positive outlook on life.

Although previous types of incontinence focus on urination problems. Bowel Incontinence (a.k.a. faecal incontinence) is thought to affect 1 in 10 people throughout their lives, at any age. Although it is more likely to affect the elderly. This type of incontinence is usually caused by an underlying condition, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Parkinson's disease or Multiple Sclerosis. However, this does not mean that Bowel Incontinence, as well as any of the above types of incontinence are not preventable. 

Simple Changes to Improve Your Quality of Life 

Tena© states that there are simple lifestyle changes one should implement if you suffer from incontinence. Sufferers should avoid irritants and diuretics such as; tomato-based and spicy foods; citrus fruits, chocolates, milk, carbonated beverages, sugar, honey and artificial sweeteners. Sufferers should also avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks as they contribute to frequent urination. Instead they should replace such drinks with water, apple juice, grape juice, cherry juice and cranberry juice. Ironically, drinking plenty and staying hydrated is important if you suffer from Incontinence as it keeps the bladder healthy and hydrated. Although you may find it beneficial drinking liquids at intervals of 2-3 hours rather than all at once. Likewise, if you suffer from Nocturia, you should avoid drinking 2 hours before sleeping. A sufferer should also eat plenty of grains, vegetables and legumes.

In many cases however, sufferers say they gained confidence by using incontinence products. Many people suggest that having a commode in their bedroom, or using a raised toilet seat drastically helped their incontinence and aided their ability to get to the toilet in time. Incontinence pads and another products used by incontinence sufferers can be worn discretely when out of the home, through the day, or at night. However, it is important to remember to change your incontinence pads 2-3 times a day and if you find you are having to change them more, you may find it useful to try more absorbent pad. Match the severity of your incontinence to your choice of incontinence products. 

Regular suitable exercises, eating healthier, staying hydrated, using suitable incontinence products and seeking medical advice as soon as you notice signs, will all help you battle and even overcome incontinence. But arguably one of the most important things is to try remain positive. Incontinence is not something we should be embarrassed about- but openly discussed; as many of us will, at some point, suffer from it in our lifetime. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 

Healthy Living Direct 

Thank you for reading this article, if you enjoyed it, or found it useful please feel free to share. 

To buy and browse our range of incontinence products and health aids visit our website at:
www.healthylivingdirect.com