Category Archives: ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Alternatives That Compliment Traditional Therapy

Alternatives That Compliment Traditional Therapy

Therapy can be such a powerful tool, but sometimes you want to have something that feels a little less clinical. Treatment can be emotionally and mentally challenging, too, leaving you feeling like you have been pushed to your limits. Typically therapists are great at what they do, and that is long-term work taking place. Alternative therapies can often be a little more gentle for the person taking part. 

So if you are currently in therapy, or on the waiting list to be seen, you might like to explore some other options. 

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Yoga

This is an interesting one because you might not think that yoga would have such a significant impact on you mentally. But people who take part in yoga classes or do it from home find that it brings a considerable sense of peace. The breathing is controlled and designed to relax you and boost your relaxation and focus. The stretching releases tension that you are holding in your body too. 

Chiropractor

The human body is a unique complex organism that has evolved for particular environments and conditions. Unfortunately, these natural conditions are quite far removed from everyday life. If you suffer from back pain, neck pain, or any other body aches, visiting a chiropractor is an excellent way to complement conventional therapy and optimize your body for better health and wellbeing, and better productivity. 

Massage

Trained reflexologists can work absolute wonders when it comes to triggering the right pressure points for you. As well as the room being warm and smelling divine, you’ll come away feeling lighter and relaxed. The music and silence that you get to experience is a great way to quiet your mind too. 

Read: CAN IV THERAPY TREAT STRESS?

Meditation

You can meditate any time the mood takes you, but in general, you are looking to have at least ten minutes of meditation per day. This trains your mind in dealing with intrusive thoughts. Listening to guided meditation with an app like Headspace or Calm will help you get started. Before long meditation doesn’t seem like something you have to do, but rather something you want to have in your life. Those ten minutes a day can give you a sense of peace and calm. Some guided meditation sessions will also talk through issues you might be facing at work or in your personal life. 

Acupuncture

This is a traditional Chinese medicine that has a lot of history. Incredibly fine needles and placed into the skin on specific pressure points. They say that acupuncture is ideal for helping you to reduce stress levels, lower pain in your neck, back and joints, help with migraines and headaches, improve your immune system and enhance mental clarity. It has long been recommended as a form of alternative medicine and therapy. You’ll need a few sessions to start to feel the effects, but the routine of going can be a comfort for many. 

Journaling

The joy of writing about your life can be as expressive and artistic as you like, or you can simply bullet point a few things. The act of writing allows us to explore our feelings and thoughts a little more in one of the safest spaces. And, if you like to draw, then this is even more enjoyable. 

Read: TOP SELF-CARE STRATEGIES FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Alternative therapies and medicines can have a lot of power, aside from the belief that they are working, most of the time when it makes you feel good, and it is worth adding into your weekly or daily routine. 

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How To Help Relieve Back Pain

How To Help Relieve Back Pain

Any type of body pain can end up being quite debilitating. It certainly can affect your day and how you get about. When it comes to back pain in particular, as it’s responsible for supporting your body, this can be really restrictive. Here’s how to help relieve back pain and hopefully allow you to continue with your day.

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Limit Your Bed Rest

As much as you may love a good lie-in in the morning, it’s not going to help with your back. Lying in one place on your back for so long is only going to cause more pain because you’re not giving it the opportunity to move about. You must limit your bed rest if you want to help reduce the pain that you are experiencing in your back. Try to replace any old mattresses with memory foam or a preferred style, but that helps aid back support.

Do Gentle Exercise

Any form of exercise is good for keeping your body moving and having that ability to stretch out your muscles. However, you want to do it in a gentle way so as to not do any more damage than what has likely already been done. Try to avoid doing any exercises that require heavy impact, whether that’s certain exercises or contact sports. Sports, where you risk falling over or coming into contact with something strong, is not going to feel good for your body. Avoid these where you can and look to do things like running or swimming instead. 

See A Specialist

When things get really bad, it’s a great idea to look into more professional options. A spinal surgeon might be needed if there’s something that can be done to help remove the pain completely. A lot of back problems are never one and the same. Some can be fixed, whilst others cannot and therefore simply need to be dealt with as and when that pain comes about. Whether that be through certain exercises or taking medication. See a specialist if you’ve only just got back pains and whether it’s anything they can do to help. 

Keep Note Of Your Posture

Your posture is something that can easily be forgotten about, and only others can see your posture unless you look in the mirror. So it’s one thing that you need to be more aware of, as it may be the thing that’s causing body pain. If you’re sat down at work, look at how you’re sitting in your chair. Your head should be level with your screen, not tilted down or up. You should have your back aligned up straight like there’s a bit of string being pulled from your head. Practice good posture daily, and it may have a positive effect on your back pain.

Improve Your Flexibility

And finally, look to improve your flexibility where you can. The more you can stretch out those muscles and joints, the better!

Not everyone will be able to benefit from these tips in particular, but it’s worth a go. 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

How To Recover From RSI

How To Recover From RSI

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RSI (repetitive strain injury) is incredibly common. Its symptoms include pain, numbness, movement difficulty and trembling (usually in the wrist, elbow or fingers) as a result of a repetitive action, usually sustained over many years. Most forms of RSI are developed through work-related activities such as typing or using machinery, but they can be developed through personal hobbies and activities such as tennis, playing guitar or even texting.

It’s possible to recover from RSI, but it isn’t easy. Just as it can take many years to develop these issues, it can also take years to reverse them (although generally not as long). If you’re currently suffering from any form of RSI, here are some of the measures that you can take.

Limit trigger activities

Rather obviously, you should try limit any activities that caused your RSI in the first place. This isn’t always possible – if you work as a writer, you may not be able to limit typing without getting a new job. However, you may be able to make small changes such as putting your keyboard at the right height and positioning it straight in front of you.

Use supports and ergonomic equipment

There are forms of support that you can buy to help reduce further damage caused by certain motions. Elbow braces for example are common in tennis and can prevent/reduce ‘tennis elbow’. Similarly you may be able to switch out tools for more ergonomic options. There are modern hedge trimmers for example that have better grips and reduced vibrations to prevent development of RSI.

Try different forms of pain relief

RSI can cause chronic pain and you can make things more comfortable and manageable by trying different pain relief options. As well as over-the-counter painkillers, there could be herbal options worth looking into such as turmeric extract and full spectrum CBD oil. You could also look into holistic treatments such as massages and acupuncture.

Try low-impact exercises

Whilst you may want to avoid certain exercises, it’s important to still do some physical activity. Allowing yourself to get out of shape could make the pain of RSI worse. Try low-impact exercises such as swimming or yoga which are unlikely to aggravate the injury.

See a physiotherapist

A physiotherapist may be able to help you with stretches and exercises specific to your injury. These could help to ease the pain and even reverse the injury. Physiotherapists may also be able to give massages to joints and muscles to help ease the pain.

Talk to your doctor about treatment options

There could be medical treatment options available such as steroid injections or even carpal tunnel release surgery that can help you recover from the injury fast. These options may only be available for those with severe RSI, but it’s still something worth discussing with your doctor.  

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

3 Sure Fire Ways To Help An Elderly Neighbor

3 Sure Fire Ways To Help An Elderly Neighbor

We all like to think of ourselves as good neighbors. We want to be able to lend a bag of sugar if the need arose, and we enjoy saying hello every morning on our way to work. When we have elderly neighbors, we can take on even more responsibility. But this is important. These people might not be able to leave the house quite so often and could suffer a little more when the weather turns chilly. It’s up to you to be the person to make sure that they are ok. Take a look at how you can help your elderly neighbor.

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The Little Things

Sometimes an elderly neighbor doesn’t have family living close by, so could always use a helping hand with even the little things. Consider offering to pick up some groceries if you are heading to the supermarket. Ask if they need their medication picking up from the pharmacy for their long-term care and ailments. And see if they want their lawn mowing, if you are already out doing yours. These tiny good deeds are easy to do as it doesn’t take much effort on your part as you aren’t going out of your way. This can also make it easier for your neighbor to be more accepting of the help as they don’t want to feel like they are putting you out.

The Bigger Things

If you can, consider inviting your neighbor over for dinner once a week. It’s a kind thing to do and it’s a great way of getting to know the person living next door to you. Having a friendly chat and giving your neighbor something to look forward to can lift their spirits, especially if they spend a lot of time on their own. Cook them a nice meal, offer to head around to theirs and cook up a Sunday roast. If you can, offer to clean their humble abode once in a while or take them out on an excursion. Are you heading out for a beach day? Why not take your elderly neighbor with you? This will change the family dynamic for a day, but it could be fun.

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Be Observant

Scammers and door to door salespeople will watch out for those homes that have elderly residents as they seem like easy pickings. If you see any suspicious activity, you can notify the authorities and your neighbors family. If you spot someone at your neighbor’s door and they are struggling to get this person to leave them alone, it’s time for you to head out and make your presence felt. By doing this, you are protecting a neighbor and friend who is a little more vulnerable than others. You’ll also ensure that they never get visited by these con artists again.

Being a good neighbor means getting to know the people living around you. Be present, be kind, and be thoughtful. Your elderly neighbor may become a friend over time. Help them out when you can, make sure that they have everything they need, and welcome them into your home once in a while. It’s the neighborly thing to do.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

The Ultimate Guide To Deep Cleaning Your Home

The Ultimate Guide To Deep Cleaning Your Home

While your humble abode might not be ridiculously filthy, there’s no harm in giving it a deep clean annually. This can give us the opportunity to declutter, reevaluate our storage, tidy up the nooks and crannies and clean the aspects of the home that rarely see the duster, the polish or the hoover. Deep cleaning is more than getting the wet vacuum cleaner out, you need to consider how you will get each of your rooms looking brand spanking shiny new. Take a look at this guide to help you give your home a thorough deep clean.

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Rooms

Each room needs to be cleaned with a fine tooth comb. Each room will require different jobs to be completed. You might need a carpet wash in one room and a chimney swept in another. Go room by room and make a list of each job that needs completing. Your annual deep clean may take a few days to complete as you should finish cleaning one room before starting another.

Before you begin cleaning, you need to clear your living spaces of clutter. This might mean your ornaments or it might mean your bookcase full of CDs, the stereo and your cookbooks. Put them in another room along with your furniture so that you have a virtually bare room. This allows you to clean even the deepest of nooks and crannies.

Any clutter that you no longer want to keep should be dumped, recycled, given to a charity shop or sold. Don’t keep hold of it if you don’t want it. It will take up valuable loft space. Put some of your better quality stuff on eBay and make a bit of money for your efforts. What is one person’s junk is another person’s treasure.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms are the spaces that tend to hold the most dirt. Without going into too much detail, you spend around eight hours a night lying in bed, so dead skin cells will permeate through the room. At the very least you need to clean your mattress and whip on a couple of new protectors. You may need bed bug removal if you spy any critters and you will want to rub down the skirting boards and bed frames. Hoover your carpet and wash your drapes. When everything is clean you can redress your bedroom so that it becomes your haven of relaxation once again, without as much clutter and smelling fresh and delicious.

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Bathroom

The bathroom within your home should be cleaned on a regular basis, but there are some jobs that you probably don’t do as often as you should. Open up the plug holes, pour down some drain unblocker, and clean the hair and gunk from your shower heads. Check out the cistern of your toilet to make sure there is no limescale developing and mop the lino. A bathroom needs to be sterile and hygienic so this is the room that needs to be deep cleaned a little more regularly than annually.

Follow this guide, and you will have a fresh new clutter free atmosphere within your four walls. You will soon master the art of deep cleaning your home.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.