Category Archives: SEX & LIFE

SEX & LIFE

5 Ways to Improve the Quality of Life for Seniors

By Guest Blogger, Diana S,

5 Ways to Improve the Quality of Life for Seniors

 

With the passing of years, many seniors’ quality of life declines. They socialize less, their health often deteriorates and they lose their positivity and optimism. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. By taking care of their physical and mental health, as well as seeing to their other needs, their life quality can be significantly improved, and here are some ways how.

Remind them they’re loved, useful and needed

In big, urban areas such as Sydney, moving to a different part of the city could easily mean that you can’t make it to visit your parents or other elderly relatives as often as you’d like. This can make them feel neglected and forgotten. Don’t allow this to happen. Even if you can’t be with them in person every day, you can still find ten minutes to call them and ask how they are or tell them about your day. This way, they’ll know you’re thinking of them and love them. Also, if they live in your household, always give them tasks to do so that they feel useful, rather than feeling like a burden. Ask them to fold the clean laundry or to make the shopping list. They can also help by taking care of your kids once in a while, or simply walking to the newsagent’s to get the newspaper.

Deal with their depression

Several million people over the age of 65 suffer from depression. It can be triggered by certain stressful life events like losing their spouse or retiring, but also by losing their sense of purpose or being unable to take care of themselves. You don’t have to wait to notice the symptoms of depression. Instead, after these life-changing events, suggest that your elders visit a therapist or a psychologist preventively. However, if you do notice symptoms of depression, react straight away and get them treated.

Get them to socialize

Company and communication can have a vital effect on seniors’ health, so encourage them to spend as much time as they can with family, friends and neighbors they like. Hint that they could use social networks to get in touch with some of their old friends from university, school or their hometown. They can even organize tea parties, movie- or game nights. They should also try expanding their circle of friends through volunteering or going to various community events. Another option for them is to move to a retirement home, such as the award-winning Mark Moran Little Bay. Choosing this type of home for your seniors will provide them with around-the-clock medical care, while also tending to all their other needs, including socialization. They have shared spaces which are perfect for community engagement, which is exactly what everybody needs – being surrounded by people of similar age and interests.

Encourage them to exercise

Regular exercise might add years to a person’s life, and if they remain fit, those years may actually be healthy and pleasant. Physical exercise can increase their vitality, improve their strength and even promote their mental health. It can make them more optimistic and boost their self-esteem. Make sure that your seniors don’t just sit at home, but have them on their feet, walking as much as they can. Something in the line of 10,000 steps a day would be ideal, but if they can’t do that much, anything is better than nothing. It would be even more beneficial if they joined an exercise group, so that they can be surrounded by other people while working on improving their overall health. If they have painful joints, see if there are any exercise groups for seniors at your local swimming pool. Finally, physical activity will help them sleep better, which is crucial in order to keep a sharp mind and have their energy renewed.

Make sure their meals are healthy and meaningful

The food your seniors eat should be rich in nutrients, and not high in calories. Since metabolism slows down with age and the body needs less energy, make sure they eat salmon and other types of fish, as well as leafy greens, which will provide them with nutrients without causing them to gain unnecessary weight. Their meals should be healthy and balanced, but if you notice that they’ve lost their appetite, maybe you could try seasoning the food differently or making the food look nice on the plate. Also, try turning their meals into social events, by eating together as often as possible or by inviting their friends or other family members for dinner whenever you can.

Most elders simply want some of your time, patience and a kind word here and there. So, always be kind, gentle and helpful, and do your best to make their lives worth living.

 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.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME, SEX & LIFE

Call the Psychologist… Panic Attacks are a Real Thing

Call the Psychologist… Panic Attacks are a Real Thing

Many folks might be saying, ‘Duh’, but that is exactly something that someone said recently after they had experienced that awful feeling of terror. Yes, panic attacks are as real as heart attacks. Here are a few facts to know about panic attacks and how to get past the fear.

You are not alone

When an individual is experiencing panic attacks, they feel utterly alone. But the truth is many people at one point in their lives has or will experience a panic attack.

 You are not weak

One of the best descriptions of why a panic attack occurs is because panic attacks are usually the mind’s reaction of layering up a lot of stressful situations on top of one another until your strong mind can’t hold anymore. This doesn’t mean you or your mind is weak, it means no one should have to be that strong for that long.

People that never experienced a panic attack doesn’t understand what you’re going through

This is a fact. Many folks can be compassionate that you are having emotional issues. But unless they have gone through this themselves, they just don’t get it. Some people think that you can just get over it, or let it go. Sadly, it doesn’t work that way, which leads me to my next point…

First step of getting better is you need to let go

I know it contradicts what we just said… but letting go by talking to someone who actually understands the reality of your panic can be extremely healing. At first, it might feel worse, but being able to talk about the symptoms and fear is like physically pushing it out of your body and mind, and sending it out into the universe to never return. Healing doesn’t happen immediately, but it starts the ball rolling. Talking with a psychologist or therapist online can be a great option in your recovery process.

Push yourself

Face your fears. We’ve all hear that, and there are times when you will have to push yourself to face those fears. Other times, you may decide it’s too much. There’s nothing wrong with that as long as you are progressing in other areas. Keep it on your list of things to build back up to.

Take your vitamins

Eating properly is important when it comes to complete health. Amino acids and B vitamins are a must in supporting brain health. Taking an amino acid complex could be a huge help in reducing panic, anxiety and depression. Talk to your doctor about adding in an amino supplement.

Pressure points can ease the pain, …or panic

Pressure points exist all over the body. They have the ability to heal areas inside and outside the body. There is a pressure point on the roof of the mouth that regulates the amygdala, (the gland that releases your fight or flight response). Press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, directly behind your two front teeth. Press for several seconds, while remembering to breathe. It will reduce the panic, or in time stop it before it starts.

Remember, you are not alone. There are people out there that can help.  There are many methods to help heal your emotional mind. As you work on yourself, you will begin to feel strong again. But I think the moral of everyone’s story, …Don’t hold onto too much stress. A professional can help you learn how to do that. Eat right, and don’t forget your vitamins and aminos. As you do the work, this will pass. In time, it will be a strange memory.

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.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME, SEX & LIFE

5 Amazing Health Benefits of Meditation

5 Amazing Health Benefits of Meditation

We’ve all heard about the health benefits of meditation. Scientists have been busily cataloging them for many years now. Each study brings more “proof,” but anyone who meditates experiences the good results right away. These are the five core amazing health benefits of meditation:

Meditation Lower Stress

This is probably the best-documented and most self-explanatory of all the benefits of meditation. Stress harms the body in myriad ways. Meditation, even just a little bit of regular meditation, has been proven time and again to lower stress.

Meditation Decreases Anger

Anger is certainly an unpleasant emotion to carry around, and now scientists are starting to really focus on the link between anger and ill-health. Just as stress erodes body systems so does anger. Stress and anger may be different emotions arising from different triggers, but their negative effect on the body is quite similar. AND, their deflation response to meditation is also nearly the same.

Both stress and anger are emotions we must hold on to carry them in our emotional systems. So, when we find stillness — even for a brief while — we break that cycle because we let go. At first, the anger and stress return after meditating, but bit by bit they begin to decrease as we learn to let go more and more.

Meditation Increases Happiness

Consider a happiness continuum from despair right up through happiness to pure joy. At any given moment in time, we have a happiness “set-point,” a kind of happiness home level. We may go up and down from there, but when we are on an even keel, we return to that same level. Meditation helps to raise that set-point. The more you meditate, the happier you get overall — your highs are higher and your lows are higher, too!

Living in joy is probably THE most fundamental support for living in good health. Disease cannot get a foothold in a joyful body. Aim for joy!

Meditation Allowing Good Health

The natural state of our bodies is good health. Every cell in our bodies strives toward a state of good health every millisecond of every day of our lives. And, our cells know how to be healthy, but we pinch ourselves off from our natural state of good health in many ways.

Quantum physics proves that our thoughts affect material objects and material outcomes. We truly BECOME what we think about. Sometimes the only ways to let go of our negative thoughts (that cause negative outcomes in our bodies) are to meditate or to sleep.

Both sleeping and meditating are equally effective in letting go of negativity and thus allowing good health. But, the benefit of meditation over sleep is that it is a waking state. We can much more easily translate that letting go from the waking state of meditation to other parts of our waking life than we can from our sleep state. So, when you learn, through meditation, to let go, you can then learn to let go in everyday, waking activities as well.

Meditation Strengthens Intuition

We each are endowed with the most powerful tool to guide us to good health: our intuition. Unfortunately, most of us do not listen to our intuition as much as we could. We miss out on so much information by not listening.

When you meditate, you provide the silence and stillness from which you can start to develop a stronger relationship with your intuition. And, your intuition really can provide you with all the answers that you need to be healthy. The meditation benefit with your intuition is really two-pronged: first, you create an environment in which you can hear your intuition better and then, you become more inclined to listen and act on what your intuition tells you.

Sleeping in a good mattress that is comfortable may enhance proper meditation that will bring about many positive benefits to your mental as well as general health and this makes it advisable for one to sleep on a good mattress during the meditation session. Visit SleepingCulture.com to search for comfy and cozy bed of your dreams.

If you are tuned into your intuition, living in a state of joy, allowing your good health and free of anger and stress, you will live your optimal life, including your optimal health. Mediation helps you move toward all these goals.

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.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME, SEX & LIFE

Tips for Beating Insomnia without Prescription Pills

Tips for Beating Insomnia without Prescription Pills

Unmade Bed

Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in the United States. A recent survey found that 95 percent of adults nationwide experience insomnia at some point in their lives ― and roughly one-third reported insomnia-related sleep problems within the past year. Many people treat insomnia using prescribed medications. Many physicians recommend a class of non-benzodiazepines known as ‘z-drugs’, which have proven quite effective at reducing insomnia symptoms and are considered the go-to medication for this disorder. Other hypnotics and sedatives may be prescribed, as well.

Unfortunately, all prescribed medications used to treat insomnia carry potentially negative side effects. Although these vary by drug, some of the most common effects include daytime drowsiness, headaches, nausea and light sensitivity. Many are also habit-forming and can lead to addictive tendencies if they are taken for long periods of time.

This post will look at some of the most effective anti-insomnia measures that will hopefully help sufferers fall asleep peacefully. For people who want to look at a range of remedies, they can always check out products such as a sleep tincture, to expand on what they use. So, without any further delay, here are some tips that can be put to use.

Types of Insomnia

In order to properly treat insomnia, it’s important to understand the different forms this sleep disorder can take. Secondary insomnia refers to symptoms that occur due to another injury, illness, prescription drug dependency or other conditions that can disrupt sleep patterns; primary insomnia, on the other hand, arises independently.

Insomnia may also be classified by duration. The term ‘short-term’ or ‘acute’ insomnia refers to symptoms that last for less than 30 days; after the 30-day benchmark, the condition progresses to chronic insomnia. Additionally, ‘transient’ insomnia applies to travelers who experience insomnia symptoms as they adapt to a different time zone; ‘jet lag’ is considered a type of short-term transient insomnia. Generally speaking, you should only seek treatment for insomnia once it has evolved into a chronic condition.

Some people with insomnia have a particularly tough time falling asleep; this is known as sleep-onset insomnia. Others struggle to remain asleep throughout the night; this is referred to as sleep-maintenance insomnia. This post will address treatment options for both sleep-onset and sleep-maintenance insomnia.

Option 1: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This option (known as CBT for short) is a catch-all term for any type of sleep therapy that addresses insomnia symptoms. CBT has proven highly effective, and is regarded as comparable ― if not superior ― to prescription drugs. CBT often involves sleep restriction therapy (SRT), which requires the patient to follow a rigid sleep schedule every night and get up at the same time each morning. Realigning your sleep patterns to fit a certain window period is often the key to beating insomnia.

Another type of CBT commonly used for insomnia patients is stimulus control, which trains the patient to ignore stimuli (such as light and background noise) that hinder a good night’s sleep. Paradoxical intention may also be used; this reverse-psychology approach requires patients to lay in bed and remain awake as long as possible, allowing their minds to relax and their bodies to become naturally tired. Many CBT patients are asked to record their nighttime patterns in a sleep diary in order to see if progress is being made.

Option 2: Light Therapy

Many people experience insomnia due to disruptions to their Circadian rhythm, a biological 24-hour clock that operates in sync with natural sunlight. Light therapy (also known as phototherapy) uses bright lamps to trigger the suprachiasmatic nucleus area of the brain’s hypothalamus and help realign a patient’s Circadian cycle. Regular exposure to the lamplight will eventually get the patient back on track.

Generally speaking, light therapy requires exposure to the lamps for at least 30 minutes per day, preferably in the morning. Light therapy lamps utilize bulbs measured at roughly 10,000 lux; in contrast, household lights usually range between 50 and 80 lux. Light therapy is relatively expensive and completely drug-free. However, artificial light is less effective for people who spend long periods of time under natural sunlight (i.e., those who work outside).

Option 3: Improved Sleep Hygiene

If you are struggling with insomnia, then there’s a good chance you can reduce some of your symptoms by changing your daily sleep habits. Cutting out nicotine and alcohol is a good start; you may want to curb your caffeine intake, as well. Also, avoid activities like eating and exercising too close to bedtime. You may want to re-evaluate your mattress, as well, particularly if you have chronic back and/or shoulder pain; mattresses made of soft materials like latex and memory foam are designed to alleviate pain and pressure to a much greater extent than traditional innerspring.

Option 4: Melatonin

Melatonin is a natural hormone produced in the pineal gland that helps regulate Circadian rhythm and healthy sleep patterns. It is regulated by the amino acid tryptophan, also known as the sleep-inducing substance in foods like turkey. Many physicians encourage insomnia patients to take melatonin supplements because, unlike other anti-insomnia medications, melatonin is non-habit-forming and produces very few side effects. Melatonin is currently available as an over-the-counter medication.

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, TikTok, or Instagram. 

Ben Murray is a writer and researcher for sleep science hub Tuck.com. He can usually be found running, hiking, biking or kayaking around the Pacific Northwest ― though he enjoys a good nap as much as the next person.

 

SEX & LIFE

5 Tropical Wedding Destinations of Your Dreams

By, Diana S.,

5 Tropical Wedding Destinations of Your Dreams

Planning a wedding is never easy but it’s also a lot of fun! If you’ve always dreamed about saying the faithful “I do†at a magical and exotic place, then you’ll definitely want to look into the most popular tropical wedding destinations.

There are tons of options out there to choose from, like if you want an intimate little hideaway or to feel like a first-class celebrity staying at Marlon Brando’s hideaway at The Brando hotel Tetiaroa in French Polynesia.

It may be more challenging for the organization and planning in some aspects, but, on the other hand, these places also provide special wedding packages to make the whole burden of preparation a bit lighter for you and your spouse-to-be. If you’re still thinking about the perfect spot in the world for your big day, take a look at the following destinations.

1. Costa Rica

If you want to make sure that you start off your married life happy and fulfilled, you may be interested in joining hands in one of the happiest countries in the world. Costa Rica, like other places on this list, is a perfect choice for couples looking for something truly special and magical that can also become the best place for a honeymoon. The breathtaking nature of Costa Rica will leave everyone amazed, and there will be plenty of sightseeing and exploration to do. From magnificent beaches, waterfalls, rainforests and even volcanoes to gorgeous black and white sand beaches, Costa Rica is the ideal destination to start your life journey together.

2. Moorea, Tahiti

Those of you that are true Moana fans would definitely enjoy a trip to Tahiti for this happy occasion. Among all the Tahiti islands, Moorea is undoubtedly the most picturesque place to get married at. The greenery of mossy mountains paired with the bright blue of the lagoons make this particular place in the world absolutely mesmerizing. Not only will it allow you to enjoy its beauty and endless adventure, but it will also serve as an amazing backdrop for all your wedding and honeymoon photos wherever you decide to snap a pic. Of course, you’ll get to experience real Tahitian culture and sing songs to celebrate your love and future.

3. Australia

Want something spectacular when it comes to both natural sights and modern entertainment? Then Australia is the ideal wedding destination for the two of you. What’s more, the guests will have so many different options for fun time as well. Australia is an amazing country as it allows you to customize your memorable wedding experience however you see fit. From astonishing beaches and venues that will make for the most magical beach weddings you could ever think of, to more whimsical settings. For instance, you could go for the lush Paronella Park that allows you to get married in a castle surrounded by amazing wildlife, and even Taronga Zoo, for those of you looking for both elegance and adventure. As you can see, Australia is the ideal tropical place to be for couples who want their wildest dreams fulfilled.

4. Jamaica

One cannot discuss tropical wedding destinations without considering Jamaica as well. After all, this place is famous for tropical weddings and its beauty. The island is covered with white and golden sand as well as rich mountainous foliage, while almost every hotel in Jamaica has several different wedding packages for couples to choose from. Due to the mentioned popularity of the destination, it’s very easy to organize the whole wedding with almost no hassle on your part. Obviously, this Caribbean Island is full of places to explore and adventures to discover, and is also the perfect spot in the world for the ultimate relaxation as well. Essentially, Jamaica has it all for both your and your guests’ comfort and enjoyment.

5. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

In case you’re interested in a tropical destination that will have enough fun and entertaining options, together with breathtaking nature but also very private and secluded spots that just scream romance, Punta Cana island in the Dominican Republic is definitely the place to choose for your perfect wedding day. As mentioned, you can choose private beaches for your wedding day, but also enjoy colorful and vibrant villages and amazing service. In the end, you can get the best of both worlds, and customize your stay however you want. After all, Punta Cana also has plenty of fun activities such as water sports, surfing camps, catamaran excursions, etc. so that you can easily pick something more exciting, while a relaxing time in the villages and beaches will always wait for you.

Don’t give up on your tropical wedding dream just because you think it’s too difficult to pull it off. As mentioned before, these destinations are popular and have plenty of wedding packages to make things easy for you. It’s true that you’ll have to start your organization and prep sooner than later, and seriously take care of all the tasks, but the wonder, beauty and magic of starting your married life somewhere absolutely beautiful and slightly mysterious will definitely allow you to make the fondest of memories.

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.