Health Appointments You Should Definitely Check Into

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We all want to be in the best health we can possibly be. We want to live our lives free of discomfort and pain. We also want to live as long as possible. But to achieve this, you’re going to have to put some work in. This goes beyond the usual health routines of eating balanced meals and going to the gym regularly. You’re going to have to book in for regular health checkups with professionals too. Here are some that you need to fit into your schedule!

Dentist Appointments

If you’re having any form of dental problems, your first point of call should be your dentist. They’ll be able to carry out a full examination and any emergency procedures that may need to be carried out to put a stop to pain or other issues. But this isn’t the only time you should see a dentist. You should also check in regularly even if you haven’t noticed any problems. A six month dental checkup will give your dentist the chance to take a look around your mouth and examine its overall health. They may be able to spot warning signs of issues that you haven’t noticed yet, such as small cavities or signs of gum disease. They can then carry out procedures to stop these issues in their tracks. They can also carry out an X-ray to ensure the health of the inside of your teeth, which you can’t take a look at yourself. This could unveil wisdom teeth or other potential future inconveniences or problems. Your dentist will also likely offer aesthetic services, such as straightening, whitening or veneers if you’re interested!

Hygienist Appointments

While we all know we need to see a dentist, it’s surprising how few people book in an appointment with a hygienist. A hygienist will ensure that your mouth is as clean as possible, tackling areas you might not reach yourself and carrying out a scale to remove any build up of plaque or tartare. They may also be able to point out areas you’re missing, helping you to take better care of your teeth in your own cleaning routines.

Eye Tests

You should visit an optometrist for an eye test once every two years. This isn’t high commitment, so there’s no reason to miss your appointments. Everyone can spare half an hour once every two years. During your eye test, a professional will survey the health of your eye. This will give them the opportunity to identify symptoms of any conditions that will need to be put right. Generally, for most people, nothing shows up and they can simply progress to their sight test. In the sight test, you’ll carry out a number of tasks to determine whether you need prescription lenses or not. If you do, your optometrist will write out your prescription and you’ll be good to go!

Hearing Tests

Hearing tests are even less regular than eye tests. You just need to check in if you notice any changes to your hearing or if you’re worried about your hearing at all. If you are recognizing hearing loss, an audiologist will be able to carry out proper tests to determine whether you need hearing aids or other hearing devices to help you get by more easily on a day to day basis. If you do need any hearing aids, your audiologist will be able to recommend different makes and models, will be able to order them on your behalf and will be able to fit them for you when they arrive. This can make all the difference to your day to day life!

General Health Check Ups

If you feel that any other aspect of your health may be deteriorating, check in with your doctor. They’ll be able to conduct tests to determine the cause of your problems and set you on the right path to treatment. Whether that’s medication, surgery, therapy or anything else! These routine checks will ensure that any problems that are establishing themselves are tackled quickly and effectively.

Sure, there are a fair few checkups that you need to fit into your calendar. But the good news is that they are generally far between, so you won’t find your schedule absolutely packed with them. Plus, they can really help you out, making a profoundly positive experience to your day to day life!

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Take Care Of Your Ears For A Clearer Tomorrow!

The WHO estimates that there are 360 ​​million people in the world who have hearing problems or are deaf (5.3% of the world’s population). At least half of all hearing loss cases can be prevented, including good ear care practices. Being in control of your health is vital. Hearing loss can impair your quality of life, limit your ability to make contact with others, cause misunderstandings and fatigue, increase stress and “filter” the thousands of sounds that give pleasure and meaning to life. Also, hearing loss can create a safety issue or even depression. But perhaps the biggest problem is how we view hearing loss both as a culture and as individuals. Hearing loss has always been something of a stigma compared to vision problems. For example as a society, we prioritize our hair loss over our hearing loss and whilst all issues are important to us one way or another, it’s important to be on top of your hearing health and act quickly.

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There are many types of hearing loss and these may be caused by a number of reasons. The most common causes of hearing loss are:

1. The constant exposure to noise at work

Prolonged exposure to constant and loud noise can cause permanent hearing loss. Items such as motorcycles and power tools can also damage your hearing over time. If you can, avoid noisy activities or take a break.

2. Injuries or changes in pressure

A serious head injury can dislocate part of the ear or cause nerve damage, causing permanent hearing loss. Sudden changes in pressure – such as flying or diving – can damage the eardrum and the inside of the ear.

3. Medication

Some drugs are known to cause hearing loss as a side effect. These drugs include certain antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs. Regular use of aspirin can also increase the risk of hearing loss, but usually the side effects subside with discontinuation of the medication.

4. Chronic diseases

Some chronic diseases that are not directly related to hearing can cause its loss. For example, it may be a damage due to the interruption of blood flow to the inside of the ear or to the brain. Heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes are some of the causes of hearing loss, as well as autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

5. Childhood diseases

Many childhood diseases can cause hearing loss. Infections, for example, fill the ears with fluid and cause hearing loss that usually goes away when the infection heals. There are also diseases known to affect hearing in children, including chickenpox, encephalitis, influenza, measles, meningitis and mumps.

Looking to the future

If you have been diagnosed with hearing loss, then life can change dramatically and you may need to look at new ways around things. With hearing loss recovery, you can certainly get more in control. It is also important to be positive and ensure that you follow some of the most important tips to keep your ears safe. These may include:

  • The production of “wax” in our ear serves its defense against infections and other harmful factors (eg insect entry). Normally, with the chewing movements, the “candle” is pushed and comes out to the external auditory canal.
  • Our ears have the function of “self-determination” from the cell (“wax”) produced in the skin of the external auditory canal.
  • Cotton swabs or anything similar used to clean the ear are not medically permitted. Their introduction into the external auditory canal can lead to accumulation of “wax” but also to various accidents (skin injury and otitis, cotton retention in the pore, drum perforation, etc.).
  • Never put anything in the ear (such as a finger or a cotton swab).

  • Use the hair dryer on the lower scale to completely dry your ears.

  • Do not attempt to remove a cell yourself. The intervention of the otolaryngologist is necessary in cases where there is sufficient accumulation of alveoli.

Check your hearing often and be in control. Unlike most medical examinations, the tests that measure hearing are relatively quick and painless. An otolaryngologist will probably perform 3 or 4 simple tests that may include:

  • Otoscopy, or examination of the ears with a special lens
  • Audiogram, a sound control that produces a mapping or graph of hearing ability
  • Tympanogram, which measures the pressure of the inner ear and evaluates the mobility of the eardrum.

These tests are performed at the doctor’s office and usually take less than an hour to complete. With the information from these tests, your doctor will be able to make an accurate assessment of your hearing skills and advise you on all of the options for treating it. Be sure to take control today.

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Health And Well Being Has An Affect On Our Confidence

When we get dressed to go to work or perhaps to the bar, we always check our appearance in the mirror. Some of us, more than others. But we can all agree that our appearance is important to our well being. Our mental health is directly linked to our physical health. If we don’t work out and keep in shape, we tend to gain a soggy stomach and fat where we don’t want it to be. But what do we do about it? We tend to see fixing something that has taken a long time to come to fruition to be too hard and time-consuming. But at the end of the day, we’re not happy. We can make big changes to our lives if we accept that we can only regain our confidence if we take a holistic approach to our health and well being. It’s not just aesthetic, far from it actually. Let’s take a look at the types of things you can do right now.

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Why do you have blotchy skin?

Our skin is the largest organ in our body. It’s also the most sensitive to the elements, so the sun, rain, wind and cold, all play a pivotal role in the well being of our collagen bonds and general aesthetics. But what happens when you have blotchy skin is very misunderstood.

  • It does have something to do with a lack of good circulation. However, it isn’t directly linked to being unfit.
  • It doesn’t have anything to do with any makeup that you put on your face.
  • Blotchy skin is more so about your lifestyle and how you are treating your skin.
  • Don’t over-exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating does hydrate and clean your skin but it also damages the top layer. Wiping away the natural oils is like taking away the protection that your skin puts on, to shield you from the rain and sunshine.
  • You need to improve your circulation by doing exercise and getting massages if you can.
  • Stop eating foods that damage your skin, such as alcohol, fatty foods, and carbs.

Don’t buy skincare products that have a lot of chemicals in them. Stick to natural ingredients and go for products that have an organic label. Chemicals in products are nothing new, but it’s not good for your skin to be bombarded with liquids or creams that have been concocted in a lab somewhere. The less blotchiness you have the more confidence you’ll feel. You won’t have uneven toned skin which is something many women loathe. Men too should follow this advice if they have blotchy skin, although it’s not as prevalent in men as it is in women.

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Defining The Best Version of You – Step by Step

Defining the best version of yourself is a difficult exercise, which is why we’re going to break it down for you, step by step. Once you know exactly who the best version of you is and what they are about, you can begin working towards becoming that version of yourself. Read on to get started:

Step 1: What Do Your Daily Habits Look Like?
First, think about what your habits would look like if you were the best version of yourself. Would you drink water, take vitamins, eat vegetables, and exercise? More than likely! Write down the habits you would adopt if you were the best you that you could be, and then figure out how you could begin incorporating them into your lifestyle right now.

Step 2: What Are Your Hobbies And Do You Have Time For Them?
When it comes to your hobbies, having time for them is crucial. We shouldn’t just spend all of our time in a job and no time on our own personal projects. What would you do if you were the best version of yourself? Maybe you’d spend time roller skating, painting, or doing something else. Where could you fit this into your routine now?

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Step 3: What Do You Do For A Living?
If you hate the job you’re in now, it’s fairly safe to assume that you wouldn’t do it for a living as the best version of yourself. Maybe you could hunt for jobs, or even work on ways you could train to land the job of your dreams. It might be unrealistic to absolutely love your job, but finding satisfaction in it and enjoying it in some ways is often important. Do you want to feel valued? Do you want to see the results of the work you put in? Write out what you truly want from your job role.

Step 4: Who Do You Spend Time With?
Do you want a partner, or a closer circle of friends? When you start being true to yourself, you tend to attract your people. Be who you really are, do things you enjoy, and aim to show up as your best self. Pretty soon, people should show up out of the blue.

Step 5: What Does Your Health Look Like?
Being a healthy person is often equated to being the best version of yourself. Now, if you have chronic illness or something else to consider, then simply knowing how to manage that in a way that is best for you could be the best version of yourself. Managing hearing aid issues and things like that can help you to live a better quality of life.

Step 6: Where Do You Want To Be?
Can you define where the best version of yourself is? Where do they live? Where do they spend time? If you don’t want to stay where you are right now, it might be time to put money aside and come up with a plan for a move.

What does the best version of you look like?

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Pay Attention! These Are The Most Commonly Overlooked Health Issues

The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has shown us that good health is one of the most important things in our lives. We all must sit up and start listening and paying more attention to what our bodies are telling us. We are all guilty of overlooking our health and letting health issues that could be stopped in their tracks get progressively worse until sometimes, it is too late to do anything about them. As a consequence, the quality and length of our lives are often impacted. We all need to take responsibility for our bodies, so here, we look at some of the most commonly overlooked health issues.

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Hearing loss

It is thought that as many as fifty million Americans have hearing loss to some degree, whether mild enough that turning the TV up and speaking a little louder is enough, to profound, where there is no sound at all. As for many people, hearing loss is something that gets gradually worse, it quite often goes unnoticed until it is at a point where the damage cannot be reversed. Of course, prevention is always better than cure, so taking steps not to damage hearing is key. However, regular hearing tests can also pick up any issues.

Sight loss

This is generally a lot easier to pick up than hearing loss, but many people still live a long time with poor eyesight or the wrong glasses or prescription. Just like hearing loss, this can have a significant effect on the quality of life, as well as being a safety concern when driving or operating machinery. As above, regular sight tests can not only pick up worsening eyesight but a range of other conditions too. However, if you notice you have to peer a little more closely at your cell phone or computer screen, or the license plate of the car in front seems a little unclear, it is time to go and have it looked at.

Cognitive decline

As we get older, we all expect our memory to fade a little and to be a little absent-minded at one point or another. It is a natural part of ageing. However, there is normal absent-mindedness and cognitive decline, and it is important to know and recognise the difference. Conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are increasing, most likely because people are living longer, but it needs monitoring. While once it has set in, there is little you can do to stop it, there are things that you can do to help slow down the decline. Keeping physically and mentally active, quitting smoking and excess alcohol consumption and eating a healthy, balanced diet all go a long way to keeping your cognitive ability sharp.

Over the course of a lifetime, most people will experience one or more of these common but often overlooked health issues. While they may not always be treatable, there are steps you can take to help reduce the chances and slow them down if they have already made their presence known.

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Take Better Care of Your Body

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A lot is us aren’t all too good at taking care of ourselves. We’re great at ensuring our friends, family members, children and pets are well, but that leaves us with too little to look after our own needs. It’s understandable, but it’s also something that needs to change if we want to be around to be there for them in years to come. We also deserve to feel as happy and healthy as we can.

With that in mind, here are some really simple things we can all do to take better care of our bodies right now:

Spend more time sleeping

If you’re someone who doesn’t get to bed until late and who then gets up early in the morning, you need to do what you can to ensure you get at least 7 (ideally 8 or 9) hours of sleep each night. Your body needs rest to repair and if it doesn’t get it you won’t be able to function optionally; you may even get stressed, depressed or develop illnesses like obesity and heart disease. Sleep matters and that’s why you need to take control of your schedule so you can get enough of it right now.

If you struggle to get to sleep, try a lavender pillow mist, hot bath or soothing cup of camomile tea to help you drift off.

See the doctor

Or the dentist or the audiologist regularly for routine appointments and more importantly, see them quickly when you develop symptoms. Letting things go on for too long could give illness and disease the time and space they need to spread, mutate and get worse and that’s the last thing you need. Yes, seeing a doctor can be scary and inconvenient at times, but it really is better than the alternative.

Hydrate

Being properly hydrated makes you feel more alert, more energized and better able to concentrate. It’s also great for the skin and organ function. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and you’ll soon start to feel the difference.

Relax

Your body and mind can get so easily stressed and stress is so bad in so many ways. So, it is vitally important that you take some time to relax each day. Whether you spend some time in the sauna, hit the mat for a relaxing yoga session, or learn how to meditate, taking some time out just for you will help your body to stay strong and healthy come what may.

Improve your nutrition

Ideally, at least 80 percent of everything you consume should be healthy, nutritionally dense whole foods. These are the foods that will fuel your body, ensure you get all of the nutrients you need to function and help you to stay at a healthy weight. Sure, you can indulge in junk once in a while, but if most of what you’re eating doesn’t come in a package with 20 ingredients on the label, you will feel the benefit.

Love your body and it will support you through life!

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Health Hacks to Improve Your Life This Year

Looking after your health and well-being is so important these days, and you have a lot of things you need to keep in mind that will help you with this. Try to make sure you come up with ideas that will allow you to make the best health decisions moving forward right now. There are plenty of options that play a role in this, and you need to get creative about what it takes to be healthier.

Your well-being is so important, and there are more opportunities than ever to improve things these days. Make sure you look at some of the best ways of achieving this, and there are a lot of factors that you need to make sure you get right. Here are some of the factors that you need to understand when it comes to improving and enhancing your health and fitness right now.

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Go on a Diet

Going on a diet is one of the best ways of being able to make the most of this right now. Try to come up with some rad new diet plan that is going to transform your calorie count and help you to lose weight. You need to think carefully about the sorts of things you are putting into your body, and this is something that plays a part in helping to improve your lifestyle. Try to make the most of this right now, and this is going to help you in the long run.

Look After Your Teeth

Your teeth play a big part in improving your health and well-being, and it is important to make sure you focus on doing as much as possible to get this right. There are a lot of things you can do to make your teeth stronger and healthier, and going to the dentist on a regular basis is one of the best ways of doing this. An emergency dental clinic is essential for any teeth related mishaps you might encounter, and you also need to make sure you keep your teeth as clean and healthy as possible.

Improve Your Mental Health

Mental health and well-being is so important, and you need to focus on this just as much as on your physical health. There are so many factors that play a role in helping you improve this, and you need to come up with plenty of ideas that can help you work on your mental health. Making this better is something you are going to need to get right as much as possible. Focus on making the right mental health decisions that are able to improve your livelihood in the process.

Do as much as you can to look after yourself and try to make the right decisions for the future. You have to try to understand the best ways of making your life better, and taking steps to try to work on this is so important. Think about some of the key ways you can improve your life and make yourself happier and healthier right now.

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