Brain Wave – Page 60 – Sasha Says…

Keeping Life Sweet (But Not Too Sweet) With Diabetes

January 31, 2018 No Comments

Nearly 1-in-4 adults live with diabetes, with even more showing prediabetic signs. Type-2 diabetes accounts for the majority of all cases, and it is becoming one of the fastest rising chronic health concerns. Because it’s so prevalent, there are a lot of tips on how to live a healthier and happier lifestyle with diabetes. Here, we’re going to look at the information that everyone should know, especially if you’re having trouble coping with some of the more common symptoms.

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Check that glucose

Staying as informed about the particulars of your condition as is possible is the most important thing when living with diabetes. Your doctor will come up with a plan and help you understand your safe blood glucose levels. But you have to get into the habit of checking it yourself. Monitoring your blood pressure is going to help you recognize when you’re getting into risky levels, as well as the overall trends that will help you know whether medication, diet, and lifestyle changes are helping you manage your condition. Learn how to test your blood, how to keep your meter and supplies on you, and put together a schedule with your doctor so you can make measurements as accurate and reliable as possible. If you have to set alarms on your phone to remind you when to check your blood sugar levels, do it.

Find any excuse to exercise

Physical activity is of huge benefit to anyone that’s living with diabetes. If you’re unused to exercise, then there are plenty of easy, low-impact options like walking, cycling, and swimming that can get you started slowly before you start to pick up the pace. With type-2 diabetes, you have too much glucose in your body and your insulin either can’t deal with it or you don’t produce enough. Exercise is one of the most effective ways of controlling blood glucose levels. What’s more, it’s an essential component of healthy weight loss which can reduce your risk factors for some of the more dangerous potential symptoms of diabetes. Just make sure you talk to your doctor so you’re aware of any potential heart health issues or complications like retinopathy. They might be able to help by referring you to an exercise physiologist.

Manage your diet

Exercise is only as important as your diet, of course, and you have to focus on making healthy changes to both. You don’t have to be “perfect” but you do have to find a balance. Control your portion sizes, make sure you have the correct ratio of grains/starchy vegetables to greens to meats on your plate. Opt for healthy fats like omega-3 fats found in fish like salmon and nuts instead of saturated kinds. Most importantly, try to avoid processed foods and choose wholefoods more often.

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Walk away from leg pain

But what about the symptoms you might feel as a result of your diabetes? One of the most common is leg pain, sensitive, swelling, inflammation and numbness. This is known as diabetic neuropathy and without treatment it can become debilitating. There are a lot of different remedies to try, however. Medication can treat the pain while dietary supplements can repair damaged tissue and protect from future damage, so it’s worth mentioning any leg pain to the doctor. Diabetic friendly socks alleviate pressure on the foot and leg. Because diabetes raises the blood sugar level, you could be at more risk of foot and leg ulcers due to bad circulation. These ulcers are a primary factor in the prevalence of amputations related to untreated diabetic neuropathy. Again, regular exercise will help improve circulation in your legs, too.

Watch your eyes

Diabetic retinopathy is another one of the more serious complications to be concerned with, as well. It is currently one of the leading causes of blindness and vision impairments. If you suffer from diabetes, having an annual retinal exam is crucial if you want to keep your sight. There are different stages of diabetic retinopathy and the sooner you catch it, the better your chances of stopping it from progressing. You can do this by controlling a wide range of risk factors, including proper blood sugar control, quitting smoking, improving your blood pressure and cholesterol levels and more. Pregnant women are at more risk of retinopathy, so work closely with your doctor if you find out you are expecting.

Mind your head

It’s not talked about as often because it’s one of the “invisible” symptoms, but depression is very common amongst type-2 diabetics. Managing diabetes can be stressful, and the condition itself can be painful and bothersome enough that it can all come together to dramatically worsen your mood to the point you develop depression. If you’re starting to feel like you’re losing energy, struggling completing tasks you once could, or like your mood is leaning in a worse direction more often, talk to your doctor. Beyond prescribing medication for depression, they could have resources on support groups for diabetics that can help you address your issues with people who understand and even learn some practical tips.

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Get your sleep

High-blood pressure and stress are two things that people living with diabetes do not need. They both increase your risk of retinopathy and neuropathy and they can make exercise and your diet less effective, limiting the impact they have on your blood sugar. So, make sure you’re getting a good night’s sleep. Poor sleep increases blood pressure and increases the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Start planning your sleep. Set a bedtime and have a routine, including turning off all electronics, that begins half-an-hour before you sleep. You need around seven-and-a-half hour’s sleep and it takes the average person fifteen minutes to fall asleep when they lie down, so set your alarm clock accordingly and you’ll have a much more fulfilling sleep. If you have trouble sleeping even when you manage your sleep schedule, talk to your doctor.

As a final tip, if you’re diabetic, it’s a good idea to think about investing in a medical bracelet or alarm. If you go into diabetic shock, you might find you can’t speak for yourself, so having a way to get help in an emergency could end up saving your life.

Brain Wave, Society at large

Crime Never Pays, Unless You’re The Victim

January 31, 2018 No Comments

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In modern societies, there are very few things which put you in danger and are out of your control. Roads are becoming safer, violence is very minimal, and the people around you are happy with their lives. Of course, though, while this sounds like an idyllic mix, there will always be some who stay a little bit behind. Being a victim of crime is never a nice experience, and most people will do everything in their power to avoid it. Not everyone’s the same, and some people are out there to take something from you, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t start working to get it back.

What Did They Take: For a lot of people, the first job on the to-do list will be obtaining the stolen item from the criminal. Of course, you won’t be able to do this alone and might need the help of a couple of different organisations. First, the police should be informed of the crime, giving them the chance to launch an investigation while leads are still hot. Along with this, though, you can do some work of your own, using the internet to try and find the person on your own terms. If you want to cover yourself for the future, personal belongings insurance can guarantee a return if you ever have anything stolen.

What Did You Lose: Along with the items you lose during the crime itself, being a victim of a theft or violent attack can often see you losing money in the future, too. Being unable to work, get where you need to, or be independent can be a big blow to your finances, and this is something which should be made right. Once the criminal has been caught by the police, you will have the chance to press charges. With this, you will also have an opportunity to take legal action for the income you might lose, opening the doors to repayments from the perpetrator coming on a regular basis.

Your Injuries: Finally, as the last area to consider, being a victim of crime will also often mean being hurt. When people are doing something bad, it will be hard for them to consider their actions, and they could be rougher than necessary to get what they want. When you’re hurt by someone like this, professionals like https://www.derricklawfirm.com/ can help you to fight for compensation. Even if your injury doesn’t see you out of work, it’s important to make sure that this sort of issue is made up for. Of course, though, you will have to fight hard to get the money you deserve, and this could take a couple of years.

Hopefully, with all of this in mind, being a victim will become a lot easier. You’ve probably heard of the idea that crime never pays, referring to the time criminals often have to do in prison. Of course, though, when you haven’t done anything wrong, but have lost out, you should always be in line to get something back.

Brain Wave, Careers, Freelancing and Self-Employment, Self-Care Corner

Calling All Freelancers: How You Can Take Better Care of Yourself

January 31, 2018 No Comments

Being able to work from home can bring with it some great flexibility and the freedom to do things as and when you need to. You’re only accountable to yourself, and you decide your workload and the hours that you work. But with that freedom, comes some responsibility; you may be accountable to only you about your work, but also about your health. In an office, an employer is required to adhere to certain guidelines to make sure that you’re working in a healthy and safe environment. But when you’re working at home and by yourself, the only person that will be telling you to take a break or get a new desk chair is you. So what can you to do be more accountable for your health when you’re self-employed? Here are some of the ways you can take better care of yourself.

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Assess Your Desk

Hopefully you have a desk or an office space that you work in at home. You should check the space out and see what you can be doing to make sure that it is a comfortable and safe space. Is your desk chair up to scratch? Is it adjustable and movable? If it isn’t, then it could be worth looking to invest in a new one. Have you got a footrest or somewhere for your wrists to avoid things like repetitive strain? All of these kind of thing can make a difference to your health and posture overall, and stop you getting aches and pains when you’re doing your work.

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Improve Your Health

As well as the environment that you’re in, your own health can have an impact on how well you’re able to work. And at the end of the day, as a freelancer, you’re likely to not get paid unless you are working. So it pays to stay well; literally. So think about regular exercise breaks to take a walk or go to the gym. Think about what you’re eating and drinking; it can be hard to get up early and do work if you’re hungover or feel so lethargic from eating sugar-filled foods. You could also look to purchase health care products online like a blood pressure monitor or a mattress that could help you sleep better. Be proactive and you’re likely to deal with any issues before they actually crop up.

Banish Loneliness

Working freelance can be very rewarding. But sometimes your only contact with someone else during the day can be the mailman! So it can be a pretty lonely place, especially if you work online and deal with people via emails. So in order for it to not impact your mental health, you need to think about what you can do to tackle it. It could mean that you decide to schedule conference calls or Skype calls rather than email. You could work from a coffee shop once a week or even hire a desk in an office. Just do what you need to do to banish that feeling of loneliness.

Brain Wave, Life in general

3 Perfect Jobs For Social People

January 30, 2018 No Comments

Some people like to get their head down and work all day without distraction. They get in, get their work done and get out. The fewer people they speak to, the better. But for others, that’s a lonely existence and they would much rather spend all day with others. If you’re working in an office job, you get some chance to socialize with others but most of the day is spent at your desk in silence. If that sounds like your idea of hell, why not try one of these great job opportunities for social people?

Event Coordinator

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Anybody that has great organizational skills and loves to meet new people all the time is perfectly suited to a job as an event coordinator. You can do anything from weddings and birthday parties to corporate events or fundraisers. Whatever area you decide to move into, you get the chance to liaise with all of the different people involved in putting the event on as well as the people attending. No two days will ever be the same and you’ll get to be out and about organizing different people every week, instead of walking around on the same piece of carpet, with the same people, in an office.

Home Care

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Elderly people are often forgotten about and so many of them just want somebody to talk to. Home care is a great opportunity for you to meet a lot of interesting people with stories to tell and, while you’ll have to help them out with basic day to day tasks, a big part of your job is just keeping them company and socializing with them. You could even start a home care business yourself if you’ve got the ambition. It’s a great business to run and it comes with a huge sense of reward when you see the difference that you’re making to the lives of people that are often left behind.

Tour Guide

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If you’re a travel lover as well as a people person, tour guide is the right job for you. You can do in your own city, meeting people from all over the world and showing them a slice of life in your country. It also gives you great opportunities to travel around the world and give people tours of attractions in other countries as well. It’s the perfect way to fund longer trips as well. You could start your own business but if you don’t want to do that, there are plenty of platforms already out there that are always looking for new guides. Some people are put off because they don’t want to spend their days walking around museums and galleries that they’ve been to a thousand times before but that’s not all there is to it. If you’re a local, you’re in a good position to offer alternative tours to tourists that want to see the more authentic side of your city, so why not come up with your own set of must see sights around the city and tour that instead?

These are just some of the great job options for somebody that’s a real people person.

Brain Wave, Careers, Freelancing and Self-Employment, Work at Home

How To Protect Your Small Business When You Work at Home

January 30, 2018 No Comments

When you run a small business, it is important that you do everything you can to make sure that you are protected. You also have to make sure that everything runs smoothly so that you can avoid a lawsuit as well. All of this can be incredibly difficult when you have so much to think about on a day to day basis, but with a little bit of help and support, you can give your small business the protection it needs.

Watch what you say

Your business is all about your image and you have to make sure that you avoid making any announcements that may be seen as being questionable. You also have to try and avoid things like slandering your customers and even dealing with other individuals who may be seen as being questionable as well. Of course, if you know that your business is not big enough to be worrying about this then you couldn’t be more wrong. Even the smallest businesses run into issues like this now and again. To avoid stress, you need to make sure that you are focused on how your social media presence could affect you and even how you can change your attitude.

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Hire an Attorney

As a business owner, you need to make sure that you interview an attorney. Even if you don’t think you’ll need one, it’s important to have someone that you can go to when you need advice because if you are being sued then the last thing that you need is to try and hire someone in a hurry. If you are concerned that you can’t afford to hire an attorney right now then think about the expense that you will have to go through when you are actually being sued.

Always Back up Files

A lot of people that work from home don’t think that they have to backup their files and they also believe that they don’t have to spend time worrying about cybercriminals as well. This is not true at all and when you run a small business, you are just as likely to have your details stolen when compared to someone who runs an office down the road. For this reason, if you want to avoid all of this then you have to make sure that your files are protected and that you have copies of absolutely everything. If you want to secure your data with Infrascale then this is more than possible for you to do.

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Don’t Hire Friends or Family

When you run a business, it can be hard for you to turn away friends and family for a job, but it will be even harder for you to turn them away when you have to fire them or even if you cannot afford to pay them one month. For this reason, you have to do everything you can to make sure that you hire people who you know you can trust as well as hiring people who you know have the right experience and the right knowledge to get the job done.

Brain Wave, Money matters

Curb Your Spending With These Simple Tips

January 30, 2018 No Comments

In this consumerist society, it can be extremely easy to get carried away with your disposable income each month. It can even be easy to get carried away with money which you don’t have. It is incredibly easy to get items on finance nowadays, and banks are all too happy to offer out loans with interest so high it can only be described as extortion. You may have fallen into this trap in the past and be looking at options like consolidate payday loans just to climb back up the credit score ladder and above the red line. Everyone either knows someone that has been ins this position or has been in the same position themselves – and it is extremely common nowadays. Even though we know it’s not worth it, through constant encouragement to spend, and being told we need luxury items – which incidentally we don’t need – we are led to the financial hole that many people don’t realise they’re in until they hit the bottom. Saving and paying debts off is not easy – if it was the banks wouldn’t have so many loan options, and no one would need them due to the extensive amount of money in their bank accounts. Alas, that is not the case, and we are encouraged to spend, spend, spend. Here are a few tips to help you keep on top of your spending and take back control of your finances.

Declutter

One of the best ways of not spending money is to throw things that you don’t need away. It opens your eyes to how much junk you had in the first place and shows you the extent of how money is wasted by spontaneous purchases. Yes, the sorting hat from Harry Potter World was severely overpriced, yet you said you’d treasure it forever, and now it is collecting dust. It happens to everyone. Your eyes become bigger than your wallet and before you know it you’re travelling home with three full bags of things you really didn’t need. Those three bags have now become bin bags – and it really gives you a new perspective on purchasing – a perspective that will be invaluable to your savings account.You already have enough things you didn’t need – you don’t need more.

Change Your Mindset

When it comes to thinking about your money, how do you measure it? By the amount that is in your bank? The amount of your monthly income that is disposable? The amount you owe to debt companies? Whichever way you think of it, it may be time to take on a new perspective. Whenever you’re out shopping, think of the price of an item as the number of hours you had to work to earn the amount of money. If you had to work all those hours again just for this item, would you still want it at the end of the shift? If the answer is no, then the item is not worth it. If yes, it still doesn’t mean you take it to the counter straight away. You then have to ask yourself if it is something you need or just something you desperately want that is going to collect dust like the previously mentioned Harry Potter souvenir? If it is the latter, you need to put it back on the shelf and walk away. Though out of your comfort zone, you will feel good for doing it. If you are still thinking about it in a few days time, you may be able to justify going back and buying it. But, the chances are that the impulse to buy would have worn out by then, and you will have forgotten all about it. When you are addicted to spending it is not the item that matters, it is the act of paying for something that is so addictive. Controlling that urge is the only thing that is going to help you to start breaking the habit.

Are Sales Actually Bargains?

Sales can be an extreme money grabber for people who like to spend because it is driven into you that you are getting a really good deal. However, at the end of the day, how good is the deal you are getting? You will also save more money by not spending any at all, no matter what the percentage off. Rarely items in sales are things you actually want or need; it is just the excitement of saving a bit of money that people radiate towards. It is important when shopping in a sale to go back to the mindset previously mentioned. The item may have 20% off, but may still cost you two full days at work – is the little bit of money you’re saving really worth it? Probably not.

Hopefully, this has given you some food for thought on how best to go about curbing your urge to spend and helping you to keep your pennies in your wallet, rather than in the hands of the commercial world.

Brain Wave, Life Hacks & Tips and Tricks, Self-Care Corner

Feeling Run Down, But What Can You Do?

January 29, 2018 No Comments

We all have days, weeks or even months where we feel run down and worse for wear. Perhaps you have been having a difficult time at work, or maybe you are having family issues. Either way, it can take a lot out of you, effecting both your mind and your body. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to improve the situation and we’re talking about both emotionally and physically. Some routes to recovery will boost your body as well as your soul. Perhaps then, it is best to start off by thinking about meditation.

Using Your Mind As A Muscle

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If you have been feeling stressed lately, you should try meditation. Through meditation, you can calm the mind in a very unique way. To start meditating, you don’t need a trainer, you just need to sit down and think about nothing. Or, rather, since this is actually very difficult, think about something. It doesn’t matter what that something is. It could be a bee sitting on a flower. The important thing is that the idea doesn’t grow or expand and instead remains constant in your mind. This isn’t actually as simple as it sounds.

To help, you can think about using music to focus your mind or certain sounds like the noise of the rainforest. CDs and MP3 files like this are easy to come by. When you do meditate, you need to find somewhere quiet where you can be alone. This could be somewhere in your home or if your house is a little bit or a disaster zone, somewhere outside, perhaps in the middle of the forest. It just needs to be a place where you will remain completely undisturbed.

Many people wonder how long you need to meditate for if it is going to be effective. We suggest you spend about an hour or even just half an hour a few times a week meditating. This should be more than enough time to get the impact of this type of calming exercise.

Meditation can be an incredibly powerful tool. Researchers discovered that through meditation, Buddhist monks actually completely restructured their mind. Different pathways were built up in the brain that had never been seen before. However, you probably won’t gain this type of change. So, what benefits could you reap from meditation?

Well, the main advantage would essentially be mindfulness. Through mindfulness, your mind will be clearer, and you will be able to focus on different issues and challenges present in your life. If you have a problem at work or even in your personal life, with meditation, you might find that you know how to cope with it and deal effectively.

Of course, if you want to get the best of both worlds, you may wish to think about yoga. Yoga isn’t quite meditation, but the breathing exercises directly control how much oxygen your brain receives. As well as this, it soothes the body, so it has a double impact on you. Yoga can be learned without assistance. However, you might find it more effective if you do recruit the support of a teacher.

Lavish In A Little Luxury

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Alternatively, you might want to think about retreating to a spa, perhaps for a weekend. There are a variety of spa service options to choose form with everything from massages to beauty techniques and body healing methods on the table. You should perhaps start with a full body massage. You will be amazed how much better you could feel after this type of treatment. Muscles can get very tense and terse. You might have heard of people getting knots in their back. This is because they have become so stressed they are actually struggling to cope and the body is starting to take the toll. By getting a massage from a professional, your body will heal, and you can come away feeling completely refreshed.

Bear in mind that getting a massage isn’t the same as asking your partner to rub your back in bed. Massages are almost a science where you need to hit the right spot in the right way. If you don’t take the right technique, then a massage won’t be all that beneficial. This is why it might be worth paying for a service from an expert.

Of course, a massage isn’t the only treatment that you can get when you head away to a spa. You might also want to think about looking into acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is a Chinese health remedy and one that has become very popular with western culture. A number of celebrities seem to love this method of healing and regularly get treatment. Acupuncture therapy perpetuates the notion that there are energy fields around the body and with the needles, the pressure points can be released and relieved. While the effects of this could be the placebo effect, so many people claim they feel better after the treatment that you might want to try it. If, you’re not afraid of needles.

If you are a little squeamish about pointy objects, you might want to focus on the way you look rather than how you feel. After all, looking like a mess can make you feel the same way. When you wake up in the morning and look in the mirror if you like what you see, you’ll have a more positive outlook through the day than if you hate your reflection. As such, it might be worth exploring ways to give your skin back its colour and rejuvenate your complexion.

One of the ways that you can do this is with nutrients and minerals that can be addressed to a facemask. Wearing an organic facemask, your skin will absorb the benefits from the minerals and nutrients, healing the skin. This can be a fantastic way to minimise the impact of wrinkles and other troubling signs of age such as spots. Don’t underestimate how much changing the way you look could impact how you feel. If you feel beautiful, you’ll have the confidence you need to tackle life’s greatest challenges.

Trouble Inside?

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Of course, you might find that you’re feeling run down purely because of your body. It’s not an emotional issue, it’s a totally physical issue that is causing an emotional effect. This could be due to a build-up of residue in your colon. Your colon is used to break down and dispel food from the body but a lot of food residue can build up that is essentially body waste. This waste can cause a number of impacts including an emotional response. It can make you feel sluggish and tired.

This is one of the reasons why a number of medical experts recommend that you get your system cleared out at least once annually. Clearing out your system you should feel better almost immediately. If you do have this issue, a key sign is that you will struggle to lose weight. An issue like this could mean that you are carrying as much as 25 pounds extra in weight. A lot of people think that a colon cleanse is a medical procedure, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a variety of natural cleanses like herbal tea. Using herbal tea, you can quickly and safely clear out this area of your body without any unpleasant issues.

Since we’re talking about the food in the body, it’s worth mentioning that your diet can definitely have an impact on how you feel. Eating food that is unhealthy will almost always have an impact on the way you feel and all of your emotions. It can increase feelings of fatigue and cause you to experience low moods and feel completely lethargic even in the middle of the day. That’s why if you are feeling down in the dumps you may want to look at your diet. Try and add some more fruit and veg and see what kind of impact that has because you might be surprised. More importantly, do your best to stay away from processed foods.

All foods are too an extent processed however it’s the ready meals that are the real issue. These meals are packed with sugar to add flavour, and the levels of sugar often contained tend to play havoc with the body.

Run For Your Life

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Last but not least, you might want to consider heading out for a run if you’re feeling tired and run down. This might seem counterproductive. After all, surely running is going to tire you out even more. But according to research, running can be beneficial for levels of stress and may even have an impact on ageing. As such, it could certainly be worth giving it a shot. The benefit of the running, of course, is that it actually gives every area of your body a workout. This is one of the reasons why, despite the strain, people tend to feel invigorated after a long run.

We hope you find this advice useful and work to build yourself back up when you’re feeling completely out of it and run down.

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