When you are living a life in the fast lane, a good night’s sleep is usually your best weapon against complete breakdown. With the obvious exception of having a big project the following day, insomnia is something you can do without. Attempted failures of sleeping can leave you drained and ill-tempered the following morning, and that is enough to ruin your whole day.

You have probably tried the classic practice of counting sheep (and if it worked for you once, that is saying something!). You have taken reasonable enough suggestions like drinking warm milk or tea before bedtime while avoiding caffeinated drinks, sleeping in a nice relaxing bed and in a well-ventilated bedroom, taking a warm shower or bath, and passing up naps the whole day. Maybe you have even gone to a doctor or a psychiatrist. But sometimes still, insomnia defeats even these most prescribed solutions.

Following are a few more other suggestions on how to sleep better at night:

1. Turn out the lights. Unless you are afraid of the dark, extinguishing out all the lights remains one of the best sleeping measures to date.

2. Sleep on your back. This way, all your internal organs are well rested. But if you would rather sleep on your side, do so with your right side. Otherwise, your lungs and liver may increase pressure against your heart. Sleeping on a prone position may cause you to be stiff and sore the following day.

3. Move your feet rhythmically. The channels of energy in your feet connect to all energy channels across your body just as pulling the rope causes the church bell to clang. This activity is not meant to energize your body, but to relax it. Remember when, as a child, your mother used to pat you gently to sleep? A rhythmic foot movement works exactly like that – minus mom.

4. Rub your stomach. This is another way of body relaxation. In addition, you might lose a little extra weight as this activity improves digestive functioning.

5. Stop deep thinking. Because keeping your mind blank is almost impossible, instead keep your visualizations peaceful and dull. Further mind stimulation will only keep you thinking and thinking of more thoughts and ideas.

6. Try reverse psychology. Remember how you just hate getting up from bed every morning? Well, if you are suffering from sleepless nights, nurture that early morning feeling and it might do the trick. As you lie down and ready yourself to sleep, tell yourself that you need to get up and imagine reasons why you should (like a visit to the bathroom, or to return a book to its place on the shelf). You would find yourself not wanting to do those trifling chores, thinking that you would rather fall asleep – and luckily you might be able to do just that.

Good luck and hope you sleep well tonight!

A cold is a respiratory system infection. It basically affects the nose, ears, and the throat. There are many types of viruses that can cause colds. Because of the fact that they are numerous, the creation of a vaccination that can prevent it altogether is quite impossible.

But don’t be gloomy, our body has its own way of coping with colds and is in fact in possession of the best cure which is our immune system which defends our body from illnesses.

How Do Colds Spread?

When we sneeze or cough, some droplets of mucus from inside our nose can float in the air and the breathing in of these droplets will make start the spread of colds. You can also get colds when you touch your eyes or nose after touching something with the cold virus as well. Hence, you can get it from doors in public places and from your school desk. It is therefore vital that you keep to the habit of regularly washing your hands or disinfecting your hands to avoid transfer of virus and bacteria.

What are the symptoms of colds? From your initial contact with a colds virus, it will take two to three days before symptoms begin to show. The telling signs of oncoming colds are; low fever at about 37.2 to 37.8 Celsius, itchiness and soreness of the throat, coughing, body chills, tiredness, stuffiness of the nose and breathing difficulties and feeling not hungry.

Ways to Cure and Prevent Colds

Since it is usually more advisable to wait for colds to go away than to ingest any medication here are some tips to help you get through it with more ease.

1. Try to ingest more hot drinks, since these will soothe your throat and will help in clearing the mucus.

2. Go for a steamy shower; this can help in relieving the stuffiness of the nose and soothe its sense of irritation.

3. You can also run a humidifier to relieve your itchy and irritating throat and your watery eyes. The humidifier will make the air in the room moist and will loosen the mucus.

4. Apart from these, make sure that you keep a healthy and balanced diet. Get as much vitamins and minerals as you can.

5. Also, be sure to get plenty of sleep and rest.

6. Remember also that by blowing your nose you can help ease your colds and help you get rid of that mucus.

7. Finally, maintain a relaxed state of mind. Don’t stress yourself out; stress will only contribute to the weakening of your system and will, therefore, deter your recuperation.

Colds may be stubborn and irritating. Make sure that you get rid of it as soon as you feel the symptoms. Otherwise, you will have to endure a long day of discomfort and uneasiness.

The common cold is highly contagious; you can get it from someone who is infected with it by simply getting in contact with the infectious liquid droplets from his nose and mouth. This can happen when he sneezes or coughs, and he transmits his colds into the air. You may also get it when you make contact with items that has been contaminated by his virus.

Symptoms of the Common Cold

By observing yourself, you will know if you are about to get a cold when you feel a slight tickle in your throat. Also, when you notice that you are forming a stuffy or runny nose and you begin to sneeze with increasing frequency. You may also be suffering from a headache at about this time which may be coupled with a mild fever.

If you feel that your muscles are aching and you feel extremely fatigued, you may also find it easy to see that you are indeed developing a cold. In some cases, a loss of appetite may also signal the coming of colds.

Treatment for Colds

Colds usually last for 5 to 7 days only, and may be caused by viruses incurable by antibiotics. The medications available for treating colds are usually only for temporary relief and are not really for absolutely curing it. But there are things that you can do to help you in your dealing with colds.

1. First, you can use rubs containing natural ingredients like menthol, camphor, and eucalyptus oil to relieve the stuffiness and congestion, and for a more easy breathing. They will also give you greater comfort since they have soothing and cooling properties.

2. You may also want to use the method of steam inhalation. This is best for unblocking nasal passages and would make breathing smooth and easy. To do this, you need to fill a bowl with steaming water and add 2 teaspoons of menthol rub. Afterwards, gently breathe in the steam or vapor that this solution produces.

3. It would also help a lot for you to take in large quantities of fluids such as water and fruit juices to replace the fluids that you are losing with colds. Be sure also to eat fruits rich in vitamin C.

4. Remember that, to be able to recover faster, you have to take the time to rest since this will help your body in its fight against the illness.

5. In case your colds is accompanied by fever, you may take in a regular paracetamol but should high fever persists be sure to consult your physician immediately.

Having a cold may be common, but it doesn’t mean you have to tolerate it in your body. Make sure to take necessary precautions to prevent experiencing colds or take actions to treat them immediately when you have them.

Coughing is one of the most common ailments that attack both the young and the old. It is usually associated with the common cold, although illnesses such as infections, gastro esophageal reflux disease, chronic bronchitis, and other upper respiratory tract infections may also cause coughing.

Cough can either be voluntary or involuntary. It is often activated by the presence of irritants, or when afflicted with mucus, edema, pus, or very hot or cold air in the airway. Smoking can also result to chronic coughing. It is the body’s natural defense against excess mucus and foreign particle.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get rid of your cough:

1. The first step in treating a cough is identifying what kind of cough is it that you’re suffering from to find out the proper solution.

If your cough is accompanied by a sputum or mucus, it is called a productive cough and can be treated by an expectorant which encourages more coughing to remove the phlegm.

A dry or non-productive cough, on the other hand, is treated with antitussives. Antitussives help stop the coughing reflex by restraining throat irritation. Take caution, however, for continued intake of antitussives can cause dependency.

1. Before buying and taking in any medicine, read the labels first as some over-the-counter drugs may contain added ingredients. Pain relievers are added to soothe sore throat. Antihistamines, on the other hand, benefit those with allergies. A bronchodilator helps widen air passage and is useful only for expectorants. Sugar and alcohol are also added to preserve the cough mixtures but are not suitable for children and diabetics.

1. For those on a tight budget or who believes in natural remedies, alternative treatments can be effective in treating and getting rid of that nasty cough. To relieve a tight chest and stuffy nose, put a few drops of menthol or eucalyptus in a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam. To get rid of phlegm, apply a hot compress using three parts hot water and one part cider vinegar on your throat. And avoid allergens in cases of colds and cough triggered by an asthma or allergy attack. Limit your intake of dairy, poultry and poultry products.

Cough is not a disease, but may be the most obvious symptom of an underlying disease. Usually, when cough is a result of a minor condition like common colds, it may be treated with over-the-counter drugs. However, the presence of symptoms other than coughing signals the need for a medical consultation.

Signs or symptoms to look out for include blood in mucus, mucus that turns into yellow or green, fever, and coughing which lasts for more than three days.

With these knowledge in mind, you are now finally equipped with the basic information you ought to know about coughs and how to get rid of them. Remember, arming yourself with the right and sufficient information may be your defense against this common malady.

Influenza or flu is a contagious disease of the respiratory system caused by influenza viruses. Although some people dismiss its symptoms and mistake them for the common cold, influenza is a much more serious health issue. It may cause mild to severe illness and in extreme cases it may lead to death, especially when complications arise and not enough proper treatment is given.

For a period of 30 years from 1976 to 2006, annual flu-related mortality rates in the United States were from a low of 3,000 to as high as 49,000. Recently, 80 to 90 percent of flu-related deaths involved people aged 65 years and older.

Symptoms of Influenza

Some or all of these symptoms may be felt by people who have flu:

• Fever or chills – Although this is common, it should be noted that not all who have flu will have fever.
• Headaches
• Cough
• Runny nose or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Feeling of tiredness
• Body or muscle aches
• Vomiting and diarrhea – Some adults may have these symptoms but they are more common in children.

Most people who have influenza will recuperate in a few days to less than two weeks. However some people develop complications with the flu. Pneumonia is a common complication but some can be more serious and life-threatening and may even result to death.

Other common complications as a result of flu are bronchitis, sinus and ear infections. The flu can also make the chronic disease the patient may have worse. A  person with asthma may suffer asthma attacks while having flu and those with heart ailments may experience worsening of their heart conditions, with the flu triggering them.

While any person, healthy or not, may get flu, some people are more vulnerable to flu-related complications when they get sick. This includes old people aged 65 years and above. Also with a high risk of complications from flu are those with medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes, young children and pregnant women.

Causes of Influenza

There are three types of influenza virus that cause flu – types A, B and C. The seasonal outbreak of flu that we experience are coming from influenza viruses A and B. Type B influenza viruses circulate only among humans while type A viruses are found in animals like chicken, ducks, pigs and horses.

The most common way flu is transmitted from one person to another is through sneezing or coughing of the person afflicted with flu. The other ways influenza virus is caught by people is through their touching a contaminated surface or object then putting their hands in their mouth or nose. In some cases, people  infected by the flu virus can contaminate others without them realizing it. This is because they can already infect others one day before the flu symptoms develop in them. The transmission of the virus to others can happen up to seven days after being sick.

Treatment of Influenza

You can treat influenza from your home. Here are the some of the actions you can take:

• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink plenty of water and liquids.
• Take medications to relieve the flu symptoms. Aspirin or ibuprofen can help to alleviate the symptoms of fever, muscle aches and headaches that go with the flu. Aspirin should, however, not be used to treat children with flu-like symptoms.
• Stay away from alcohol and tobacco.

You may also take the antiviral drugs prescribed by your doctor. Prescription medications to treat the flu are usually given, depending on the severity and duration of the illness, and taking to account your medical history.

Getting vaccinated with a flu shot every year is probably the most important step you can take to prevent having flu, especially to protect children. See your health care provider when you develop flu-like symptoms. You should especially be conscious if you are at high risk for complications of the flu. Flu is not just one of those minor ailments that you can simply ignore.

Children, together with the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases are at high risks of serious complications from flu. In the United States, it is estimated that more than 20,000 children below 5 years old are hospitalized for flu complications every year. The number of children who are brought to the doctors, emergency rooms or urgent care centers because of flu is much, much higher.

Complications resulting from flu for very young children include:

• Pneumonia – an illness where the lungs are infected and get inflamed
• Dehydration – when a child’s body loses substantial amount of water and salts, often from not enough water intake
• Aggravation of long-term medical conditions, such as asthma, heart disease, sinus problems, ear infections and encephalopathy or brain inflammation. Though rarely, complications from flu can lead to death.

Here are some pieces of advice to keep in mind to protect children from influenza:

Make sure your child gets flu vaccination every season.

The severity of flu depends on the season due to prevailing factors such as the type of flu viruses that are spreading and how well matched the available flu vaccines are to the flu viruses that are causing the influenza illness.

Children should get a flu shot or nasal spray vaccine every season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the vaccine is 62 percent effective in preventing children from getting the flu. While it cannot completely prevent the flu, vaccine can shorten the illness and make the symptoms milder, if the children get sick.

Teach children to practice good cough etiquette.

Inform children that flu germs can spread as far as six feet through sneezes and coughs. Teach them to cover their mouth and nose with a handkerchief or tissue when coughing and sneezing, then clean their hands afterward.

Discourage sick kids from visiting your children and keep them in their own room if they are sick. If the rest of the family is already sick with flu, keep the children who are well away from the virus by having them stay in their own room.

If flu is widespread in the community, avoid large crowds and social events such as going to parties and to the movies until things settle down.

Keep hands and surfaces or objects clean and virus-free.

Flu viruses can survive up to 8 hours on surfaces and objects.

Teach children to always clean their hands properly with soap and water. Also try to clean toys, counters, handles, phones, remote controls and other objects that are usually shared, using hot soapy water or disinfectants against flu virus.

Let children stay healthy.

Good health practices are applicable in all seasons. Provide children god nutrition, moderate execise and enough rest to help improve their immune system.

A well balanced diet should consist of nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruits, milk and water.

Encourage children to have at least one hour of physical activity almost daily.

School-age children should get at least 10 hours of sleep while toddlers should have 12 hours.

Treat symptoms of children with flu.

Apply home remedies when children are sick. Rest and plenty of liquids are a must. Honey for cough of children over one year old is an effective cough suppressant and does not present side effects. Medicated rubs for the chest for cough or congestion can bring relief. So can humidifier or vaporizer and saline drops.

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce fever in children. Avoid aspirin as it can cause Reye Syndrome, a serious illness in children with a viral illness.

An antiviral medicine prescribed for patients within 48 hours of the flu, can minimize the symptoms and severity of the flu and its contagiousness as well.

Without antiviral medications, most healthy children will recover within a few days. Just be aware of worsening fever or cough and watch out for other signs of complications from flu.

Your children are vulnerable to influenza. They are ignorant of of this condition and even more on how to prevent it. Protect them through proper guidance and implementation of preventive actions against this potentially serious condition.

Influenza or the flu is an infection that almost always brings about fever, body aches, cough, chills and headaches. It can also cause sinus problems and ear aches sometimes.

Causes of Flu

The flu is basically caused by the influenza virus. Normally, the flu may only last for a week or two, but for some people, it can be quite serious and a may actually be a symptom of a more complicated condition. The presence of flu may be quite alarming if the sick person is one older than 65 years of age, or babies and toddlers under the age of two, as well as adults and kids who are suffering from diabetes and asthma.

The Importance of Flu Vaccine

People who have weak immune systems or those who experience being sick frequently should have themselves vaccinated. If you get a flu vaccine, you will either be avoiding the flu altogether or if you do contract one, it will be the milder and faster kind. Remember however that if you get a vaccine or shot, be sure to get it every year because the flu virus changes every year so you will be needing a different one by the next. Since the virus is changing, the kind of vaccine shots are also made to adapt to the kind of enemy it needs to kill.

How is Flu Contracted?

The flu spreads around in little drops that come out from the mouth or nose of one with flue whenever he sneezes, laughs or coughs. When you breathe in some of these drops or touch your mouth after touching the drops elsewhere you will catch the flu.

How to Properly Manage Flu

1. If you get the flu, be sure to get plenty and sufficient amount of rest. Relax in your bed or couch as much as you can.

2. Also, be sure to ingest or drink lots of liquids, like water, broths and other healthy fluids. Moreover, take in healthy foods that can give you the essential vitamins and minerals to help strengthen your immune system.

3. Remember also to take your medicine for your fever and your aches and pains according to your doctor’s instructions.

4. If you feel that you are having trouble breathing and your muscles are hurting, be sure to see your doctor again.

5. To insure recuperation, be sure to rest for the entire week or until you feel well and back to your normal, healthy self. Resting will facilitate your bodies healing and will make it easier for your immune system to gain strength in combating your flu.

Having a flu is a sign that your body is not well. Do not ignore signs of un-wellness. Make sure that you take necessary measures against flu to keep your body healthy at all times.

A healthy immune system is the key to preventing bacterias and viruses from overpowering your body and letting it succumb to illness. The medical world is in unanimous agreement with this premise. Unfortunately, a healthy immune system does not simply come from taking pills or even nutritional supplements.  A healthy immune system is the result of having a fully and properly functioning nervous system and body. Securing a healthy immune system is vital to the body’s overall wellness. The most important method to achieve a strong immune system is to follow a comprehensive approach that involves healthy lifestyle, exercise, stress management, proper nutrition, nutritional supplementation and chiropractic care.

Influenza: What is it?

Influenza or flu is a contagious viral infection of the respiratory passages. It often brings fever,   headaches, cough, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue and severe muscle and body aches. It can cause mild to severe illness and in the worst cases, may lead to death.

Complications from influenza are common. Some of these complications resulting from flu are illnesses such as sinus, bronchitis, pneumonia, and ear infections. The worsening of chronic conditions of patients affected by flu, such as heart disease, and asthma are also common examples of complications from flu.

Flu is caused by three kinds of influenza viruses – types A, B and C.  Influenza virus types A and B are what are causing the seasonal flu outbreaks. Type A influenza viruses are found in some animals like ducks, chicken, pigs and horses while type B viruses circulate generally among humans.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of Americans will get the flu this year.  As we approach the peak of the flu season, you should be prepared for this potentially serious illness.

Chiropractic Care for Influenza

In hundreds of research studies, chiropractic care has been determined to improve the immune system of the body without the use of drugs or surgery. People who have 100 percent healthy immune system resulting from chiropractic care especially, are generally healthier and more resistant to colds and flu compared to  the rest of the population. Chiropractic care can boost your immune system with spinal adjustment. By removing vertebral subluxations, serious interferences to your proper body functions, chiropractic care can significantly increase your natural resistance to diseases.

An elevated body temperature from fever, which is one of the common symptoms in your body when you are sick, is your body’s defense mechanism to fight off infection. The medication you take to bring this body temperature lower is actually effectively reducing your body’s defense against the illness. Other medications that are meant to suppress the symptoms in your body are likewise countering your body’s attempts to clear itself of viral and bacterial influences. Medications just tend to mask the symptoms rather than attacking the underlying cause of the illness.

The adjustment that the chiropractor performs releases the pressure on your nerves and facilitates more efficient interaction between your body’s nervous and immune systems. With a healthy immune system is your better ability and preparedness to combat and prevent the flu.

Preventing the influenza is just one of the many benefits that regular chiropractic maintenance can bring to your body. While a flu shot to a large extent may prevent flu or control its symptoms, chiropractic care is the more natural approach to fight the influenza virus. Proper nutrition, exercising, stress management and having a healthy body and mind are all important aspects of the chiropractic program and they all contribute to a positive immune system function.

This season is the right time to start boosting your immune system to fight against the coming onslaught of viruses, including influenza virus coming your way. One of the best ways to build a solid defense against flu is through chiropractic care.

Hunger is a common feeling after a sweaty workout. But beware! The calories you burned during the workout might come back sooner than you can think with the wrong choices of food to eat after working out.

 

Researchers suggest that after a workout, snacks with combination of protein-rich and low-glycemic fats are the best choices. But choosing post workout snacks will depend on the intensity of workout you have done. For example, if you performed an hour or two of strenuous workout, you would need to replenish your energy to help you prepare for the next activity. On the other hand, you would not need a post workout snack after a light 15- to 30-minute treadmill walk. Your next regular meal is already enough to fill the energy lost.

 

Refueling your body’s energy is important as it allows you to regain lost energy burned in the process of exercise. Think of a small granola bar as your reward after a nice workout.

 

Eating after a workout is fine; just be careful not to exceed the serving.

 

Studies show that women have the tendency to eat more after exercising. While it is easier for men to burn calories and lose body fats through workouts, it is harder for women to keep fit through exercise. Aside from this, women always crave for more food after a workout routine. Thus, when some women are not careful in choosing their post-workout snacks, they are most likely to double up their food intake after a tiring round of exercise. Some women feel energized after a workout but the downside for them is that they feel more hungry than usual. Gym instructors say that it is normal for women to crave for foods that are sweet and heavy after a visit to the gym, such as chocolate bars or pasta. With these tendencies, it is important to be wise and health conscious in picking your post-workout food stuff.

 

Recommended post-workout snacks are whole-grain bread or pasta, zero-fat yoghurt, oatmeal, granola bar, less-fat cheese, fat-free peanut butter, or a slice of deli meat. Just be sure to combine protein and low-glycemic carbohydrates with these foods.

 

The best time to eat your post-workout fix is 15 minutes after you step out of the gym as glycogen energy lost during the workouts are replaced swiftly during this brief period of time.

 

Drinking plenty of water is also advised so as to replenish the liquids lost in your body due to workout sweating.