health Archives - Essential Oxygen

The Internet of Medical Things and What It Includes

November 21, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post

The Internet of Things has widespread use nowadays and by connecting various devices, it has impacted many industries and areas of life. One of those areas is definitely medicine and therefore, we also have the Internet of Medical Things – connecting medical devices and applications to the healthcare system. There are many benefits that the IoMT provides us with, from faster and more affordable care through easier communication between patients and physicians all the way to collecting valuable data and insights. Keep on reading to learn more about the great things that telemedicine has brought into our lives.

A Variety of mHealth Apps

Mobile health or mHealth refers to apps used on mobile devices that allow individuals to monitor and take care of their health. There is a wide variety of apps on the market currently and they are made for smartphones and tablets as well as for smartwatches and other wearable devices. For instance, there are some that remind people to take their medicine, others that provide first-aid advice and those that measure blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Plus, there are many apps that help prevent certain conditions like bad posture, for instance. While there are some concerns about the accuracy of certain health apps, checking their rating and whether they are recommended by some experts is the best course of action.

The Option of Virtual Hospitals

Another benefit of telehealth is the option of having online access to healthcare services right from the comfort of one’s home. That means that hospital waiting times are minimized and the risk of catching some other airborne disease while in the waiting room is reduced. In addition to being treated in their own home, virtual hospitals also allow individuals access to specialists that can easily diagnose their medical issues. Furthermore, patients also get to save money as they will not be traveling to the hospital nor paying for accommodation if they’re from out of town.

The Convenience of Teledentistry

Teledentistry is a branch of telemedicine that uses IT and telecommunications to provide patients with dental care, consultations and education. For teledentistry to work, a computer or tablet with the appropriate software and a stable internet connection are needed as well as intraoral cameras and portable X-ray devices that can capture images. Seeing how the need for equipment is reduced, this method is a great way to help people from rural areas get quality dental care; plus, the overall cost of dentistry can be lowered.

The Ability of In-Home Monitoring

In addition to not having to go to the hospital for a check-up, telehealth also includes remote patient monitoring technology which can benefit plenty of patients. For example, RTM devices can be used to monitor a patient’s glucose levels or heart activity and alert their doctor in case a problem occurs. Moreover, these intelligent devices can be remotely accessed by the patient’s physicians and family.

The Ease of Communication

Not having to make an appointment in the hospital to get some valuable advice makes communication between patients and physicians much easier. This works great for people from rural areas who cannot travel to the city or people with disabilities that simply do not have a way to visit a healthcare institution. Video and photo sharing apps and services make it much easier for doctors to see the condition of the patient without them having to come in. Additionally, test results can easily be sent to the physician’s phone and they’ll have them immediately. Finally, communication is much better among doctors as well. Having an expert available in a certain field, who might live overseas, can make solving health problems much more efficient.

More Accurate Diagnoses

With the help of various apps that allow tracking certain bodily metrics, the accuracy of diagnosis can also be increased. For example, there are devices that could indicate conditions such as atrial fibrillation and diabetes, plus some key parameters like blood pressure and brain activity can be collected regularly. What is more, diagnosing a medical issue is made much easier thanks to the real-time communication that smartphones allow. Being able to contact a specialist who studies and deals with certain conditions in depth can allow physicians to come to a conclusion when it comes to what is ailing their patients. Also, access to previous similar cases and various medical books through the internet and their mobile devices means that doctors can save a lot of valuable time.

More Accessible Education

Just like researching and diagnosing certain conditions is made much easier thanks to the IoMT, so is education. Nowadays, many medical books, studies, research, and unique medical cases can be found online. This means that any physician or aspiring healthcare worker can educate themselves further. Moreover, an increasing number of schools are relying on the e-learning approach to provide education to a wider pool of people and implementing cloud-based technologies that allow their students to share knowledge and various insights much faster. Finally, taking into account the potential of streaming various events all over the world, important surgeries could be broadcast even to countries that don’t usually have access to such advanced medical procedures and educate the medical experts in those places as well.

Seeing as how telemedicine is becoming more widespread with each passing day, the examples listed above are definitely not the only uses where the IoMT can be found. However, it’s good to know that everything from diagnosing to treating certain issues will soon be improved and expanded upon thanks to the seemingly never-ending advances in computing and technology.

[INFOGRAPHIC] 10 Ways Sleep Can Help You Live Longer

November 14, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post

In order to live a happy, productive life, you need to prioritize sleep. The benefits of getting a good night’s sleep go way beyond feeling well rested. Sleep can actually make you live longer, and it’s been directly linked to better decision making, faster response time, and a healthier body and mind.

Despite all the studies about the benefits of sleep, 1 in 3 people aren’t getting enough of it. The best way to make sure you are getting your recommended 7 to 9 hours of shuteye is to create a nighttime routine. Since 40% of our actions are done out of habit, an evening schedule that prioritizes a good night’s sleep will ensure that even on your most stressful day, your body can get itself ready for bed.

Read on to discover the key ingredients to a successful nighttime routine.

How to Get a Good Night’s Rest with a Nighttime Routine

There are a lot of things getting in the way of our sleep. Personal goals, hobbies, family, and work obligations can all cut into our snooze time. Further, stress and anxiety from personal and professional situations can also keep us awake at night.

A nighttime routine can help you get the shut eye you need even when you are feeling overwhelmed. This is because 40% of our actions come out of habit, so working a sleep routine into your evening habits will get your body ready for bed despite distractions.

Here are some routines to work into your evenings:

Put the phone away before bed: In order to prepare your body for REM sleep, you should be skipping a social media scroll right before bed. The blue lights from your phone are tricking your body into thinking it is earlier than it actually is, which can impact both falling asleep and achieving a full sleep cycle. Put your phone away two to three hours before bed and don’t check it again until morning.

Don’t drink alcohol: A glass of wine before bed may make you feel tired, but it’s not helping you achieve an REM sleep cycle. Alcohol reduces your body’s chances of getting a good night’s sleep, so opt for a healthier alternative like a warm bath or aromatherapy.

Take care of your oral hygiene: Don’t forget to wash your face and brush your teeth before you go to bed each night. You should be brushing your teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Brushing your teeth at night is especially important because saliva production decreases during sleep. From approximately 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. our liver cleanses our blood due to our body’s natural cleansing process. Get optimal oral health results with Essential Oxygen’s organic oral care products.

Avoid late naps: You shouldn’t be napping in the evening, because this can make it harder to fall asleep. If you do need a nap, take it earlier in the day and try to limit your sleep to 30 minutes.

Practice gratitude: Rather than watching tv before bed, try practicing thankfulness instead. Keeping a gratitude journal on your nightstand can help you clear your mind and fall asleep feeling grateful and ready for the day ahead.

Bestow has created this visual on how sleep can extend your life to help you get even more out of your sleep. Discover why a nighttime routine is essential for your success with the visual below!

Infographic from HelloBestow.com

5 Habits That Will Keep You Healthy & Fit for Life

October 25, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Blog Post

Over the course of the past several years, the health and fitness craze has taken the entire world by storm, and as much good as this has brought on, it has also caused a decent amount of confusion. One might even wonder how the heck our ancestors survived without kombucha or chia seeds, and if there’s any other way to lead a healthy life than to join a gym. Luckily, with knowledge comes power, and you can use your know-how to transform your habits one day at a time, and to let your health flourish.

Thankfully, it doesn’t boil down to consuming nothing but superfoods and lifting heavy objects until your palms are sore. There are simpler, more versatile ways you impact your wellbeing every day, and most of us neglect at least a few of those listed below while we spend too much time amidst another “broccoli or asparagus” debate. Here’s your trusty list of several very powerful habits you should focus on in order to stay healthy and resilient for as long as you live.

Mind your sleeping patterns

Feeling crabby after one night of poor sleep should be the least of your worries. There are so many different issues associated with the lack of sleep, at least the chronic kind, that too many people fail to connect the dots. From poor productivity, lack of focus, migraines, all the way to heart disease and unwanted weight gain, sleep deprivation is a severe issue among modern humans.

In a gist, we need to sleep more, and we need to do it consistently. Much like you make an appointment to see your physician, take your time to design a sleep schedule you’ll actually honor.

Get creative with your workouts

Once again, you don’t need a gym membership in order to stay healthy, but it does help. For the busy bees among you, and those who prefer the privacy of their own home instead of a packed space filled with strangers, you can actually invest in workout gear that will help you diversify your training routines.

For example, you can try using a vibrating exercise machine which is a simple, yet effective tool to activate your entire body and provide you with the stimulation you need to lead a healthy life. Throw in a few resistance bands for improved stretches, perhaps a kettlebell for those HIIT sessions, and you’ll soon have your own gym, and no excuses to bail on your workouts.

Be mindful of your smile

When you think of health, do you ever take into account your pearly whites? And yet, the most basic oral and dental hygiene is the foundation of good overall health, as it helps prevent numerous diseases, infections, and chronic illnesses. Systems such as the Pristine Protocol are designed to utilize natural ingredients to prevent those common issues such as cavities and to make sure your breath is fresh at all times.

Of course, regular visits to your dentist are essential, so keep prevention in mind if you are serious about your goal to invest in your longevity and your lifelong wellbeing.

Clean the right way

Meant to kill all those unwanted germs and dirt we bring into our homes, our cleaning products are often laden with toxins and chemicals that are perfect for what they do. However, they also do so much more, as they are truly harmful to our own health and prolonged exposure can jeopardize your wellbeing and your immune system.

To lead a healthier life and prevent any potential health issues related to the use of chemicals, you can replace your standard store-bought cleaners with non-toxic and all-purpose 3% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide or home-made versions that are as effective (if not even more so), planet-friendly, and good for your health. For starters, always have baking soda, lemons, and essential oils at your disposal. The right mixture can do wonders for any kind of dirt at your home without exposing you to any harmful ingredients.

Keep a diverse menu

Your nutrition is one of those key pillars of healthy living, and one of the most impactful ways to change your wellbeing over time. Unfortunately, too many people eat haphazardly, don’t pay attention to their menus, let alone the nutrient density of their foods.

If you’d like to make those workouts count, to help your teeth and gums stay healthy, and if you want your immune system to stay pristine, then refining your food choices is your best bet. Although certain dietary trends come and go, you need to be mindful of your own needs and specific requirements. So, let go of fads and take your doctor’s advice to choose foods that are in line with your own specific health needs.

Of course, there are so many other habits that will affect your health and longevity, from how you manage your stress, all the way to your relationships with other people in your life. Consider these your most essential five pillars of living well upon which you can continue building other healthy habits to stay resilient and strong for years to come.

How What You Eat Affects Your Teeth

October 21, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post

Today it’s no secret that food and what you consume affects your health. With a great deal of emphasis placed on eating a well-balanced diet while drastically reducing, or even cutting out sugar completely, there are endless reasons why the healthy eating vigilantes stress the importance of being mindful of food and its ingredients.

Generally speaking, a person’s poor diet is usually related to weight gain and the chronic diseases that go with it, but did you know that your eating habits can also seriously affect your oral health?

Well, it’s true! In fact, out of all the areas of your body, it’s usually your teeth and gums to first indicate that something’s amiss with your nutrition.

The Fast Food Nation

Let’s face it, many people like fast food, some more than others. From the taste to the convenience of fast food, there are a number of reasons why some choose to consume it.

Fast food is prevalent everywhere, no matter which country you’re in, however, it is true that the USA is one of the largest consumers. Which is no surprise really, since the industry’s annual revenue is around the $110bn mark (1).

Made up of super sugary snacks, the typical American diet does the body no favors, especially when it comes to your teeth and gums. Such snacks, which are typically soft, sweet and incredibly sticky – stick to teeth, which immediately places you in a higher-risk zone when it comes to cavities thanks to the acid buildup.

What’s more, such fast food diets lack some basic nutrients that are vital for oral health and hygiene, and therefore too much of the ‘good stuff’ makes you more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies that negatively affect your teeth and gums.

Vitamins & Nutrients That Are Vital For Healthy Teeth

To have good oral hygiene and healthy gums and teeth, it’s important that you include the following vitamins and nutrients into your everyday life.

#1. Vitamin C

From a young age it’s drilled into us that vitamin C is necessary for our health. From fighting common colds to building stronger immune systems, vitamin C is a key player in our general wellbeing – but did you know that it’s also great for your dental health? Vitamin C strengthens gums and soft tissues in the mouth, therefore protecting against common gum conditions such as gingivitis and gum disease (2).

Boost your vitamin C intake naturally by consuming citrus fruits, such as oranges and mandarins. Increasing your leafy greens is also a good idea.

#2. Vitamin D

We all know that calcium is vital for bone and teeth health, but for it to be effective, vitamin D is essential as it assists the body in absorbing the mineral. As well as helping your body get all the calcium you consume, it is also known to improve bone mineral density. Consuming both calcium and vitamin D has also been found to reduce tooth loss amongst the elderly (3).

Get your vitamin D fix by consuming more fatty fish; tuna and mackerel are perfect examples. There are also a number of products that have been fortified with vitamin D, so next time you’re at the grocery store look out for fortified orange juice, cereal, and milk.

#3. Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 is mostly known for helping the body convert its food into energy while also helping the nervous system function as it should. Vitamin B3 is great for your general health, but when you don’t consume enough, it can also negatively affect your dental health, which will often result in mouth sores and bad breath (4).

Vitamin B3 is found naturally in many foods, but the everyday foods that contain the most are chicken and fish, which also come with plenty of other health benefits for the body, including providing your body with healthy amounts of protein.

#4. Vitamin B12/B2

If you’ve ever suffered from, or have known someone to suffer from canker sores, you know that these can be very painful. Not only do these open mouth sores hurt, they also put you at a higher risk of infection. Thankfully, there’s a way of reducing your risk of developing canker sores, and that’s through consuming more vitamin B12/B2 (5).

Increasing your vitamin B12 intake is easy. Consuming foods such as almonds, pasta, and even bagels can help. To increase vitamin B2 naturally, try adding more chicken, red meat, pork, liver, and dairy products to your diet.

#5. Calcium

It’s no surprise that calcium plays a key role when it comes to your oral health. Calcium helps in building bones, and strengthening your nails, hair, and teeth. More specifically, this mineral hardens the enamel of your teeth while making the jawbone stronger (6).

Milk is the superstar for calcium, but you can also get it from foods such as yogurt, cheese, salmon, and broccoli.

#6. Iron

Not consuming enough iron can lead to many problems in the body. An iron deficiency can often result in painful mouth sores and inflammation of the tongue. Iron’s number one role in the body is to transport oxygen around the body, so when your body doesn’t get enough, it causes a build up of bacteria, making your mouth more susceptible to infections (7).

Meat is the best source of iron, especially red meat and liver, which is perfect if you’re a meat lover. Spinach, nuts, and seeds are also good sources of iron.

Which Foods to Avoid or Limit

Obviously, there is good food and bad food for all aspects of your health. However, if you want to pay special attention to your oral health and hygiene, the following foods should be avoided, or at least kept to a minimum.

#1. Chewy Foods

If ever there was a ‘nightmare’ food for your teeth, it’d have to be chewy food. Chewy food, such as dried fruit, sticks to your teeth and are more difficult to remove.

If you do consume these foods, it’d be beneficial to rinse your mouth out immediately after eating them.

#2. Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are packed with sugar. Not only are they bad for your teeth, they can also cause a number of other health-related problems. The sugar contributes to plaque buildup while attacking the enamel, which then can lead to cavities over time.

Soda brings no benefits, so where possible, it’s advisable to try and cut these drinks out completely and stick to water.

#3. Candy and Gum

Gum and candy, especially hard candy, are the worst when it comes to your oral health. Candies and gum are almost pure sugar, and therefore can be extremely harmful to your teeth, increasing your risk of cavities. What’s more, eating hard candies can also result in broken and chipped teeth.

If you find you can’t live without gum, try chewing sugarless gum instead that carries the ADA Seal.

#4. Carbohydrates

Believe it or not, carbs, especially bread, can negatively affect your dental health. Chewing carbs results in the saliva breaking down the starches into sugar, which then ends up getting lodged between the crevices of your teeth. These sugars eventually build up, increasing the risk of cavities.

Since carbs come with a host of other negative effects, it’s best to try and either eliminate them or drastically reduce them. Adopting a ketogenic diet can help. The keto diet, which is a way of eating that advocates a very low-carb high-fat diet, could be beneficial.

Not only will you reduce the risk of cavities from starchy carbs, you’ll also benefit from foods that are naturally high in good fats that can also provide you with excellent nutrients and vitamins for your teeth, such as calcium and vitamins B3 and B12.

#5. Fruit and Fruit Juices

Citrus fruit is a bit of a catch-22. Consuming the right amount can be beneficial, as it gives you a healthy dose of vitamin C, however, it’s packed with fructose and a number of acids that cause enamel erosion. And when you begin to experience enamel erosion, you’re instantly increasing the risk of suffering from tooth decay later on down the line.

Instead of consuming glass after glass of fruit juice from the carton or overdoing it with the fruit, try squeezing a little bit of the fruit into water, and enjoy a refreshing drink that way.

Conclusion

Looking after your teeth is imperative, because oral health problems, if left untreated, can turn into bigger health problems. Taking control of your diet and incorporating more natural foods packed with the above mentioned vitamins and nutrients in conjunction with a healthy ketogenic diet will not only improve your dental health, it will also help you lose weight, improve your general health and wellness, and in some cases, reduce the effects of chronic disease; what’s not to love about it?

About the author

Alex Reed is editor in chief of Bodyketosis, an author, low-carb enthusiast and a recovering chubby guy who reclaimed his health using the ketogenic lifestyle. The need for the keto life began after his aunt and cousin were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and he was next in line. Through personal experience and extensive scientific research, Alex offers insightful tips for everything keto.

References

5 Tips to Make Healthy and Eco-conscious Lifestyle Choices

September 11, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post

Personal health is important, but so is the health of Mother Earth. What’s more, caring for your own long-term well-being while at the same time helping the preservation of the natural world around you are two complementary things – because helping the environment will greatly enhance your own quality of life. The best thing about going eco-friendly is that it’s not a cumbersome task, as there are many small lifestyle changes you can make that will have a grand impact.

Whether you choose to donate to a worthy cause, start recycling, eat healthier foods, or introduce organics into your home, there are many ways you can become healthier, happier, and aid the preservation of the natural world around you. Here are five tips to make healthy, eco-conscious lifestyle choices.

Consider swapping before buying

Before you spring for a new piece of furniture or a new décor element to spruce up your interior, consider whether or not you could get the same thing (or something even more beautiful and functional) for free, or half the price. Nowadays, there are many social media groups, stores, and online and offline communities where people can trade stuff, and sell their belongings for a very small price – these are the places where you might find your new vanity, or a new set of cookware that’s barely been used.

The pre-owned culture is booming across the globe, because there is no need to buy something with an inflated price tag just because it’s new. But it’s not just about the price, it’s also about saving the environment. By buying or trading pre-owned, you will help cut CO2 emissions and lower the impact of production, transportation, and worker exploitation.

Change your waste disposal habits

It’s easy to simply throw everything into the same garbage can, but is it the right thing to do? Certainly not, and not just because mixing waste is harmful to the environment, but because it can be harmful to your own quality of life, and your future. You see, every decision we make about waste in our homes can have an impact on the natural world around us, and by harming our environment, we are effectively harming our future – the future your children are to live in one day.

Separating your trash to boost the local and global recycling initiative is one of the best things you can do for the environment, and one of the most rewarding things you can do for your home and your family. Recycling is rewarding in so many ways, while repurposing and reusing will allow you to save money in the long-term, become happier because you’re making a difference, and instill positive habits into the hearts and minds of your family members.

Choose organic and eco-friendly materials

Another positive change you can make is to decorate your home with organic, sustainable materials. If you’re decorating the nursery and choosing linens for the room and your baby, choose brands the likes of Bubba Blue that use bamboo and other organic materials that are friendly towards the environment, and most importantly, friendly towards your baby’s skin and health. Use the same mindset to decorate every room in your home, and choose organic materials for your linens, beddings, blankets and throws, and even your clothes.

For example, you can buy bamboo underwear and socks that are not only healthy for your skin, but are made through sustainable production methods to ensure as little negative impact on the natural world as possible. You can extend this habit to furniture and décor as well, and choose furniture made by the skillful hands of local artisans instead of the big brands.

Mind your nutrition

Your eating habits can have a profound impact on your health, but they can also have an impact on the natural world around you. By making a few minor changes, such as eating less meat, buying foods from local vendors, makers, and growers, and limiting your dairy consumption, you can minimize the harmful effects of climate change and global warming. In turn, these new healthy habits will elevate your long-term health, and the health of your family.

Keep your home spotless with natural cleaners

And finally, there is no need to buy name brand cleaners to keep your home spotless. With a few everyday ingredients, you can make your own, non-toxic cleaners and use them throughout your home without fear of toxins and chemicals seeping into the fabrics or lowering the quality of the air in the household.

You can also seek out eco-conscious brands such as Essential Oxygen that sell Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide – a multipurpose cleaner that you simply need to have in your household. Use this product as a general household cleaner, a healthy veggie wash, as a plant fertilizer, a laundry brightener, or even as a healthy oral rinse! And all that without harming the environment.

Wrapping up

Leading a more eco-conscious lifestyle is fun, healthy, and rewarding. By adopting these essential eco-friendly habits, you will create a healthier living environment while at the same time safeguarding the well-being of Mother Earth.

The Ugly Truth: Everyday Habits That Negatively Affect Your Health

September 6, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post

We all know the infamous saying: “it’s the little things that go a long way.” The expression holds true for all things, especially habits. Developing a habit — good or bad — can have a major impact on your health and personal well-being. Without recognizing the acts that make up your daily routine and the consequences associated with them, we fail to realize which of these habits should be kept and which should be broken. So, let’s take a closer look:

Here are the top five everyday habits that are negatively affecting your health:

1. Smoking

Whether you’re smoking a cigarette or inhaling a vape pen, there is no safe level of tobacco or nicotine use. From tooth decay to lung cancer, smoking affects nearly every organ of the body, regardless of how often you do it. Since smoking is the leading cause of preventable death, it’s your job to take control of this habit. Despite the pleasure that can come from short to moderate use, removing the act from your daily routine can help to protect you from developing other medical conditions such as erectile dysfunction or coronary heart disease.

2. Using a Hand Dryer

Although hand dryers are environmentally friendly compared to paper towels, the tendency to use them can be hazardous to your health, according to research. One study shows that hot-air hand dryers found in public restrooms are not only blowing hot air onto your hands, but they’re also spewing fecal germs. The bacterial horror comes from the poop and bacteria that launches into the air after a person flushes the toilet. The germs then get sucked up into these hand dryers and blasted right back onto your freshly washed hands. Gross!

3. Suppressing Your Sneezes

You may think you’re being polite by holding in your sneezes, but in reality, you’re endangering your health. The purpose of sneezing is for your nose to safeguard you from inhaling things like pollen, dust, and other harmful bacteria. Since our sneezes typically move at a speed of up to 100 miles per hour, holding it in can create tremendous pressure within your body. As a result, this could lead to other health issues like ongoing nosebleeds, fractures of your nasal cartilage, or ruptured eardrums. So next time you feel that sneeze coming on, it’s best to just go ahead and let out an ah-choo!

4. Biting Your Nails

Onychophagia, also known as nail-biting, is a habit typically associated with anxiety because it helps to relieve stress, tension, and boredom. However, the act of chewing your nails is linked to serious health problems. The reason? The disgusting and problematic germs crawling under your fingernails! When dangerous bacteria like staphylococcus aureus is transported from under your nails to your mouth, you’re putting your body at risk of skin infections, pneumonia, and more. Additionally, your oral health is also compromised. Nail-biting can cause tooth loss, tooth fractures, and in worse cases, displaced jaws.

5. Staring at Screens

In the past decade, an average individual’s screen time has amplified exponentially. With most Americans spending at least seven hours staring at one of their digital screens, it’s no surprise the number of health concerns that have transpired over the years. Issues related to vision, lack of sleep, and chronic neck and back pain are just a few problems that affect people every day as a result of the time they spend on their smartphone, tablet, or computer. For best practice, try to refocus your vision every so often at something other than your screen and get off your device at least an hour before you plan on going to bed.

In short, having good health does not just come from a well-balanced diet and regular exercise. It’s the little things we do each and every day that have the biggest influence on our lives. To add years to your life and life to your years the answer is simple — be mindful of your habits and daily routine.

5 Important Benefits of Having an Annual General Checkup

July 27, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post

There are a lot of reasons why people schedule a doctor’s appointment. Some visit their doctors at regular intervals to monitor a chronic condition. Most of the time, people only schedule a checkup during the peak of an illness. Although there are no rules to doctors’ checkups, it is advisable that everyone schedules a general consultation with their doctors every year—and for a lot of good reasons.

To Prevent Diseases Before They Start

Regular consultations with your doctor generally provide primary prevention, which is aimed at completely preventing the disease, especially among at-risk individuals. During a general checkup, doctors usually complete your clinical history, which includes your vaccination records, previous blood-pressure measurements, and other baseline readings such as oxygen saturation using Sp02 sensors.

Your past medical history, as well as your family’s history of diseases, are all relevant information that needs to be disclosed to your clinician in order to provide holistic care.

The same goes for a regular dental checkup. You may think that you have perfectly healthy teeth, but you could be at risk for certain dental health risks. Getting your pearly whites checked from time to time should keep you well-informed on how to protect your teeth from harmful diseases.

Aside from a physical examination, another essential component of primary prevention is also getting your immunizations against vaccine-preventable diseases like tetanus and measles. By checking in with your doctor annually, you are more likely to receive these valuable preventive measures and protect yourself from illnesses.

To Detect Diseases Early On

Early detection of a disease can significantly affect its treatment, slowing down its progress and stopping it as soon as possible. Annual general checkups aim to do just that by providing regular health checks and screening tests to detect the presence of a disease in its earliest stage.

If you are at risk for certain diseases, your doctor may likely require you to undergo health screening tests, such as a mammogram for breast cancer or a cholesterol test for heart disease. If you are at risk for certain diseases or have a family history of them, it’s best to check with your doctor from time to time to closely monitor your health.

To Promote Good Overall Health

Annual health checks go beyond medical prescriptions and routine screening procedures. Looking at the big picture, regular doctor’s consultations promote good overall health during or even before the occurrence of a health problem. They ease one’s suffering from a current condition or prevent it from happening altogether.

During your doctor’s appointment, your clinician may tap into other counselling topics to promote holistic healthcare, which include smoking cessation, prenatal advice, safe sex practices, and health tips on maintaining an active lifestyle.

To Keep Track of Your Medical Records

You might not remember the last time you had a tetanus shot, but your doctor would. Your doctor’s office keeps your entire medical history record, which includes every visit, test, and immunization you’ve had at their clinic or facility.

Your medical records are more important than you think. They help your physician, as well as other members of your medical team, to understand your current condition and diagnosis on a much deeper level. With your entire medical record in their hands, this enables them to provide you with the most accurate and prompt treatment and care.

To Build and Maintain Rapport with Your Doctor

Unlike specialists, who you only see from time to time in case of a specific illness, your primary care clinicians will likely to know you better. Having looked out for you for a long period of time—may it be in your best or worst health status—your doctor is the best person to detect any physical or psychological change that could hint to a developing disease or deteriorating health.

Since you have been with your doctor long enough to build rapport with each other, you are more open and honest in disclosing pertinent health information that could help manage your condition. After all, it is easier to communicate with someone that you already know and trust.

The more you visit your doctor on a regular basis, even if it is just once per year, the more he or she develops a good sense of your general health. This does not only personalize your healthcare but also makes it more accurate and effective.

Nobody’s health is perfect, and this rings truer every single day that adds up to our age. Don’t miss out on your doctor’s appointments. At the end of the day, it always pays to stay on top of your health.

5 Bad Habits That Can Harm Your Heart Health

June 7, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post by: Tara Desquitado

You may think that you are currently leading a healthy and active lifestyle, but you could be undermining these efforts by unknowingly practicing some heart-harming habits. According to Kevin R. Campbell, MD, a Raleigh cardiac electrophysiologist, several activities many individuals don’t think twice about can negatively affect the heart’s health.

The smallest of things could bring the greatest impact on your body’s blood-pumping organ. Here are the top five heart-damaging habits that you might be overlooking today:

Skipping Physical Activities

According to a study published in the American Heart Association journal, people who live a sedentary lifestyle, particularly those who sit up to five hours or more a day, double their risk of heart failure compared to those who are physically active.

While it may seem difficult for many to exercise every day, especially for those whose jobs require sitting at a desk for the most part of the day, living an active lifestyle is completely possible. Even a five-minute walk every hour can perk up the mind and fuel the heart, making your arteries flexible and your blood flowing properly.

Smoking

Smoking is one of the top five habits that damage the heart, and there’s no surprise there. This nasty habit has always done nothing but chaos in one’s health, affecting the blood vessels of the heart and contributing to the narrowing and clogging of the arteries. Overall, smoking increases one’s risk of heart disease, eventually leading to a heart attack or a stroke.

If you don’t want to have to use medical oxygen sensors for your heart to receive the right amount of oxygen it needs, it’s best to quit smoking cigarettes, pipes, or cigars. It’s also advised to avoid secondhand smoke whenever possible.

Drinking Too Much

Having one too many drinks may spell trouble for your heart. While it may be easy to indulge in alcohol, especially at a party or a special occasion, take time to remember how it will affect your health at the end of the day.

Drinking too much alcohol, especially for a long-term, can lead to high blood pressure, obesity, and stroke, increasing one’s chances of developing a heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, excessive drinking can disrupt one’s heart rhythm and may cause the heart to fail.

Having Too Much Sodium

Salt and blood pressure are a complicated pair—too much sodium can cause blood pressure levels to rise, which is bad news for the heart. While it may seem easy to avoid the saltshaker, there are hidden sodium content in many of the food we eat, including processed foods such as canned soups and veggies, frozen dinners, chips, and other finger snacks.

If you have hypertension and a history of heart disease in the family, it’s best to consult a nutritionist to know how much salt is needed to consume per day.

Stressing Too Much

Learn how to relax—Dr. Campbell says that too much stress can put the heart at great risk for a heart attack. When one is stressed, the body tends to release adrenaline, which not only affects the body’s functions, but also increases one’s heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this can take a toll on the heart.

While it is normal for anyone to feel stress, learn how to keep it under control. Find a release such as a hobby that you enjoy or a workout session at the gym. Exercise also works wonders in relieving mental tension.

Oftentimes, we tend to normalize our habits that we fail to determine if they are any good for our health or not. However, it’s never too late to do something about it.

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Why Self Care is so Important for Health and Well-being

January 29, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post By: Kali Bliss of http://kali-bliss.com www.instagram.com/kaliblissyogadiva

Self care and body care are critical components to creating good health. While our western culture often denies the importance of taking care of our body, Eastern cultures know taking care of our body is necessary to sustain a long and healthy life. Practices like yoga, meditation, and more, can help us adjust our lifestyle so we can stay balanced, happy, and well in our mind, bodies, and hearts.

Creating self care means creating discipline for ourself, and being able to adjust our lifestyle so that it optimally serves us.

The more ease we feel within, the less stress we hold, the more balanced we become, and the better life gets. Good health after all is created through the mind and body. The more we can take time to care for ourselves, exercise, eat right, and give ourselves time to chill out, the more the body can naturally self heal and sustain itself.

Our lifestyle choices and what we eat and say to ourselves creates our human experience. Our bodies are more powerful than we know. With proper care, some self love, and routines, we can help our body thrive. Improving our mindset and attitude can help us overcome insecurity and problems. By upgrading our lifestyle, making new choices, and changing some habits, we can tap into our natural ability to feel good. In a world where we reach for distractions constantly, seek pleasure, over consume, and celebrate well, we all need more balance and care, to keep our bodies healthy and alive.

We can feel good, look good, and love ourselves. However, it takes our own willingness to gain strength, and step into positive patterns that can transform who we are, and how we do life. Making better choices every day, and learning to honor ourselves, can improve our health, happiness, and total wellbeing.

Taking care of ourself is key in order to develop a loving relationship with us, and with other people. The more we can honor ourselves, love our body, and be friends with our positive and negative qualities, the more we can raise our own self esteem, and enjoy life. Body care helps to keep us going, and ensure we have energy and enthusiasm for our day.

Too many people ignore the signals our bodies give us. Often we load up on medication for an easy fix, rather than attempting to change the problem, heal, and get to the root of the issue. Stuck emotions and unresolved traumas can cause us conflict and worry. We all can do a better job at managing stress by taking time to slow down, calm down, be still, and feel in our body. Learning to tap into our own wisdom and inner truth, helps us overcome distress and disease.

Self care is the practice of appreciating our body, learning to love ourself, and allowing ourselves to be ourselves.

Although it’s not easy, taking time for you, it’s a gift you can give to your soul. I’ve noticed that the more I get on my yoga mat, breathe, take a time out, and honor myself, the better I feel. Indulging in acupuncture, massages, reflexology, and other natural holistic forms of care, does wondrous to my whole system. I’ve taught myself to react less, care less about what others think, and have made peace in myself. The better I feel internally, the more my external world changes, and the happier I become. Those self sabotaging patterns and the fears I use to carry, no longer limit me, or keep me in a disconnected state. It’s through self care I’ve become happier and healthier in myself, and life choices.

It’s ultimately up to us to create our own happy life, and hopefully, honor and care for our body. We get one body in a lifetime, and it’s so important to help ourselves find ways to move, breathe, and feel good within.

While self care gets many stereotypes now, it’s more than flaunting a yoga outfit, or taking a time out at the spa. Self care is learning to become a master. It means being emotionally intelligent, and in touch with what’s happening inside.

We can create more self care and self love with awareness, and helping ourselves make better choices. Learning to understand our own human behaviors and patterns can give us clarity in how to change. Realizing why we crave what we do, why we indulge, and why we do what we do can be positively enlightening, and help us shift from the old into the new. Breaking patterns, releasing toxic foods and people from our lives may not be easy, however, at the end of the day our choice to choose us, always wins.

Beginning to say yes to you, can truly enrich your lifestyle and teach you how to develop self care for you, and create more self love.

Everything changes when we begin to take responsibility for ourselves, adjust our mindset, and our behavioral issues. We can elevate our life, and live better, by finding balance, and more self care, and understand what it means to live happy and well in our mind, body, and self.

Guest Post By: Kali Bliss, a Yoga Teacher in San Diego: kali-bliss.com Connect with her on Instagram: KaliBlissYogaDiva

You’re Probably Taking Your Health for Granted – Here’s How to Change That

January 9, 2019 By Essential Oxygen

Guest Post by: Brigitte Evans

For most of us, health isn’t something we really think about much until we get sick. Before we get the flu, or our blood pressure skyrockets, or our stomach balloons around us, we feel almost invincible—other people get sick, but not you. You’re made of sturdier stuff, and you’ve got bigger things to worry about, like errands, and relationships, and your career. And then disease strikes, and suddenly all those other things become so irrelevant. As the old Indian proverb goes, a healthy person has a thousand wishes, but a sick person has only one.

Even something as simple as a passing cold makes us feel weary and frustrated, and if a bigger issue comes knocking on our door, it can completely overwhelm us. To avoid this, it’s important to stop taking our well-being for granted and start caring for ourselves. If you want to know how you can do that better, take a look at our tips.

Stop postponing checkups

Getting a Pap smear isn’t the most enjoyable activity in the world, but it’s entirely necessary for a woman to stay on top of her reproductive health. STI screenings, mammograms, and general OB/GYN checkups are important, and there’s really no excuse to be avoiding your doctor anymore. Checking your thyroid hormone levels, your cholesterol, and your glucose is also encouraged, and if you’re in pre-menopause you might want to start tracking bone density, especially if you have a history of osteoporosis in your family. Find a doctor that you trust and feel comfortable with, and don’t allow yourself to avoid any more appointments. Monitoring your health regularly means you can quickly discover a problem if it pops up, and then it can be safely treated.

Good food for good health

The gist of dieting revolves around veggies, fruit, and lean meats, but the biggest challenge is usually time. We can barely stay on top of all the chores and errands we need to run every day, so cooking often isn’t an easy thing to pull off for a busy person. To counter this problem, the best thing you can do is organize your time a little better and prepare huge meals in advance. As long as you take Sunday evening to chuck some vegetables and chicken into a slow cooker, you can wake up in the morning and simply divide all of it into plastic containers that you can keep in the fridge. You can also simply have healthy food delivered to you which is particularly useful if you’re on a diet. That way you get a nutritionally balanced meal without the fuss of having to figure everything out yourself, and you don’t have to spend any time in the kitchen to make it on your own. Another thing you should do is limit your sugar intake and replace candy and cookies with healthier snacks around your house. Once the hunger craving hits, make sure you have a few homemade granola bars and nuts lying around instead of reaching for a bar of chocolate.

Become more active

Exercise plays a large role in our health, and our sedentary lifestyles are really detrimental to our well-being. From your spine to your cardiovascular health, sitting around and turning into a couch potato isn’t really the best way to stay youthful, vibrant, and fit. Of course, the solution to this is easy—move more. Find an activity that you like, such as yoga, pilates, martial arts, volleyball, swimming, or anything else and engage at least a few times a week to build up your strength and stamina.

However, bear in mind that it’s not just about exercise, it’s about generally not allowing yourself to constantly be in that sedentary stupor, it’s about being more active every day. Taking bike rides with your kids, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking instead of driving the car whenever you can is a good start. You could also consider getting a dog, especially if your children have already been begging you for it. Adopt a cute stray from the shelter and you’ll always have company when you take long walks.

Don’t forget your mental health

Physical health isn’t the only thing to focus on, especially because your body and your psyche are connected. When one suffers, so does the other, and the fact that you’re feeling depressed will usually mean you’ll forget all about diet and exercise because you’re just too tired to do anything about it. Talk to your partner, your friends, or a professional instead of keeping everything bottled up inside, and engage in self-care activities to unwind from stress. Reading books, for example, is a great way to lift your spirits, grow intellectually, and take time to nurture your mental well-being.

And remember, prevention is a lot easier and less stressful than the actual treatment. Putting your health first is important if you want to function well on a daily basis, so don’t neglect your own needs in favor of anything else.