3 Kids and Us

How to Help a Loved One with a Mental Illness

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It can be difficult to watch a loved one struggle with a mental illness. However, with your help and support, they might be able to overcome the issues that are plaguing their everyday lives. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to help a loved one living with a mental health condition because they might not be willing to seek help or even admit they have a problem. If you want to protect your parent, child, relative or friend, find out how to help a loved one with a mental illness today to truly make a difference.

Research the Illness

It might be beneficial to learn as much as possible about the person’s mental illness, so you can identify the best ways to support your loved one. For example, it is common for some people living with depression or PTSD to turn to drugs as a coping mechanism. As a result, you could look for signs of misuse or addiction and potentially enter a loved one into a drug detox center.

Of course, if a friend or relative is in psychiatric distress, you might have no other choice but to enter him or her into hospital involuntarily. While it can be a tough decision to make, it could potentially save your loved one’s life and help them to overcome their mental health condition. By seeking help from professionals who are trained to deal with such conditions, you can hopefully help your loved one move forward into recovery.

Talk to Your Loved One

It is crucial to sit down with a loved one to talk about their mental health. Even if they do not believe they are living with a condition, you should sit down and listen to them. Don’t attempt to change their mind, and simply focus on building their trust. By doing so, they will be more likely to open up about how they are feeling, so you will understand exactly what is going on in their mind.

Additionally, it is important your loved one feels both loved and supported during this difficult period in their life. Rather than making assumptions about how you can help, ask him or her if there is anything you can do to make their life easier. For example, they might appreciate your support when attending medical appointments or could need you to pick up their children from school.

Seek Counseling for Yourself

While helping a loved one overcome a mental illness will most likely be a top priority, this doesn’t mean you should disregard your own mental health. If you want to truly be there for your friend or family member every step of the way, you must start caring for yourself.

It might be helpful to speak to a qualified therapist to discuss your emotions. You can openly discuss your stresses and concerns in a non-judgemental setting, and they could possibly provide clarity, solutions and objectivity regarding your problems. Talking really can help, so don’t keep your feelings bottled up inside and speak to a therapist to effectively handle your emotions.

6 Ways to Combat Brittle Bones as You Age

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As people age, the bones quickly start to become brittle and weak. This is especially true if people aren’t doing what they should to keep themselves healthy and in shape. Strengthening the bones and body is one of the best ways to combat brittle bones, along with other methods. With difficulty moving and handling tasks, regular pain, and other problems, aging adults should do everything they can to keep their bones strong to avoid these struggles.

Surgery

Minimally invasive surgeries exist to help repair broken bones. If other options have not worked, then surgery is often the last resort to ensure the body can work as intended. A wrist surgery, for example, requires just one or two small incisions to treat injuries to both bone and soft tissue within the wrist and hand. Minimize scarring occurs with a faster recovery than a more invasive approach.

Diet

Certain vitamins and minerals are ideal for bone health. By consuming a diet high in these nutrients, people can keep their bones as healthy as possible, even prolonging the aging process. Protein is essential, especially for those who have suffered a break or fracture and need to heal. Calcium and magnesium are also important. Eating foods rich in Vitamin D and Vitamin C will help with calcium absorption and bone growth.

Supplements

Some people do not get all the nutrients they need for strong bones from diet alone. Perhaps they have a particular allergy or simply do not like to drink milk often. Supplements help tremendously to ensure individuals are getting the vitamins and nutrients they need to keep bones strong. Taking a bone health, bone strength, or bone restore vitamin can help considerably.

Exercise

Individuals who already have brittle bones may find it difficult to exercise. With a weakened body and regular pain, working out is often the last thing on people’s minds. However, exercise is essential to bone health and repairing the accumulated damage to bones over the years. A low-impact workout, such as one done in the water, will help tremendously. The buoyancy of the water will lessen the impact on the joints and allow people to work out their bodies in a beneficial way.

Improving Home Safety

Another way to combat brittle bones is to improve safety within the home. If older adults know they struggle with weakened bones and bodies, then they should do what they can to keep themselves from getting hurt and causing more damage. Bones can break easily during falls, for example, so non-slip mats should be added to the bathroom and kitchen, while rugs that come up easily need to be removed so people aren’t tripping over them. It is also wise to add grab bars in the bathrooms for help getting up and down.

Stop Smoking

Smokers tend to have a lower bone mass overall, which leads to a higher chance of fractures. Women who smoke tend to go through menopause sooner because of the loss of estrogen in their systems. This can cause bone loss in itself. Anyone who smokes and has for years will have even more problems. Smokers should stop now to prevent further damage to their bones.

The aging process doesn’t have to be debilitating. Though bones become brittle as people age, there are plenty of ways to prevent the problem, as well as combat it once it’s started. Healthy bones and bodies are possible at all ages as long as people work on improving them at all times.

What Are The Main Causes Of Breast Cancer?

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Source

Most women these days are afraid of breast cancer or are at least aware of the seriousness of the condition. This is one of the most common of all cancers among women and normally happens in the breast’s lobules or ducts. You want to be sure that you take preventive measures in order to avoid this awful condition. Life Medical Technologies mentions the fact that all women should have proper knowledge when discussing breast cancer causes.

What Causes Breast Cancer?

Nobody really knows the main breast cancer cause at the moment. However, there are different factors that are going to put you at a higher risk of being affected by this disease. Those that you really need to know more about include:

  • Aging– This may be a little hard to believe but the truth is that aging is a really common factor associated with breast cancer. As your body ages, risks grow to be affected.
  • Consuming alcohol – If you excessively drink alcohol you practically double the possibility that you will be affected by breast cancer. Make sure you limit quantities in order to avoid increasing breast cancer risks.
  • Denser Breast Tissue – Some doctors will tell you that when you have denser breast tissue there is a higher chance you are going to be affected by breast cancer. This is because cells that create this disease are going to simply grow faster.
  • Late child birth/not being pregnant– The women that have the first child at older age are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer. In addition, women that cannot easily conceive can be affected by breast cancer.
  • Early menstruation – If you are a woman that has the first period before 12 years old, the risk of getting breast cancer is higher when compared to those that get menstruation after that age.
  • Family history of breast cancer – Unfortunately, if you do have breast cancer in your family history, there is an increased possibility you are going to be affected. At the same time, if you had breast cancer in one of your breasts, the other one will most likely have to be checked since the possibility of getting it there is increased. Statistics show that there is a double possibility of having breast cancer if you have the disease in your family history.

It is really important that women go to the doctor and get checked up from time to time. Proper treatment is mandatory. Remember the fact that if breast cancer is diagnosed early, there is a much higher possibility that you are going to be treated. This is something that doctors do all they can in order to promote at the moment.

Women should know as much as possible about breast cancer. Not much information is available at the moment and you cannot trust all that you find online. Have patience and go talk to an experienced doctor. Learn what increases breast cancer risk and be sure you always respect absolutely all the indications that are offered by the medic.

Why A Good Amount of Sleep Is Needed For Overall Health

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For many of us, our health is one of the most important parts of our lives, and many people invest a great deal fo time, money and energy into trying to create a healthier lifestyle for themselves. Naturally people will look into the health benefits of various diets and exercise routines, but how many people look at their sleep pattern as a contributing factor to their overall health and general wellbeing? The short answer is not very many, which is surprising given the fact that a great night’s sleep has the power to do a lot of good.

Sleep Factors

To begin with we need to understand how to get that perfect sleep. To begin with you shovel have an excellent mattress which provides support and comfort whilst you sleep, a memory foam mattress is a great option here. Secondly you need to have a solid routine whereby you go to bed and wake up at the same time most days and nights. Finally you need a pre-bed routine which involves no energy inducing drinks or snacks, and no electronic devices for at least an hour before bed.

Energy Levels

To stay on track of our healthy lifestyles we need to have the energy to keep us pushing through the day. If you have not had enough sleep or if you have had a poor quality of sleep, your body and mind will not have had the sufficient time needed to process and recover, which will lower your energy supplies for the day.

Productivity

As a result of your lower energy levels, your productivity will be lower, and your ability to focus and concentrate will be worse. The consequence of this, is that you will become more frustrated and less able to deal with stress. Your stress levels raising is something which is very unhealthy and should always be avoided.

Weight Loss or Bulking Up

Whether you are looking to try and lose weight or trying to gain muscle, rest time is equally as important as what you do in the gym, or what you eat throughout the day. If you are not able to get a high quality amount of sleep during this time, you won’t see the physical results that you are looking for. You must allow your body the time to process, recover and rest, if you want to see positive results in line with your new health plan.

Disease and Illness

A lack of sleep has been linked to diseases which can occur later in life such as Alzheimers and Dementia. The reason for this is that a long period of time whereby your body is not getting the rets it needs, can result in the brain not being able to function at 100%, because it has not been given the necessary time to process data and recuperate. This is a very real danger and if you want to avoid neurological diseases such as this, you need to ensure that you are sleeping well.

There is no excuse for not sleeping well, get your routine right, get the right bed and mattress, and sleep your way to a healthier you.

5 Reasons Kids Should Exercise

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Keeping your children healthy and happy is one of the most important parts of a parent’s many jobs. It’s not always easy with so much temptation all around and so many sugary snacks and drinks, not to mention computers, tablets, and video games that make kids move around a lot less than they might normally do. Therefore, getting kids to exercise more is a great idea, and there are some good reasons why children should exercise.

They’ll Sleep Better

Children who are physically fit and healthy sleep much better than those who aren’t, and this is good for a variety of different reasons. The first is that getting enough sleep allows the body to re-set itself overnight, repairing any problems that it may have come across. When this happens, your child will wake up feeling healthy and energized, ready for the day ahead. If they don’t get enough sleep, then these repairs won’t have time to take place, and throughout the day they will feel less able to get on with things. Their productivity and concentration levels will fall dramatically.

They’ll Help You

If your kids are out exercising then you can be too; in fact, if you can all play and get fit together, it can create a much stronger bond between you as well as giving you plenty of health benefits. If you are taking cholesterol medication, or medication for high blood pressure or other ailments then getting a good amount of exercise can help your condition, and working out with the kids will give you the boost you need to do it, and do it regularly.

They’ll Develop Healthy Habits

Children who get into a good routine of exercising regularly will develop healthy habits when it comes to fitness, and they will carry these on into adulthood. If they have children of their own, they will be able to pass these traits down so that another generation of children will grow into healthy, able adults.

They’ll Be Better Behaved

Studies have shown that getting outside and playing (so not even regimented exercise – running around with their friends can be good enough) improves the behavior of children, making them happier and friendlier with fewer anger issues. This could be because exercising like this is fun, and it produces hormones such as serotonin that combats stress, making them feel much calmer and happier in general. It could also be that they are concentrating on what they are doing and when they are finished they are tired, so they don’t want to be combative anymore. Whatever the actual reason, it’s a good way to keep the family dynamic strong.

They’ll Have A Better Immune System

When a child gets the right amount of exercise, it boosts their immune system making them less susceptible to illness. They won’t catch so many colds, for example, and their cuts and grazes will heal quicker. They will have lower blood pressure, and their weight will be controlled too, and this means they will be less likely to develop conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Plus, if they are outside, they will be getting more vitamin D which is essential for healthy bone growth.

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We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!