Do you know going for a walk in the park is good for you? It can be somewhere in your neighborhood not necessarily just in parks.
Going for a walk can help you declutter ideas in your head.
It is another way of having a me time.
Couples can do same together too. It gives them time to simply admire nature or talk about fun times.
Walking is a good way of overcoming a sedentary life style.
Let’s have a look at the health benefits of taking a walk in the park. Shall we?
▪️To maintain a healthy weight and lose some body fat.
▪️To improve the cardiovascular system.
▪️For prevention and easy management of health conditions like hypertension, heart diseases, caner, diabetes and more. ▪️To aid in strengthen the muscles too.
▪️To strengthen the bones.
In summary, going for a walk is good for you. Look after your health.
I will like to read from you, do you enjoy walking in the park?
How often do you do it?
A lady taking a morning walk with her dog. Image source: FiTon
Do have a look at the Health category for similar posts.
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Sleep plays a vital role in our overall health and well-being. Do you know that during sleep our bodies repair and rejuvenate, and our minds process and consolidate memories?
I will like us to explore the connection between sleep and overall health, and why getting adequate sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
1. Physical health: Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining physical health. During sleep, the body repairs and regenerates cells, tissues, and organs, and helps to maintain a healthy immune system. Lack of sleep has been linked to a number of health issues such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer.
2. Mental health: Sleep is also essential for maintaining mental health. During sleep, the brain processes and consolidates memories, and helps to regulate emotions and mood. Lack of sleep has been linked to a number of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment.
3. Weight management: Sleep is also important for weight management. Studies have shown that people who get adequate sleep are less likely to be overweight or obese. This is because sleep deprivation disrupts hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism, leading to increased cravings for high-calorie foods.
4. Cognitive function: Adequate sleep is crucial for cognitive function. It helps to improve memory and learning, and enhances decision-making, problem-solving, and creativity. Lack of sleep can lead to impaired cognitive function and difficulty with attention, concentration, and memory.
5. Safety: Sleep is important for safety. Sleep-deprived individuals are more likely to be involved in accidents and injuries, both on the job and while driving.
6. Quality of life: Overall, getting adequate sleep is essential for maintaining a good quality of life. It helps to improve mood, energy levels, and overall well-being, allowing us to be more productive, focused, and engaged in our daily activities.
Additionally, good sleep hygiene, such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine and electronic devices before bedtime, and creating a comfortable sleep environment, can help improve the quality of sleep and overall health.
In conclusion, the connection between sleep and overall health is clear. Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining physical and mental health, weight management, cognitive function, safety and overall quality of life. It is important to prioritise sleep and make it a regular part of our daily routine. By understanding the importance of sleep and making the necessary adjustments to our lifestyle, we can improve our overall health and well being.
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I know you have heard this a couple of times but the truth remains that one needs to exercise for optimal health. Regular exercise is a crucial part of maintaining good health and preventing disease. From improving cardiovascular health to increasing muscle strength and flexibility, the benefits of regular exercise are numerous.
In this piece, we’ll explore the top 10 health benefits of regular exercise and how it can improve your overall well-being.
Improves Cardiovascular Health: Regular exercise is one of the best ways to improve cardiovascular health. It helps to increase the strength and efficiency of the heart and blood vessels, which can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure.
Increases Muscle Strength and Flexibility: Regular exercise helps to build and maintain muscle mass, which can improve overall strength and flexibility. This can be especially beneficial for older adults, as muscle mass tends to decrease with age.
Lowers the Risk of Chronic Diseases: Regular exercise can lower the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. It helps to control weight, lower blood sugar levels, and improve cholesterol levels.
Improves Mental Health: Regular exercise can improve mental health by reducing stress and anxiety, and promoting feelings of happiness and self-esteem. It can also improve mood and cognitive function.
Helps with Weight Management: Regular exercise can help with weight management by burning calories, building muscle mass, and improving metabolism.
Improves Sleep Quality: Regular physical activity can improve sleep quality, including increasing the amount of deep sleep, reducing insomnia, and improving overall sleep efficiency.
Increases Energy Levels: Regular exercise can increase energy levels by improving cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength. It can also help to reduce fatigue and improve overall physical and mental well-being.
Boosts Immune System: Regular exercise can boost the immune system, making the body better equipped to fight off infections and illnesses.
Promotes Healthy Skin and Hair: Regular exercise can promote healthy skin and hair by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the skin and hair.
Reduces Risk of Certain Cancers: Regular exercise can reduce the risk of certain cancers, including breast and colon cancer.
To sum it up, regular exercise has numerous benefits for overall health and well-being. From improving cardiovascular health to increasing muscle strength and flexibility, regular exercise should be a part of everyone’s daily routine.
By incorporating regular exercise into your daily routine, you can improve your physical and mental health, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Whether it’s going for a walk, running, swimming, or playing a sport, make sure to include regular exercise in your daily routine for a healthier and happier you.
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To ensure that your sight is optimal, do go for regular checks. That way you can avoid drastic deterioration and extra costs.
Do check your eyes health to avoid sight deterioration and extra charges. Yes you read that right.
Specsavers is making me pay dearly for not sticking to every 2 years eye check.
So, it happened that for months now I have been having frontal headaches. I blamed less sleep as I barely get good sleep for some time of recent. However, I made sure I got like 5 good hours of sleep for 3 days but no much difference.
Then, I thought it could be my glasses that are due for replacement.
I booked an appointment and opted for the OCT scan. They had said the scan would show what can happen in the next 4 years.
Do I really wanna know what will happen in 4yrs time? I want to simply enjoy life😊
That’s isn’t entirely true. I do want to know. The scan showed that the retina and various layers in the eyes were intact.
However, the measurements showed my prescriptions have changed.
It normally change slightly and I get new glasses all the time but this time it was different.
This time, the left eye prescription is different from the right eye one. The prescriptions were headed for the roof and the thickness was so much.
They said thinning can be done.
That was the main deal.
I had to thin each glasses. I had never had to thin any of my glasses in the past except for the add on for improved reading and reduction of rays from pc and phones.
To thin each frame is £105 I already got two frame; as a deal of get one and another pair free.
I’m gonna pay for thinning 2 glasses, eye test fee and one eye glasses. Oh! They gave me eye drop for dry eyes this time. I have known about the dry eyes for long time now. The reason I only wore contact lenses just on my wedding day.
Really?, I asked?
The charge for the two is more than the cost my glasses.
Now, one of the girls has black dents where her glasses on sits on her face. She told me it was due to a heavier lens she had not thinned.
I reluctantly and hurriedly paid for the thinning. Very unfortunate.
I felt robbed.
I guess they came up with that strategy to make me pay for not patronising every 2years.
Now, I know I will meet them soonest in 24 months time before I pay for what-i-do-not-know.
In other news, check your eyes health as recommended. If you don’t, you will have to pay the price.f you like this post, please comment, share and subscribe to my blog.
According to BBC (2017) Mental health problems are defined and classified to help experts refer people for the right care namely. They are namely: neurotic and psychotic.
Neurotic conditions are extreme forms of “normal” emotional experiences like depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder while psychotic symptoms interfere with a person’s perception of reality and impair thoughts e.g. schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Mental illness is invisible to everyone but those experiencing them.
Majority of those affected suffer in silence
There are some helpful treatments options available.
Look after yourself
Look after your health
Your are control
There are stressors around
You don’t need to add to them
Learn how to deal with them
Your physical, mental and overall health should be your priority.
Do spare time to reach out to friends and relatives. You never know what others are passing through.
If you have asthma do endeavour to carry your inhaler regardless of the last time you had an attack. Some people say that the attack feels like one being strangulated or suffocated.
What is Asthma
National Institutes of Health (2014) defined asthma as a chronic lung disease which causes the inflammation and narrowing of the airways and presents with recurrent episodes of wheezing sound, chest tightness and coughing (mainly at night and early in the morning).
A popular definition by Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA, 2016) states that “Asthma is a heterogeneous disease, usually characterized by chronic airway inflammation. It is defined by the history of respiratory symptoms such as wheeze, shortness of breath, chest tightness and cough that vary over time and in intensity, together with variable expiratory airflow limitation”.
There are different definitions of asthma which incorporate other subtle signs and symptoms, therefore it is important that nurses and other health professionals are proficient in their knowledge of asthma and its management.
Pathophysiology
Asthma is marked by characteristic episodes of symptoms and variable obstruction of the airway which can occur spontaneously or triggered by environmental factors. Exposure to allergens or viruses causes increased inflammation and exacerbation of symptoms such as cough, wheezing, chest tightness and dyspnoea (difficulty in breathing).
The main characteristic of asthma is inflammation of the bronchi and bronchioles which is marked by the release of various cells and chemical mediators which consequently leads to bronchoconstriction, airway oedema, airway hyperresponsiveness and airway remodelling. Airway remodelling leads to hyperplasia of submucosal and goblet cells and cause hypersecretion of mucus. Mucus plugging of the alveoli is a key cause of asthma death.
Majority of deaths from acute asthma takes place outside the hospital. Asthma patients whose symptoms did not improve either at the emergency department or in the ward should be admitted to intensive care unit.
Therefore, it is paramount that the asthmatics are equipped with the necessary knowledge and support to enable them to manage themselves.
Some patients are known to have triggers such as viral infections and cold air.
Diagnosis
A well detailed history taking and good knowledge of differential diagnosis will ensure that asthma is diagnosed appropriately.
In the view of BTS/SIGN (2016), asthma diagnosis is based on the identification of the characteristic pattern of signs and symptoms and the lack of a different explanation for them.
Once asthma is diagnosed, the physician assesses the patient for the level of severity. The presence of intense symptoms indicates an asthma attack.
Management
The significance of treating asthma symptoms once they are detected cannot be overemphasized as it prevents the symptoms from worsening.
Pharmacological management of Asthma:
Inflammation of the airways is central to the pathogenesis of asthma, hence systemic corticosteroid forms part of the first-line treatments for acute asthma.
Intravenous hydrocortisone 200mcg and Prednisone 4g should be given in accordance with BTS/SIGN (2016) guidelines. Other sources advocates the usage of oral and intravenous steroids in the management of severe asthma.
Ipratropium nebulizer 500mcg to be given every 20 minutes for 1 hr and later reduced to Qds. It is a bronchodilator that eases breathing by relaxing the air passages.
Salbutamol nebulizer 5mg Qds. β2-adrenergic agonists are the first-line treatment for smooth-muscle mediated bronchoconstriction and are most reliable for dilating the bronchioles (GINA, 2016).
Iv Magnesium sulphate 2g in cases of hypomagnesia. Studies showed that the administration of 2g of Magnesium sulphate increases the dilation of the bronchioles in patients with severe asthma regardless of normal magnesium levels.
Health education is vital in the management of Asthma as it ensure asthmatics are able to self-manage, monitor symptoms, adhere to written asthma care plan and attend review appointments as recommended by GINA (2016) to avoid hospital admissions.
The BTS/SIGN (2016) reported evidence in which self-management was considered to reduce emergency use of healthcare resources and improve markers of asthma control.
Ideally, there is an asthma care plan for all sufferers which should adhered to. Asthma UK (2016) stressed on the importance of patients adhering to their written asthma care and added that asthma patients are four times less likely to present in the hospital if they utilize their asthma care plan.
Conclusion
It is paramount that asthma patients are supported by healthcare professionals to make sure they confidently self-managed, experience lesser symptom and thus, require less hospital visits.
P.S.
I am a registered volunteer of Asthma UK. Detailed information about asthma, its management and events are on the website.
This post is adapted from an Asthma case study, to access the full study do not hesitate to contact me.
