A Good Night’s Sleep – The Natural Way

By: http://www.skybluecross.com/
There is probably nothing worse than not being able to sleep. Whether you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, you have probably struggled to find ways to overcome your insomnia. Most people assume that taking sleeping pills are the only way to cure insomnia but contrary to popular opinion, there are natural means to curing insomnia. Although sleeping pills may initially help you fall asleep successfully, almost all are addictive and do not really facilitate a state of restful sleep or most importantly, allow R.E.M. (rapid-eye movement) sleep. If you have never tried a natural remedy for insomnia, it is definitely worth a try to get a restful night of sleep.
1. Regular exercise during the day. We could learn a thing or two from children. Watch them run around the entire day and sleep soundly at night. Start a regular exercise regimen, particularly in the afternoon, which can help facilitate deeper sleep. However, do avoid strenuous exercise within the 2 hours before bedtime, which can have the opposite effect.
2. Avoid daytime napping. Common sense dictates that if you nap throughout the day, you would definitely have trouble sleeping at night. Late afternoon is generally a “sleepy time” for most people. Naps are fine as long as they are limited to about 30-45 minutes and are not taken later than 3 pm.
3. Re-evaluate your diet. The simplest way to cure insomnia would be to change your diet. A diet rich in junk food and caffeinated products, including coffee, tea, chocolate, and some types of sodas will throw off your natural brain chemistry and cause you to lose sleep.
4. Turn off the lights. Our sleep patterns, or circadian rhythms, are closely linked to the presence of light and dark. So, unless you have issues with sleeping in the dark, turn off all the lights in your bedroom when you’re going to bed. Or alternatively, use a dim nightlight.
Adequate sleep and rest is essential for a healthy and active life. If you are still unable to get a good night’s rest after trying these natural remedies, do seek medical attention.

A good treatment option for spinal cord injuries

 By: http://www.skybluecross.com
With all the distractions that is brought by modern times, more and more people are becoming prone to lifetime conditions such as spinal cord injuries or SCI. Experts say that the spinal cord injuries are damages or trauma in the person's spine area, which may lead to its inability to function well when it comes to mobility or feeling.

Studies show that the most common causes of spinal cord injuries may include accidents such as gunshot, clashing of vehicles as well as falling heavily on the ground. Other possible causes may also include certain diseases or illnesses such as polio or ataxia caused by unhealthy living.

Many people mistake spinal cord injuries to back injuries. Although both of these may affect the spinal area, the difference lies on the severity of the conditions. If the person have back injuries, it could be that his or her bones are broken, the discs on the back area are dislocated or the nerves have been joint. For those who have spinal cord injuries, these may not the present because many people who have it continues to have their spinal cord intact, the only difference is that the nerves may not be able to feel.

Although medical treatment options are the ideal options for these people, it would be best to try a milder form through the services given by a chiropractor. If you are one of those who know people with SCI, the best help that you can give them is by becoming a chiropractor yourself.

If you want to be a chiropractor, a good education is a must. Where else could an aspiring chiropractor get this but in a chiropractic school? Since the chiropractic field focuses on a person's overall health, people in this line of work should not only be properly trained but also have the license to conduct the nature of the field such as proper diagnosis and practicing treatment options.

Being a health care profession that is focused on the sensitive part of the person's body—which is the spine and the musculoskeletal system in general—people who are in the chiropractic field should be properly trained. This training as well as comprehensive knowledge on the field of chiropractic can only be acquired in a chiropractic school.

Chiropractic education ensures that the future practitioners or the chiropractors are qualified enough to do the work. All over the world, the admission requirements, the entry criteria, the overall education structure, the teaching methodologies as well as the nature of programs and training offered vary. However, there is a standard set of qualifications that is set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that future chiropractors are qualified for the nature of the work. According to WHO, chiropractors must be able to obtain a first professional, second entry, degree in Chiropractic medicine and should also be able to finish a three-year university undergraduate education to be able to apply for the chiropractic degree; finish a four-year course of pre-requisite training in basic sciences; complete a 4-year full-time program in a reputable college or university; and obtain a license by passing Chiropractic Board Exams by completing a 12-month or a one-year clinical internship to a reputable health care establishment or a hospital.

To ensure that you get all the qualifications needed to become a qualified chiropractor who can help people with spinal cord injuries, it is a must to choose a chiropractic school that meets the above-mentioned standards.

Get better sleep the natural way

By: http://www.skybluecross.com
Some people are really born to have a hard time to get better sleep. While there are those who were able to develop this problem because of unhealthy practice. Either way, the problem still lies that one is having a hard time lulling into that good slumber.

The best way to go about it is that first, one needs to address the problem of sleeping. These include knowing the reasons why that person is having a hard time sleeping. The focus areas should include the personal issues, status at work, health conditions, and sleeping environment.

1. Personal issues. The may include stress factors that affect the overall emotional state of a person. If one if stressed by personal issues, it will be harder for him or her to get better sleep because that person is thinking too much. If it's possible to address these problems and problems immediately, it would really help a person to get better sleep. If not, one should seek help from professionals so he or she can cope with the issues and will have better chance of getting sleep at night.

2. Status at work. Studies show that more and more people are having a hard time sleeping because of their status in work. With the overall global crisis that the world experiences now, it is only common for people to worry about their security. If you think that this is one factor that won't let you get better sleep at night, then now is the right time to face it and be prepared for the worse. If you are prepared that no matter what happens, you will still have your job or you are confident that you can easily find one, then you will have peace of mind and will lead you to sleep better at night.

3. Health conditions. Some people are able to develop sleeping disorders without them knowing. These sleeping disorders are usually caused and triggered by so many factors. If you are having hard time sleeping and you think that the reasons are something that you can no longer control, then it is best to seek professional help.

4. Sleeping environment. This is also among the things that affect the overall sleeping state of a person. If you have bad sleeping environment, then the tendency of your body is to resist sleeping.

The natural way

In the market today, there are so many products and even medication that promise to help one get better sleep. But, these artificial substitutes may have a side effect. To avoid further complications, it is best to try sleeping techniques the natural way. Some may include routines that will only help you get better sleep but help improve your overall health as well.

The first thing that you could do is to develop and practice good sleep hygiene. These include eating the right foods that can help you sleep better and avoid those that affect sleeping patterns. It also includes having regular exercise and avoiding napping in the afternoon so you will sleep well at night. You may also want to develop a routine that will help you sleep better such as doing relaxing activities before your bedtime such as taking a warm bath, reading, or writing in your personal journal.

To get better sleep, you can also try soundproofing your room to avoid unnecessary noises, adjusting the lights so you will be more comfortable, getting into a comfortable sleeping position and practicing deep breathing to relax your senses.

A Good Night’s Sleep – The Natural Way

 By: http://www.skybluecross.com/

There is probably nothing worse than not being able to sleep. Whether you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, you have probably struggled to find ways to overcome your insomnia. Most people assume that taking sleeping pills are the only way to cure insomnia but contrary to popular opinion, there are natural means to curing insomnia. Although sleeping pills may initially help you fall asleep successfully, almost all are addictive and do not really facilitate a state of restful sleep or most importantly, allow R.E.M. (rapid-eye movement) sleep. If you have never tried a natural remedy for insomnia, it is definitely worth a try to get a restful night of sleep.
 1. Regular exercise during the day. We could learn a thing or two from children. Watch them run around the entire day and sleep soundly at night. Start a regular exercise regimen, particularly in the afternoon, which can help facilitate deeper sleep. However, do avoid strenuous exercise within the 2 hours before bedtime, which can have the opposite effect.
 2. Avoid daytime napping. Common sense dictates that if you nap throughout the day, you would definitely have trouble sleeping at night. Late afternoon is generally a “sleepy time” for most people. Naps are fine as long as they are limited to about 30-45 minutes and are not taken later than 3 pm.
 3. Re-evaluate your diet. The simplest way to cure insomnia would be to change your diet. A diet rich in junk food and caffeinated products, including coffee, tea, chocolate, and some types of sodas will throw off your natural brain chemistry and cause you to lose sleep.
 4. Turn off the lights. Our sleep patterns, or circadian rhythms, are closely linked to the presence of light and dark. So, unless you have issues with sleeping in the dark, turn off all the lights in your bedroom when you’re going to bed. Or alternatively, use a dim nightlight.
 Adequate sleep and rest is essential for a healthy and active life. If you are still unable to get a good night’s rest after trying these natural remedies, do seek medical attention

Activities for Seniors: Creating the Right Exercise Program

By： http://www.skybluecross.com



Seniors need regular exercise to maintain muscle tone, boost endurance and gain independence. There are several other benefits that workouts render, that keep the elderly living longer and staying away from disease. You should draw the perfect exercise program that adequately suits their capacity and needs. Here are some tips to get your started.

What They Can Do

The primary rule is to only provide enough exercise that will stimulate adequate blood flow to all the vital organs, as well as maintain muscle mass. Muscle tends to atrophy during the later stages of a person's life. You should keep hard-earned tissues through both cardiovascular exercises, stretching routines and weight training. In the beginning, it is important that you do an overall assessment of the senior citizen first, to ensure that he or she can do all the exercises without much trouble.

Very strenuous exercise can be detrimental to the overall condition of seniors. You need to check their response by listening to their verbalizations and observing how they cope. If you find some negative signs such as heavy breathing, profuse sweating, loss of balance, droopy eyelids and mild to severe pain, immediately stop the activity.

Being Flexible

Exercise routines should be individualized, which means that one program is only meant for a single individual. The specific approach is highly recommended since it takes away much of the risk of overtraining. You can also map out progress more efficiently by giving the exact type of exercises, number of repetitions and sets and duration of each workout. Use a log book and fill in all the details of every workout.

Exercise programs should be very flexible, in the sense that the routines and kinds of movements change every week or so, depending on the response of the patient. Your goal is to maintain or boost strength, flexibility and strength, if possible, so the exercises need to be upped as the individual gets stronger and better.

Getting a Professional

If you happen to be a concerned son or granddaughter taking care of a senior citizen in your home, it is always useful to get the opinion of a professional when creating your exercise plan, so you can select the right type and intensity that suit the needs of the patient. Professionals include dieticians, gym instructors, physical therapists, nutritionists, nurses and physicians who will check if the program is acceptable or too strenuous.

During the first few sessions, you can ask the professional to help you in assisting the senior go through the different movements. Proper execution is crucial to attain the various objectives and goals. Professional help is important every now and then, especially during the times when you're already supposed to evaluate the senior's response to treatment.

Other Sources

When defining the exercise routine, you can refer to exercise DVDs that caters to seniors, visit online forums and watch videos online. You can also visit senior centers to have an idea how a typical routine goes. Take some tips from instructors and the experts about evaluation and adjusting the routine for the patient. Over time, you will develop the skill in keeping the senior comfortable while giving him or her a truly sensible workout. Be reminded that diet and rest are the other two components that will sufficiently support the exercise program for seniors.

Activities You Can Try Out For Stress Management

By: http://www.skybluecross.com
It is quite possible to easily cope with stress if you find the right activities to help you get your mind off the problem that's bothering you. Even if having fun does not directly get rid of the source of the problem entirely, diverting your mind from it for a short period of time will calm you down and regain your composure before taking it on again.

You don’t have to go on an extended vacation just to get rid of stress. In fact, you can easily have fun while in the comforts of your own home to get your mind off it. You can indulge in word or board games, sports, music and art, and many others to fill up your time with something you like to do and forget your problems to help you relax.

Let Your Mind Have Some Fun

Since stress is centered on your mind, then it would only be plausible to divert it into something more productive and fun. Try to delve into games that require your mind to think. Chess is a great way to stop thinking about the problem and focus more on how to beat your partner. You can also try playing word or number games that will put your logical mind at work, like scrabble, Sudoku, word puzzles, crosswords, and the like. This will help divert your mind from stress to help you achieve a sense of relaxation.

Sweat Out Your Stress

One stress management technique is to engage in sports. Many would agree that a friendly bout of basketball or tennis with your friend will help you relax. This will help you focus your mind into winning, especially if you turn it into a competition. Consider this as an outlet for your anger or irritation with work and channel it in a positive way instead of venting it out at the office.

Also, stress can also affect your anatomy if left unchecked. Engaging in exercise or sports will help sweat out those toxins that accumulate due to stress that will surely grow on you. Moving around a lot will also help in muscle rejuvenation -- which is often cramped and sore every time you are under the throes of stress.

Go To The Gym

If you want to channel all your stress to something productive and release it in one go then you might want to try coping with it at the local gym. Stress affects you physically, mentally, and emotionally; so it would only be best to address these three aspects in one sitting.

Going to the gym to help cope with your stress is a good idea. The instructor will help you divert your mind from your problems to the program he or she has in store for you. You will need to focus all your mind and effort to completing the workout routine. This way, you won't have time to think about your problems at home or office; just focus on getting your body in shape for a better you.

Another benefit of going to the gym is to strengthen your heart from the effects of stress. Heart attack and stroke are health conditions commonly attributed to stress. By going into a cardiovascular workout, you are strengthening your anatomy for the future -- this time, you will be physically equipped to deal with it.

how to Better Your Brain, Cognitively and Physiologically

By: http://www.skybluecross.com
When you start forgetting things, you blame your brain. When you don't feel so good since you stayed up late and drank till 3am, you won't be working in the office like a sharp instrument. When you don't even notice what doesn't work among the solutions you come up with and argue for during meetings, you have to do something about this. When you can relate to all these, you need to better your brain, both in sharpening your perceptions, in improving how you approach problems, in analyzing information, and in adjusting your health, sleeping, eating, and work out regimen.

Your brain is not only like a muscle. It's also like a 10 year old. It could have started out curious and as you nourish that curiosity and savor the habit of learning more, of seeing relationships among things, of solving problems, you tend to improve the cognitive aspect of your brain.

Problem solving is a good way to keep your brain sharp. Once you get familiar with how your biases clog and impede your way of seeing things, and get some training on problem solving techniques, not only will your stress level go down, you will start to feel empowered. Most people try to avoid problems, but if you're curious on how to generate solutions to things and to try them out, then problems become opportunities to make things better. The more empowered and capable you feel about your problem solving skills, the better you feel about yourself, the more you become capable of dealing with stress. Consequently, the more capable your observational and analytic skills become, the healthier your brain gets.

So it's recommended to start researching on problem solving techniques, and see how the many strategies may apply to your various domestic, academic, and work scenarios.

On the other hand, your brain is like a muscle. It atrophies or welts when you don't use it. Like a plant, It doesn't grow well when it doesn't receive the right nutrients. Like a dog underfed and eating trash, it limps and gets sick easily.

There is also a social and self-affirming positive outlook about trying to better your brain. It involves spending time enjoying the company of your friends and family, when you can be yourself, and just let it all hang. There's something spiritually relieving about being yourself, and around the people you're comfortable with, and whose company you enjoy. This kind of rest is good for your brain, too.

Get some sleep, a lot of sleep. The brain works better when your synapses are healthily firing and your subconscious has had time to sort itself out. This means rest physically and mentally. The more time away from a problem you get the more your mind has time to work on it, subconsciously. It's always better to approach work problems after a long night's sleep.

Work out, too, on a regular basis. The more your heart gets pumped and often the more blood circulates throughout your body, and to your brain, bringing fresh supplies of oxygen and nutrients to it. Also, working out brings about increased levels of release of endorphins that make you feel good. It's no wonder some people become addicted to exercise. Your brain will like it, too. These are just some of the ways to better your brain.