General Health Articles

Healthy Living: Five Ways Your Smart Phone Can Make You Healthier

It is 2021 and mostly everyone has a smart phone nowadays. There are so many apps and programs that you can now download to your phone to help you reach your fitness and health goals. 

While this seems like an easy thing to do – just download an app – there is much more involved in getting the most out of your smart phone to become healthier. 

Here are five ways that your smart phone can make you healthier. 

1. Set up healthy appointments on your phone. Use the remind or alarm function on your phone to help you set healthy reminders – like take your medication, get to spin class, go to bed early and take the stairs and not the elevator on your lunch break.
2. Use your timer. We have learned since we were little that we should brush our teeth for 2 minutes, but do you? Use your timer to achieve these types of goals. You can use your timer to figure out how long tasks take so that you can also better prioritize your time, causing less stress.
3. Track your progress. Sure, you downloaded that fitness tracker on your phone, but are you using it? Commit to a particular app and actually use it. Basic features include tracking your steps, counting your calories, and helping you to get a handle on your blood pressure.
4. Eat Healthy. There are quite a few apps that you can download that can help you to be a better label reader and track your food intake.
5. Motivate yourself. Customize your alarms to give you that gentle nudge that you need to motivate yourself. A “Get to the gym if you want to fit in that dress” message alarm is more motivating than a beeping alarm.

In the News: Ways to Prevent Computer Eyestrain

It’s a sign of the times that more people are using computers, ipads, and other electronic devices for large amounts of their day. And while these devices have made our lives easier and more convenient in many ways, they have also done a number on our eyes.

There is even now a diagnosed disorder for the chronic eyestrain caused by looking at a screen too much – Computer Vision Syndrome or CVS. 

Symptoms of CVS include dry and burning eyes, aching back, neck, shoulders or head, and blurry vision. 

Here are some ways that you can avoid eye strain and prevent CVS from getting to you. 

• “Take a break.” Every 15 minutes take an eye break from your screen. Look from side to side, then gaze into the distance. Roll your shoulders while you are taking your eye break to stretch out your neck, too.

• “Look down, not up.” Tilt your screen (if you can) downwards so that it is 4-8 inches below your eye level.

• “Stand up.” Take a 10-minute bathroom break – even if you don’t have to go – at least every 2 hours. Walk around, back and forth, letting your eyes idle. Avoid looking your phone during this idle break and let your eyes wander. Do anything except something that requires intense eye focusing. 

• “Use Eye Drops.” People tend to blink less when they are staring at a screen which results in dry eyes. Keep eye drops nearby and squeeze in some artificial tears when necessary. 

• “Check your glasses.” People wear glasses for reading and for seeing things far away, but most glasses are not intended for reading type on a computer screen that is 20 inches away from you. Consult an optometrist about getting a pair of computer glasses.

In the News: Getting Prepared for Hurricane Season

Planning for hurricane season can be extremely stressful for those living in areas that are prone to being struck by these natural disasters. This year can be especially difficult in planning and preparing, because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, many places are still closed and/or have different guidelines in place that may not have been in place before. 

But if you take the time to go over some important family preparedness steps with your family, friends, loved ones and neighbors, then things do not have to be as stressful on you. 

Public health and emergency response professionals offer the following advice when it comes to helping you prepare, sheltering in place during a natural disaster, and safely evacuate if that is something that you need to do.

• Give yourself plenty of time to prepare your food, water and emergency medicine supplies, for you and your pets. Because supplies may be in demand in some areas, you may have a hard time finding the items you need.
• Pay attention to local guidance regarding evacuations and sheltering in place for you and your pets. Again, things may have changed even since last year and you do not want to find out that your evacuation route is no longer the route when the weather is already changing.
• Find out if your local public shelter is open.
• Follow every day preventative measures if you do need to shelter with family or in a public place. Respect everyone’s personal space, wash your hands regularly and cough/sneeze into your arm to prevent the spread of illness.
• Follow safety precautions when evacuating and be sure to follow all signage as posted.

Summer 101: Staying Healthy at Animal Exhibits

Every summer, families from all over visit petting zoos, zoos, aquariums, animal farms and summer camps that have animal exhibits. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), many people will get sick after visiting one of these animal attractions.

Wherever you visit, it is important to remember these tips to keep you and your families safe when enjoying animals:

• Wash your hands regularly. Use hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t prevelant.
• Keep food and animals separate.
• Always supervise children around animals.
• Don’t take sippy cups and/or pacifiers inside an animal exhibit.
• Remind children to keep their hands out of their mouths after touching animals and before washing their hands.

In the News: Exercise Your Brain

Despite what many people think, our brain can remain sharp, active, vital and creative no matter what our age.

Our brain can create new brain cells and new connections between them over the years, but our brain vitality is completely up to us.  Maintaining that vitality is truly a “use it or lose it” situation. 

Studies done by several schools of medicine suggest that the more stimulating and intellectually challenging that we make our lives, the better our odds are to keep our brain sharp as we get older. 

Some ways to keep our brains sharp include:

Reduce stress: stress can wear down the hippocampus, which plays a major role in memory function.

Exercise regularly: exercising delivers more oxygen-rich blood to the brain which is vital for producing new brain cells and preventing atrophy.

Eat low-fat and healthy: glucose spikes and fatty plaque deposits due to overeating can damage the brain, so a lower-calorie diet promotes better circulation and helps to control weight.

Challenge your brain: challenging your brain by learning and doing something new every week helps to create new neural pathways, helping to make your brain more versatile and able to multi-task.