Coming from a family with a history of malignant melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, i am always conscious of how to maintain healthy skin for as long as possible . My mom's parents both have had melanoma. My mother is always reminding me of the blistering sunburns she received as a teenager, lifeguarding outdoors under the shadeless, high-noon sun of summer. She tells me that when she was a teenager, no one really was aware of, or informed about the short and longterm effects of sun exposure on the skin. So for me, the primary factor in maintaining healthy skin, is to avoid overexposure and unprotected exposure to the sun's harmful rays. I avoid tanning booths and know it is unhealthy, although my peers use them. I wear sunblock every day, even when it's 40 degrees out. Besides lessening my skin cancer risk with these practices, I am also encouraged by the fact that sun avoidance will mean less blemishes and wrinkles for me.
I have never smoked, and never would smoke. I haven't smoked in the past because I am an athlete and need healthy lungs to excel in my sport. But I am also aware that smoking makes people lose the elasticity of their skin at an earlier age, and I would rather hold onto my youthful skin then ever explore what smoking is all about. Besides lung cancer, smoking has been linked to other cancers, including those of the skin.
Antioxidants in the diet are important cancer-fighters, and I am aware of their benefits every day, consuming green tea and blueberries as much as these are available to prevent skin cancer and maintain a healthy intake for overall health. I also drink orange juice regularly and am glad to know that vitamin C helps promote healthy skin cells.
A regular skin care regimen will also help, not so much with preventing skin cancer, but with evening my skin tone and reducing the onset of wrinkles. Gentle exfoliation and removing the extra oil in my skin seems to help my overall appearance; it's great to read that this is an importance aspect of overall care. (1)
And stress is good for nothing! There are so many articles and advice pages one reads and hears over the course of a week that speaks to the concept of body, mind and stress relationships. I think if a person has had a chronically stressful life with factors they have little control over, it will show on their skin earlier than someone who has managed to either escape chronic stressors, or find supportive resources to help with their challenges. Reading this article had been a reminder of the importance of overall health, and of the necessary habits one must incorporate in caring for our largest and most obvious organ, the skin. Hail to sunblock, and berries, and best friends!
(1)http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-care/SN00003
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Stress and Health
One of the most important and relevant topics relating to health is stress. Most of us relay on our hours of sleep to replace our problems. We wake up in the morning and feel the same stress we felt when we fell asleep the night before. It is rarely dealt with in the proper way. As mentioned on HelpGuide.org, a little stress is necessary and responsible for our creativity and personality. Stress is generally what motivates us to achieve goals or get tasks accomplished in a timely manner. Too much can cause serious health issues though. This is why it is important to know how to control your stress and anxiety and keep your nervous system balanced.
Because I tend to get angry when I am stressed out, I have spent time learning how to learn deep breathing. It really has made a difference and it is amazing what it does to your body temperature. When you are stressed, your body gets cold. Eventually, as you practice your deep breathing, you have more control over maintaining a higher body temperature. If you are someone who becomes sad and depressed when you're stressed, you should consider going to the gym or some rhythmic exercise. This will get your mind off your troubles and boost your endorphins. Lastly, if stress makes you freeze up inside, yoga and pilates would e an excellent solution.
The key to conquering your control over your stress and health is to know what you need and how to get it. Be sure to study your habits and practice methods of staying calm. Identify the causes of stress and attack the source. Maintain a positive attitude and keep in mind that all stresses are temporary.
Source:
www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm
Because I tend to get angry when I am stressed out, I have spent time learning how to learn deep breathing. It really has made a difference and it is amazing what it does to your body temperature. When you are stressed, your body gets cold. Eventually, as you practice your deep breathing, you have more control over maintaining a higher body temperature. If you are someone who becomes sad and depressed when you're stressed, you should consider going to the gym or some rhythmic exercise. This will get your mind off your troubles and boost your endorphins. Lastly, if stress makes you freeze up inside, yoga and pilates would e an excellent solution.
The key to conquering your control over your stress and health is to know what you need and how to get it. Be sure to study your habits and practice methods of staying calm. Identify the causes of stress and attack the source. Maintain a positive attitude and keep in mind that all stresses are temporary.
Source:
www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Naps vs. Eight Hours of Sleep
According to Men's Health, there have been studies on how someone's most common sleeping position can say a great amount about their personality. Do they really correlate though? The article has information about how people who sleep on their side are lacking self confidence, and people who sleep on their back have breathing problems and are usually tired. But what is the even bigger dilemma in adults these days? It is the fight between getting seven hours of sleep at night versus barely getting any sleep but taking short naps throughout the day. (The Best Sleep Positions)
Every person needs a different amount of sleep to cope during the day. Some can function on merely four hours while other people need nine hours to function properly. Whether or not all this sleep is at once, it is important to know what kind of sleep you need and get those hours every day. Although, it is proven that having a steady sleep schedule can be more helpful to you body's needs.
Most of us think there is only one way to feel rested during the day. We think we need our six to eight hours every night to stay awake for the whole entire day. According to an article, this is only 1 of the 5 different types of sleeping habits. Getting 8 hours of sleep and none during the day is known as the monophasic sleep cycle. Along with this sleep cycle, the other four fall under the polyphasic sleep cycle. Those who study psychology know the four stages of sleep. (Lejuwaan) These sleeping stages involve beta, alpha, theta, and delta waves. It varies from drowsiness to the deepest sleep you can get. What differs the polyphasic sleeping methods from the monophasic sleeping methods is that the short napping throughout the day sends one into stage 4 Rapid Eye Movement (REM) faster, instead of the 45 minutes or hour that it usually takes.
Here are the different polyphasic sleep cycles:
1. Uberman Cycle: 20 or 30 minute naps every four hours. This is usually reported as refreshing and makes you feel healthy.
2. Everyman Cycle: One long nap and then shorter naps throughout the day. It was reported as just an effective sleep cycle as the Uberman.
3. Dymaxion Cycle: Sleeping thirty minutes every six hours. Reported as the best cycle out of all of them.
4. Biphasic Cycle: Considered the college sleeping cycle. 4 or 5 hours at night and a 90 minute nap in the afternoon. Considered better than the monophasic sleeping cycle.
Reading this article really surprised me. Am I wasting my time worrying about getting eight hours a night? I rarely nap even when I am tired in the afternoon. The less sleep is considered more effective in this article. Most people reported that they were surprised that they could function properly and still feel so refreshed after barely getting any sleep.
It is amazing how many studies are done on ways to better the quality of sleep. So many factors contribute to the quality of sleep you are getting. For the best sleep, make sure you are eating healthy foods and avoiding fatty, artificial foods, and getting exercise. Looking at the results and comments of people who have tried these different cycles, it definitely is worth a try!
Sources:
"The Best Sleep Positions." Men's Health Magazine : Men's Guide to Fitness, Health, Weight Loss, Nutrition, Sex, Style and Guy Wisdom. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.
Lejuwaan, Jordan. "Alternative Sleep Cycles: You Don’t Really Need 6-8 Hours!" High Existence Site Wide Activity RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.
Every person needs a different amount of sleep to cope during the day. Some can function on merely four hours while other people need nine hours to function properly. Whether or not all this sleep is at once, it is important to know what kind of sleep you need and get those hours every day. Although, it is proven that having a steady sleep schedule can be more helpful to you body's needs.
Most of us think there is only one way to feel rested during the day. We think we need our six to eight hours every night to stay awake for the whole entire day. According to an article, this is only 1 of the 5 different types of sleeping habits. Getting 8 hours of sleep and none during the day is known as the monophasic sleep cycle. Along with this sleep cycle, the other four fall under the polyphasic sleep cycle. Those who study psychology know the four stages of sleep. (Lejuwaan) These sleeping stages involve beta, alpha, theta, and delta waves. It varies from drowsiness to the deepest sleep you can get. What differs the polyphasic sleeping methods from the monophasic sleeping methods is that the short napping throughout the day sends one into stage 4 Rapid Eye Movement (REM) faster, instead of the 45 minutes or hour that it usually takes.
Here are the different polyphasic sleep cycles:
1. Uberman Cycle: 20 or 30 minute naps every four hours. This is usually reported as refreshing and makes you feel healthy.
2. Everyman Cycle: One long nap and then shorter naps throughout the day. It was reported as just an effective sleep cycle as the Uberman.
3. Dymaxion Cycle: Sleeping thirty minutes every six hours. Reported as the best cycle out of all of them.
4. Biphasic Cycle: Considered the college sleeping cycle. 4 or 5 hours at night and a 90 minute nap in the afternoon. Considered better than the monophasic sleeping cycle.
Reading this article really surprised me. Am I wasting my time worrying about getting eight hours a night? I rarely nap even when I am tired in the afternoon. The less sleep is considered more effective in this article. Most people reported that they were surprised that they could function properly and still feel so refreshed after barely getting any sleep.
It is amazing how many studies are done on ways to better the quality of sleep. So many factors contribute to the quality of sleep you are getting. For the best sleep, make sure you are eating healthy foods and avoiding fatty, artificial foods, and getting exercise. Looking at the results and comments of people who have tried these different cycles, it definitely is worth a try!
Sources:
"The Best Sleep Positions." Men's Health Magazine : Men's Guide to Fitness, Health, Weight Loss, Nutrition, Sex, Style and Guy Wisdom. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.
Lejuwaan, Jordan. "Alternative Sleep Cycles: You Don’t Really Need 6-8 Hours!" High Existence Site Wide Activity RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.
Pros and Cons of Caffeine
As we grow older, sleep gradually becomes more of a delicacy than a given right. Therefore, most of us lean toward caffeine to stay awake for our daily obligations. What is the best way to consume this caffeine though? We can drink it in tea, coffee, soda, etc. According to WebMD, 68% of people rely on caffeine every day. There are plenty of pros and cons that come with drinking a lot of caffeine. For instance it tends to improve concentration and memory. It also reduces the risk of getting Alzheimer's and liver cancer. Although these are very amazing benefits, there are also many downsides. Drinking too much can lead to high blood pressure, low bone density, and high blood sugar. It has been proven that caffeine exaggerates stress. Surprisingly, caffeine is like a drug in that it can be addictive and people can experience withdrawal. Then again, most people who feel as if they are going through withdrawal have just formed a psychological dependence and can do without it.
I know a couple people who drink coffee every single day and say they cannot function without it. One of my old teachers told me that she drinks it so often that it does not even effect her anymore. Although, if she goes a day without it, she feels helpless and useless. Apparently, this kind of reaction varies form person to person. I only drink coffee when I really need it. Therefore, I probably drink it once or twice a month and I feel jittery and restless. Drinking too much definitely effects sleeping habits too. It is important to drink a healthy amount and do not drink it prior to sleeping.
Source:
Doheny, Kathleen WebMD. "Pros and Cons of the Caffeine Craze." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.
I know a couple people who drink coffee every single day and say they cannot function without it. One of my old teachers told me that she drinks it so often that it does not even effect her anymore. Although, if she goes a day without it, she feels helpless and useless. Apparently, this kind of reaction varies form person to person. I only drink coffee when I really need it. Therefore, I probably drink it once or twice a month and I feel jittery and restless. Drinking too much definitely effects sleeping habits too. It is important to drink a healthy amount and do not drink it prior to sleeping.
Source:
Doheny, Kathleen WebMD. "Pros and Cons of the Caffeine Craze." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2013.
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