Check out these tips to help keep your ears healthy while swimming this summer.

Are your work deadlines getting shorter? Did you sign your kids up for too many activities? Start too many home improvement projects?  

Feeling overwhelmed?!  

Of course, you are. Many of us try to do too much and end up stressed, which can lead to unhappiness and other severe health problems. 

The solution? Well, there is no one perfect solution, but a vacation might be a great place to start. Take our quiz to learn more. 

Many of us try to do too much and end up stressed, which can lead to unhappiness and other severe health problems. The solution? Well, there is no one perfect solution, but a vacation might be a great place to start. Take our quiz to learn more. 

Do you love your smartphone? Don’t laugh. You probably do. Most of us do. 
 
On the flip side, there may be times that you loathe it. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar: 

• You feel a sense of panic when you can’t find your phone 

• Areas without cell service turn you into an anxious mess 

• When your battery gets low, you race to your charger to avoid any interruption in your online access 

• You can’t resist checking if you were “liked,” “friended” or got a reply to a text you sent five seconds ago—and then you refresh and check again 

If you’re feeling a little too dependent on your phone—or suspect your phone is having a negative effect on the way you feel or how you deal with others—these frequently asked questions about phone addiction may open your eyes to a very real problem (hint: your phone) that may literally be staring you in the face.  

Is phone addiction a real thing? 

Yes. Constant, undisciplined phone use can negatively affect mental, social, developmental and physical well-being and can cause symptoms similar to other forms of addiction. Before clicking a button or sending another emoji, ask yourself—is this really the best use of my time? 
 

What are the symptoms of phone addiction? 

The symptoms may include irritability and anger, restlessness, sleep issues, lack of concentration and uncontrollable desire to check your phone. If you’re feeling any of these, that shiny rectangle in your pocket may be to blame. 

Who is most susceptible to phone addiction? 

If you guessed teens, you’re absolutely right. Because teen brains are still developing, they are less able to recognize when they're becoming addicted. If you have a teen, why not talk to them about phone usage, social media and related issues, and ask them to read these questions, too? Then make a plan so you can help each other reduce your phone usage. 

How can being dependent on your phone cause problems in your life? 

While “disappearing” into the online world of your phone may seem like shelter from the outside world, this type of comfort can actually make the boredom, depression and loneliness you are experiencing worse. Make a choice to live in the real world, not the digital one. 

Are there ways that I can determine if my phone use is problematic? 

If you’re finding that you’re preoccupied with cellphone use during other activities, if you turn to your phone for shelter from unwanted feelings or your sense of time is completely altered, your cellphone usage may be becoming a problem. 

What can I do to make my phone usage healthier? 

The good news is, you’re still in control. So, make a choice to regain control and vow not to be addicted to your phone. Here are some tips to get you going in the right direction: Put your phone away or turn it off during mealtimes. Install apps that limit your usage or give you reminders to turn off your phone. Don’t keep your phone in your bedroom, so it’s easier to sleep. Everyone is different, so identify your weak areas and build new habits that keep you away from your phone more often. 

Sources: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6449671/ 

https://www.who.int/china/news/detail/28-03-2018-are-our-smart-phones-affecting-our-mental-health- 

If you’re feeling a little too dependent on your phone—or suspect your phone is having a negative effect on the way you feel or how you deal with others—these frequently asked questions about phone addiction may open your eyes to a very real problem.

Body art is a growing trend among all age groups. While ear piercing has been a staple accessory for decades, piercings on other parts of the body are also growing in popularity. 

Here’s how you can put distraction activities into practice. If your mind continues to spiral with unhelpful thoughts, use distraction as an effective tool to knock out negativity. It’s important to note that a distraction activity must command your full attention to effectively reduce anxiety.

If your mind continues to spiral with unhelpful thoughts, use distraction as an effective tool to knock out negativity.

You may have heard or read that pets can be good for your health – but you might have wondered, “Is that true?” Turns out, the evidence shows that having pets can help you to be healthier in a variety of ways, both physically and emotionally. 

We all know pets provide companionship and unconditional love. But research has shown they can also help reduce stress and blood pressure in owners, increase longevity in those who've had heart attacks, and even relax and improve the appetites of Alzheimer's disease patients. 

Here a few facts regarding pets and your health: 

• Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without. 
• Kids with "furred animals" in the home have less risk of allergies and asthma. 
• When a dog is in the home, infants were less likely to show evidence of pet allergies (19% vs. 33%). 
• Male pet owners have less heart disease (lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels). 
• Alzheimer's disease patients with pets in the home have fewer anxious outbursts. 
• Pets can help children with their emotional and social skills. 
• Having an animal companion to keep you company can help all of us – especially older adults who aren’t able to get out of the house much – to feel less lonely. 
• Many hospitals and other medical facilities have pet therapy – bringing around pet volunteers to improve patients’ mental health. 

Pets Can Be Good Medicine 

Pets improve our health without speaking a word and without ever demanding a thing – they just need you, your love and your caring. Not only do pets help us to love, they help us to stay healthy and to heal. So, if you’re trying to decide whether a pet is right for you, keep in mind, improving your health might be the deciding factor!

You may have heard or read that pets can be good for your health – but you might have wondered, “Is that true?”

While fragrance has been used for healing purposes for centuries, it was dubbed aromatherapy in the late 30s, thanks to a French chemist. Aromatherapy uses a plant’s aroma-producing oils (essential oils) to treat disease. Oil taken from a plant’s flowers, leaves, stalks, bark, rind or roots is mixed with another substance, like alcohol, oil or lotion, then sprayed in the air, inhaled or applied to skin. Depending on the type of oil, the result on the body may be calming or stimulating. Specialists of aromatherapy use it to help treat a wide range of physical and mental conditions including burns, infections, depression, sleeplessness and high blood pressure.

Sensory Cells Connect to Brain

The ability to smell comes from sensory cells in a small patch of tissue high inside the nose. These cells connect directly to the part of the brain that plays a major role in controlling our memories, behaviors and emotions therefore, how we interpret and respond to smells.

Aromatherapy Defined

Our nose helps us enjoy the aromas of favorite foods or flowers. Aroma, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is a distinctive and usually pleasant or mouthwatering smell. Therapeutic is relating to the treatment of disease or disorders by methods to provide or assist in a cure. If it passes your sniff test and you’re considering using aromatherapy, tell your doctor.

Source: HealthWise and NIH

While fragrance has been used for healing purposes for centuries, it was dubbed aromatherapy in the late 30s, thanks to a French chemist.

Do you hate exercising? Don’t be embarrassed. There are a lot of us that feel that way. Exercising is hard work, takes time, makes you sweaty and can cause soreness when you start.

However, the facts are clear. Exercising is crucial to staying healthy and living a long life. So, think of it this way, a little exercise each week can give you several more years of lounging on the couch.

Solutions, not excuses

Let me guess, you are too busy to exercise? Most studies recommend 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. That is only 2 ½ hours out of a 168-hour week. If a few hours a week can add years to your life, surely you can find the time.

Maybe you would rather read or watch TV? Try listening to audiobooks or watching TV while exercising on a treadmill. Just be sure to pay attention to your surroundings. The last thing you want is to get hurt or do something embarrassing that somebody might capture on video and post online.

Perhaps you don’t like going to the gym and don’t want to buy expensive equipment? The good news is you don’t have to. You can achieve moderate-intensity exercise without working out your credit card. A brisk walk, swimming and push mowing grass are examples of moderate-intensity exercise. You can also mix in strength training by doing pushups, pullups and lunges. As you progress, you can purchase inexpensive resistance bands that are small enough to store in a drawer.

Bottom line

Exercising is great for your health. You will feel better and have more energy to stay up and finish binging season seven of your favorite show.

Remember, any exercise is better than none. Mahmoud Farhoud, M.D. who specializes in invasive cardiology at Genesis HealthCare System says, “Start slow and gradually increase. Exercising in small increments throughout the day and week. You should also always consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.”

Do you hate exercising? Don’t be embarrassed. There are a lot of us that feel that way.

You nudge, you try to move him, you even wake him up to tell him he’s snoring. You’ve tried it all, and nothing seems to work. He’s snoring, and it doesn’t seem to be a problem for him. But his snoring keeps you awake at night. What is going on with his snoring, and what can you both do about it?

Mechanics of snoring

You snore when the flow of air from your mouth or nose to your lungs makes the tissues of your throat vibrate when you sleep. This can make a loud, raspy noise. Loud snoring can make it hard for you and your partner to get a good night's sleep.

You may not know that you snore. Your partner may notice the snoring and that you sleep with your mouth open. If snoring keeps you or your partner from getting a good night's sleep, one or both of you may feel tired during the day. Here’s a fun fact: Snoring is more common in men than in women.

Indication of serious health issues

Snoring may point to other medical problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be a serious problem, because you stop breathing at times during sleep. So, if you snore often, talk to your doctor about it.

What causes snoring?

When you sleep, the muscles in the back of the roof of your mouth (soft palate), tongue and throat relax. If they relax too much, they narrow or block your airway. As you breathe, your soft palate and uvula vibrate and knock against the back of your throat. This causes the sounds you hear during snoring.

The tonsils and adenoids may also vibrate. The narrower the airway is, the more the tissue vibrates, and the louder the snoring is.

Making lifestyle changes can help

You may be able to treat snoring by making changes in your lifestyle and in the way you prepare for sleep. For example:

· Lose weight if you are overweight.

· Quit smoking.

· Sleep on your side and not your back.

· Limit your use of alcohol and medicines such as sedatives before you go to bed.

· If a stuffy nose makes your snoring worse, use decongestants or nasal corticosteroid sprays to help you breathe.

· Try using devices that you attach to the outside of your nose to help with breathing while you sleep. These include nasal strips and nasal disks.

· When you sleep, use a device in your mouth that helps you breathe easier. This device pushes your tongue and jaw forward to improve airflow.

If these treatments don't work, you may be able to use a machine that helps you breathe while you sleep. This treatment is called continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP. In rare cases, your doctor may suggest surgery to open your airway.

If your partner snores on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to make sure he talks to his doctor about it. Snoring can be annoying, but you want to be sure it’s not a sign of a serious health issue like sleep apnea.

Source: Healthwise

You nudge, you try to move him, you even wake him up to tell him he’s snoring. You’ve tried it all, and nothing seems to work.

Sit up straight. Don’t slouch. We all heard this as children, and it turns out we should have listened. Here are 10 benefits of practicing good posture.

1. Reduce back pain: Sitting up straight cannot always eliminate back pain, but in many cases, can relieve it.

2. Improve circulation and digestion: Slouching can compress vital organs leading to poor circulation and making it harder for organs to work correctly.

3. Reduce headaches: Bad posture builds pressure in the neck muscles and head. This is often a result of your head leaning forward. Every inch your neck bends forward beyond a neutral position, you create an extra 10 lbs. of weight to support.

4. Increase energy: Sitting up straight can give you more energy? Yes. When your posture is correct, your joints and bones align correctly. So, your muscles do not have to work as hard, resulting in more energy.

5. Decrease stress on joints: Proper posture while sitting and standing reduces stress and wear on joints, which reduces pain.

6. Increase lung capacity: Good posture provides more area for your lungs to expand.

7. Prevent injury during exercise: Keeping your neck in line with your spine and your shoulders back can help prevent muscle strain and injury.

8. Ease tension in your neck and shoulders: Avoiding a head forward position will reduce stress on joints and ligaments.

9. Reduce jaw pain: Pain while talking, yawning, eating or chronic headaches can be caused by poor posture that adds stress to your jaw muscles. Focus on relaxing and loosening your jaw to alleviate this pain.

10. Appear taller, slimmer and more confident: In addition to looking taller and more confident, having good posture will also make you appear slimmer.

Sit up straight. Don’t slouch. We all heard this as children, and it turns out we should have listened