Hearing Loss: It Can Affect You or Anyone in Your Family

Did you know that 5 out of every 1,000 children suffer from hearing loss? While it’s true that the majority of people who suffer from this condition are adults, there are an estimated 34 million children around the world that do as well.

Hearing loss can strike at any age but the causes between adults and children are often a lot different.

Hearing loss in adults

Many people presume that hearing loss in adults is due to aging, but it can also be caused by exposure to loud noises, ear infections, tumours, abnormal bone growth or by damage from chemicals or drugs.

It’s not always easy to first realise that you have problems with your hearing, as it often gets worse over time.

If you find that you are having to turn the TV or radio up louder than usual or are asking people to repeat themselves while having a conversation, that it could be a sign that you are suffering from hearing loss.

Hearing loss in children

A lot of the causes of hearing loss in children are congenital, and stem from birth complications, head injuries, alcohol and drug abuse, having a recessive gene or due to their mother smoking during the pregnancy. Hearing loss can also come about from exposure to loud noise, infectious diseases and chronic ear infections.

Unlike with adults, it is a little harder to realise that a child or baby is suffering from hearing loss. Some of the signs that you may notice include:

• Delayed speech development
• Pain in their ears
• Not responding to loud noises
• Turning the TV or music up louder than normal
• Having trouble understanding what people are saying around them

How to prevent hearing loss

Since the causes of hearing loss mostly differ between children and adults, the measures you can take to prevent it happening to you or your family members will be different as well.

For adults:

• Giving up smoking and avoiding being around other smokers
• Using hearing protection when around loud noises
• Clearing earwax from your ear canal

For children:

• Avoiding loud noises
• Keeping up to date with immunisations

Both adults and children should have regular hearing tests so that your doctor can pick up on any early signs of hearing loss.

What happens if you or your child develops hearing loss?

Hearing loss can be managed or treated in a number of ways, depending on how it was caused and how advanced it is. Your audiologist may suggest that you wear a hearing aid or cochlear implant, both of which sit in or behind your ear to assist with hearing. Some mild and moderate hearing disorders can be treated with medication or surgery, and speech therapy is often encouraged for people that are having trouble communicating from their loss of hearing.

Have you had your hearing checked lately?

There are solutions for people who suffer from hearing loss and want to be able to hear the world around them. It’s important to visit your audiologist regularly and to keep up to date with modern hearing aid technologies.

Simple Steps to Self-Healing

Self-healing is a concept that is big in the holistic healing community as well as the energetic healing world. You do not need to be attuned to any form of healing to be able to self heal. It is helpful, and a good addition to your toolbox for your own abilities to influence your life in a positive way. Here are some self-healing steps you might want to try.

Learn to relax properly – In order to re-programme your subconscious mind you have to learn to properly relax. It shows how to carry out a very powerful breathing exercise. This is the first, and most important step in gaining self healing and self awareness. We recommend that you use this relaxation and circulation technique as you study the self healing and self awareness concepts which are contained in the articles of our UNITY course.

Rhythmic breathing – Avoid breathing too deeply at first, or holding your breath too long – All effort should be gentle and easy. The aim is to establish a rhythm.

Source: UNSPLASH

Let go of anger and cruelty – Now is the time to finally let go of all the damaging effects that anger and cruelty have caused in you. Allow all the peace and harmony to come back into your body, mind, emotions and spirit.

Let go of fear, feeling of lack and abuse of power – Now is the time to finally let go of all the damaging effects that this fear, lack and the abuse of power has caused in you. Allow all the peace and harmony to come back into your body, mind, emotions and spirit.

Let go of unreachable goals, false expectations and identifications – Now is the time to finally let go of all the damaging effects that this fear, unreachable goals, ethics and morals, as well as false expectations and identifications have caused in you. Allow all the peace and harmony to come back into your body, mind, emotions and spirit.

Let go of religious and spiritual desire – Now is the time to finally let go of all the damaging effects that this excessive religious and spiritual desire has caused in you. Allow all the peace and harmony to come back into your body, mind, emotions and spirit.

Let go of judgement, self love and forgiveness – Now is the time to finally let go of all the damaging effects that this excessive judgement, lack of self love and forgiveness has caused in you. Allow all the peace and harmony to come back into your body, mind, emotions and spirit.

4 Ways to Breaking Unhealthy Habits

You might  feel overwhelmed when you decide to make some healthy changes in order to live a healthier lifestyle moving forward. This might keep you from making any changes at all. Here are some practical ways that will help you shift from your old routines successfully.

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Identify the root cause of your unhealthy habits. Bad habits start due to some reasons. Dig deep and find the cause of your bad habit. For example, you always find yourself eating junk foods  when you’re stressed at work. Finding these triggers and eliminating the triggers themselves is like taking the fast track to sustainable, lasting change.

Replace your unhealthy habits with healthy ones. This tip will help you ditch your bad habits while you build the good ones. If you’d like to ditch that nightly glass of wine because your sleep is suffering and the pounds are packing on, find something healthy to replace it with. Exchange that wine for a healthy sleepy-time tea, and enjoy better sleep as well. This also goes for reaching for a large bowl of snacks at night, try replacing it with veggies and hummus or a bowl of fruit.

Take things slow. Going cold turkey on refined sugar cold turkey might work for some, but for most of us, it will result in a relapse and possibly a binge. You can better decide to cut one sugary meal or snack from your life each week and slowly decrease your sugar intake. The same goes for healthy habits, don’t start with wanting to work-out twice a day, start with once or twice a week and build up from there.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. A small setback might cause you to give up your goal altogether but don’t let one mistake break all the progress that you made. The all or nothing approach simply does not work. Be patient with yourself and be proud of yourself. While you’re using these tips to break old habits and build new ones, it still won’t be easy, but it will finally stick this time. And, you’re worth it!

The Healing Effects of Gratitude

Gratitude is a powerful attitude. We can use it to expand our happiness, create loving relationships, and even improve our health.

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Gratitude makes you likeable. Gratitude makes you nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. As a result, it helps us make more friends, deepen our existing relationships, and improve our marriage.

Gratitude strengthens your emotions. It reduces feelings of envy, makes our memories happier, lets us experience good feelings, and helps us bounce back from stress.

Gratitude lets you sleep. People who are thankful for the day that was get more sleep hours than those people who are anxious and angry. Sleeping 8 hours or more a day makes you healthier.

Gratitude makes you more optimistic. Optimism in turn makes you happier and healthier. Studies show that gratitude can increase lifespan by as much as a few years.

Gratitude keeps the doctor away. Gratitude can’t cure terminal illnesses, but it can strengthen your physiological functioning. Positive emotion improves health. In fact, some recent science shows just that – those who engage in gratitude practices have been shown to feel less pain, go to the doctor less often, have lower blood pressure, and be less likely to develop a mental disorder.

Gratitude helps you relax. Gratitude and other positive emotions are among the strongest relaxants known to man.

Gratitude increase your energy levels. Gratitude and vitality are strongly correlated – the grateful are much more likely to report physical and mental vigor.

Know the Effects of Sadness on Your Health

Sadness can have serious physical effects on your body. The most common of these include loss of appetite and change in body temperature. In some cases, it leads to death. Read this short post to learn about the unhealthy effects of sadness and how you can avoid them.

Source: UNSPLASH

1. Trouble sleeping.
2. Irritability, anger, and loss of interest in things that used to bring pleasure.
3. Feeling of emptiness or hopelessness.
4. Frequent episodes of crying.
5. Inability to concentrate, memory problems, and difficulty making decisions.
6. Trouble maintaining a normal work schedule or fulfill social obligations.
7. Use of alcohol or drugs.
8. Reckless or abusiveness.
9. Overeating or binging which lead to weight and obesity-related illnesses like type 2 diabetes.
10. Stomachaches, cramps, constipation, or malnutrition.
11. Stress hormones speed heart rate and make blood vessels tighten.
12. The body stays  in a prolonged state of emergency.
13. Heart disease and other cardiovascular issues.

Here are some ways to beat sadness.

Give some upbeat music a listen. An upbeat tune can change an atmosphere instantly and create a more positive vibe. Listening to upbeat, happy music alters brain chemistry and can improve your mood.

Monitor your inner negative talk. Reminding yourself that your thinking is that of a sad person, not a healthy functioning person. Don’t take your thoughts seriously when you are feeling low. Acknowledge the thoughts but this doesn’t mean you have to believe them.

Sleep. Sleep and mood are closely connected. Inadequate sleep can cause irritability and stress, while healthy sleep can enhance well-being. Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on mood.Take steps to ensure adequate sleep will this will lead to improved mood and well-being.

The Many Benefits of Meditation to Your Health

Advancements in technology and constant turmoils in the environment can cause the mind to be easily clouded. Oftentimes, a clouded  mind is the root of illnesses, failures and unrest in the lives of many. Are you one of those who suffer from the negative effects of a fast-phased and demanding lifestyle in the city? Why don’t you incorporate meditation in your lifestyle to clear your mind and lead a victorious life? Here are some reasons which might encourage you to engage in meditation ASAP.

Mind and Body

> Meditation increases immune function.
> Meditation decreases pain.
> Meditation decreases Inflammation at the cellular level.
> Meditation increases the grey matter.
> Meditation increases volume in areas related to emotion regulation, positive emotions & self-control.
> Meditation increases cortical thickness in areas related to paying attention.

Work and Productivity 

> Meditation increases your focus & attention.
> Meditation improves your ability to multitask.
> Meditation improves your memory.
> Meditation improves your ability to be creative & think outside the box.
> Meditation improves your wisdom level.

Emotions and Psychological Make-up.
> Meditation cultivates positive emotion.
> Meditation alleviates depression.
> Meditation decreases anxiety levels.
> Meditation decreases stress levels.
> Meditation increases social connection & emotional intelligence.
> Meditation makes you more compassionate.
> Meditation boosts Your self-control.
> Meditation improves your ability to regulate your emotions or quiet your mind.
> Meditation improves your ability to introspect.

Note: I don’t own this video. All credits to the owner/publisher.)

In Focus: Classical Music and Your Health

Music is powerful. It can move you from within and cause your eyes to well up with tears or push yourself to your limits. Since music – specifically classical music – can influence humans greatly, it has been used to treat different kinds of problems for many years now. Specialists call this music therapy.

Classical music helps you sort out your emotions and problems.  There are symphonies which will make you cry as soon as you hear their firs notes played. Crying provides a great way to release your unexpressed feelings and to experience healing. If you’re going through a lot and you don’t want to confide to anyone, listen to the masterpieces of Vivaldi or Debussy.

Classical music affects your breathing. Music in general can affect the speed of your heart beat. Certain classical pieces can slow down your breathing. This is a good thing especially when you’re hyperventilating or working on your anxiety or panic attacks.  Studies show that slow and meditative tempo has a relaxing effect that slows down your heart rate and clears your mind of negative thoughts.

Classical music can reduce blood pressure.  According to the American Society of Hypertension, researches show that listening to classical music, Celtic or reggae for about 30 minutes per day can lower your blood pressure. Dr. Peter Sleight at the University of Oxford, furthered explained that “music can alleviate stress, improve athletic performance, improve movement in neurologically impaired patients with stroke or Parkinson’s disease, and even boost milk production in cattle.”

 

Quick Steps to Overcoming Internet Addiction

Yes. You read the title right. The internet can be very addictive. Addiction to the internet can affect our health and well-being. It can cause eye strain, headache and back pain especially when your glued to your computer or gadget for long hours. It can also cause you to be lazy and unproductive. 

Admit that you have internet addiction. Pretending that you don’t have this kind of addiction doesn’t make things any better. Admit your problem and take note what it has done to your life. don’t turn a blind eye to its negative effects on your overall well-being.

Increase your awareness. What urges you to stay longer on the internet? What actions can you do to beat that urge? Think of other meaningful things that you can do to overcome your addiction. As much as possible, choose tasks that will lead to positive results once they’re completed.

Look at the bigger picture. Our lives is short to be wasted on non-sense. Number your days aright and think of the things which you wish to achieve before you die. Do something. Create something. Meet new friends. Improve your relationships. These things require time as well.

Be intentional. Planning without action can get you nowhere.  Turn on your computer only when you need to work. Set a time limit to your computer usage. If you’re going to research and write an article, allot an hour or two to do so. Force yourself not to check your social media account or surf the net once you’re done.

Top 3 Reasons Why You’re Lazy

Laziness is one of the main reasons why many people are not fit and healthy. It is like a plague that robs the best out of the humankind. Some say it is a genetic disease that is passed on from one generation to another while others say it is a choice that is easy to make specifically when you’re faced against difficulties. There are at least three factors which keep people from taking action. These are distraction, procrastination and way of living.

Distraction – A distraction is anything that keeps you from being productive. Nowadays, social media is a major distraction that keep people from spending their time on meaningful tasks. Most people think that they are multi-tasking and that they’re accomplishing more with their time. But the truth is, they’re accomplishing less when multi-tasking. The brain is created to process things one at a time and so it works best when distractions are eliminated.

Procrastination is doing later or tomorrow the things which you need done today. This is an internal factor which may be caused by fear of a negative outcome or feeling insecure for one’s inability to pinpoint the best way to start with a project or task.

Way of life – Way of life or lifestyle can cause people to be lazy as well. People with weight problems are more likely to feel sleepy and tired. They find it hard to focus in order to complete a task. They also lack the energy to keep working until their tasks are completely done.

 

 

Four Top Ways to Be Happy Today

Loneliness is the top emotion that derives most of us the opportunity to enjoy life. We tend to be lonely because of the personal failures, frustrations, memories that burn and sorrowful situations that we encounter from time to time. The world can be filled with misfortunes if viewed in the lens of gloom. Finding ways to be happy then can save us from falling into the deep pits of depression.

Do some goal-setting – When a person sees that there are a lot of things to be done and nothing gets accomplished, he feels miserable. This can be easily dealt with by setting specific goals that match with his skills and time. What is good about this is that you are able to do more with less effort. We are born to be creators. With that, we experience self-fulfillment when we produce something. Isn’t this the most worthwhile of the various ways to be happy?

Act on your goals – Once your goals are set, scheme a set of actions that will help you bring them to realization. Besides these, consider some tools that will make your tasks easy and people whom you think could motivate you to do the best.

Enjoy the company of your family and friends – The routines of everyday life can get even the most cheerful people bored at times. It is ideal to learn how to break away from dragging stuff because this will keep you from feeling burned out quickly. You can start by spending time with your family and friends. There is no special formula on how to find happiness with them. Watch a movie or eat out with them. If your budget is tight, simply invite them for a chat over a cup of coffee.

Think and act positively – Negative things exist inevitably every hour every day. Most of the time, we cannot do anything to change them. We must shield our minds with positive thoughts so that we won’t get robbed of our happiness. One positive thought to hold near your heart is ‘believe that everything is achievable’. This will help you succeed over all circumstances or tasks which you may even find impossible to overcome or achieve.