Open The Door to Health and Fitness

"Leslie, a fracture this bad changes your life - forever."

That's what the orthopedic surgeon said to me during my fourth-week, post-operation check-up.

The tears, too proud to flow, prickled behind my eyes. The flimsy cloak of denial disappeared. Reality hit me; hit me hard.

I'd like to say that breaking both bones in my right forearm brought out my bravest and noblest self.

Quite the contrary. I felt weak, vulnerable, and never so alone. I knew I was the solo warrior in this battle of pain, disability, and recovery, in spite of the loving support from the flanks.

I hated those odds: alone. I cried - a lot.

Worst of all, I was scared. Scared that I'd never be the same. I needed my arm for my work, my writing, my activities, and for my children - I worried about my children worrying about me.

My fear and self-absorption were fueled by the doctor's honesty.

I was ready to settle into my pity party, but it was crashed - by the "G" sisters: Get-a-Grip Gerty and Gratitude Greta. Double-teaming me, they were a fierce, formidable force - impossible to ignore. Trust me, I tried, but they were right in my face. Who invited them anyway? I loved hanging out with my buddies from the Wendy Whiner's Club.

Get-a-Grip Gerty not-so-gently reminded me:

"Leslie, you aren't paralyzed or missing an arm or leg. Some disease isn't taking over your body. You didn't break your neck - it's just a broken arm, for goodness sakes. Broken bones heal. Get a grip, girl.

"And even if it was more serious than a broken wing, you can always learn to fly, if in spirit only. Open your eyes and heart and receive inner strength and courage from those heroes who rise above permanent hardship, loss, constant pain, life-long disability and/or illness.

"The human spirit finds a way of prevailing and inspiring."

And then Gratitude Greta piped up:

"Glitches happen to all of us - it's not a matter of "if," it's "when." It's these very glitches that give you the opportunity to dig deep and grow from the inside out. They mold your character. They soften your heart for compassion, empathy, and love - self-love and other-love.

"Life's glitches spark creativity and shed light on priorities, possibilities, and promise.

"Life's glitches open up doors of awareness into the core of you and your soul's purpose.

"Be grateful for glitches. You are who you are because of them, not in spite of them."

Okay, okay, "G" girls. I got the message. It goes something like: "Get over yourself, girlfriend, and get on with it - be all that you can be and do what you can do - and with a grateful heart."

The doctor was right. My life has changed forever, and only time will tell the depth and breadth of that change, the change in my body, mind, and spirit.

Do I still get scared and sneak back into that pity party? Absolutely - lots of times. But, luckily, Get-a-Grip Gerty and Gratitude Greta (yes, they keep hanging around) love getting me by the scruff of my scrawny neck and dragging me away, kicking and screaming, from all those Wendy Whiners.

I am reminded of a quote by Boris Pasternak:

"When a great moment knocks on the door of your life, it is often no louder than the beating of your heart, and it is very easy to miss it."

God knew that hard-headed me needed a very loud knock to get my attention. After that slip, crash, crunch, pain, and first thought, "Oh, no, I broke my arm - how am I going to work?", I am finally listening - at least I hope I am - well, at least some of the time anyway.

Any words of wisdom, my friend? I'm all ears.

Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a health motivational speaker, writer, and lifestyle coach. Visit http://www.DrLeslieVanRomer.com for more inspiration.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Leslie_Van_Romer

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Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel

Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel
What's the best way to dry your hand? The paper towel or hand dryer? This has been a huge debate for a long time

already. Now, let's go through this question in three perspectives - hygiene, price and carbon footprint.

First, study shows that after washing hands with non-alcoholic soap and then drying with a warm air dryer, only 9% of bacteria remained, but 20% remained when drying with cloth and 13% with paper. Clearly, among these methods, the dryer is the most hygienic way. Yet, touch free dryer can futures reduce the chance of bacteria transferring to you. Also, study also shows that bacteria are found in unused papers towels, especially those recycled ones since they are made with mixed materials.

Second, when it comes to price, people always think that paper towel is cheaper than hand dryers at the first glance. But, that is totally wrong. Because buying a dryer is a onetime cost, however, paper towel requires endless repurchasing process plus the labor cost for changing paper when they are out and the maintenance/stocking cost. Let's say that the average usage of a public bathroom is 200 people per day, then, paper towel will cost $2.4 while high speed hand dryer will only cost less than 8 cent. (Based on the average price of a tissue is 0.6 cent and people use two tissues to dry their hand while the electricity cost 10.2 cent for 1KWh) By using high speed hand dryers, you can save about $850, which means that the breakeven time for buying a hand dryer is within a year.
Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel

Finally, carbon footprint/energy consumption. Do you know that in order to produce one ton of paper towel, 3.5 tons of wood is needed? And, the pulping production may cause a mixture of chlorine and other chemicals (depending on the bleaching materials used) which then turn into toxic chemicals. These chemicals could cause skin cancer and even affect immune system. Besides, paper towels can NOT be recycled. It is one time use only. This explains why 40% off trash in US land filed contains paper products. On the other hand, hand dryer keeps improving and is being more and more energy efficient now. Traditional dryers use about 2200 watts but high speed dryers use an average of 1300 watts only.
Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel

From the above three perspectives, we can see that hand dryer is the winning method for drying hands. Even though people in America are used to paper towels, in Europe and Japan, you can barely see any paper dispensers in restrooms because hand dryer is a greener and more cost efficient way to dry hands. And I think it's our time to make this change from paper to dryers to not only benefit our health but our mother earth.

Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel Hand Dryer vs Paper Towel 
Source:EzineArticles.com/7577422

Some Causes Of Toenail Fungus And How You Can Get Rid Of It

Having a fungal infection on your nails is really unpleasant and unsightly. You may search high and low for a solution.

Well, I used to be a sufferer myself, but I have found the perfect solution. Before I share with you about how to treat toenail fungus naturally, allow me to share with you the causes of toenail fungus. There are a few culprits involved, so it would be good that you know what they are, so that you know how to prevent another infection from happening in future.

What Causes Nail Fungus?

The main reason why fungal infections happen on your toenails is because of the lack of proper hygiene. It is important to keep your feet dry as much as you can. Moisture is what attracts bacteria from breeding, thus encouraging fungal growth. Besides moisture, enclosed heat can also cause fungal infections. Bacteria love warm and moist environments, so if your feet are often warm and moist, then you need to watch out for the first signs of fungus.

You should change your socks regularly and try not to wear the same pair of socks for too long a period of time. I suggest you wear a fresh pair of socks every day. I also suggest that you stay away from shoes that are tight. Obviously, you should not wear shoes that are too loose either or you may end up having trouble while you walk. Pick shoes that fit nicely. If you sweat a lot, you may want to air your shoes regularly too. Sometimes, you could apply powder on your feet to keep them dry.

This is a little known fact, but a weakened immune system is also one of the causes of toenail fungus. What do I mean by weakened immune system? Well, if you had experienced a sickness lately, such as HIV or leukemia, you need to be careful. It is also a known fact that the older folks are more prone to developing fungus or their toenails. Your body's immune system is in charge of combating bacteria and fungi. If it gets overpowered by the bacteria and fungi, then you will be more likely to get the infection.

Treating Toenail Fungus

Now that you know what the causes of toenail fungus are, I will be moving on to how to remove nail fungus. Thankfully, there are herbs that can help treat toenail fungus naturally.

- Tea tree oil has been known to promote healthy nail health, and it is a natural antiseptic that helps get rid of infections.

- Lemongrass oil is another natural remedy. Research has shown that lemongrass oil has anti-fungal properties.

- Jojoba oil is a shrub that can be found in America. The oil is used primarily for skin care.

Well, I hope you have a better idea of the causes of toenail fungus and how you can get rid of that naturally.

Source:EzineArticles.com/7747706

Simple Ways to Treat a Sinus Headache

A lot of factors can trigger a sinus headache. Allergies, changes in pressure, a cold, swimming or even a tooth infection can start a miserable round of sinus infection. A sinus infection can happen at any time but some seasons can be worse than others due to the changing temperatures, saturation of pollens or increase in dust.

The symptoms of sinus headaches are very similar to that of migraines or tension headaches. This makes it even more crucial to consult with your doctor so that the kind of headache you're having is accurately diagnosed and the right kind of medicine is given. However, if it's confirmed that you're suffering from a sinus headache, try following these simple sinus treatments -

• Drink a lot of fluids. It's important to keep the body well hydrated. During a sinus infection, the tissue in the nasal passages become inflamed which results in congestion. Drinking fluids regularly will help bring down the inflammation and relieve sinus headaches.

• A nasal spray is a great sinus home remedy. You can choose to use between a decongestant nasal spray and one made from salt water. Decongestant nasal sprays can greatly help in alleviating the pain caused by sinus headaches. The spray keeps the inflammation down and helps drain them. A salt water nasal spray is also good at reducing inflammation of the sinus passages. However, it shouldn't be used more than six times a day.

• Take a decongestant prescribed by your doctor. Decongestants are designed to greatly reduce sinus headaches by improving drainage in the nasal passages and lowering inflammation. But make sure that you follow the correct dosage and instructions for use. It's also important to remember that decongestants shouldn't be taken for longer than the prescribed time period.

Always consult your doctor first before considering a decongestant for a sinus treatment. This will ensure that any existing health conditions won't worsen.

• Neti pots are great tools for relieving sinus headaches. Using a neti pot correctly helps with drainage and lowers the inflammation in the nasal passages. Directions for using neti pots are surprisingly easy to follow:

- Make a saline and water solution and fill your neti pot. 
- Place head over the sink and tilt to one side; the forehead and chin should be aligned. 
- Put the spout of the neti pot in one nostril and lift the pot so the solution flows from one nostril out into the lower nostril. Repeat the process with the other nostril. 
- Use up all the solution in the neti pot. 
- Clean neti pot with detergent and warm water.

• Make a humidifier a part of your home. A sinus headache can sometimes be alleviated by warm and humid as it helps ease nasal congestion and brings down inflammation. For those who can't get their hands on a humidifier, you can still make use of a hot, steamy shower or inhale steam to help relieve congestion.

• Gently massage the sinus areas. Gently work over the painful areas on your face, like your forehead or temples. Use your own fingertips and massage the area. Ideally, this would open up some space to help with the drainage. However, stop if there's no change or you don't feel any relief after five minutes.

If possible, hire a masseuse or ask a friend to massage your head. A masseuse would probably put their thumbs above your eyebrows and gently move or massage the area, moving from the center of the forehead and down towards the hairline.

• Refrain from smoking. Smoking can sometimes trigger a sinus headache by causing the nasal passages to inflame. So avoid smoking and stay away second-hand smoke.

• Minimize exposure to polluted air. Allergens and pollutants in the air can also trigger a sinus headache.

• Wash hands regularly. This simple act can greatly minimize the threat of a sinus headache. Washing hands regularly with soap will keep allergens and germs from spreading and causing inflammation to the sinuses. Nose picking should also be avoided as it could cause germs to get inside the nasal passages.

• Abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. Imbibing alcoholic drinks can cause sinus and nasal tissues to swell, thereby causing sinus headaches.

These simple steps can help minimize the severity of sinus headache attack or even prevent it from happening. However, seeing a doctor when you have the sniffles is still the best course of action.

 Source:EzineArticles.com/7745873

The Benefits of Moderate Exercise If You Have Joint Pain

At least 30 percent of American adults today experiences joint pain. Joint pain, ranging from mild to debilitating, can occur almost anywhere in the body, with the knees as the most common area. Some people also experience joint pain in their shoulders, fingers, and hips. This condition can be caused by many factors, such as injury, repetitive movement or strain on the joints, and poor posture.

Many physicians instantly recommend people with joint pain to stop being physically active. However, this advice may not be beneficial, as moderate exercise can actually have a profound impact in alleviating joint pain. What's more, there is no solid evidence that supports the claim that regular exercise can cause further harm on your joints.

In fact, research reveals that exercise has a positive impact on joint tissues, especially if you exercise enough to lose weight, as excessive body fat puts undue stress on the joints. This is why overweight individuals are more prone to joint pain.

Being sedentary can also make you miss out on wonderful benefits that exercise can bring. Exercise not only strengthens your body, but also helps prevent illnesses and improves your psychological wellbeing. There are numerous studies that prove that regular exercise helps improve brain function.

However, if you are already suffering from joint pain, you need to take note of special considerations before doing any workout. Remember, excessive and strenuous exercise can put too much strain on your body, and may only worsen the pain. Therefore, you need to stick to a routine that allows you to work out your body without putting too much strain on it.

Make sure your exercise program contains a wide range of activities, like weight training, high-intensity cardio, stretching, and core exercises. However, if you experience pain for over an hour after your workout, it means that you need to change your workout, as you are putting too much strain on your body. Work with a physical therapist or qualified personal trainer who can develop a safe range of activities for you. You should also use assistive devices to decrease the pressure on the affected joints during your workout.

One common mistake that many people are guilty of is doing excessive cardio, which puts strain not only on your joints, but on your heart as well. Instead of doing prolonged cardio, opt for short-burst, high-intensity exercises.

Make exercise a regular part of your fitness routine. It's one of the simplest but best ways to stay in the pink of health.

The Benefits of Moderate Exercise The Benefits of Moderate Exercise The Benefits of Moderate Exercise The Benefits of Moderate Exercise The Benefits of Moderate Exercise The Benefits of Moderate Exercise The Benefits of Moderate Exercise
Source:EzineArticles.com/7725131