Blog

From Lackluster to Luscious; How Joico’s Defy Damage Line Transformed My Hair

August 8, 2019 By lyndsinreallife 2 Comments

My hair is usually a huge mess. It’s summer in Las Vegas, which means daily temps are over 100°F. Take that heat, add in humidity during Monsoon Season (AKA now), and like I said, my hair turns into a HUGE MESS. My long hair becomes frizzy and unruly. I have dry, damaged hair, yet I have oily hair at the same time (what?!). Not to mention, the sun strips my hair dye at alarming rates. I need a really good shampoo, conditioner, conditioning masque, and heat protectant to manage my long locks. Luckily, I discovered the Joico Defy Damage hair care line!

Disclosure: I received a sample of Joico’s Defy Damage hair care line, in exchange for an honest review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% mine.

I wasn’t familiar with Joico, so I was excited to do some research on this amazing company, and their life-changing hair products (that are sulfate and paraben free!). I was generously offered the Defy Damage Protective Shampoo, Defy Damage Protective Conditioner, Defy Damage Protective Masque, and Defy Damage Protective Shield. I’M IN LOVE!

I’m pretty picky about my hair care products. I don’t like greasy heat shields, oils (usually), and well, okay, I don’t really like any hair products besides shampoo and conditioner. However, I need a masque and heat protectant. I’m being totally honest: these products are PERFECT, especially because they smell so, so good!

I use the masque once a week (at night), and it leaves my hair SO SOFT. Even my boyfriend noticed the difference (he’s been brushing my hair lately, because I had neck surgery, and my shoulder is essentially useless). The protective shield gives my hair the perfect amount of protection from my straightener and the sun, in addition to strong, shiny hair, without feeling oily or greasy.

Look how gorgeously smooth and soft my hair is in this picture!

From the Joico website: “Protect all hair types from the ravaging effects of daily heat styling, UV exposure, and environmental pollution that lead to dry, dull, lackluster locks with Joico’s NEW Defy Damage haircare system. This damage-defying breakthrough helps protect and strengthen hair bonds for a healthy-hair transformation you can instantly see and feel.” Defy Damage products have SmartRelease technology. They continually release Rose Hip Oil, Arginine, and Keratin.

I’m really glad I’ve been introduced to Joico’s Defy Damage hair care line; I’ve easily become a regular customer! I bet you’ll feel the same way, too. 🙂

Buy a Joico DD Trial Kit at Ulta! And don’t forget to visit Joico’s website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Have you used Joico products?
What do you look for in quality hair care? Comment below!

Thank you for reading!

Keep in touch on Instagram 🙂

Health

Family Matters – Oldest to Youngest

July 14, 2019 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

No one likes to think about something terrible happening to their family, and often, that is why millions of us are unprepared. We all want to take care of our families, to provide for them in the long and short-term. With each new addition that joins your family, a lot of love follows them – but so do financial responsibilities.

Those responsibilities aren’t just yours; they belong to everyone. However, it is essential that you do everything you can to make sure it all goes as smoothly as possible.

Photo by Jake Thacker on Unsplash

Smallest

The beautiful thing about children is that you have a clean slate. You can start saving for them; you can start growing a nest egg. A simple savings account with a few dollars a month can help your children pay towards college, books, meals, travel, and more when they reach an age that they really need it.

The most important thing and the one money can’t buy is, of course, time. We all have free time that we don’t always use to the best of our ability. Moreover, is there anything better than spending it on the smallest members of your family? Maybe they are your kids, and perhaps they aren’t – but spend the time, and you will feel those rewards for years to come.

Middles

There are probably more family members in the 18-58 age bracket. Usually, this age group has the most modern pressures. The young end of that spectrum have exams, job stress, trying to afford a home, and sometimes they can feel like others are too busy being successful, or living their own lives to check-in. So take the time to say hi, grab a coffee, and just listen.

It is nice to ask ‘Are you okay?’ it’s more helpful to ask ‘hey, do you need help with anything, what can I do?’.

Emotional and mental support is a big deal, and all it takes is to make sure that you are there. Also, the kind offer of helping with week of grocery shopping, or even a monetary offer, usually won’t go amiss.

Elders

The elder members of your family need just as much love and support as the younger ones – but it might need to be in a different form. The 58+ bracket sadly comes with more ailments and illnesses. If you can, start talking about their will, and if they don’t have one, it might be time to get one written up. Talk about what might happen if they can no longer care for themselves, and check out in home health care professionals so that they can stay in a place they are happy.

It isn’t a surprise really, but the best way to take care of people is to be there for them, through the good and the bad.

•How do you and your family take care of each other? Please share below in the comments section!

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

Finding The Perfect Gym For You: 4 Helpful Tips

June 12, 2019 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

Pixabay (CC0 Licence)

While it is possible to work on your fitness at home, a gym membership undeniably has its advantages. A gym is a dedicated workout space, so your home can be reserved for relaxation; the equipment is more likely to be high-end. There’s a range of different classes available for when you feel you need to shake things up, and help will be on hand if you run into any difficulties.

However, it’s fair to say that the experience of visiting a gym can vary. Some gyms are excellent, offering a wealth of benefits to their members that more than justifies their fees. Others… aren’t so excellent, and in the worst cases, could actually harm your ability to meet your fitness goals.

If you’re on the lookout for a new gym, here are four tips that can help to make sure you find the perfect gym for your needs.

#1 – Time Your Visit Carefully

Touring a gym before joining is highly recommended. Make sure you plan your visit around the same time as you would usually be working out. Doing so allows you to get a rough idea of how busy the gym is, and allows you to assess the atmosphere and conditions based on what you are most likely to experience if you sign-up.

#2 – Check the Machines Thoroughly

During your visit to a gym you are considering, take the time to check the machines in detail. First and foremost, look at safety aspects; do the machines look modern and well-maintained, or are they in the kind of disrepair that suggests using them may result in needing to call a personal injury attorney in future? In addition, assess the cleanliness; good gyms tend to ensure that their equipment is thoroughly cleaned regularly, so any sign of accumulated dirt will make that gym a no-go.

#3 – Examine the Existing List of Classes and Ask How Popular They Are

If you are considering a gym because they offer a range of classes you are particularly excited to try, it’s important to ask a member of staff how popular each class actually is. Gyms often cancel classes that have relatively few attendees, so you’ll need to make sure that the class you want to try will actually be available. On the flip side, if the classes you are interested in are bordering on too popular, you may find yourself having to join a waiting list before each class – so it may be worth trying a different gym to see if they have better availability.

#4 – Read the Fine Print

It would be impossible to discuss finding a great gym without a discussion of the contract you will be asked to sign, especially given that gym membership contracts have a tendency for being difficult to break.

*Just ask my boyfriend: Planet Fitness will only allow him to cancel his membership by GOING TO THE GYM HE SIGNED UP AT, which mind you, is in California! We live in Nevada now. Ugh, it is so frustrating. Don’t fall into that trap.

Always ask for time to read through your contract in full before signing, paying particular attention to the clauses related to canceling the contract. Hopefully you won’t need to cancel anytime soon, but it’s always important to make sure you know exactly where you stand before you sign on the dotted line.

The four tips above should help you to find the best gym for your needs. Once you find one, come back here and share which gym you chose! I’d love to hear more about it.

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health

In Our Right Mind: Getting Free From Addiction Using The Right Tools

June 11, 2019 By lyndsinreallife 2 Comments

Picture

Suffering from any addiction is crippling in the mind and body. When we suffer a problem that we can’t appear to overcome, is it about mind over matter? Our mindset has a lot to do with overcoming any obstacle in life, but can we use this to break free from addiction? When we have numerous bad habits in life, from biting our nails to smoking cigarettes, it’s mostly about the power our brain has. So does this mean we’ve got to put our brain into gear to get over some sort of addiction? It appears so, right? How can we use our mindset, or acquire one to ensure that we put a stop to an addiction that is harming us?

Assessing Our Current Mindset

The big problem that we have in terms of addiction is that we stand in our own way. Maybe we don’t have the ability to admit that we’ve got a problem. As is the usual procedure, when we need help, it has to be us that instigates the fact that we need some sort of support. By assessing our current mindset, it could very well be done independently. When it comes to quitting something, we have to look at which mindset we currently have. Tolerance is one of those mindsets that are connected with addiction. It’s a physical and psychological process. But what happens is, when a behavior is repeated, you become less sensitive to something. You develop a physical or mental tolerance. And on the flip side, we experience withdrawal, either in physical or mental symptoms. And it’s these two things that can get in the way of truly addressing our addiction.

Looking At Our Fixed Mindset

If we have a fixed mindset, this provides a major obstacle to overcoming any addiction. It’s about being immovable on a subject. We may embody a fixed mindset in a very black and white way. For example, if we fall off the wagon, we consider ourselves to be a failure. We may feel our abilities right now determine that they cannot be moved. This is something that provides a major barrier to overcoming any form of problem in our minds, not just addiction. Once we start to establish that we have a fixed mindset and that these things can be moved, this is when we can start to make progress.

Establishing A Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is all about progression. In a simple way, it’s about positivity, but having a growth mindset allows you to progress forward. In a biochemical sense, it can help to create extra neural pathways. It’s all about this idea of habit. We’ve learned new habits throughout our life, but it’s about breaking the ones that don’t help us. Sometimes it’s by assimilation; we could go to a group therapy practice, or involve ourselves in a sober living community so we are influenced by others that are going through the same issues. Because we stand in our own way of success, when we see others undergoing the same problems, or are just far along in the recovery process as us, it’s humbling, but it’s also a perfect way to provide stimulation and motivation. A growth mindset is vital for recovery, and it’s something that can be harnessed. Counseling is one approach; especially with counselors who provide cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Developing New Thoughts

Because we have specific thought patterns that we may think are fixed, this is what will lead to a more negative mindset. Issues like a self-fulfilling prophecy, negative opinions of oneself will begin to cloud our judgment. A growth mindset is not just about training yourself in terms of new thought processes; it’s about undertaking the right practices that will help you on the road to recovery. This could very well be about getting rid of certain pressures in life. It could be through social situations, or friends that are a bad influence on you. Once we start to liberate ourselves of our old thought patterns, we can begin new thoughts, and grow to become a completely different person.

Making It Work Together

Naturally, all of these things are fantastic in theory, but can be difficult in practice. The most important piece of information that we can all learn in life is that it takes as long as it takes. When we are learning a new skill, or overcoming a dependency on something, we’ve got to break free of the antiquated notion that we are “limited.” That there’s only so much we can accomplish. Time and time again, it’s been shown that the mind and body are more than able to overcome obstacles, either by highlighting the effect that neuroplasticity has on our brains, or the fact that our body is a machine, and was built for physically demanding situations. When it comes to making all of this work together, it is mind and body, but also spirit. Whether you are religious or not is beside the point; once we equip ourselves with the tools, it’s about making it all work together according to what we want.

Like they say in rehab facilities, “we provide the tools, but it’s down to you to make sense of them.” Nobody can hold our hand through a unique problem like addiction, because we are suffering from it in our own heads. We can ask for help and guidance, and we can be given the tools, but it’s down to us to make it all work. Learning as much information as possible about overcoming something, disregarding the irrelevant tools, and making the most of the relevant ones can be a lengthy practice; but it’s all about ensuring that you are going in the right direction.

Is It Mind Over Matter?

It’s such an antiquated expression, but it is mind over matter when we have the tools at our disposal. Getting “over” an addiction isn’t about taking a magic pill. Addiction is something that can stay with us long after the physical symptoms have gone. This means that we have to develop a sense of inner strength, but also equip ourselves with all the necessary information and tactics. In this respect, it is mind over matter.

•Have you struggled with an addiction? How were you able to overcome it?

•If you’re still struggling with addiction, what are some tools that would help you be successful in breaking that addiction?

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health

Is It Time For A Full Body Detox?

June 5, 2019 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Image Source. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Our bodies are designed to naturally get rid of all the bad stuff. However, we can often end up shoving so much of this bad stuff into our bodies that they cannot cope with the demand. Undertaking a full body detox can help to flush out the backlog of toxins in our body, allowing us to feel fresh again. Here are just several ways in which you can go about giving yourself a full body detox.

Cut Out the Bad Stuff

In order to stop all the bad stuff from piling up, you need to temporarily stop putting this stuff into your body. Some of the biggest culprits include alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, refined sugar, and trans fats. Try going a week without consuming these ingredients or try significantly lowering your intake – while the cravings may make you feel worse at first, you’ll feel so much better a few days in when these unhealthy ingredients are no longer in your system.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

It’s when we’re asleep that our body does most of its natural detoxification. If you’re not getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, you’re likely not letting your body complete this process. By upping your sleep for a week, you could help to rejuvenate your body. You’ll also recharge your energy reserves, making your brain feel much more alert and your body feel much more limber.

Drink More Water

Drinking lots of water will help to flush out all the toxins in your body. Focus on trying to drink 8 glasses of water per day. You can also try other drastic rehydration methods. To get all the toxins out of your bloodstream, you could consider IV hydration. Meanwhile, if you’re constipated and bloated, you could give colonic hydrotherapy a go.

Consume More Probiotics

Probiotics are your body’s source of healthy bacteria. These are needed to balance out the unhealthy bacteria in your gut. Too much unhealthy bacteria could be affecting your ability to digest food, your ability to absorb nutrients, and your ability to fight bugs and infections. Probiotics can be found in various foods such as yogurt, kefir, miso, and sauerkraut. They can also be taken as supplements.

Stay Active

Exercise is also important for detoxing your body. When we are active, our blood flows faster around the body, allowing antibodies and nutrients to get to the right places more quickly. Exercise helps us to get oxygen into our bodies faster and also helps to speed up our digestive system. All in all, it’s essential for a full body detox.

How do you detox your body? How often? Share below!

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health

Surprising Causes of Headaches and How to Stop Them

June 4, 2019 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Did you know that it isn’t just stress and colds that can cause headaches? Sometimes little things, like cleaning your home or even sleeping in, can cause them too. If you want to help yourself then here are the top surprising causes of headaches.

Relaxing

Do you find that headaches strike you more on the weekend? Especially on a Saturday morning? If this is the case, then there is a very good reason. As you relax, the tension from the week subsides, and your stress hormones start to drop. This can cause a release of neurotransmitters, which sends out impulses to the blood vessels in the brain. When this happens, the vessels constrict and dilate. This can cause serious headaches, and it may cause you to suffer all weekend as a result. If you want to stop this, then try to avoid the temptation of sleeping in on the weekend. Instead, go for a yoga class or a walk.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-raising-both-hands-1556691/

Pent up Anger

When you are angry, all the muscles that are in the back of your scalp and your neck really tense up. Of course, this will cause you to experience a constricting sensation around your head, known as a tension headache. If you want to try and stop this from happening, then try to breathe in deep and slowly. Also, focus on breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. This will relax your back and your neck.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-blue-and-brown-plaid-dress-shirt-touching-his-hair-897817/

Poor Posture

Poor posture can create a lot of tension in your upper back. This can cause you to experience a headache, and you may find that you get a throbbing pain in the back of your skull. If this is the case, then avoid sitting in one position for a long period of time. If you get pain behind the eyes, this could be because of an eye problem. If this sounds like you, then check out Biotrue ONEday for astigmatism. I have astigmatisms in BOTH eyes, so I know the pain and frustration associated with it.

Perfume

If you think that housework gives you a headache, there is a high chance that you could be right. Cleaners, fragranced air fresheners, and strong perfumes can all contain chemicals which are notorious for bringing on headaches. If you want to fix this, then try and avoid heavy perfumes, and also make sure that you keep your windows and doors open as much as possible. The same applies to your workplace as well. When someone is spraying perfume, open the window and always make sure that you turn on your air conditioner where possible.

Bad Weather

If you are prone to getting headaches, you may find that they are brought on by high humidity, increasing temperatures, and even grey skies. Pressure changes can trigger electrical and chemical changes in the brain and this can irritate your nerves. This can then lead you to developing headaches and other side effects. If you want to stop this, try and take some pain relief for when bad weather does strike. I get terrible migraines, and they’re almost always due to the barometric pressure (or a change in air pressure). High humidity causes mine, as well. When in Ohio, where it’s always over 50% humidity, I get severe migraines. Here in Las Vegas, the humidity is almost always under 10%, and I get fewer migraines!

Do you get headaches? How do you combat them? Comment below!

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness Health Uncategorized

Why Helping Yourself On Your Fitness Journey Isn’t A Bad Thing

May 29, 2019 By lyndsinreallife 5 Comments

Pexels

Like anything people can become passionate about, the fitness community can sometimes have those who take everything they do with utmost seriousness, and can become quite draconian when imparting advice. Of course, when this comes to matters of health and safety, or when it comes to actually promoting what works, this is completely fine. However, sometimes you may be intimidated, thinking that unless you are following ‘the perfect way,’ you’re not following a way at all.

Fitness is a metaphor for our life, in that if we want something, we have to stay committed and work for it. However, over time this can prevent you from making the progress you want despite putting work in. Fitness, like anything you do to better your life, should be enjoyable and something you look forward to when it’s at its best. If you hate every gym session, every healthy meal, and feel as though you simply have to suffer through it – you’re not going to last very long at all.

This is why, especially in the beginning, helping yourself out on your fitness journey isn’t a bad thing at all. After all, if you want to climb a mountain, it’s a good idea to bring climbing gear.

Consider:

A Shoulder To Lean On

A gym can be an intimidating place to be your first time there. You likely do not know what most of the equipment is outside of the obvious fixtures, and trying to navigate a busy gym during peak times can be a nightmare. This is why it can be important start with a gym induction, and to simply walk around the place to see what you can and can’t do. Asking questions such as what the weightlifting chalk policy can help illuminate what actions you should be taking.

Sometimes, it can be hard to simply get in a routine schedule. If you haven’t gone to the gym for some time, what makes your current need so different? Also, how might you ingratiate yourself into the fitness lifestyle well? We’d recommend that finding a shoulder to lean on could be a great idea. Perhaps you could look online at a forum dedicated to your local area, and try to find a gym buddy that way. Perhaps you might ask one of your friends to start this new lifestyle with you, if they have also suggested that they wish to become fitter.

When you have someone waiting on you as you’re waiting on them, both of you will find it much harder to let the other person down. This can help you both enjoy one another’s company and also gain a stronger and more dependable approach when helping each other overcome their lifts.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing this. In fact, it can be a much safer method of attending the gym. For example, having someone ‘spot you’ on the bench press can help you avoid being punished by gravity if placing too much weight on the bar. You can also both help each other with scheduling, your diets, observing the other’s form, and giving one another safety pointers. In fact, the more specialized an athlete becomes, the more they will have to rely on the opinions and help of other people. So as a novice, there’s absolutely zero shame in finding this for yourself, and the same goes for the use of excellent personal trainers.

Getting Active & Alert

While many of us love attending the gym, getting up at an early hour in the morning, walking to the gym in the pouring rain, and having to wake yourself up on the treadmill or by lifting weights can be enjoyable, yet a little rough to experience. Sometimes, we might wake up feeling full of energy and well rested. Other times, we might feel the complete opposite.

Does that mean we should cancel our gym session the moment we feel just a little tired? Of course not, that would be rather ridiculous. But it might also be that we need just a little help in getting active and alert each morning. For example, it might be that you decide to homebrew beautiful filter coffee to keep you alert and active each morning. You might also decide to use pre-workout to help you get in the zone. You might decide to run to the gym in order to wake up, or perhaps join a certain specialized class you must attend in order to get the blood moving. On top of that, ZMA supplements can help you feel more alert after a great night of rest.

Getting active and alert is the key to success with your fitness lifestyle. We would recommend you consider the powerful benefits of doing this. You never know just how much it could help.

Supplementation

Added supplementation can be a wonderful thing. From using Vitamin C and D supplements to help your immune system (preventing you from catching something such as a seasonal flu from gym equipment,) purchasing T5 fat burners to help you drop weight naturally, and also fulvic acid can help you gain minerals you might have lost out on before.

Protein supplements can help you repair your muscles after an intense gym session, and help you meet your daily macro requirement. On top of that, weight shakes can help you bulk up and put weight on, allowing you to exceed your daily need for certain calories if hoping to build muscle. BCAA’s can help your muscles repair even more appropriately, as they are literally providing the amino acids necessary to help you heal in the most fundamental manner possible.

If you have a fitness issue, either hard work, readjusting your schedule, sleeping, eating better, or supplementation can help it. But supplementation is often a dirty word, because of all the questionable products that can be sold, especially overseas. But enjoying the use of these, if properly vetted, can help you get to the next level of your fitness life. To that extent, this can be a net positive.

With these tips, you’re certain to help yourself on your fitness journey!

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health

The Relationship Between Work & Health

May 28, 2019 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

You have heard plenty in the past about the work/life balance – but what about the work/health balance? While it is not necessarily clear cut to say that working more means having less health, there is something of a link there which is worth looking into if you want to try and make the most of your life. Your health is obviously the most important thing to you in the world, and as long as you are living in a way which pays respect to that, you should find that you are moving in the right direction. But there are many ways in which your work can get in the way of that, and it is a good idea to try and look into what you can do to stop that from happening too much. In this post, we will look at some of the ways in which your work and your health are related, and what you can do to make sure you find the right balance.

Image

Choosing A Job

Let’s be honest: most of the time, people choose jobs based on circumstance and chance rather than a top-down kind of objective approach. That is the nature of working in the world today, and that is the reality for most people. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t choose to try and put a little more effort into finding a job that you will hopefully love, and one which is not going to cause you too much strain or trouble with your health. If you are thinking of switching jobs or getting a job, you will want to keep your health at the forefront of your mind. As long as you do that, you should find that you are much more likely to get hold of a job that will be fairly good for you, or at least not do you too much harm. Again, this is not always possible to do, but insofar as it is, you should make sure that you are happy to make the right choice and always put your health first ahead of any job.

Image

Working Safely

An important way to make sure that your work is not going to negatively affect your health is by focusing on what you need to do to work safely. The more that you are able to work in safety, the more likely it is that you will keep your health where it needs to be, and that’s obviously what we all need and want. There are many things to consider here to make sure that you are working as safely as necessary. For a start, there are likely to be a number of health and safety rules which you need to adhere to in your workplace, so make sure that you are aware of these and that you appreciate what they mean and really entail. You should also make sure that you approach your work with common sense and don’t do anything unsafe on purpose, and that you don’t do anything physical which you know you probably can’t do. Remember that your employer has their side to keep up here too, and if they don’t then you should seriously consider contacting a personal injury lawyer to get their legal assistance. As long as you do that, and you work safely, you can at least be sure that your work won’t cause you any actual injuries, which is a hugely important thing to be aware of on the whole.

Taking Regular Breaks

One of the ways in which work can affect your health is if you work too much, an affliction which many people find that they adhere to from time to time. If you do work too much, then it will only mean that you are going to cause your body and mind to experience much more stress, and that will inhibit the function of your immune system to the point where you are considerably more likely to develop an illness at some point in the future. This is clearly no good for you at all, and absolutely not worth the extra working hours. Instead, you should aim to take regular breaks wherever you can, so that you can be sure you are going to keep that stress as low as necessary, and not allow it to become too much. There will be a legal requirement for break time which you should follow, and hopefully your employer will let you take a little more too, so make sure that you are happy to do that if you want to really look after yourself. Taking breaks is essential for your health.

Image

Eating Well

Many people fail to eat properly when they are at work. This might be because they are rushed off their feet and they don’t find it easy to get hold of good food, or it might be that the stress of the day means that they crave fast food. Whatever the underlying reason, you need to try and make sure that you don’t go too far down that hole. Instead, try to make a point of eating as well as you possibly can when you are on lunch break and other breaks. You can do this by preparing a healthy meal at home which you bring in, or simply by making sure that you make a point of making better decisions when you buy your lunch. The healthier you eat during the working day, the better off your health will be on the whole – and you will also find that it makes it much easier to carry on working without getting too overwhelmed or stressed too. Food is one of the most important parts of this whole process, and you should make sure that you treat it as such. Your diet is the central pinnacle of your health, especially when you are already stressed from work.

Understanding the relationship between work and health and taking the steps above will help you to lead a much healthier and happier life!

•How do you balance your work and health life?

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health Nutrition Reviews

Food Intolerance Testing with York Test Labs Pt 2: Results

May 28, 2019 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

A couple weeks ago, I shared about Part One of my food intolerance testing with York Test Labs. Quick summary: I was given the opportunity to take an at-home food and drink intolerance test. I sent two little cotton swabs of blood to be tested for over 200 common intolerances. Note: this blood test checks for intolerances (some are possible intolerances), not allergies.

Disclosure: Lipton Publicity provided a sample, and the opinion I express is 100% my own.

I’m back to share my results with you! Via email, I received these results:

The top red ones (in the first photo) with the black dots are what my blood reacted to. The only one I’m sad and surprised by is the cocoa bean! I’ll definitely have to get more info on the specifics of that. If I can’t have chocolate ever, what kind of life would that be?! 😉

I’m not surprised by the milk and eggs (including yolk). I’m bummed about beef, because I love a good cheeseburger. With the eggs, it’s funny: exactly 5 years ago, I started eating food that only felt good in my body, even though some of the foods I couldn’t eat were considered healthy. Here’s the post:

That post was specifically talking about eggs! Eggs have always made me feel bloated, despite never feeling full. It felt good reading these results and knowing it wasn’t all in my head.

The yellow food/drinks with the black dots are things my blood sort of reacted to. Those are possible intolerances, but not a “for sure.” Everything else, I didn’t have a reaction to! Pretty awesome.

Had I taken this test a year ago, I’d be so sad about the intolerances to wine. But, luckily, I no longer drink, so it’s not a big deal to me.

•••

After receiving the results, you’re given a phone number to call and schedule TWO 30-minute nutritional therapy sessions! You’ll talk with a professional to better understand your results and ask any questions. You’ll also receive a food diary and guidebook.

I feel extremely satisfied with the testing process with York Test Labs, and the results I received. I highly recommend checking out their website to learn more, & to purchase your own kit! There’s nothing more important than your health.

PS: There’s currently a SALE happening! Use code MAY20 to receive 20% off!

Thank you for reading!

Keep in touch on Instagram 🙂

Beauty Health

Changes You Can Make To Improve Your Smile

January 22, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Our smile can be the biggest giveaway about our personality. Picture someone with a big and vibrant smile. Someone who is showing their teeth. They look happy, they look full of life. Then picture someone who isn’t smiling so fully. Not showing any teeth at all. They may look unhappy, like they are forcing a smile. While it’s silly to make such pre-judged assumptions studies show that we make a decision on someone within two minutes. Imagine if you were giving off the wrong impression because of how you smiled? With that in mind, it might be time to start focusing on your teeth in more detail. Here are a few tips on how you can achieve your perfect smile.

Image source – Pixabay – CC0 License

Clean your teeth

Teeth need regular maintenance just like any other part of your body. They get used a lot and your mouth is subject to all sorts of things. Regularly cleaning your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste allows you to protect your teeth. Things like gum disease and tooth decay. The food we eat has many things in them like sugar or acid that can erode our teeth away if we don’t keep them clean. Let’s not mention the bad breath that will become apparent. While this may be obvious to you, it’s definitely worth remembering to keep it up.

Flossing

Sometimes cleaning our teeth just isn’t enough. Our toothbrushes can do their best but food can get into nooks and gaps in your teeth. If they are not removed they can rot away your teeth. Flossing is a great way to make sure every bit of food is removed from your teeth. It can give a real clean feeling in your mouth. Flossing once a day should be enough.

Cosmetic enhancements

You may not smile as often as you should because you are conscious about how your teeth look. You won’t be alone in this opinion, many men and women feel the same about their teeth. Thankfully, in today’s modern world you can visit your dentist who will discuss advanced cosmetic dentistry with you and can advise on the options that you can consider for sorting out your teeth. This might be straightening and realigning or consider something like veneers. You will be able to discuss what you don’t like and they will be best placed to tell you what they can do.

Teeth Whitening

If it isn’t the shape or alignment of your teeth that is getting you down but more the color then why not consider some teeth whitening. This can give you a real sense of confidence once any treatments have been completed. Cosmetic dentists can get rid of any stains on your teeth that may have been caused from drinking tea and coffee or other drinks. Teeth whitening is something that can be easily done. You can even consider buying special toothpastes if you don’t fancy heading to a dentist.

Regular trips to the dentist

Finally, keeping a regular appointment schedule with your dentist will be essential for good dental health. Hey can advise of any issues and work with you to resolve them.

Let’s hope these tips help you achieve the perfect smile!

This post was a collaboration.

Lifestyle

3 Ways to Get More Meaningful Things Done, on a Regular Basis

January 16, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Pixabay CC0 License

Have you ever found yourself feeling as though you were sort of drifting from day to day, doing the same (mostly uninteresting and repetitive) stuff, while never actually getting meaningful things done?

Everyone has some kind of dream of the person they would like to be, and the things they would like to achieve in life – and those aspirations usually don’t stop at “I’d like to turn up to work each day so I get paid,” or “I’d like to watch more TV.”

Here are a few tips that might help you to free up the energy, motivation, and insight to get more meaningful things done, on a regular basis!

Take the time to keep a journal, and plan out your days (and to-dos) on paper

Journalling is a great practice for all sorts of different reasons – not least of all the fact that it provides the perfect opportunity for inspecting, understanding, and contemplating the course of your life one day at a time, without necessarily getting lost in vague introspection.

What’s more, writing has all sorts of benefits in and of itself. You can read about some of these at Schule Alpin. However, it’s well known, for example, that writing can be an excellent cathartic experience and a way of coming to terms with difficult events, while also releasing trapped emotional energy.

Beyond simply journalling; planning your days out and recording your to-do lists on paper is also an excellent way of filtering through your various obligations and thoughts, and finding time for those things that are most important and meaningful.

Make sure that you get enough sleep, and follow a diet that makes you feel energetic and alive

It’s just infinitely more difficult to put in hard work, find inspiration, and get meaningful things done, if you are chronically exhausted, feeling bad, and are struggling just to get your basic everyday obligations handled.

Make sure that you get enough sleep, and follow a diet that makes you feel energetic. This may seem like straightforward advice, but it’s also advice that a shocking number of people don’t take.

Sleep deprivation is endemic, and processed snacks make up a major proportion of almost everyone’s diet. But, when you actually get enough rest and eat a balanced diet containing unprocessed plant foods and lean protein, you are bound to experience a whole new lease on life.

Find opportunities for silence each day

Often, it’s difficult to even get a sense of just what a “meaningful” path in life would be, due to the fact that we are so often distracted and disconnected from our own internal compasses.

In order to get a better sense of perspective on your life as a whole, and to figure out the best way to pursue meaningful actions on a regular basis, one of the best things you can do is to find opportunities for silence, each day.

This kind of silence, as noted by the famous Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge, isn’t just about the absence of “sound.” It’s got more to do with reducing distraction, and allowing your thoughts to calm and settle. It’s about being able to see the forest, instead of being distracted by the trees.

I hope this helps you find where to start on your path to a more meaningful life!

This post was a collaboration.

Lifestyle

4 Simple and Straightforward Ways to Do Some Good in the World

January 15, 2020 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

Pixabay CC0 License

It’s a natural human urge to want to do something good and meaningful while we are on this planet, and in recent times there seems to have been an explosion in movements dedicated to social responsibility, change, and activism, in a number of different forms.

To cut a long story short, everyone wants to make a difference, and everyone wants to leave things somehow “better” as a result of having been alive.

Among other things, though, the desire to do some good in the world and make things better can often cause a lot of internal confusion, turmoil, and can also be misdirected down fruitless or even harmful avenues. When all is said and done, the more complex and lofty your plans are, the likelier they are to get derailed or go wrong, somewhere along the line.

“Simple and straightforward” is often the best and most reliable way to do things. So, here are a few simple and straightforward (though not necessarily “easy”) ways to do some good in the world, without having to come up with a master plan to make everything right, and without having to join any organizations or movements.

Train to be useful to others, professionally

Certain jobs just naturally mean that you will be of service to others, as par for the course. Often, those jobs require quite a lot of specialised education and training, but the pay-off is that you get to go to work every day with a sense of meaning, in the knowledge that you are going to do something to make someone’s life at least somewhat better, on a more or less routine basis.

The key, here, is to do your research and to look into the sort of jobs that might appeal most to you. Then, commit yourself to training for a career that is based, essentially, on helping others in a direct and tangible way.

Qualifying as a doctor is, perhaps, the most obvious example of this kind of job, but there are all sorts of other health and public-service-related career paths that will tick the right boxes. Choosing a public-health concentration at USC, for example, can certainly put you in the kind of environment you want to be in, for something like this.

Focus on having integrity and being consistent with your values, at all times

Hypocrisy and dishonesty regularly ruin people’s lives, and sow seeds of destruction that can be hard to uproot and compensate for. Relationships, families, companies, and entire communities, are frequently ruined because of influential individuals who have compromised on their core values, and have engaged in deceit and treachery.

Before trying to plan for how you can have a dramatic and sweeping positive effect on the world at large, it’s essential to understand the power you have to make the world better or worse, on a microcosmic scale, via each interaction you have in your everyday life.

The more you are able to behave with integrity and be consistent with your values at all times, the more trustworthy you will become. The more the people around you will be able to lean on you and take comfort from you. And the more fulfilled you will be in your life as a result.

It’s all but impossible to really be a force for good unless you’re able to act with consistency, and to be a representative of the values that you want others to adhere to.

Try to do one good deed every day

Carrying on from the last point; just as it’s important to avoid any violations of your own ethical standards, it’s also important to look for small-scale ways that you can inject a bit of good and positivity into the world around you, and the lives of those near to you, during the course of your everyday life.

You may not, functionally, be able to do something to help every individual in the world who is in a bad situation. But you can definitely do at least one thing every day to make someone’s life a bit better, or a bit happier, that they would otherwise have been.

This is the same idea as the Scouts of yesteryear being told to “do a good deed every day.” It’s a timeless idea, because it really works, and what’s more, the “good deed” doesn’t have to be anything massive or dramatic in order to have meaning.

Think about the last time someone in customer service was exceptionally friendly and helpful, when it would have been well within their power to be distant and bureaucratic, instead. Or, think about how much you appreciate the small gestures of affection from the people close to you.

All of these small, positive actions have a ripple effect and can spread greater positivity. It’s also the case that when you get into the habit of looking for ways to be helpful and of service, you will begin to find more, and bigger opportunities to do this on a regular basis.

Take care of yourself and hold yourself to a high standard – the good you do in the world will be magnified, and you will set a positive example for others

There are a lot of people out there who suffer from all sorts of negative circumstances in life, including the internal torment that comes with conditions such as depression. It’s entirely possible that you, the reader of this article, are in that situation yourself.

Often in life, the people who are harshest and least forgiving to us are ourselves – and frequently, we will abuse ourselves when we would never dream of behaving that way to a friend.

One of the best things you can do, in order to have a positive impact on the world around you, is to begin by taking care of yourself and holding yourself to a high standard. If you take care of yourself properly, and address your own problems with compassion and diligence, you will become a more positive, and energized person.

More than that, though, you will also magnify your ability to do good in the world, and you will set a positive example to others, who likewise may be struggling in the same way you are.

Health

Tips To Help Stick To Your New Year’s Resolutions

January 14, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

New Year’s resolutions are something many of us will make each year, and although making those resolutions can be effective, not all of us will stick to them. Perhaps you’re fed up with not living by the promises you made to yourself while a little tipsy the night before? Here are a few tips to help stick to your New Year’s resolutions.

Image Source

Be Realistic

When you’re setting goals for anything in life, it’s important to dream big but also to be realistic. Not every goal or resolution you make is going to be something you can ideally achieve within a small amount of time. Like learning a new language in six weeks isn’t something that you’re going to be able to do within that short space of time. If you’re trying to quit smoking, cut down slowly or try vaping from The Vape Mall. Take more realistic goals as your resolution, with the big goal being something you’re working towards achieving eventually. If your goals aren’t realistic, then it’s unlikely you’re going to stick to them.

Make A Plan

A plan is a great way to get down your objectives and the things you need in order to make this resolution happen. For example, if you’re aiming to lose weight during the year, then perhaps thinking about your first steps will help. A change in diet is going to be needed, and maybe you cut certain things out. You might want to note down that you need to join a gym or do X amount of sports classes that you find in your local area. Once you’ve laid out a plan, it’s going to be easier to follow than just making it up as you go.

Track Your Progress

Tracking your process is certainly helpful for seeing how far you’ve come, especially if you have moments of self-doubt. It’s good to give yourself some inspiration in times where you need it, and just to give yourself the opportunity to see the progress made is really good to have. Find a way of tracking it that makes it easy for you and that you can encourage yourself to do regularly. Don’t overcomplicate it, otherwise, you’ll find less motivation to do it on a daily basis.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

The most important thing to think about when you’re trying to stick to something is that everyone can have days where they fall off. It’s to be expected and something that will likely happen, but it’s essential not to beat yourself up about it. Everyone will have times where they want to give up permanently or give up for just a while, but it’s what you do to get back to where you need to be, that matters the most. So give yourself a break if you need it and then reward yourself when you get back on track.

Sticking with a resolution for the New Year can be difficult, but with the right tips, you can certainly help yourself win!

This post was a collaboration.

Health

4 Ways You Should Already Be Looking After Your Body

January 13, 2020 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

Most of us will be trying to live the healthiest life that we can by eating well and exercising, however, there are some important areas of your health that you should already be looking after. These include your eyes, your hearing, your teeth and of course your general health. It may seem like a lot of work just to live a healthy lifestyle, but if you keep on top of it all it will become second nature and you won’t even notice it.

Photo by Negative Space from Pexels

Let’s have a look at some of the ways you should already be looking after your body:

Your Eyes

It’s essential that you get your eyesight checked out at least every two years. For those of us who already wear glasses or need to see a professional more often for other reasons, it might be every twelve months instead. When thinking about this area of your body, it’s very easy to forget and not worry about it because it can be very easy to skip a check-up. However, if you think that all it takes to look after your eyes is to see a professional every two years, it’s surprising that so many don’t keep on top of it. It can be detrimental to your eye health if you don’t.

Your Teeth

Just like with your eyes you should be having your teeth checked by a dentist such as Forefront Dentistry (if you’re in OK) every year or two years. If you are currently having treatment such as corrective braces it may be a shorter time frame. If you don’t keep on top of your oral hygiene you can risk losing your teeth, suffer from gum diseases, have problems with plaque and suffer from tooth decay. Which most will know can be extremely painful. It’s best to keep up with the health of your mouth rather than leaving it until your in pain.

Your Hearing

Your hearing is probably an area that you don’t even think about getting tested. You often have a hearing test when you’re a child and if it comes back as good you don’t think about it again until you notice that there are problems. If you’re really turning the volume when others aren’t, experience ringing or buzzing or are finding it more difficult to follow conversations than you used to it may be time to book yourself in for a hearing test. The longer you leave it the worst it can become so it’s essential you keep a lookout for the telltale signs.

You General Health

You should make sure you are focused on your general health in order to look after your body correctly. This means eating right exercising and visiting your doctor for check-ups when you need it. You can’t live a healthy lifestyle of you don’t look after these areas. Make sure you eat a balanced diet, exercise on a daily basis and see your doctor for any concerns you might have.

These are just four of the ways you should be looking after your body in order to keep it healthy, do you have any others that you can share in the comments?

This post was a collaboration.

Health

Motivational Health Swaps To Make In 2020

January 12, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

For most people, their resolution for the New Year is to be healthy and yet by this point, the decision has probably been long forgotten, and they are back to their old habits. The motivation just is not there to make the changes that will keep them living their best healthy life.

It’s not about the summer holiday ahead and inevitable bikini photos. What it IS about, however, is your health and your body and the way that you feel. The good thing is that you can swap out a lot of the bad habits you’ve adopted and start living in a way that keeps you feeling well on the inside. Shall we take a look?

Image Source

Swap Cocktails For Spirits & Mixers

Cocktails are usually packed with sugary syrups, added colors and plenty of juice. While this makes them delicious, you should consider enjoying a night out with friends by swapping to a spirit and a slimline tonic or diet soda. You can enjoy a night on the town with friends without racking up the calories and adding weight that you don’t want!

Swap Cigarettes For Vapes

While it’s an achievement to give up smoking, some aren’t able to give it up entirely. Buying from GeekVape will allow you to swap out the 20-a-day habit and slowly start cutting back on cigarettes. You know the risks of smoking cigarettes, and swapping that habit this year is going to improve your health massively.

Swap The Elevator For The Stairs

There’s nothing like a brisk walk to start out your day. If you’re on the fifth floor at work, let go of the elevator and use the stairs instead. I always take the stairs instead of the elevator! Just getting your steps up can help your heart and make you fitter. The simple act of taking the stairs instead of the elevator can make a huge difference in your health this year!

Swap Fried For Air-Fried

There’s nothing quite like a plate of hot, salty fries with dip. The problem is the amount of oil that’s used in a fryer. However, if you buy yourself an air-fryer for the kitchen, you can still enjoy hot fries without as much oil to get them crispy and delicious. Something as simple as this can let you have the food you love without the calories to add weight where you don’t want to. The best bit is that you can cook pretty much anything in an air fryer and enjoy it the same way you would have before – just with less oil!

Swap The Car For Your Feet

Healthy swaps are all about getting your health to the best it can be. Leaving the car at home and walking to work or the store is going to make a massive difference to your fitness levels. It’s also going to make you richer because you’re going to spend a lot less money on the gas and use of your car!

Healthy living is all about making you feel good and giving you a chance for health success. Embrace them this year! Happy 2020! 🙂

•What are your New Years goals? How do you want to get healthier this summer? Comment below!

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health

Embarrassing Body Issues And How To Handle Them

January 11, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

There are some health and beauty issues that we don’t like to talk about. Instead, we often pretend that these problems aren’t impacting us at all. We might try and cover them up and will often not be comfortable discussing them with family or even friends. That’s a problem for a number of reasons. First, a lot of these health issues are treatable once you understand the cause. Second, they can be the first sign of something serious that you need to get checked out. So, let’s explore some of these embarrassing body issues and understand the right ways to take care of them.

Credit Source Link Image Pexels CCO License

Acne

Acne shouldn’t be embarrassing, but it is. The reason for this is that we often assume acne is something only teenagers experience. However, that’s not the case and a lot of adults can suffer from acne too (ugh including me). Some get periods where acne flares up, while for others it’s more permanent. So, what can you do about this? Well, first you need to identify the cause of the issue and there are a lot of different factors to consider here.

For instance, you might find that your diet is at least partially to blame. There’s also the possibility that it’s caused by makeup. Makeup can clog up the pores on your skin which means that grease and dirt will start to build up (also, wash your brushes!). You can avoid this if you wear the right type of makeup or even drink plenty of water. Drinking water is a great way to clear out your skin and deal with an acne flare up.

For more severe issues, it can be worth speaking to a dermatologist. This is particularly important if your acne is constantly scarring.

Smells Down Below

It is possible that you have noticed your nether regions have an unpleasant odor. There are numerous reasons for this but for women, the problem is likely to be a bacterial infection. It can cause a fishy type of smell. The good news is that you can easily handle an issue like this BV treatment over the counter. You’ll find that once you start using the treatment, the problem will quickly disappear.

Men have a similar issue to this but for them, it’s usually caused by a sweat rash. This can be quite uncomfortable and in some cases, it may smell. In extreme cases, men can develop boils and bumps which can be mistaken for an STD, even by a doctor.

Hemorrhoids

Finally, there is something positive to say about hemorrhoids. It’s not an embarrassing issue that people will automatically know that you have. In many cases, hemorrhoids can remain completely hidden, even to you. However, they are still embarrassing and they can actually be quite frightening. It’s an issue which can cause a lot of blood which you might not be expecting. There are various ways to handle this medical issue. For instance, a long soak in a bath is often enough to provide relief if they are causing you quite a lot of pain.

Everyone experiences embarrassing body issues at some point in their lives, so it’s important to remember that you’re not alone!

This post was a collaboration.

Thank you for reading!

Health

Protecting Your Health When Spending More Time Out Of Doors

January 11, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

The results are in! They state that spending time outside and away from our stuffy office desks is good for both our bodies and our minds. However, it’s not all good news as there are also risks that we must account for as well. Happily, you can find out what these are, and so minimize them by reading the post below.

Sunburn

One of the most significant issues concerning spending time out of doors is the risk of sunburn from UVA and UVA rays. In fact, due to the link to cancer, many people are reticent to spend more time out of doors at all. Especially if it’s in locations where the sun beats down relentlessly.

However, what it is important to remember here is that getting enough sun safely can actually be good for. After all, it is exposure to sunlight that helps to stimulate the production of Vitamin D. Something essential for health and well being.

Picture found at Pexels – Licence CC0

To that end, investing in the right types of sunscreen for your skin is essential, as this can allow you to spend time out of doors while minimizing the risk of burning.

Of course, there are two things to beware of here. First is the factor number. With 50 being the highest and most suitable for those will pale, sensitive skin, that will be out in the sun for long periods.

Additionally, something that can make a big difference with sunscreen is how it is applied. For example, sunscreen wipes are convenient for those people that are on the go. Whole those planning on spending the entire day outside may be best off choosing a single application sunscreen. Although they will have to wait for the recommended time, around 40 minutes before they can go outside to swim or do water sports.

Insect bites

Another hazard that you can be exposed to when spending more time out of doors are insect bites. Unfortunately, while you can use repellent, to reduce the risk of being bitten, there are often so many insects around that it has little effect.

The good news, however, is that even if you do get bitten, you don’t have to live with the annoying, unquenchable itch that they leave behind. In fact, if you can get your hands on products like this insect bite cream, it’s possible to continue enjoying your outdoor time as normal. Instead of having to stop on your hike or canoeing trip every five minutes to scratch.

Pollution

Most of us think about getting more time out of doors as a healthy option. One where we will have access to fresh air. Of course, this isn’t necessarily the case as not everyone lives in rural areas where the air is clean.

In fact, those of us that want to spend more time out of doors that live in the city are quite likely to be exposed to increased pollutants in the air. These being things that can not only be bad for our lungs but also our skin as well.

With that in mind, taking precautions against any pollution damage can be wise. Whether that is using special makeup, or even wearing a face mask when running or walking out of doors.

This post was a collaboration.

Health

Is It Time To Get Your Hearing Tested?

January 11, 2020 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

Image Credit Pixabay.com License CC0

Your hearing is important. The ability to hear sounds will not only provide your brain with a wealth of information about the world around you, but it will also mean that you can hear lots of sounds that you love. Your favorite song, the voices of your partner, children, family, and your friends. Having good hearing means that you can take part fully in conversations. This, in turn, is good for you from a social perspective, and it can help your mental health. All in all, the ability to hear is a sense that should be valued.

To lose your ability to hear can be tough. When you are experiencing hearing loss, you may feel cut off or disengaged from those around you because you cannot fully take part in conversations. You may feel stupid or ashamed asking people to repeat themselves because you have not heard them. And mishearing things that people have said to you can become problematic.

But if you are experiencing hearing loss, it need not be the end of your ability to hear. A visit to an audiologist could result in an assessment of your hearing being made, and a hearing aid fitting which will allow you to hear better than you may have done for a very long time.

What Are The Signs Of Hearing Loss?

There are several different ways that hearing loss may affect you. You may struggle to hear what people are saying when they are talking to you. Sometimes it may be the odd word here and there that you miss and at other times, whole sentences may feel muffled. You may put it down to the person who is speaking at first. That they may be covering their mouth or talking quietly. But if you start to notice this in more and more situations, then this a sign that you may need a hearing test.

Having to have your TV turned up louder than is comfortable for anyone else is a sure sign that you are experiencing hearing loss. If your volume has slid up a few notches because you struggle to hear the TV or radio, then make an appointment with an audiologist.

A ringing, humming, or buzzing in the ears may indicate that you have Tinnitus. This is an uncomfortable experience for anyone who may be suffering from it. An audiologist may be able to help to manage the symptoms of this.

What To Expect When Visiting An Audiologist

If you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms associated with hearing loss, then you should make an appointment with an audiologist as soon as possible. Hearing loss can affect anyone, at any point in their lives. There can be lots of different causes which may include infection, a build-up of ear wax, physical damage to your ear, or damage through exposure to loud noises. An audiologist will assess the cause of your hearing loss, and then examine your ears to measure the extent of it.

You’ll be asked a series of questions about your hearing loss, when it started, and what symptoms you are noticing. You’ll be asked about any illness and injury that you may have suffered, and the audiologist will also ask you about your life including any hobbies and work. All of this is to help get a picture of the cause of your hearing loss.

Once the audiologist has got to know a bit about you, they will start the hearing test. This may involve a few different tests, but is likely to include a visual inspection of your ear, and a test which will measure what types of sounds you are able to hear. This will involve wearing headphones and listening to a series of sounds, indicating which ones you can hear.

Following on from your hearing test, you may be given a few different options for treatment. For hearing loss relating to infections of blockages in your ears, antibiotics or having your ears drained may be a solution.

For other forms of hearing loss, the audiologist may suggest that you get a hearing aid.

Getting A Hearing Aid Fitted

Your audiologist will be able to recommend a suitable hearing aid that meets your specific needs. They will also help to fit it for you so that it is comfortable and is set to the right volume. Generally, hearing aids are designed with comfort in mind, and they are not bulky so they don’t stand out. They will improve the amount that you can hear quite dramatically though.

This post was a collaboration.

Health

We Need To Talk! (About Embarrassing Health Conditions)

January 11, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

The problem with some health conditions is that we don’t talk about them. Something that can mean we end up suffering for far longer than is necessary. The good news is that knowing what is going on with your health, even if it is a little embarrassing means you can return to your old self in no time. Keep reading to find out more.

Urinary Tract Infections

UTIs like cystitis aren’t always easy to talk about. In fact, many people can get embarrassed when the subject comes up. Of course, they can be pretty uncomfortable too, especially if you have to stop what you are doing every 5 minutes to head to the loo.

Fortunately, they are straightforward to treat indeed. In fact, you can get over the counter UTI tablets that contain active ingredients such as cranberry extract. Something that has long been held to alleviate cystitis symptoms.

Alternatively, if you have a different UTI heading to your doctors for a course of antibiotics such as MacroBID is a fast and straightforward solution. One that will have you feeling much better in the shortest possible time.

Hearing Loss

Many people struggle with talking about and seeking treatment for hearing loss. Especially if they think it is to do with their age. However, loss of hearing can occur for a whole range of reasons, and at any age.

It’s also important to be aware that just because you are suffering from hearing loss, it doesn’t mean you have to accept your situation. In fact, there is a range of treatments available from surgery, using a tiny invisible hearing aid that can help improve your symptoms. Thus ensuring you get your life back to normal as fast as possible.

Bad Breath

Let’s face it, no one wants to be told that they have bad breath. In fact, such a situation can be embarrassing indeed. Happily, if you are worried about this condition, there are plenty of things that you can do to combat it.

First of all, it may well be worth a trip to the dentist, as a cavity or build up in between the teeth due to improper flossing may be causing the odor.

Although, for some people, a change in their dietary habits can make all the difference here. For example, cutting out coffee or sugar, or moving from a low carb diet such as Keto to one that includes carbohydrates can help improve the quality of your breath.

Skin Cysts

Skin Cysts occur when a pore gets blocked, then the bacteria underneath cannot be cleared. Unfortunately, skin cysts can be embarrassing as well as painful, especially when they are in a private place!

Of course, it is worth noting that they aren’t usually too dangerous if caught early. In fact, a quick visit to the doctors for the cyst to be drained is often just what is required. Yes, and although this can feel a little embarrassing, remember that it’s nothing they haven’t seen before and getting your health problem sorted is what really matters here.

This post was a collaboration.