Archive | January 2022

QUOTE FOR MONDAY:

“Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of vertigo — the sudden sensation that you’re spinning or that the inside of your head is spinning.BPPV causes brief episodes of mild to intense dizziness. It is usually triggered by specific changes in your head’s position. This might occur when you tip your head up or down, when you lie down, or when you turn over or sit up in bed.”

MAYO CLINIC

QUOTE FOR THE WEEKEND:

“Keeping your muscles healthy will help you to be able to walk, run, jump, lift things, play sports, and do all the other things you love to do. Exercising, getting enough rest, and eating a balanced diet will help to keep your muscles healthy for life. Strong muscles also help to keep your joints in good shape. If the muscles around your knee, for example, get weak, you may be more likely to injure that knee. Strong muscles also help you keep your balance, so you are less likely to slip or fall.And remember—the activities that make your skeletal muscles strong will also help to keep your heart muscle strong! ”

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIH https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/kids/healthy-muscle)

How to keep a healthy muscular system and why!

To understand how this system and health relate you need to understand how it works in the body.  What is the muscular system?  It is a body system composed of a network of tissues (cartilages, ligaments, tendons, fascias, joints, etc…) that allows the human body to control movement inside and outside of it.  As simple as walking to exercise to activities we do from within the body to survive (Ex. heart beating, lungs breathing, veins returning blood to the heart from the legs=activities we don’t focus or concentrate on when awake or asleep.).  Our muscles are divided into groups:

1-Skeletal Muscle:   Found in the skeletal system and provides controlled movement.  It maintains body movement from our head to our toes=jaw movement, poster, producing heat in the body to simply speaking while you’re standing and so much more.  You get the idea that this system plays a vital role in many functions we carry out daily but a lot of times we take this  for granted since we use the skeletal muscle for our daily routine functioning that is both voluntary and involuntary.

2-Visceral Smooth Muscle:  Found in the digestive tract, urinary tract, and blood vessels; contractions not under voluntary control.

3-Cardiac Muscle: Found only in the heart; contractions not under voluntary control.

Skeletal muscles are organs and do vary in size and shape from long and thin, broad and flat, to bulky masses and some not.

The skeletal muscle is highly vascular.  Muscle fatigue and pain result when there is insufficient oxygen delivered to the muscle.  Oxygen is the fuel to the human body in making it possible for us to function and survive; without it we can’t live.

You see how important this system is and we need to keep it healthy.  Keep your muscular system healthy as a priority in your daily life.  By doing this you will not only improve your quality of life, overall, but you will also begin to focus more easily on enjoying what’s truly important in your life.  With staying healthy in your life it will increase the risk of you living longer and a more productive one.  Prevention of injury to the muscular system and all the systems of the body is the answer to happiness, so start now and the younger the easier and better are the results.

How can you do this, well there are 3 main factors that would highly impact reaching a healthy or healthier muscular system and it’s NEVER too late to get started.  They would be:

1-EXERCISE  2-DIET  3-ROUTINELY PRACTICING HEALTHY HABITS

At first it may seem like a challenge but when it gets in your regular routine of daily living it’s a BREEZE.  I can say that because I made changes before in my lifetime to a degree with better healthier living I saw great results.  If I can do it so can you.  It really isn’t that difficult.

Let me first inform you what happens to the muscular system as we get older.  We become more inactive from our younger years (meaning sedentary lifestyle with no form of activity) and we are more prone to practice poor healthy habits (including what’s in your diet and how you eat).  The reason for this is we are no longer in high school with a higher metabolism or in college as well but working crazy hours on the run with the family and don’t have the time like we did but you end up with the following:

As we get older the tissue that comprises everyone’s muscular system decreases in size and relative strength.  When muscle fibers die they are replaced by fatty tissueThis makes the movement of muscles more difficult.  You want to know if this can be prevented?  YES!  The good news is that the effects of this normal declining or atrophying in the muscular system when getting older can be decreased in the severity by exercising regularly.  The sooner you get in a regular plan of doing it the easier it will be as you grow older.  By staying active always in your years of living you will continue to be muscle toned and build new muscles as well as keep your muscular system happy and healthy with not allowing it to become atone (loose in tonicity of the muscle=little strength if any).   So you don’t have to be 15 or 20 or 30 or 40 years old to start this.  The longer you hold off on some form of exercise (mild to moderate to intense) the longer it takes to tolerate it and adapt to this being a part of your daily living.  Like anything else for most; it may not be easy at first but in time whatever exercise you choose 3x, 5x, or even daily the sooner you will love it and want it in your life.  It can range from belly dancing, to gym workouts, to fast walking, to racquetball, to swimming or hiking.   Anything beats sitting most of the day or sitting behind a desk for work hours than coming home for dinner followed by TV than sleep.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, most individuals should be doing moderate aerobic activity four or more days a week for at least 30 minutes at a time. Aerobic exercise can be defined as that which engages your heart and lungs, so a leisurely walk won’t do it. Keeping your muscles healthy aerobically should also be fun and can be done with others. Hiking is a great example of such an enjoyable activity since walking hills force both big and small muscles to optimally utilize oxygen.

It is much easier than you think.   If you are overweight think about getting into your therapeutic body mass index of weight that can take 6 months to less or for some take a year up to two years.  Whatever time it takes to get in your therapeutic range it’s worth the while in getting yourself at a weight that allows you to start exercising=being active.  When you reach that point in life it allows you to do so much more with your life than sit on the side lines but instead play on the field with a big view of more enjoyment and activity.  Anyone can do it; you just need to have the power and perseverance.  The ending results are worth it for one person only, YOU but it will give people around you a positive impact as well.  If you have a condition that doesn’t allow you to do the types of activity that I mentioned earlier there is always home remedies from treadmills, using dumb bells in light weight lifting (2.5lbs. to 20lb.), sit ups, just walking around the yard or block or using the pool you may have doing laps.    You can figure it out with the help of asking your doctor (For people with any disease/illness or condition it is recommended to go to the physician first to get clearance in getting activities that you’re allowed to do).  Always a health fitness coach could give direction and your doctor.

Eating well on a consistent basis is also essential in maintaining healthy muscles.  The National Institute of Heath recommends you should eat 6 small meals a day.  All meals being at the same level of calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and sugars (fairly low) excluding your one meal out of the 6 meals being high in protein (lean meats and more green vegetables primarily.  These meals are 3 to 4 hours apart. By doing this you keep your sugar level at a steady rate (no peaks in sugar level).  Keeping your glucose (sugar) level steady you prevent fat storage occurring. When we have too much sugar left in the bloodstream, that we got after digestion of a meal, first we use up any sugar that was transferred into our bloodstream as fuel but by absorbing it into our tissues for the energy but when we have used all the sugar we needed at that point and still have extra glucose (due to a large meal) the extra sugar in the blood gets stored somewhere in the body equaling fat storage that equals weight gain.  Eat 2 or 3 moderate to large meals a day you’ll always run into this problem (extra sugar being stored in your body).  To prevent this from happening you eat 6 small healthy meals a day which are lower in calories, carbs, fat and sugars including the portions, that’s the logic.  Know that all carbohydrates, all sugars (calories) with certain fats when entering the stomach after eating break down into further simple or complex sugars. Than they transfer into the bloodstream when digestion is done in the stomach=more sugar than just the amount that is present on the back of the container, regarding the food that you’re eating at that time.  The 6 healthy meals a day are not saying 6 big macs or small whoppers.  I am talking about healthy foods eaten by the 4 food groups.  In making your muscles healthier begin to make better choices with each meal.  Seek to replace saturated fats and refined sugars with healthy fish (high protein) but not daily (have it 2 to 3 times a week) and fiber based foods (daily).  Other suggestions include eating your first meal of the day within 30 minutes after waking up.  Lastly and very important drink water (at least eight glasses a day or if possible 2 to 3 liters a day).  Drinking this much helps your muscles in doing their function better, they move easier (think of the fluid helping the muscle in not drying out which allows the muscle to function better in range of motion).

Health habits are important. Two unhealthy habits that have that an impact on your muscles is:

-Stress, which can be brutal for your entire body systems including your muscular system.  Having emotional stress places an inordinate amount of demand on your muscles.  Ways to conquer the stress is relaxation therapy (ex. Next time you have an emotional stress (angry to sad) focus and sit back with take 10 deep breaths, tired after work go to bed earlier about ½ hr. to an hour and play soft music to fall off to sleep, still not working than do EXERCISE-it tires your stress and eat healthy foods not junk).

-Poor diet:  To build muscle and lose fat, you need a variety of proteins, veggies, fruits, carbs, and healthy fats properly portioned for your meals.  Eating a protein helps build and maintain your muscles.  It also helps fat loss because protein has a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates or fats.

There is not just one food to eat or one type of exercise to do or one healthy habit to perform that will keep you healthy, there are choices.

QUOTE FOR FRIDAY:

“Acting F.A.S.T. can help stroke patients get the treatments they desperately need. The stroke treatments that work best are available only if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms. Stroke patients may not be eligible for these if they don’t arrive at the hospital in time.”.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC

STROKE means act quick. We now have gone from FAST to FASTER at some Hospitals. Use this at acronym when even HOME!

   OR

F stands for Face, which refers to drooping or numbness on one side of the face versus the other. Ask the person to smile to make the droop more apparent.

A stands for Arms, which refers to one arm being weaker or more numb than the other. Ask the individual to raise both arms up and hold them for a count of ten. If one arm falls or begins to drop, then this could be a sign of a stroke.

S stands for Stability, which refers to steadiness on your feet. Sometimes individuals will fall, feel very dizzy or be unable to stand without assistance. Difficulty maintaining balance, trouble walking and loss of coordination are all possible stroke symptoms.

T stands for Talking, which refers to changes in speech including slurring, garbled, nonsensical words, or the inability to respond appropriately. Individuals experiencing a stroke may be difficult to understand, or they may have difficulty understanding others. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like “The sky is blue.”

E stands for Eyes, which refers to visual changes. These visual changes occur suddenly and can include complete vision loss in one eye, double vision, and partial loss of vision in one or both eyes.

R stands for React, which is a reminder to call 911 immediately if you recognize any of these symptoms. Call even if the symptoms go away and try to remember when they first began..

Identifying and reacting to stroke symptoms quickly is crucial to achieving proper treatment for an individual experiencing a stroke.

Acute stroke treatments are time dependent after a stroke occurs. This is why it is so important to recognize stroke symptoms quickly and act FASTER by calling 911 immediately.  FASTER is also known as BEFAST by certain hospital facilites that cover the exact areas in determining a stoke (see the pictures above).!

The stroke experts at Beaumont Health created an updated acronym – FASTER – which adds two additional, but key, stroke symptom indicators.

The acronym FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time) has been used by the National Stroke Association, American Heart Association and others to educate the public on detecting symptoms of a stroke. FAST was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1998.

FASTER is a new acronym reiterating the importance of quickly recognizing the signs and symptoms of a stroke and calling 911,” says Rebbeca Grysiewicz, D.O., director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. “

Beaumont added ‘stability’ and ‘eyes’ when we created FASTER because sudden imbalance and/or vision loss are also important and recognizable symptoms of a stroke. Identifying symptoms and reacting quickly helps ensure early arrival to the hospital for assessment of potential stroke treatment.”

Remember the sooner the pt gets to the hospital based on the hours the stroke symptoms happen or began will determine the treatment!  For strokes due to a blockage called ischemic stroke the symptoms have to be within 3 hours for TPA or in some cases 4 hours  or TPA can not be used and the pt is immediately sent to just the stroke unit.  If the stroke is hemorrhagic than the OR is the only immediate treatment to close the hemmorage in the brain.  Also, depending on the severity of the hemorrhage in the brain the pt is more limited in time a recovery of any can be terribly affected; especially if the hemorrhagic stroke happened outside of a acute hospital with how soon it was detected, called in to 911 and reached the acute hospital.  TIME is of ESSENCE!!

 

 

QUOTE FOR THURSDAY:

” Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons or modern-day slavery, is a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. ”

The United States Department of Justice (https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking)

 

Human Trafficking – what it is, know the facts and warning signs!

Not a topic for some people in wanting to talk about but everyone should know about this topic and the warning signs to know what human trafficking is.   One so your warned and possibly save a life!

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.

What may keep one from seeking help who is a victim can be language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement.  This makes human trafficking a hidden crime.

Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They look for people who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, or political instability. The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings.

Know the facts:

-Human trafficking exists in every country, including the United States. It exists nationwide—in cities, suburbs, and rural towns—and possibly in your own community.

-Human trafficking victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. They may come from any socioeconomic group.

-Sex trafficking exists, but it is not the only type of human trafficking. Forced labor is another type of human trafficking; both involve exploitation of people. Victims are found in legitimate and illegitimate labor industries, including sweatshops, massage parlors, agriculture, restaurants, hotels, and domestic service.

KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS!

Since human trafficking is often a crime that is hidden in plain sight, it is important to be aware of its warning signs. These warning signs are adapted from information provided by the Polaris Project and its National Human Trafficking Resource Center, which is also used by nv.gov.

Some indications that a person may be a victim of human trafficking include (especially in the case of women and children)

  • Appearing malnourished
  • Showing signs of physical injuries and abuse
  • Avoiding eye contact, social interaction, and authority figures/law enforcement
  • Seeming to adhere to scripted or rehearsed responses in social interaction
  • Lacking official identification documents
  • Appearing destitute/lacking personal possessions
  • Working excessively long hours
  • Living at place of employment
  • Checking into hotels/motels with older males, and referring to those males as boyfriend or “daddy,” which is often street slang for pimp
  • Poor physical or dental health
  • Tattoos/ branding on the neck and/or lower back
  • Untreated sexually transmitted diseases
  • Small children serving in a family restaurant
  • Security measures that appear to keep people inside an establishment – barbed wire inside of a fence, bars covering the insides of windows
  • Not allowing people to go into public alone, or speak for themselves

 

 

QUOTE FOR WEDNESDAY:

“While legal definitions of stalking vary from one jurisdiction to another, a good working definition of stalking is: a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear &/or being harmed.”.

SPARC (https://www.stalkingawareness.org)

 

Stalking Awareness Month

 

 

Stalking is a serious crime that can take a long-term emotional, physical, and financial toll on survivors. Despite the high-profile or celebrity cases involving stranger stalkers, stalking is most often perpetrated by someone the survivor knows and is defined as a patter of behavior directed towards a specific individual causing them to feel fear.

Stalking affects millions of women and men in the United States.

Stalking occurs when someone repeatedly harasses or threatens someone else, causing fear or safety concerns. Most often, stalking occurs by someone the victim knows or with whom they had an intimate relationship.

Help prevent stalking by knowing the warning signs and how to get help.

Stalking tactics can include:

  • Unwanted phone calls
  • Unwanted emails, instant messages, text messages, voice messages, or social media messages
  • Approaching a victim or showing up unwanted, such as at the victim’s home, workplace, or school
  • Leaving strange or potentially threatening items for the victim to find
  • Watching, following, or tracking a victim
  • Sneaking into the victim’s home or car and doing things to scare the victim or let them know the perpetrator had been there

According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS):

  • Stalking is common. About 1 in 6 women and 1 in 17 men have experienced stalking in their lifetimes.
  • Stalking starts early. Nearly 54% of female victims and 41% of male victims experienced stalking before the age of 25.
  • Stalking impacts the physical and mental health of victims. Research shows stalking can lead to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. About 68% of female and 70% of male victims experienced threats of physical harm during their lifetime.

Child Stalking

Many times, we hear young adults say that they “Facebook stalked” someone, which simply means they looked through someone’s profile and photos for certain information. This is meant in a joking manner, but stalking is a scary and real thing. It happens more often to young adults, and is becoming easier with modern day technology.

  • Over 85 percent of stalking victims are stalked by someone they know, (many times it is a current or former intimate partner).
  • In the U.S., 7.5 million people are stalked each year.
  • Young adults ages 18-24 experience the highest rates of stalking. 
  • Women are stalked 2x higher than men

What Can You Do?

If you feel like you or your child are being stalked:

  • Document it. Whether it’s happened twice or 20 times, jot down the incidents and note the date, time, location and any other details that you remember.
  • Contact your local police department or stalking unit to report it. Having documented proof of the stalking could assist you in receiving a protection order. A legal advocate will be available to help you through the court process.
  • Notify a friend, family member, employer or any other organization with whom you are involved.
  • Contact a local agency, such as The Center for Family Safety and Healing, to get help in creating a personalized safety plan.
  • If you feel you’re in immediate danger, call 911.
  • Get a protection order. Contact your local prosecutor’s office for information on the process for filing.

Everyone can work together to know, name, and stop stalking by:

  • Helping others define and recognize stalking behaviors
  • Mobilizing men and boys as allies in prevention efforts
  • Creating and supporting safe environments within relationships, schools, and communities through programs and policies that promote healthy relationships

QUOTE FOR TUESDAY

” A safety plan can help your teen strategize about ways in which they can stay safe. Plus, putting together a plan can help them feel empowered and more in control. It’s never a good idea to respond to someone who is stalking, cyberbullying, or harassing your teen; including stopping and looking at them. Talk to your teen about the importance of listening to themselves and trusting their instincts. Give the stalker very little opportunity to interact with or harm your teen; be around adults (Ex. driving the teen to and from school).”