Helping A Loved One Deal With Pain

Dealing with chronic pain is more difficult than anyone can imagine. Think about when you have been in pain before yourself. The relief and elation you feel when that pain is gone is pretty amazing, right? Well, for chronic pain suffers, that relief is something they don’t get to experience. Knowing how to help someone in this position is important. So, let’s take a look at how you can do so…

Be mindful of what you say - The first thing you need to do is be cautious with regards to what you say to the person that is living with chronic pain. Statements like “it could be worse” and “the pain is in your head” are not helpful. Some other statements that aren’t good include the likes of “if you took vitamins, slept more, and exercised more, you would feel better” and “everything happens for a reason.”

Offer help - One of the best things you can do is offer help. However, simply saying, “what can I do to help?” is not a good idea. People won’t want to put on you, and so being specific is more beneficial. For example, you could say that you are making dinner tonight and wondered if your loved one would like some brought over. Or, you could ask if your friend or family member would like you to do some research into their condition for them. For example, they may need help choosing the right orthotist and pedorthist, and so you could offer to do some research online and help them to make this decision. That way, you are helping without taking over.

Encourage, don’t criticise - It can be very easy to fall into the trap of providing unsolicited advice about what someone should or should not be doing. You may even start doing this without realising, which is why you need to be very aware of it. Yes, you may have heard about different treatments or therapies, but unless your friend or family member welcomes this sort of help, don’t offer it up. They have probably spent countless hours looking for different remedies and so it may not come across as helpful, even though you mean to be.

Don’t take it personally - When someone is unwell, we want to visit them. We want to keep them company and try to cheer them up. However, the problem with chronic pain is that it is so unpredictable, and so it becomes difficult to engage with visitors and manage the pain. Therefore, if the person changes their plans with you or declines your offer to visit, don’t be offended!

As you can see, there are a number of different ways that you can be there for a chronic pain sufferer. If you follow the advice that has been given above, you can make sure that you are a good support system for someone who is in a lot of pain.

Those Prepackaged Salads Probably Aren't As Good For You As You Think

When you first vow to change your diet, the chances are that you see prepackaged salads as a Godsend. You don’t know the first thing about healthy foods right now, after all. These easy options ensure that you’re at least getting into the habit of eating better. For the first few weeks, you may find that pre-packaged salads are about the only thing you can reach for without worry when you hit the store. And, you’re already starting to feel better as a result of your efforts.

The bad news is that, while salads like these are probably better for you, they aren’t always the best option. As a matter of fact, pre-packaged choices are often bad news for our health. That’s not to say that they’re worse than your diet before. But, once you’ve got past that first hurdle, you might want to think about ditching these for whole salad items which you prepare yourself. Though these don’t have the convenience of pre-packaged options, investing in something as simple as these Spyderco knives could see you shredding your own salads in no time. If you’re not sure why you should, keep on reading to find out what’s wrong with those pre-packaged options.

Less nutrition all around

Given that this journey is all about a healthier diet, it’s worth noting that pre-packaged salads have far less nutrition than their fresher counterparts. As such, that big bowl of greens might not provide you with quite as much goodness as you think. That’s because the production line for pre-packaged options tends to be a whole load longer. According to Jo Robinson, the author of Eating on the Wild Side, said salads like these ‘might be two weeks old’ in some cases. And, we all know that nutrients become less and less effective as time passes. That’s why, in most cases, veggies frozen straight from fresh have the highest nutrient content of all. And, that’s why you could benefit from picking up whole salad stuff and shredding it yourself. Even if you shred the whole thing and keep it in an airtight container at home, you’re sure to see much higher health benefits. At least, you will if you eat it within a few days. If you do still insist on prepared stuff, remember always to check those dates. By opting for long dates, you can at least reduce that shelf time and hopefully see more benefits as a result. Additionally, seeking nutrition counselling can provide personalized advice to further enhance your dietary choices. With the guidance of experts from nutrition counseling, you can better understand the importance of consuming fresh, nutrient-dense foods.

A breeding ground for bacteria

Nutrition or not, prepared salads are always a breeding ground for bacteria. In the past, they’ve been behind many an outbreak of issues like salmonella. Salads which include things like bean sprouts are especially bad for this. That said, seemingly harmless mixtures can also spell trouble. For the most part, this is because of the preparation itself. Sadly, any salad items become a breeding ground for bacteria when cut. This is because there are plenty more places for bacteria to hide. Even when washed, salads like these can carry bacteria and help them to grow. That’s because those grooves and slices give them somewhere to hide even during washing. By then placing those bacteria in a sealed bag, you’re basically begging them to grow out of control. To some extent, you may even find that washing becomes null and void by the time you take that salad home. To consider how serious this can be for your health, bear in mind that three people died in the U.S. after a breakout of Escherichia coli from packaged spinach back in 2006. And, that’s by no means an isolated incident. By comparison, buying fresh and washing thoroughly ensures that you get all those nasty bacteria before they have a chance to do damage.

Potentially fattening dressings

Given that you’re opting for salad because you consider it a healthy food, it’s also worth noting that the dressing which comes with prepackaged salads can be anything but. High oil content in options like these can tip the unhealthy scales alone. That’s before you even consider that some dressings have straight up sugar in them. On top of all that, most dressing sachets which come with salads like these are pretty sizeable. You may find that you’re tipping your salad way up the calorie count by pouring the whole thing on top. In an ideal world, the recommended amount of dressing is just two tablespoons. Most sachets have at least double that. Of course, the dressing is the best part of a salad for many of us. But, there’s no need for this high-calorie intake when you can make your own healthy alternatives with half the fat content. By preparing your salads, you can turn to these better options every time. Simple things, like replacing vegetable oil with healthier choices such as olive oil can make a huge difference. You can also then control how much you use so that your healthy options stays healthy.

Less variety

At the very least, it’s worth bearing in mind that prepared salads don’t always come with the best variety. Sometimes, for example, you only get one type of leaf. Even mixed salad bags are usually pretty limited in their choices. Yet, you and I know that variety is often the thing which makes salad such a healthy choice. If you’re going to make a meal of this, you need to get a rich variety of ingredients. That means including leafy greens, nuts and seeds, and even avocado for healthy fats. Though some packaged salads may include as much variety as this, most don’t. And, that alone could be the undoing of your diet. The only real way around that would be to buy various packed salads and mix them, but that’s going to get expensive. By comparison, stocking up on plenty of salad stuff for your fridge means you can get creative and ensure your nutrition all at the same time. When that happens, we can bet that your health will just keep on getting better.

A Guide To Recovering From Trying Periods In Life

It is generally accepted that life is a rollercoaster. There are the incredible highs; the excitement; the thrills and spills that create moments that we will cherish forever. Then there are the devastating lows; the rough patches; the tough times we just have to grit our teeth and somehow managed to survive, trusting that things will eventually improve.

If we believe the rollercoaster metaphor, then recovering from the difficult periods in life - unemployment, financial issues, housing problems, arguments, breakups, and so on - would be relatively simple. We’d simply tough the rough patch out, and then life would be back to normal - or even better than normal - before we know it, and we would make the transition from bad to good with relative ease.

The reality of recovering from difficult periods in life

While in many cases people do indeed bounce back to their normal way of being, sometimes, things aren’t quite so simple. Even though the tough period has eased - perhaps a housing problem has been solved by finding the right property, financial worries have eased by taking on a successful side hustle, or a troubling argument with a loved one has been resolved - many people still feel jaded by what they have experienced.  

The fact that, sometimes, people feel they can’t immediately return to normal even when the issue that has troubled them has been resolved is a puzzling one. You may have experienced it yourself; everything is supposed to be okay now, but you’re still struggling, even though it’s technically in the past.

Why does this happen?

Think of a difficult period like an injury - a blunt force injury, that knocks the wind from you, and impacts everything you do for a significant period of time. While the initial pain of the injury itself may fade, there will be a bruise that lingers for weeks if not months. If you’re struggling to “bounce back” after a trying experience, then you’re still in the bruise; it might not be painful anymore, but the aftermath of the injury will linger.

What happens when people struggle to return to “normal”

Let’s say that you’ve been through a rough patch, but your life has finally stabilized. The rollercoaster theory suggests that you’ll soon be back to loving life; but the bruise theory - as presented above - indicates that even when the pain of the experience has dimmed, you might still be left with a mark.

However, that’s not to say that living with that mark is easy - in fact, it can be incredibly distressing. You want to move on; you have no practical reason not to move on, but your emotions don’t quite seem to have caught up. You continue to feel stressed, anxious, or even depressed, even though the root cause of the issue has been solved.

When the above scenario develops, the natural response is - somewhat surprisingly - anger. You may find yourself wondering why your emotions just can’t catch up; why you can’t quite seem to accept that the past is the past and embrace the future and all the wonders it may hold.

It’s important to note that the anger you may feel in such a scenario is entirely justified and understandable. Human emotions are tricky, and it’s possible to feel more than one emotion at once: you can feel relieved that a situation has resolved, feel the imprint of the harm it caused, and be angry that that imprint is there - all three responses are valid.

So how can you move on?

So you find yourself in a difficult scenario. Your life was turned upside down, which meant defaulting to survival mode and hoping to get through. Then, you did get through, and things should be stable now, but the imprint is lingering, and you’re now angry about the imprint and dealing with other troubling emotions at the same time.

To deal with such a complicated matter, you’ll need to set priorities. In such a scenario, many people will focus first and foremost on the anger they are experiencing, potentially following anger management tips in order to do so. While focusing on the anger can be beneficial, and is well worth considering as part of your recovery process, it is worth noting that anger is more of a symptom of an underlying issue - and ultimately, it’s the underlying problem you will need to solve.

So, having said that, the immediate question is: what is the underlying problem you are dealing with? You can’t change the past, and besides, the issue has since resolved, after all.

The real issue you need to focus on, then, is the bruise; the lingering mental and emotional impact of what you have recently experienced.

Treating the emotional bruise after tough periods in life

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In the next section, we will discuss specific ideas that can help you to recover from an emotional bruise, but we first need to focus on the importance of allowing yourself to acknowledge and accept that the bruise exists.

For many people, accepting an emotional bruise exists can be tricky - but it is an undeniably necessary step. Emotional bruises are inevitable; while many of us may hope that we can quickly recover from a trying period in life, the simple reality is that human emotions change slowly, and it can take some time for our mind and body to update - so to speak - to a new, safer period in life.

By saying that the emotional bruise of what you have experienced exists, you’re essentially giving yourself licence to not be okay. There is a real power in telling yourself that you don’t have to bounce back or return to your usual way of being; that it’s okay to feel sad, or anxious, or stressed. You’ve gone through something, and it’s far healthier to feel the bruise rather than bottle up your emotions and try to pretend everything is okay. By acknowledging the bruise exists, and that it might take you a while to get back to your version of normal, you will likely feel a sense of relief, understanding that it’s okay to not be okay.

Looking for solutions

However, it is important to acknowledge that, for the vast majority of people, feeling the bruise is not necessarily productive enough - which is understandable. Most of us feel that when we are experiencing a problem, we want to solve it; that doesn’t mean we have to push it aside or ignore it, but we nevertheless want to do all we can to overcome it. If you feel the same, then here are a few ideas you may want to consider:

• Look for ways to boost your self-confidence. If you’ve been through a rough patch, then the chances are that your self-confidence will have taken a knock, which can make recovering from that difficult patch all the more challenging. You should, therefore, find that focusing on ideas that can help you feel more self-confident every day can significantly improve your overall emotional well-being.

• Keep a diary. When healing from a trying period, you will inevitably have good and bad days - recovery from anything is never linear, so expect some form of variation. However, when you have a bad day, you will likely find that you come to think nothing has changed or improved at all; a diary, which notes the good days as well as the bad, can help to provide a more balanced picture.

• Consider self-hypnosis. Self-hypnosis is a wonderful way of working on your mindset without the need to find time in your schedule to attend an appointment; experts such as Mark Bowden provide audio and video guides that you can use as and when suits you.

• Learn what you can from the past. While you may find that you don’t want to think about the experience you are recovering from, it can be beneficial to try and learn from it - when you feel strong enough to do so. Many people find that by learning from past issues, they can put safeguards in place that prevent those issues from reoccurring, which helps to provide a sense of safety and reassurance that greatly aids their overall recovery.

• Confide in your friends and family. If you feel comfortable doing so, telling your friends and family what you are going through can be incredibly useful. You can outline that while you’re glad the rough patch is over, you’re still dealing with the aftermath and that it may be a while before you are 100% yourself again. Such a conversation helps to alleviate any social pressure you may feel while recovering, while also providing an opportunity for friends and family to provide valuable emotional support while the bruise heals.

In conclusion

Life may well be a rollercoaster, but it can also be a long ride, and the journey back to normal is not always as smooth and seamless as we may hope. Hopefully, reading through this guide will allow you to recover from difficult periods at your own pace, aided in this quest by the tools and ideas presented above.

What is Vegan Fashion?

Image Source. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Changing your diet is just one way to go vegan. Those wanting to embrace veganism fully often take the decision to cut out all animal products from their life – and this includes clothing. For those that may have just completed ‘Veganuary’ and are now thinking of adopting this lifestyle permanently, here are just a few ways in which you can get involved in vegan fashion.

Which materials aren’t vegan?

Any material that comes from an animal is generally regarded as not vegan. Some of these are obvious such as leather, fur and snakeskin – these all involve the slaughter of animals. Even if they are sometimes by-products as a result of slaughtering for meat (as is the result of leather), many vegans still don’t like the idea of wearing leather as many slaughterhouses are still paid for this leather.

Some vegans are fine with materials like wool and cashmere as these don’t involve the slaughter of animals. However, others still see this as an animal product that results in the industrialisation of animals and so are opposed to it.

Many vegans also avoid silk. Whilst this material can be extracted from silkworms without killing them, many distributors boil silkworms alive in their cocoons to obtain this material – hence why so many vegans are opposed to it. There are ethical silk brands out there that you can opt for if you desire.

Which materials ARE vegan?

There are many organic materials that are vegan including cotton, linen, hemp and coconut fibre, as well as man-made materials such as nylon, acrylic and polyester.

Materials like denim are vegan too – they consist of finely woven cotton dyed with indigo – however you should be careful when buying jeans as many contain patches made of leather. By searching carefully, you can usually find denim products without these leather patches.

There are faux materials out there that can simulate leather and snakeskin. Some of these are cork or kelp based, whilst others are made from polymers. You should make sure that these are wholly free of animal products as whilst some brands may not use cowhide, they may substitute this with other animal hides.

What about cosmetics?

A lot of make-up contains animal products too. Tallow is animal fat commonly taken from pigs which is present in many eyeliners, lip sticks and makeup bases. It’s generally found in thicker and more glossy types of cosmetics. Other ingredients to look out for include beeswax, elastin, lanolin, albumen and shellac. As for make-up brushes, some of these contain animal hair, so you should also be wary of this.

There are plenty of cosmetics that don’t use animal products including vegan lip gloss and vegan foundation. These products usually substitute these ingredients with the likes of palm oil and coconut oil instead. You can meanwhile buy makeup brushes that use synthetic bristles.

Where can I find vegan clothing/cosmetics?

Switching to vegan clothing and cosmetics isn’t as limiting as it may seem. Most mainstream brands will sell some clothing made from plant-based and man-made materials. In fact, you can probably go into any high street store and find a good selection of animal-product-free clothing and makeup (you just need to always check the label).

There are a growing number of clothing brands that are exclusively vegan. Some of the biggest brands include VAUTE, Beyond Skin and Brave Gentleman. You can shop for these clothes online. There are similarly many make-up brands that are exclusively vegan.

Should I throw away my old wardrobe?

There may be no point getting rid of the clothing you’ve already bought – the money has already been spent on these products. That said, a lot of vegans can’t bring themselves to wear clothing or cosmetics containing animal products once they’ve adopted this change of lifestyle. It’s really a case of personal preference as to whether you want to get rid of you old clothing or not.

How To Impress Someone You Care About

While showboating and acting more impressive than you are can sometimes be a quick way to pushing people away from you, or people finding out that you’re just putting a show on, sometimes aiming to be impressing can be a very worthwhile thing to do. For example, you may decide that you wish to impress someone you care about, or potentially give someone you love a reason to look at you anew. You may be willing to impress a family member who you wish to express your love towards, or perhaps you wish to impress yourself with the content of your amazing character that’s hiding just below the surface.

Life is best when it’s celebrated, and to do that you will need to scrub up and enjoy the best you can offer yourself and the person you’ve chosen to come with you. But how can you do this without resting on empty platitudes and promises? With one of our excellent tips:

Visit Somewhere Worthwhile

Never be afraid of visiting somewhere you truly care about and wish to show someone you love. It can be quite hard to do this, despite your initial excitement. It might be that you worry that they won’t quite ‘get’ exactly why you love the place so much, and have to put on a front to you of enjoyment. You might worry that they won’t wish to return, or that they might not have a good time. These beliefs can often be unfounded, but when showing someone a place we love, we can feel vulnerable.

But if you manage to do things right, you can avoid this fear entirely. For example, you might choose a very reputable hotel near Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, or perhaps a log cabin in northern Norway, or heading to see the cherry blossoms in the Yamanashi Prefecture Sightseeing Orchard, Japan. Exploring the world with someone can often be the adventure you need, and this explorative mindset will often be the crux of what impresses your partner, no matter what.

Get To Truly Know Them

Getting to truly know your partner can help you truly find the core of the person you hope to impress. This, in itself, can be impressive. We all like having attention on us, and especially we like answering questions about ourselves. If you manage to compose the questions intelligently, perhaps over a beautiful dinner, you might find yourself learning much more about the person. Even if they hold beliefs you might not agree with, simply engaging in this can be a meeting of minds that leaves both more fond of the other.

Build Something Together

Building something together can be the basis of a true mutual respect. It might be that you simply wish to head to some form of arts and crafts or pottery making date, but something much more than this could be decided on. For example, you may wish to work together on a painting thanks to you both being artists, or use your writing talents to delve deeper into a subject you care about, or even both sign up for volunteer charity work. When people contribute to a common cause, they grow together no matter what.

With these tips, impressing someone you care about is sure to be well worth it.

Moving Your Family The Right Way

So, you’re planning on moving your family. Whether you’ve already chosen the place you’re going to live, or this is something you’re just thinking about at this stage, you need to be prepared to move your family the right way. They should be as fully prepared for the move as you are, and on the day you’ll need to make sure you minimize issues and distractions as much as possible so you can move without a hitch.

Below, we’ll go into this in a little more detail, so stick around if you’re thinking of moving your family any time soon:

Preparing Your Family For The Move

First of all, let’s talk about preparing your family for the move. This is not something you want to spring on your kids and rush. Although you might be worried about what they’ll say, and you probably don’t want to have to deal with a headache from now until you move, telling them early on is the best way to do it. This way, you can make sure they have time to say goodbye to the current house and neighborhood, as well as have goodbyes with anybody they might not see as much due to the move. If you’re not moving too far away then it won’t matter too much, but if your kids are going to be moving schools and everything, extra preparation is key. You’ll want to visit the website to make sure that they are ready and know what to expect, and talk to them about any worries they may have. Don’t just tell them to stop being silly, even if it sounds silly to you. Explain to them why everything is going to be fine.

If you haven’t yet begun looking for houses, you could consider letting your family look with you. Maybe you could browse multi-family homes for sale online before going to look in person. Getting your kids involved can make them feel better as they had a say in such an important decision. It gives them a little more control, which always helps to ease their fears.

Getting The Move Right On The Day

On the day of the move, you’ll want to make sure you have a few things in place. Ideally, beforehand you will have downloaded a check list so that you could pack and triple check your belongings well in advance of the movers arriving. If you have hired movers and perhaps other people to help you, calling and double checking times in advance ensures you’re not going to be waiting around on the day or encounter any issues.

Getting a pet/babysitter is a popular option if you’re not moving too far, as the last thing you want is them getting in the way while you’re getting everything out of the house. It’s one less thing to worry about. Then, all you have to do is make sure you each have an ‘emergency supplies’ box, filled with things you might need to grab at short notice. Include things like your toothbrush, snacks, a charger, a special toy for your kids, etc.

Moving your family isn’t something that should be rushed, so start planning now!