Category Archives: Going Healthy

10 Practical Tips For Managing Alcohol Addiction

03/28/2023 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Alcohol addiction is a widespread issue affecting millions of people globally. It can seriously affect an individual’s physical, mental, and social well-being amid other relationship and financial troubles. Unfortunately, the condition is responsible for over 95,000 deaths annually in the US alone. Getting assistance if you or a loved one is struggling with this condition is crucial. The article highlights some of the 10 top tips for managing alcohol addiction.

Set realistic goals

Setting realistic goals to help you quit a drinking problem isn’t always the easiest. The process can be challenging and complicated, often requiring careful evaluation of your situation and requirements. However, setting reasonable goals adapted to your circumstances can help you stay motivated and accountable. Emphasize your goal setting on short- and long-term objectives to make it attainable and practical. A week without drinking, for example, can be a short-term aim, while a long-term aim may be to remain clean for a full year.

Join a support group

Joining a support group may benefit individuals attempting to quit drinking because it provides a feeling of community and accountability. Support groups can provide the encouragement and support you need for your sobriety attempts. Consider group size, structure, and leadership style criteria for a suitable group. Certain support groups could benefit in a particular addiction type or recovery strategy, so do your homework and select a group that resonates with your objectives and beliefs. After you’ve found a support group, actively join and interact with other members to get the most out of the experience.

Avoid high-risk environments

It can be hard to overcome your alcohol drinking problem if you are frequently exposed to an environment filled with triggers and lures. Recognizing and avoiding previous areas associated with excessive drinking, such as binge social settings and locations, will help. You may also surround or explore alternative activities encouraging abstinence or constructive coping. Beware of your triggers and vulnerabilities to become more proactive in avoiding the risks. You may also engage with friends and loved ones or speak to a professional to learn the best ways to avoid some of these tempting environments.

Develop healthy habits

Developing healthy habits and general well-being can help you to become more mindful of your drinking or stop altogether. For instance, regular exercise, good eating habits, and stress-relieving activities such as yoga and meditation can help manage your addiction. Establishing regular sleep habits and prioritizing self-care can also help to retain a feeling of balance and stability during the recovery process. While building healthy habits might take time and effort, the advantages can be enormous in enhancing mental and physical wellness and laying the groundwork for long-term sobriety.

Practice relapse prevention

Relapse prevention entails devising approaches to recognize and tackle potential triggers or barriers to abstinence. The process may require developing an action plan with specific steps to take in the incident relapse and establishing a support group of acquaintances, family, or professionals who can provide guidance and encouragement. Also, it helps you maintain awareness of your emotional and mental health and creates good coping skills to properly handle stress or bad emotions without resorting to alcohol.

Have alcohol-free days

Having alcohol-free days can be effective for avoiding drinking addiction, as it can help you establish healthy patterns and reduce the risk of developing alcohol dependence. You may set goals for moderate consumption, such as limiting the number of drinks per day or week and intentionally abstaining from alcohol on certain days or situations. By embracing alcohol-free days as a proactive and healthy lifestyle choice, individuals can prioritize their well-being and build a foundation for sustainable recovery and long-term health. While making such changes may require effort and commitment, the potential rewards for improved physical and mental health and happiness can be significant.

Maintain a journal

Keeping a journal can be a terrific approach to dealing with a drinking problem if you want to write down your deepest thoughts. Journaling can help you track your emotions while you attempt to quit drinking. Think about the things you find uncomfortable and when you want to drink the most. Putting this in writing might help you spot trends that provide additional understanding of your alcohol use. You may contrast the emotions that arise when you drink to the feelings when you abstain. This approach can help you identify when drinking does not solve the difficulties you’re attempting to manage. You may use the journal to list reasons for quitting and to brainstorm the activities you can use to replace drinking.

Keep busy

Staying active may be an effective method for avoiding drinking since it provides the body with a good energy outlet while reducing the urge to drink during boredom or stress. Unsurprisingly, many professionals and alcohol treatment programs include exercising as a vital part of a comprehensive program to assist individuals in maintaining abstinence and developing a healthier lifestyle. Also, many residential facilities feature fitness equipment to support their patients. Meanwhile, research has shown simple exercises such as walking, running, or jogging are crucial for aiding alcohol and substance recovery.

Be persistent

There is no magic trick for overcoming addiction; however, behavior plays a big part in success. Your persistence and consistency can make all the difference in overcoming your addiction. Most individuals who successfully reduce or stop drinking do so after several attempts. You will likely face bumps in the road, but don’t let them prevent you from achieving your long-term goal. Overcoming an alcohol problem is an ongoing effort with no definite endpoint, so persistence is essential to avoid drawbacks.

Get professional assistance

Even with all the best tips and recommendations, you may need professional assistance to overcome a drinking addiction. For instance, a professional may give you access to specialist resources and support you in enhancing your efforts. Many treatment options are available for individuals with alcohol problems, from group therapy to individual counseling, outpatient rehab, and so on. The professional may also recommend a clinically-proven recovery program or support group to join for maximum outcomes.

It might take time to quit a drinking habit, so remember to be nice to yourself if it doesn’t stick on the first try. Practice a few of the above tips to stop your drinking habits or be more mindful. You will notice significant gains with time and commitment.

Going Healthy, Health, Life

Menopause Isn’t Just For Women: Here Is What Men Need To Know

03/25/2023 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Menopause is often thought of as a woman’s issue, but men can experience changes with age that are similar to menopause. This phenomenon is known as andropause or male menopause. While not all men go through it, andropause affects roughly 30 percent of males between the ages of 40 and 59. Read on to learn more about male menopause and what it means for you.

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What Is Male Menopause?

Male menopause occurs when levels of the hormone testosterone decrease, typically in middle-aged or older males. Testosterone is responsible for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, libido, energy levels, and mental clarity—all characteristics that people associate with youthfulness and vitality. When testosterone levels drop, these functions often decrease as well.

Signs and Symptoms of Male Menopause

Manifestations of male menopause can differ from individual to individual; however, the most frequent ones include:

• Low libido or decreased sex drive

• Muscle loss

• Fatigue and/or lack of energy

• Mood changes such as depression or irritability

• Hot flashes and night sweats

• Difficulty sleeping

• Memory problems or mental fog

• Erectile dysfunction or difficulty maintaining an erection

It’s worth emphasizing that some of these signs can have alternative explanations, so if you believe you may be in the middle of male menopause, it’d be wise to consult with your physician.

Causes of Male Menopause

While the precise source of male menopause remains unknown, it is widely considered that progressing age has something to do with its development. As our bodies mature, testosterone production decreases which can be responsible for these sensations and signs.

In addition, living habits such as obesity, inadequate nutrition, and lack of physical activity may lead to lower levels of testosterone, triggering a higher vulnerability for male menopause.

Treatment Options for Male Menopause

Although male menopause cannot be cured or reversed, there are several treatments available that can help manage the symptoms:

1) Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT):

TRT consists of taking medications that replace the testosterone your body is no longer producing. This treatment has been proven to improve sex drive, muscle strength and mass, energy levels, and mood. Just make sure to find a reputable place of treatment like this TRT Clinic Simi Valley with a knowledgeable team of staff.

2) Lifestyle Changes:

Making certain lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms of male menopause. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, reducing stress levels, limiting alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking are all important steps toward improving overall health and well-being.

3) Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy:

Bioidentical hormones, derived from natural sources and created to emulate the hormones produced by your body, have been proclaimed as a solution for alleviating symptoms of male menopause and balancing out hormone levels. Research has suggested that bioidentical hormone replacement therapy could be a powerful aid in improving one’s well-being.

4) Supplements:

If you’re experiencing the effects of male menopause, then certain natural supplements can be greatly beneficial. Minerals such as zinc and magnesium, along with vitamin D, have been known to restore hormone levels and promote overall health in males who are going through this stage of life.

Male menopause is a real phenomenon that affects many men as they age. While it’s not always easy to recognize the symptoms due to their similarity with other conditions, knowing what signs to look for can help you identify if you are experiencing this issue.

Treatment options such as testosterone replacement therapy, lifestyle changes, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, and supplements can all be beneficial in managing the symptoms of male menopause. Talk to your doctor if you think you may be experiencing this condition so they can recommend the best treatment option for you.

Going Healthy, Health, Lifestyle, Tips

Healthy Habits That Aren’t So Healthy

03/22/2023 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

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Most of us try to do as much as we can to stay as healthy as we can, even if we are not perfect at doing so. It can be disconcerting then, to say the least, when you find out that the so-called healthy habits you have been practicing forever are not so healthy after all.

There are many things that many of us think are good for us, which could actually be anything but, but if we don’t know that is the case, we could keep on doing them until it causes us significant harm. That being the case, let’s take look that some healthy habits that may not be so healthy after all:

Cleaning your ears with a Q-tip

Hand up if you remove the wax from your ears using a Q-tip. It’s definitely something a lot of us do or have done, but did you know it can actually be dangerous? When it comes to earwax removal, specially designed sprays or a visit to a professional are the way forward because Q-tips can actually push more wax further inside the ear than they remove, which can cause a whole host of problems including hearing loss. Not only that, but you risk slipping and pushing the Q-tip in too far which could perforate your ear drum! Keep Q-tips out of your ear and stay safe!

Drinking fruit juice

Okay, so fresh fruit juice is definitely a healthier choice than processed sodas, but it is not always as healthy as we think. Fruit juice can contain just as much, if not more sugar as a can of Cola, and it can be pretty acidic too. That means that it can cause erosion of tooth enamel, while also spiking the blood sugar, which means it is not a good choice of daily beverage, Of course, it does also contain lots of vitamins and minerals, so drinking a small portion of fresh fruit juice now and again is likely to be fine.

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Stepping on the scale

It’s good to know how much you weigh so you can keep an eye on the situation, but if you are someone who weighs yourself every day, or even multiple times each day, you might want to reconsider because this is not always a healthy approach.

The fact of the matter is, your weight can fluctuate several pounds in a single day, so you are not always getting an accurate picture of how you are doing, and this can lead to unhealthy obsessions with your weight, as well as the kind of disappointment that leads to you giving up a healthy eating regime, for example.

Weight once a week at the same time of day and you will get a much more accurate picture of your weight, and you will likely obsess about it a lot less too.

Sleeping a lot

We know that sleep is good for us, so a lot of us think sleeping more will be even better. This is, sadly, not the case. Although sleeping late now and again is unlikely to have any adverse effects on your health, if you regularly sleep more than 9 hours each day, you may find that you feel more tired and more lethargic all the time. Anywhere between 7 and 9 hours is the sweet spot of sleep for most adults, so try to stick to that number and you will be healthier for sure.

Being a weekend drinker

Most of us think if we abstain during the week and only consume alcohol at the weekends, we are making a healthy choice, but this can lead to binge drinking, whereby you overindulge on two days of the week. It is much better to spread your alcohol consumption more evenly throughout the week so that you do not end up putting an unnecessary strain on your liver. Of course, if you just have one or two drinks on a Saturday night, that is unlikely to be too bad for you, but if you go crazy on the weekends, a rethink is really a good idea. If you find it hard to moderate your drinking, speaking to a doctor or therapist could also be a good idea.

If you have been practicing any of these surprisingly unhealthy habits, then it would be a good idea to try and break them where possible because they are really not great for you, and the longer you do them, the harder it will be to change, and the more likely it will be that they have a negative effect on your wellbeing.