Category Archives: Health

Serious Health Symptoms Dads Should Never Ignore

03/20/2019 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Dads are typically incredibly busy people. In between driving our kids to school, helping them with their homework, dealing with our own work, and much more, there’s very little time to do much else. However, that doesn’t mean that you should start skipping your doctor’s visits. Despite the macho facade many of us take on when we learn that we’re going to become fathers, no man is invincible. With that in mind, here are nine symptoms no dad should ignore.

symptoms, health, dads, parenting, wellness — **Source**

1. Trouble Sleeping

When you bring home a new baby, many things in your life begin to change, one of which is your sleeping pattern. With a little person screaming throughout the night, it’s going to be difficult to get as much kip as normal. That being said, if you struggle to sleep, but have no clear reason why, this could be a sign of a larger issue, such as sleep apnea, stress, or even depression.

2. Hair Loss

Hair loss is a fairly common concern for men, especially when we hit middle-aged or older. However, while this issue can be a natural part of aging, it may also be a warning sign of a more serious condition. Many different diseases, including ringworm and lupus, can be spotted by a loss of hair. If you ignore this symptom, though, you won’t get the treatment that you seriously need.

3. Chest Pains

Most of us associate chest pain with heart attacks, but there are many more reasons why you could be suffering from this symptom. It could be due to another heart problem, such as angina, a lung condition, like pneumonia, or even a gastrointestinal condition, such as a stomach ulcer. No matter how serious you believe these conditions to be, they each need professional attention.

4. Hearing Loss

Like hair loss, hearing loss is a symptom many associates with growing older. Thankfully, this isn’t necessarily the case. While there’s always a Miracle-Ear device for you to use, your goal should still be to prevent hearing loss if possible. For this reason, you should contact a doctor as soon as you start to spot signs of the issue. If an infection is the cause, then it can be dealt with.

5. Changing MolesAlthough us dads like to remind our kids of the importance of wearing sunscreen, very few of us remember to ourselves. This puts men at a much greater risk of developing skin cancer, including the potentially fatal melanoma. With that in mind, you should make sure that you check your skin regularly and see a doctor if you notice a change in shape, size or color of your moles.

Drinking plenty of water is crucial for good overall health, but that doesn’t mean that it’s normal or healthy to feel thirsty all the time. In fact, it’s a prominent symptom of many serious conditions, such as hyperglycemia, internal bleeding, and even organ failure. Regardless, it’s vital that you get this symptom checked out, especially when suffering from other symptoms, like nausea too.

7. Weight Loss

When you’re working on losing a few pounds, seeing the numbers on the scales begin to decrease can be a sign of success. However, if you’re not eating less, exercising more, or doing anything else to shed the weight, then this loss could be a sign that something isn’t right. In fact, it’s a symptom of many different issues. For this reason, your doctor will likely order a series of tests.

8. Feeling Down

Depression may be more common among women than men, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of guys that suffer from it too. Unfortunately, unlike women, these men are less likely to get help because of the pressures and expectations placed on them by society. Depression is much more than just “feeling down”, but, if you are, there’s nothing wrong with talking about it.

9. Vision Problems

Our vision naturally starts to deteriorate as we grow older, typically beginning in middle age. However, issues such as blind spots and blurry vision can indicate a serious eye or health problem. When you spot one of these issues, it’s crucial that you schedule an eye appointment as soon as possible. You should also stick to regular check-ups, no matter how busy you are.

You may be a superhero to your little ones, but that doesn’t mean that you have the powers to match. You’re not invincible, and, as such, you can get sick just like everyone else. To prevent potential health problems from getting any worse, you should contact a doctor as soon as you spot the symptoms listed above.

Going Healthy, Going Strong, Health, Life, Parenting

Dads – How to Fit Exercise into a Busy Day

03/15/2019 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

It can be really hard to juggle fatherhood and a full-time job not to mention your hobbies, socializing and seeing other family members. But it is also really important to stay on top of your health and well-being, so we’ve made a list of some great tips on how to squeeze exercise into your daily routine.

The Gym

A good hour-long session at the gym may seem like a distant memory to you by now and with such a hectic schedule you’re probably more likely to be wondering how to get a six pack in 3 minutes. However, it is important to free up time for yourself to focus on your own goals as well as those of your family. Come up with a plan with your partner that includes scheduled times where you are both free to partake in your own hobbies and interests. Getting back to the gym even once a week will do wonders for your self-esteem and will give you a new lease of life that you can make the most of with your children.

Walk, Don’t Drive

As a father, you will probably find yourself spending a lot of time in the car taking your children here, there, and everywhere. Try to replace some of the shorter car journeys with walking instead. Not only will this be great for your health, it will also give you some bonding time with your children where you can fully focus on their conversations.

Commute

Like most of us, your morning commute is probably too long to be able to get there on foot instead. However, try parking a little further away from work and walking the last stretch. You’ll be amazed at what a positive impact such a subtle change to your routine can have.

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

You probably won’t want to hear this, but a lot of parents eventually have to face the fact that getting up a little earlier can solve a number of time-related problems. By going to bed earlier you can set your alarm for a time that allows you to go for a quick morning run.

Socializing

Try to combine socializing with exercise by seeing if your friends would like to join you for a gym session, an exercise class or simply join you for a stroll rather than meeting up at a bar or coffee shop as you’d usually do. This way, you get to do both whilst saving some time.

Becoming a father doesn’t have to signal the end of a healthy lifestyle. It is important to make time to dedicate to your health and fitness and this will only have positive effects on your abilities as a father. You’ll have more energy to run around with your kids and it will teach them the importance of fitness too. For more tips on how to handle fatherhood, take a look at going-dad.com.

Going Healthy, Health, Life

3 Common Issues Misdiagnosed As IBS

03/01/2019 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, is a common, long-standing condition that affects the digestive system. Its typical symptoms are abdominal pain as well as irregular patterns of bowel movements. As a result, IBS is perceived as a functional gastrointestinal disorder that can be triggered by a variety of factors. However, it can be often misdiagnosed when a specific pattern of complaints leads to similar symptoms. The bottom line is that if you’re struggling with abdominal pains throughout the day, it might not be IBS. In fact, in our fast-paced environment, there are other causes of acute pain attacks that subside within a day or so.

IBS, irritable bowel syndrome, stress, gastrointestinal, digestion — **Stress, courtesy of flickr**

You’re stressed out

Stress can be a trigger for IBS, but, more often than not, the absence of stress management can lead to the development of a chronic condition. Indeed, stress can affect your digestion and gut health. Your brain controls the gut via the nervous system. When you are going through a hectic time, your gastrointestinal system responds to reactions in your nervous system, which impacts the effective release of enzymes to break down food or the categorization of nutrients. As a result, you can experience indigestion, difficult bowel movements, acid reflux, etc. Managing stress can prevent it from triggering IBS in the future.

You don’t look after your diet

We get it. You’re busy. You don’t have time to think about what you’re eating when you have a family. Consequently, you indulge in food that makes you happy. Your diet is not a top priority. You want food to create pleasure; however, you forget how it can affect your body. Unhealthy food clogs your arteries. Junk food destroys the microbiome in your gut. While you can have a cheat day here and then, you shouldn’t make it a habit!

You’ve got a food intolerance you don’t know about

Most people know about food allergy. However, food intolerance can be left unnoticed if minor cases. For instance, a minor lactose or gluten intolerance can not interfere with your diet in distinct ways. You might experience some abdominal discomfort as your body tries to digest the food, which can be wrongly attributed to IBS. To identify potential triggers, consider reaching out to companies like Advanced Food Intolerance Labs, who can provide tests to pinpoint specific food intolerances, and help you adjust your diet for better health.

How to tackle the issue?

Ultimately, you need to book an appointment with a specialist of gut health, a gastroenterologist, to make sure that your abdominal pains receive the attention they deserve. If you’re worried about a gastrointestinal condition, a specialist will be able to help you understand what is going on. More importantly, they will have the equipment you need to run tests and provide a safe diagnosis. In other words, not every tummy pain is IBS!

What to do before you see a doctor?

However, before you book an appointment, it’s a good idea to keep a health journal that lets you track what you eat, how you feel, and significant elements of your routine. This can be a helpful background to understand the cause of your pain. Additionally, it can highlight patterns you might not have noticed, such as how your meal or emotions affect your gut health.

IBS affects 15% of the population. However, it is often misdiagnosed in individuals who have not expressed abdominal concerns in the past. You can avoid extensive tests by listening to your body and recognizing the signs of stress, unhealthy diet habits, and food intolerance.