Guide to Your Health

Many people around the world battle addiction, and some of the signs that they are struggling with one are usually physically evident. This means you can know if someone is addicted by looking at their skin.  

If you’ve been combatting addiction and you noticed that there is a change in the way your skin looks, then you might need to get some help.

It is important to mention that behavioral addiction cannot cause skin problems. However, substance addiction like drug and alcohol addiction is largely responsible for some skin problems that people face.

Inflammation

People who abuse drugs are likely to experience inflammation. This is because most medications and drugs can make the skin dry, itchy, and red.

Such signs occur when these substances are in excess. Additionally, breakouts, swellings, and rashes can form on the skin. If this happens for a long time, then addiction is in play.

Rosacea

This is a severe skin condition that causes pimples and irritation on an individual’s face when an individual takes too much alcohol.

Sometimes, excessive alcohol can induce facial flushing which can worsen these symptoms. Hence, even though alcohol doesn’t cause rosacea in some people, it increases the risk of developing it.

Acne

Some people who have not experienced acne before might start seeing breakouts with too much drugs or alcohol. Similarly, if the person had acne before, substance addiction can worsen it. This happens because substance addiction makes the person touch their face regularly.

Change in color

When someone uses different types of drugs in conjunction with alcohol, they are likely to experience the breakout of various colors on their skin. This means their skin might be gray, pale, etc.

When it comes to treating skin problems associated with addiction, the first step is to seek help for addiction treatment. While receiving treatment, your healthcare provider can prescribe medications or other treatment types to handle your skin problems.

If you have trouble sleeping once in a while, you might see it as natural. However, when it occurs too often, to the point where it affects other aspects of your life, then insomnia is at play. If insomnia is left untreated, it can cause mental health disorders.

While you’re looking to book an appointment with your healthcare provider, there are home remedies to treat insomnia.  

Engage in physical activities

When you work out often, you are setting your health up for the numerous benefits that come with it-both physically and mentally.

Anytime you workout, you are likely to be tired because you engaged different parts of your body. Hence, working out puts your body in a state that makes it easier to fall asleep without much problem.

Use soothing music

Several studies have linked the use of soothing music to treating insomnia. If you are struggling with insomnia, you can listen to soft music as it would help you doze off. Remember that the hack is to select soothing music and not something that would get you in the mood to dance.

Stay away from digital screens an hour before you go to bed

Many people who struggle with insomnia use their phones, computers, or TV right before they go to bed. If you want to fall asleep faster, keep your phones, computers, and tablets away.

Then pick up a book or magazine and try to read. You will discover that you might sleep off in the act because your body enters a relaxed state that prepares it for the night’s sleep.

Ensure the bedroom temperature is low

If your room is hot, you might not be able to fall asleep fast. This means that you can stay awake for several hours in bed.

Research has shown that reducing the temperature in your room helps to reduce the metabolic activity of the brain. This puts your body in a normal sleep cycle.

While you apply these hacks, you can reach out to your doctor or health professional for more remedies to treat insomnia.

There are a good number of reasons why skin problems develop. However, preventing them from these problems would ensure our skin is in a good state.

We do not all have the luxury of putting ample measures in caring for our skin. However, the skin can be easily managed with healthy measures that would reduce the rate of aging and several skin problems.

Below are some basic steps that would help in treating skin problems:

1. Protection from the sun: It is important to protect yourself from the sun by all means possible. People who expose their skin to the sun stand the chance of getting skin problems. For starters, you can use a sunscreen to offer yourself protection from the sun.

In addition, you can find a shade to house you pending the time when the sun is harsh, or you can remain inside until it subsides.

People also protect themselves from the sun by using body cream that helps to protect them from the sun.

• Quit smoking: Another important step to implement when treating skin problems, is to avoid smoking. People who smoke heavily tend to have more skin problems than those who do not smoke. Smokers are liable to have more wrinkles on their skin that those who do not smoke. The reason for this is, the blood vessels become narrower and this slows down the flow of blood which makes the skin pale.

• Bathe properly: When you want to take a bath, it is important to handle your skin with care, to avoid problems. First off, do not use detergents and strong soaps to take a bath, they can be toxic to your skin. It is preferable to use mild cleansers. Also, when you want to take a shave, it is necessary to use a moisturizer particularly if your skin is dry.

• Healthy eating: Eating a healthy diet ensures that your skin would look the best. So, by all means possible, take enough proteins, vegetables, fruits amongst others. You should also take enough water to keep your skin hydrated.

Insomnia is in motion when a person is not able to sleep either at day or night. When they sleep eventually, it is not refreshing for them. Sleep is meant to produce a restorative effect and the only phenomenon that disrupts this is insomnia

Below are some of the unpleasant effects of insomnia

1. Adverse health problems: When an individual has insomnia, there is a likely chance that the person would be susceptible to health problems. Some of them are Heart attack, Heart disease, Heart failure, Irregular heartbeat, Stroke, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and a whole lot.

• Sex-drive reduction: People who have insomnia also experience a reduction in their sex drive. These set of people become less interested in sex, due to enhanced tension and reduced energy.

• Depression: This is one of the common effects of insomnia. Inability to sleep and sleep disorders can induce symptoms of depression. People who have depression do not sleep more than five hours at night. Insomnia which is obviously the most common sleep disorder, can cause depression in an individual.

• Ages your skin: People who do not sleep properly experience skin aging. Their eyes and skin become puffy when they have missed some nights of sleep. When it becomes worse, the person develops lackluster skin, dark circles and a host of others. So, the body secrets more stress hormone cortisol in excess. This cortisol in turn breaks down the skin collagen, responsible for keeping the skin elastic and smooth.

• Makes you forgetful: If you want to have a sharper memory, then it is vital for you to get more sleep. The sharp wave ripples in the brain that are responsible for memory storage are affected when the individual does not sleep properly.

• Weight gain: Based on research, if you do not sleep properly, there is a likely chance of you being hungry, and this can lead to obesity. People who sleep less than six hours daily, are more likely to develop obesity.

Having a good sleep is an integral aspect of wellness, and it is something which should not be toyed with, even though we are individuals who are stressed on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, sleeping is equally as important as having a healthy meal and exercising as well.

However, the world we live in, is affecting us from sleeping as we need to. These days, people do not really sleep unlike the past, this is an indication that sleep quality is currently on a low ebb.

Below are some important reasons why having a good sleep is essential for your health:

• Having a poor sleep could make you fat: Some people gain excess weight because they do not have enough rest. Having a short sleep duration ensures that people weigh more, than those who sleep enough.

Studies have shown that sleeping for a short while is one of the strongest factors which indices obesity. Hence, if you are an individual who wants to reduce weight, having quality sleep is essential.

• It enhances concentration and productivity: For an improved brain function, it is required that the body gets enough rest. When the brain needs to function well in terms of cognition, productivity, performance and concentration, the body needs to sleep enough. Having short sleep has an adverse effect on the brain function which is often similar to being impacted by taking excess alcohol.

• It reduces the risk of Heart problems and stroke: It is a known fact that good quality of sleep has a great effect on the health, alongside having several risk factors. These factors are known to boost chronic diseases. Studies have shown that people who do not sleep well enough, are at a greater risk of having heart disease and stroke.

• Having poor sleep is associated with depression: Most likely, someone who does not sleep well, probably is going through a tough phase of depression, and hence, sleeping well seems impossible. Hence, individuals in this category are advised to seek prompt helps before it gets too late.

• It enhances your immune function: Studies have shown that good quality of sleep, boosts your immune system, which makes it difficult for you to come down with diseases.

Insomnia can be defined as a condition whereby an individual is unable to fall asleep either during the day or at night, which later results in a sleep which is both not refreshing and non-restorative. Due to the fact that the amount of sleep needed by individuals is different, Insomnia can also be defined as the quality of sleep you have, and how you feel when you wake, not the amount of hours you sleep, or your ability to doze off quick.

Hence, after spending eight hours in bed, if you still feel tired and drowsy the next morning, there are strong indications that you could be going through insomnia. The causes of insomnia are not conventionally the same, as they differ from person to person. It could start off as something which is taking too much caffeine during the day, or a complex problem which could be a medical problem.

However, the good news is, insomnia can be cured based on the changes which you make on your own, without having to rely on health specialists or using certain pills.

Indications of Insomnia

• Inability to fall asleep
• Waking up many times at night
• Inability to sleep when awakened
• Inability to have a refreshed sleep
• Dependence on sleeping pills and alcohol in order to fall asleep
• Waking up very early in the morning
• Drowsiness and fatigue
• Inability to concentrate during the day

For you to treat and cure your insomnia effectively, there is a need for you to become a sleep detective. Some emotional issues such as depression, stress and anxiety has the capacity to induce insomnia. The same applies to your sleep routine, physical health and your daytime habits.

There is a need for you to know the causes of your insomnia, so that when you have known the root cause, it would be essential in customizing a treatment plan for you.

Causes of Insomnia

• Being under a lot of stress
• Depression and feeling of hopelessness
• Severe feelings of anxiety and worry
• Going through series of traumatic experiences
• Taking medications which hampers your ability to sleep
• Having health problems which could affect your sleep
• Staying in an environment which is not comfortable and quiet

When one thinks of metabolism, he/she generally thinks of how easily—and/or quickly—that his/her fat is able to burn. However, a more technical definition is listed as follows as “metabolism refers to all the chemical reactions taking place in the body to convert or use energy”. In turn, metabolism aims to break down the food that a person intakes, so that it can be turned into energy. But when one’s metabolism doesn’t function as it’s supposed to, this can be linked to a number of problems—and/or disorders—the most common revolving around his/her thyroid. Some of the most common metabolism problems involve hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes.

The thyroid gland is a part of the endocrine system which uses iodine from the foods one eats to make two main hormones being Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4). These two hormones “regulate your body’s temperature, metabolism, and heart rate”. That’s why this gland can have such a great impact on a person’s health, but symptoms of thyroid problems, as well as severity, can differ greatly depending on the person. For, metabolism disorders “cause the body to have either too much or too little of the essential substances needed to stay healthy”.

First and foremost is hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. hypothyroidism stems from the underproduction of the hormones. Initial symptoms of such might include; “fatigue, weight gain, cold intolerance, memory problems, irritability and depression, higher cholesterol levels, slower heart rate, and constipation/sluggish bowel”. In contrast, hyperthyroidism is the overproduction of hormones which might include symptoms such as; “weight loss, heat intolerance, frequent bowel movements, tremors, nervousness and irritability, thyroid gland enlargement, sleep disturbances, and fatigue”.

Second is diabetes. For, “it’s not uncommon for one to have both thyroid disease and diabetes”. The reason behind such is because if someone has type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome then his/her risk of developing thyroid disease is doubled. And thyroid disease increases one’s risk of developing metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes.

In conclusion, a metabolism disorder cannot be narrowed down to just one problem or disorder, because there are many. For, some may stem from nutrition deficiencies, some may result in diabetes, etc. That’s why it is beneficial that one seeks evaluation from that of a medical professional, so that he/she might be able to receive the necessary/needed treatment to get back to that of a healthy life.

Many of us get frustrated if we are unable to maintain the clear skin that we have longed for. A wide array of moisturizers, cleansers, and other such products are used, only for one to find his/her skin reverting right back to its exact same condition. It is through such that a significant amount of individuals in today’s society find themselves unaware of their skin condition, and without having an understanding of skin problems, it can be hard to know what to do—and/or what action to take. However, what many don’t realize is that this feeling of defeat doesn’t only go for those who struggle with their acne, but various other skin diseases such as eczema, hives, moles, rashes, psoriasis, vitiligo, and so on.

First and foremost is acne which is defined as “the occurrence of inflamed or infected oil glands in the skin, and characterized by red pimples on the face”. Second is eczema which is where “patches of skin become rough and inflamed, with blisters that cause itching and bleeding”. Third is hives which is “a rash of round, red welts on the skin that itch intensely, sometimes with dangerous swelling, caused by an allergic reaction”. Fourth is moles which “occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin”. Rashes—which are much like hives—can be caused by a wide range of factors, rather than being limited to only allergic reactions.

Unfortunately, some skin disorders are permanent, such as psoriasis and vitiligo. Psoriasis is a disease “marked by red, itchy, scaly patches”, while vitiligo is “a condition in which the pigment is lost from the areas of the skin, causing whitish patches, often with no clear cause”. As a result, those who struggle with such have to adapt—and/or adjust—to the skin they’re in. This may be challenging for some if they want to rid their skin of the condition, and in the midst of such they might even find themselves losing their confidence—to which they have to rediscover themselves.

In conclusion, it is important that those who are faced with skin problems seek the best form of treatment/expertise from a health professional—and/or dermatologist. It is through his/her assistance that they can better learn what to avoid—and/or look out for—and what products are helpful and harmful to their skin type. Not only that, but if easily curable then they can be prescribed what they need, in order to clear up the symptoms they are experiencing.  

Respiratory problems—although common—can cause a plethora of trouble for those who deal with one or more on a daily basis. As a result, many may find them both uncomfortable—and debilitating—depending on the extent of their diagnosis. For, such a broad category holds a wide range of health issues going from 1. viruses to 2. chronic diseases. These two categories allow each respiratory problem to be classified into one or another.

First and foremost are viruses which consist of bronchitis, common cold, croup, influenza, and other such infections. Bronchitis is the “inflammation of the lining of one’s bronchial tubes (which carries air to and from one’s lungs), which causes one to cough up thickened mucus”, the common cold is “a viral infection of your nose and throat (upper respiratory tract)”, croup is “an infection of the upper airway, which obstructs breathing and causes a characteristic barking cough”, and influenza (flu) “tends to come on suddenly, and includes symptoms such as a fever over 100.4 degrees fahrenheit, aching muscles, chills, etc”.

Second is chronic diseases which are “diseases that persist for a long time” which last for 3 or more months. These consist of things such as COPD, asthma, lung cancer, etc. COPD, also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is “a lung disease characterized by chronic obstruction of lung airflow that interferes with normal breathing and is not fully reversible”, asthma is “a respiratory condition marked by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing, and usually results from an allergic reaction”, and lung cancer is “the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs. These abnormal cells do not carry out the functions of normal lung cells and do not develop into healthy lung tissue”.

All in all, people who are struggling with respiratory problems ranging from the common cold to lung cancer, must look at all the factors—and/or circumstances—in regards to such. For, there are a variety of aspects that may play a key role in one’s respiratory health such as his/her environmental exposure. For example, one can come across allergens within the air—like pollen and mold—which can significantly contribute to the health of his/her lungs.

Another scenario is where one either smokes directly, or resides in an environment where he/she comes into contact with smoke on a daily basis; this can also take a toll on one’s lungs. That’s why it is important that individuals take the time to be examined by a health professional early on—when they begin to experience symptoms of a respiratory infection—so that they can receive the treatment they need.