With governments around the world requesting that those who aren’t classified as key workers stay at home, many people are finding it difficult to cope with the new normal. Staying calm and comfortable inside is becoming a main priority, but it can be difficult to figure out how to create the best space in which you can stay both mentally and psychically healthy. Luckily it doesn’t have to be as tricky as you might think to make your home a positive and productive space, as there are a few simple steps that you utilise to see an improvement in no time. So, if you would like to find out more, then read on to uncover some of the best tips and tricks that you can make the most of today!

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Focus On Comfort

Comfort is key when it comes to maintaining calm at home. How comfortable you feel can be influenced by many different factors, from the environment that you are in to the clothes that you are wearing. In order to reach good levels of comfort you should start off by aiming to create the most relaxing space possible, cleaning up your home (as clutter and dirt can encourage negative/unfocused thought) and adding some extra comfortable features like big pillows and blankets that will envelope you on the sofa. Adapting your home to make a more positive and welcoming environment will help you to stay calm during the longer periods of lockdown, and it’s so simple to make beneficial changes. Feeling comfortable is influenced by the clothing that you choose to wear, as some items can make it impossible to sit, lie down or relax without discomfort. Investing in some of the best loungewear like scrunch leggings and super soft sweatshirts will help you to feel a little less restricted, and allow you to really relax and unwind in the most comfy manner possible.

Make Time For Health

With all of the stress and worry related to the current situation, it’s so easy to fall into a cycle of eating junk and unhealthy foods, as well as avoiding exercise too. Having so much more time on your hands opens up the opportunity to focus more on your health, and now is the time to improve your general wellbeing and immune system too. Aim to consume 3 nutritious meals each and every day, and don’t be afraid to look online for some inspiration – there are so many recipe blogs and cooking tutorials from all around the world that are packed full of vitamins and minerals! Exercise can seem difficult without access to a gym, but there are so many home workouts that you can indulge in to burn some calories and strengthen your muscles. Improving your physical health will have a positive impact on your mental health too, so it’s a definite step in the right direction towards achieving comfort and calm. 

Staying comfy and relaxed whilst at home during lockdown has never been so easy when you can make the most of the top tips and tricks detailed above!

In today’s blog post, we are going to take a look at flu jabs. This information is helpful to both patients and those in the medical sector. 

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Tips For Those Performing Flu Jabs

Courses in administering injections training are highly sought after. Due to governmental relaxation on the ability for pharmacies to offer flu and travel vaccinations, uptake of vaccinations has increased dramatically. In order to perform health vaccinations, pharmacists need to keep their skills up to date according to mandatory guidelines.

While there is only a requirement for face-to-face flu vaccination training every two years, it is still advised that pharmacies provide medical training before the flu season to make sure staff are still up-to-date on their vaccination techniques. This need not be face-to-face, but can be done via an online training provider. One of the most common mistakes that can happen during flu season, due to the high volume of people coming through the doors for flu jabs, is mixing up medicines. This can be done due to poor placement and categorisation, or through mixing up similarly named products. Another simple step is to check the expiry date of the vaccination being used. While this may seem an obvious tip, we can easily fall into the assumption that medicine and vaccines will be in date. Oversights happen. Also, hygiene is incredibly important. It can be so easy to take shortcuts when it comes to hygiene – particularly if the pharmacist is feeling overworked during a busy period. However, poor hygiene can have both a detrimental effect on the quality of the vaccine and may also bring about complications. Always wash your hands; always wear gloves.

Training Drives Correct Procedures

Training to give injections under current guidelines is required by pharmacists working in the commercial market. This training should be updated every two years as mandatory, whether you are a primary care provider, pharmacist, or you work at a hospital. However, during that period, some staff – due to not performing many vaccinations, for instance – may become uncomfortable with remembering proper technique or may try to take shortcuts.

If you run a pharmacy, it is your responsibility to ensure your staff are not acting negligently, particularly in regards to such an invasive procedure as an injection. This need not only cover hygiene, but it can relate to procedure too. For example, some vaccinations require reconstitution via a diluent. The requirements for the storage of such vaccines may vary. Some staff may get into the habit of reconstituting vaccines prematurely. It is advised that it is not good practice to reconstitute vaccinations in advance of usage. If this is the case, then the vaccine should be labelled with the time and date of the reconstitution, along with the initials of the person who performed the action. This ensures that they or a fellow pharmacist can determine if too much time has passed to use the vaccine. 

This is just one reason why regular refresher flu vaccination training is good practice. By keeping staff updated on medical training and changes in procedure, this ensures that your vaccination service is free of problems and from complaints; and is trusted by members of the local community who use the service.

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Our five senses help us to take in the world around us. As some of us get older, these senses often deteriorate. This can be a natural side effect of aging, however certain damage to our senses could be down to bad habits that can be corrected. Here are just a few ways to keep your five senses sharp.

Sight

Our sight is often the most noticeable sense to go. This can often be the result of straining our eyes too much. Staring at intense light without eye protection can often cause damage – a good example of this is not wearing shades in the sun. Using insufficient lighting when reading can also harm your eyes – you should make sure the area is well lit when reading so that you are not having to squint. Wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses once your vision starts to fade is also important as it could prevent your vision deteriorating further. It could be worth booking an eye test if you think your vision is deteriorating.

Hearing

Hearing loss is also common as we get older. There are a few different types of hearing loss, each with their different causes. Noise exposure is a common cause of hearing loss – repeated sounds over 85 decibels can be enough to cause permanent damage. Wearing ear protection in noisy environments and not listening to music too loudly are important for preventing this damage. You can also cause damage by using cotton swabs – it’s best to avoid poking anything in your ear canal and to use other ear cleaning methods such as using ear drops. Once you notice your hearing fading, it could be worth getting a hearing check.

Touch

Our sense of touch can also go as the result of nerve damage. This is often the result of injuries to our hands and feet. Protective equipment can often be used to prevent these injuries such as using oven gloves when handling hot food and wearing steel capped boots when handling heavy loads. Numbness can also occur from RSIs involving power tools that vibrate – taking regular breaks from using these power tools when your arms start to hurt could prevent these RSIs.

Taste and smell

Taste and smell are both linked and are negatively affected by many of the same causes. Smoking can often cause damage to tastebuds and smell receptors – quitting this bad habit could make a big impact. Heavy drinking can also affect our smell and taste – if you drink a lot, it could be worth cutting down. Taste and smell receptors do have the ability to repair themselves, providing the damage isn’t too severe.

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Most people don’t think too much about the doctor they use. You only need this sort of professional when you have a health issue which you’d like checked out. It will only be a big part of your life if you have a long-term condition.

If you find yourself needing the support of someone like this on a regular basis, though, they will start to become far more important to you. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the work which can go into choosing the right doctor for you.

While a lot of people struggle with this, it doesn’t have to be something which makes your life a challenge.

The Importance Of Trust

When someone is going to be performing treatments on your body, it’s essential that you feel confident in them. Trust goes far beyond simply assuming that they won’t hurt you, with loads of people finding that mistakes are the biggest risk they face.

You will always have the opportunity to talk to medical professionals before they work with you. This gives you the chance to search for more than one option, comparing them by talking and getting an idea of what they plan to do to you.

Look for reviews around the web which will make you feel better about the people who you choose to work with.

Understanding Their Credentials

There are loads of different routes which people can take to get into the medical field. Some aren’t as reliable as others. For example a degree won’t take as long to achieve; but won’t be regarded as highly as one from somewhere which takes longer.

If you ask your doctor about their education, they will usually be more than happy to tell you about it. With this information, you can figure out whether or not they have the experience to handle your condition properly.

Some medical professionals are far more specialized than others.

Agreeing With Their Practices

The field of medicine has long been a controversial one. On the whole, most people agree with the general idea of keeping people healthy. Although there are some ethical issues which can come along with this sort of practice.

For example, many hospitals will use a trial and error process to find the best medication for their patients. While this won’t kill you, it can have a negative impact on your body; and this will make it worth looking for an place which won’t go through this.

This can be a little more challenging to understand; though you can always stick with those who are honest about the methods.

This goes further than the way that they look after you, though. Over the last few years, keeping people healthy is a business . With loads of companies who dedicate time to make money out of medicine.

This has lead to some doctors using poor-quality treatment methods to make as much money as they possibly can. It’s always worth researching a treatment before they give it to you, even if it’s something you’ve heard about before.

It should be easy to figure out whether or not they’ve providing you with something worth taking.

Following Their Track Record

As you find in most fields, medical professionals have to undergo strict assessments to be able to do their jobs. This is a big part to monitor their success rate; especially with those who have too many failed procedures having to go through a fresh learning process.

There are acceptable limits to a doctor’s success. It is very important to find a medical professional you can trust

You can be open and honest about this, and the professional in front of you will have an obligation to be truthful; making it nice and easy to crack the case.

Along with the doctor- you can also do research to figure out how successful the surgery has been on the whole.

Some places value quantity over quality. While others will have a strong focus on their patients; this makes it hard to make sure you’re going to get the best treatment.

Websites like Google offer reviews for hospitals and surgeries, giving you a great place to go to figure out how other people have been treated.

You won’t regret putting this time into once you have someone who has a long history of saving lives.

Dedicated Facilities

There are loads of medical conditions in the world which take special care to be able to manage. In a normal hospital, this can be a real challenge, with all of the work which has to be done being made harder by the limited space available.

Skilled nursing facilities can be found all over the world. While using them will mean staying somewhere for a little bit, this will always be worth it, especially if they are able to help you properly.

Far too many people visit places which simply can’t help them well enough. While this is a big shame, it doesn’t mean that help is unavailable, and you have plenty of places to turn if you are unsure.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to start being far more picky with the people who help with your medical health. It can be hard to know who to trust when you are dealing with a medical condition, especially with the modern world being filled with those who want to take money from you.

Of course, though, it makes sense to put plenty of time into it, as you might not get the chance in the future. Once you have someone you are happy to work with, it will be worth sticking with them, as swapping doctors all the time can get expensive when you don’t have insurance. There are few services which are as important as medicine.

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While many of us have been taught to self-examine ourselves, looking for lumps and bumps on our bodies that could give us cause for alarm when thinking about the risks of cancer, there are other symptoms that are easy to ignore. We have included a list of them in this article, and while they may not always indicate the possibility of cancer, it is still worth seeing your doctor if any of them are relevant to you.

Symptom #1: Bloating

We can all feel bloated after eating a large meal, and for women, feelings of bloating can also occur during the menstrual cycle. But as this article at Inspire suggests, bloating can also be an early sign of ovarian cancer. If this feeling persists, and you know you haven’t eaten or drank anything to cause you to feel overly full, then book that appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

Symptom #2: Persistent Coughing

As we discussed in a previous article, certain health issues can appear innocuous but actually be a cause for concern. This is true of coughing. We can overlook the problem if we have recently had a cold or have other flu symptoms, but if we haven’t had those symptoms at all, or if we experience coughing fits long after our cold or flu has ended, then the red flags need to be raised. Persistent coughing can be a symptom for leukemia or lung cancer, and especially if blood is coughed up, it is necessary to seek medical advice immediately.

Symptom #3: Regular headaches and migraines

There are all kinds of reasons why we might get a headache or a migraine. Stress can be a leading factor, as can issues with noise and even our eyesight. However, if you are experiencing headaches regularly, and a) you don’t have the issues we mentioned, or b) you are not usually prone to headaches, then you have cause to see your doctor. Regular and severe headaches could be a symptom for brain cancer, and particularly if you have experienced one or more of these other symptoms, you do need to seek professional attention.

Symptom #4: Random Bruising

You can expect a few bruises here and there, especially if you’re clumsy or involved in physical activities. Your skin can also bruise quite easily as you age. However, if you notice bruises popping up on your body with no explanation as to why they should be there, then you need to pay attention. Mysterious bruising could be a symptom of leukemia, so taking a cue from this case study, speak to your doctor, because as with many cancers, getting help early can improve your chances of remission.

Symptom #5: Excessive Tiredness

We all get tired from time to time. A hard day at the office, a long day with the kids, a workout at the gym… these are just some of the reasons why our energy levels can plummet. There can be medical reasons too. Feeling fatigue can be brought on by depression and anemia, so a few lifestyle changes may be in order, as well as a trip to the doctor. However, as is discussed here, if you are regularly feeling fatigue and tiredness, you might be experiencing an early symptom of cancer. Don’t brush it off, book that appointment, and even if it is just tiredness because of the kids or a symptom of another health issue, you will at least have some peace of mind.

Finally

Don’t take any chances. If you have experienced any of the symptoms above, seek medical attention. You may be perfectly fine, but as we suggested earlier, if it is cancer, the sooner you get help, the greater your chances of overcoming this dreaded disease.

Take care, and thanks for reading!

It seems that as we get older, our lives become a lot busier than they once were. Where student life now seems like a breeze, adulthood is a whirlwind of activity. From our careers to our social life, to settling down and looking after a busy household. How can you keep yourself healthy when you have an active lifestyle?

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Learn to Say No

It’s easy to say yes to everything, but if we don’t set aside time for ourselves then we can end up running ourselves into the ground. So the next time someone suggests doing something, and you have a jam-packed week, reschedule it for a later date. They’ll understand, and it means you won’t let them down if you said yes and then end up cancelling closer to the time. The same goes for your work, if your manager has given you even more tasks, don’t be afraid to say no and that you’ve got enough already. It’ll help build your relationship and improve your workload.

Good Food Choices

Eating healthily is something some of us may struggle with, especially if we don’t have the time to meal plan properly and need fast food. If you are too busy to have a proper healthy meal, try breaking down your meals but eating healthy snacks instead of junk food. Get plenty of fruit, vegetables and protein and avoid carbs and fatty foods. Processed foods are easy and cheap, but they can contain a lot of sugar and salt which is obviously not good for your health. You’ll find your energy levels are a lot higher if you make the right food choices, so make a conscious effort to change up your eating habits.

It’s also worth finding out what you might be intolerant to as this unknowingly can have an impact on your health. Cutting down on alcohol is also a great way of avoiding sickness and the benefits of quitting drinking for a while is certainly noticeable.

Get Plenty of Rest

We don’t notice the benefit of a good night’s sleep until we have one. Most of the time, we’ll cut down on rest because our lives get so busy. We don’t have enough hours in the day to get everything done. Sometimes that’s fine but done over a long period of time will end up with you being exhausted, making everything ten times harder. It’ll also impact your ability to focus which can affect your work productivity. Try and get 7-9 hours of sleep per night and don’t deny your body an extra hour or two if you need it. Afternoon naps can affect your sleep pattern but may be needed if you have had a late night the previous day before. Rest is needed to repair our bodies so always make this a priority if you’re feeling run down or tired. Don’t try burning the candle at both ends!

You can have a busy lifestyle but remain healthy and fit if you follow these tips. So give them a go and see the difference.

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Our health should be the most important thing that we consider after all our quality of life is directly linked to how healthy we are. However, it can be the case that looking after ourselves falls by the wayside due to mitigating factors that happen in our everyday lives, causing distractions.

Well, for those of you looking to get back to full fitness or interested in pursuing a different way of living, here is are some options for you to look at and consider.

Exercise

One of the hardest things to do in our busy lives is find time to get our bodies moving, but it is so important for so many reasons. For starters, if you are worried about weight gain, then you will find that exercise will soon have a positive influence on you.

In addition, the strains of modern life can cause a number of mental health issues and exercise has been scientifically proven to help avoid or improve your health in this regard. We started by discussing health and it is important to remember that that refers to mental as well as physical.

So, what sort of exercise is right for you? Well for starters you’re going to want to break it down into three categories and see which one can fit into your schedule. There is the gym for those people looking for somewhere to go.

A gym has a lot of benefits such as access to a wide range of equipment and the knowledge of fitness professionals, but it can also be expensive and time-consuming. If the gym isn’t for you, you might want to consider what type of home exercise you can do.

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Fitness DVDs or online guides are available for workouts like DDP yoga. This type of exercise doesn’t have to take up too much time, in fact, you can set your own schedule. It does require the space to get an exercise mat down so that you aren’t hurting your body doing stretches and poses.

Finally, the outside fitness plan. If you like to run or cycle you should look into getting outside and getting some fresh air in your body while you work it. This type of exercise can be a little more strenuous and reliant on the weather, but you can prepare for some conditions in advance with all-weather clothing.

Diet

Exercise is half the battle and, as discussed, has benefits on your overall health. Well, so does your diet. People who have a diet high in whole foods like fruits and nuts are reportedly 35% less likely to experience mental health issues. So consider your diet not just about your physical health, but once again about your mind.

Quick fix diets are to be avoided; your diet plan should be something that is part of a long-term strategy. You might want to consider a diet that compliments your exercise routine like that proposed by KetoLogic, or something which is more based around your busy home life as recommended by WebMD.

When your child gets sick it is the absolute worst feeling. Sometimes there isn’t anything you can do to help them other than provide them with love and comfort, and honestly that’s the hard part. Depending on your insurance carrier, it can be difficult to find an appointment the same day, and ER visits can be very costly.

Telemedicine and telehealth have simplified this process, and I couldn’t be happier.  When your kids are sick you dread having to leave the house this allows you to do everything from the comfort of your own home.

What is telemedicine

Telemedicine is the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of telecommunications technology. Finding medical care has now become easier than ever! We can find a doctor, obtain services, and get advice with the click of a mouse! Honestly it allows me to be more efficient with my time.

If your insurance company doesn’t have these services available, there are organizations like HealhApp, or Better Help to provide you with immediate help and service.

The Story

My youngest daughter, was having a fever for more than 24 hours.  Although I have been through this so many times with my other kids, it still caught me by surprise, especially because her fever would not drop. I knew I needed immediate help especially because it had already been a day with fever. I started with the meds to help decrease the fever, alternating between Tylenol and Motrin. It was helping more than I anticipated.

What to do

I called the 24 hour nurse line, since the incident happened to be late at night. The nurse was provided advice for me to help my daughter and keep her comfortable at home.  That evening I emailed her pediatrician informing her of my daughter’s status, letting her know that I called the nurse line.

Telemedicine to the rescue!

The next morning, the fever came back and her doctor called me and offered me to do a video chat to discuss her symptoms. That’s right, a video chat! It was amazing. Once I knew that she could see my daughter we had more answers as to what was wrong with her.

Luckily it ended up being from teething.

With all the current advancements in technology and medicine, this is the way of the future.  It can help and benefit so many people not only here in the United States but in other countries around the world.  I just think of my own children and the care I received. I believe all insurance carriers should offer telemedicine services.

Even for something as small as teething I felt I received the support I needed to help my child.  And for me, that is priceless.