Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Tired of having a bad attitude? Do something about it.

In life, there are some things you can’t change: your family history of cancer, the grades you made in elementary school, your lopsided smile. But your attitude is something you can give a complete makeover to – if you’re willing.

What can you do to take your poor attitude and flip it on its head? You’re about to find out some of the tricks of the happy trade!

Believe It

Want to kick your sour ways to the curb? You’ve got to know you can do it! Only when you’re confident in your ability to change your attitude will you be prepared to change your attitude. Don’t feel capable of such a modification? Then you’ve already lost the fight. Feel good about your likelihood of changing your attitude for good? Then keep reading.

Stick with Smiling

Know the old mantra, “Fake it ‘till you make it”? You’ll need to live by this one when changing your attitude. Because while you may think your good attitude will automatically transform how you see the world, you’ll still have bad days. Instead of letting these days drag you back into your old bad attitude, be ready for them with a smile. Not sure how to smile through the frustrating times life brings your way? Don’t stop reading!

Focus on the Positive

There will always be something bad going on in the world. Watch the news, and you’ll learn that something bad happens every day. But don’t let it get you down. Because the news rarely ends on a sour note. After a long broadcast displaying the woes of modern society, most news shows end with a positive story: a firefighter who saved a kitten or a dyslexic child who won the spelling bee. Watch these stories, too, and let them remind you that life isn’t always bad. It’s actually quite wonderful if you pay attention. So pay attention to the positive, and dwell on it.

Think before Reacting

Have a problem blowing up when a problem comes your way? You need to think a bit more. By spending a little time thinking through an issue, you can calm yourself down and even put a positive spin on it. While it is very upsetting that your dishwasher isn’t working, you don’t have to get upset. Take a deep breath, think about what the problem could be, and smile. Then pop open the dishwasher and correct the problem. Or if you get angry when doing projects (because they never seem to go your way), call someone to do it for you.

Speak Well

When you have a bad attitude, certain words come out of your mouth. The most obvious ones are those nasty words that no one should say – the ones you would discipline your children for saying. Get rid of them. Equally important is to get rid of some other words that are keeping your attitude change from affecting your whole person. These words include “can’t,” “maybe,” and “try.” If you’re going to have a positive attitude, you need to be ready to do things. There is no room for trying, riding the fence, or doubting your abilities. A positive attitude is one that says, “Yes!”

See the Impact

While you may think your negative attitude only affects you, it has a direct impact on the people you interact with each day. The good news is that your positive attitude can do the same thing. By smiling and being kind, you can encourage others who may be feeling down. In fact, a kind word spoken at the right time can have significant, life-long impacts on someone’s life. So the next time you feel like letting your bad attitude ruin your day, remember it may also ruin someone else’s and get positive for the sake of others.

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When You’re Not the Quitter

Know a smoker or two? Here’s how you can help them quit.

With approximately one-third of all people in the world smoking, odds are you know a handful of them. Maybe they have been smoking for years or only a few months, maybe they’re tried to quit on their own in the past, or maybe they’ve never attempted to end their addiction to tobacco.

Though most smokers are aware of the long list of health problems associated with smoking, (lung cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, gum disease, and infertility to name a few), the addiction to nicotine is still hard to break.

That’s where you come in. But how can you help someone you love kick butts?

Emotional Habit

There are many approaches to stopping smoking, and some are more successful than others. What makes smoking so tough to quit is that it becomes more than a physical habit to break. It is also a mental addiction. While your loved one’s body becomes physically dependent on the drug nicotine, his or her mind also becomes addicted to the pleasant feelings that result from nicotine. Therefore, overcoming smoking requires dealing with the physical, emotional, and social aspects of the addiction.

This emotional component of smoking is where it is helpful for a smoker to have a friend, family member, or support group by their side as they quit smoking. If you know people trying to quit, they need support more than you think. Smokers may think they can do it all on their own, but the success rate for quitting is much higher for those who have emotional support through the process.

Be There

Helping someone quit smoking may involve various ways of support. It may mean keeping them accountable by calling and checking in every few hours or days to see how they are doing. By doing this, smokers are constantly aware that they have to meet someone else’s expectations. So every time they fall off the wagon, they don’t just fail themselves. They’re failing you. While you shouldn’t use this power to beat down smokers when they slip up, it is vital for smokers to know someone else is concerned for their success.

At the same time you’re keeping tabs on their success, be ready to give them a pat on the back along the way. Words of encouragement let the quitters-in-progress know they are not alone, and that they’re making progress. To make it easier for loved ones to quit, make yourself available anytime day or night when they may need to talk through cravings or just need support.

Refocus and Reward

It may be helpful for those trying to quit smoking to have a friend distract them from addictive thoughts and feelings. Take them to a non-smoking environment and do something enjoyable to get their mind off what their body and mind says they need. Try to replace the pleasant feelings found from nicotine with healthy alternatives. This may mean another hangout location, going on a walk, or giving quitters something to keep in their mouths such as gum or carrot sticks.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of rewards. Follow a smoke-free week by paying for your loved one’s meal at the restaurant of his or her choice. Or after a month of no smoking, take a weekend trip to a fun destination. Start with small rewards and look to the future for long-term rewards. And you should also remind them of the many rewards their bodies reap along the way. After quitting smoking, they’ll begin to sleep sleep, have more energy and more money, smell better, and enjoy better overall health.

So if you have friends and family members who need to quit, don’t leave them to do it on their own. Be aware of their emotional needs through this process and stick by their side until you reach the fresh air!

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Why the Dry?

Getting the cut-and-dry on dry mouth.

Ever noticed your mouth feeling unusually dry? Ever had cracked lips? Or had trouble swallowing or speaking? These are a few symptoms of a condition known as dry mouth. There are many different causes of dry mouth, and while it may seem innocent, it can lead to eating difficulties as your teeth begin to decay.

Thankfully, you don’t have to live with dry mouth and suffer the consequences, because treatment is available.

Bring It On

Dry mouth results when there is a lack of saliva in the mouth. Gross as it may be, saliva is important because it reduces the amount of bacteria in your mouth and washes away food particles left in your mouth after a mouth-watering lunch. Saliva also helps you taste your food, helps you swallow, and aids in digestion.

There are many symptoms when you’re not producing adequate amounts of saliva. They include general mouth dryness, cracked or chapped lips, thick or stringy saliva, bad breath, sore throat, difficulty swallowing or speaking, fungal infections, a strange sense of taste, and an increase in tooth and gum problems. Women with dry mouth may also find that their lipstick sticks to their teeth.

So why the dryness? The most common cause of mouth dryness is medication. Watch a few medication commercials and you’re bound to hear at least one warning of the potential for dry mouth. On top of hundreds of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, chemotherapy, smoking or chewing tobacco, head and neck radiation treatments, and injuries or surgery in the neck or head area may also cause dry mouth. Additionally, certain health conditions and even their treatments may lead to dry mouth. Some of the most common culprits include diabetes, Parkinson’s, Sjogren’s syndrome, HIV/AIDS, depression and anxiety disorders, and snoring.

After Diagnosis

Now that you know the facts, what can you do? If you experience dry mouth, make an appointment with your physician or dentist. Be prepared to answer questions regarding your symptoms, recent life changes, and have a list of all your medications and vitamins. With these questions, your physician can determine the cause of your dry mouth, the right tests to verify the cause, whether the condition is temporary or long-term, and the appropriate treatment.

If medication is the likely cause of your dry mouth, your doctor may change your dosage or prescribe a similar medication that does not have the side effect of dry mouth. There are also medications that stimulate the production of saliva. If dry mouth is severe, your dentist can make teeth coverings filled with fluoride to be worn during sleep.

On the other hand, if your condition is not easily resolved, there are ways to relieve your symptoms and lessen the likelihood of tooth decay.

Some ways to manage dry mouth and keep your teeth healthy include the following:

• suck sugar-free candies or chew sugar-free gum
• avoid acidic, sugary food and drink that lead to tooth decay
• practice good oral hygiene
• sip water throughout the day and while you eat
• don’t use tobacco products
• breathe through your nose instead of your mouth
• use a room humidifier at night to increase the moisture in the air

Dry mouth can be an uncomfortable and possibly harmful condition that should not go untreated. For the health of your teeth and for your enjoyment of the simple pleasure of eating, be sure to keep your mouth healthy and moist.

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Taking the Stigma from Astigmatism

What you should know to see astigmatism clearly.

It sounds rare and awful, something that only happens to a select few and is incurable. However, astigmatism is actually a fairly common, minor eye condition that is easily treated.
If you’re ready to see this condition more clearly, keep reading.

Just Another Vision Problem

Astigmatism occurs when the eye doesn’t focus light properly, the same problem that causes farsightedness and nearsightedness. With astigmatism, the front surface of your eye, the cornea, or the lens, is irregularly curved. Instead of a smooth round ball, the cornea is shaped like a football, resulting in blurred vision.

While you may have heard of people winding up with astigmatism from sitting too close to the television, it’s not true. Rather, astigmatism is often a hereditary disorder and is frequently present at birth.

See It Early

It’s possible to have astigmatism in such a mild form that it doesn’t require treatment. It is also possible to have astigmatism alongside being nearsightedness or farsightedness. So how do you know if you have astigmatism?

The following symptoms may indicate astigmatism:

• you have distorted or blurred eyesight that interferes with your normal everyday activities
• you have to strain your eyes to see clearly
• you have regular headaches without an obvious cause If you experience any of these symptoms, an appointment with your optometrist can help get to the root of your problem.

To determine the presence and degree of astigmatism, your optometrist will perform a few tests to measure how well your eyes reflect light as well as the curvature of the cornea. The results of these tests help determine the best treatment to deal with your irregularly shaped cornea and blurred vision.

Treatment Time

Sometimes, astigmatism can correct itself over time. Many times, however, astigmatism symptoms worsen over time and require either corrective lenses or surgical intervention. Depending on your preference, you can wear glasses or contact lenses with that compensate for your uneven cornea or contact lenses. Based on the severity of your astigmatism and how well you respond to glasses or contacts, your optometrist will help decide which kind would be right for you.

There is also an exciting advance in astigmatism treatment. With a special type of hard contact lenses, you only keep the lenses in for a few hours each day. Gradually, your eyes take on the proper round shape of the lenses. As the shape of your eyes change, your need for corrective lenses diminishes. Eventually, you only wear the contacts on occasion to maintain the proper shape of your eyes.

For a more permanent solution, many turn to LASIK, LASEK, or PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) surgery. During LASIK surgery, the doctor makes a small, hinged cut in the cornea. A laser is then inserted through the flap to reshape the cornea. With PRK, the surgeon removes the outer layer of the cornea and uses the laser to shape the cornea. And LASEK surgery requires a very thin layer of the cornea to be folded over to allow insertion of the eye-shaping laser.

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Prevent a Stroke

Maintain your mobility, communication ability, and quality of life – for the rest of your life.

Want to live life to the fullest, enjoying your children and grandchildren for years to come?

Then you’re going to have to take some steps today to give yourself the greatest possible protection against a life-changing or life-threatening stroke tomorrow and well into the future.

What can you do to arm yourself against one of the leading causes of disability across the globe? You’re about to find out.

Put Your Food Where Your Mouth Is

As with most conditions, one of the first places to look for protection against stroke is your mouth. Pay careful attention to what you’re putting in it every day, and do your best to make sure you’re filling up with as much good stuff as possible.

Wondering what the good stuff is? It’s what mama always told you to eat: fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Get at least eight servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and your likelihood of suffering a stroke drops drastically. At the same time you’re amping up your good food intake, it’s a good idea to curb your appetite for salty foods and foods that have saturated fat or hydrogenated fat, as these can actually lead to stroke.

Keep the Bad Stuff Away

Now that you know what you should be eating, there are a couple things you’ll need to avoid putting in your mouth that aren’t foods. The first is cigarettes. Despite what they may do for your mood, your nerves, or your image, smoking wreaks havoc on your entire body, including the arteries that go through your neck. When these arteries are clogged and damaged, stroke can result.

Second on the chopping block is alcohol. No, you don’t have to cut alcohol out of your life altogether. But you do have to be smart about your consumption of it. Drink no more than a couple glasses of alcohol each day, and do your best to avoid high-calorie alcoholic beverages. These may taste good going down, but they don’t help your body avoid stroke once they settle into your belly.

Work It Out Often

So you’re eating the right foods, you’ve stopped smoking, and you’re drinking more responsibly. However, there’s still something else you should be doing every day to help your body fight against a potential stroke. You’ve got to get out from behind your computer desk, step away from your kitchen table, get up off the couch, and go to your local gym for a rigorous workout.

Get in at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, and you can reduce your risk for stroke by nearly 25 percent. Sound too good to be true? Talk with your physician to see what he or she thinks. Or better yet – get in the gym and start working out more regularly, with more intensity. The way you’ll feel after a few good workouts should be enough to convince you that your routine is indeed leading to the greatest level of stroke protection you’ve ever enjoyed.

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