Archive for health
03.18.08
Posted in family, health at 3:39 pm by Mrs C.
This time of year, many people suffer from depression. Too long indoors, not enough sun, too cold, you name it.
Rather than take medications that will eventually do more harm than good, there are some natural treatments you can do.
One of them is exercise. I find even if I clean a cupboard or move some furniture around it lifts my mood.
Another that I just read about is to experience new things. Not only pleasurable experiences, but new experiences and new stimuli trigger our brains to release good feelings.
So get out and learn something new today.
Technorati Tags: depression, exercise, learning
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11.26.07
Posted in health at 11:47 pm by Mrs C.
Unlike Queen For a Day, hospital for the day is not fun. I had no intention of going there, but made the mistake of calling Telehealth Ontario, a free service that allows you to talk to a registered nurse and get advice.
My question was simple - I’ve had a cough for weeks and now my chest is hurting. Should I see a doctor in case I had pneumonia?
Well, never mention the words “chest pain” if you’re in your 50’s and have high blood pressure. By the end of our short conversation, she strongly suggested I get to the hospital asap and she would gladly send an ambulance.
I refused the ambulance and ten minutes later walked through the doors of our local hospital. Although it was urgent that I get to the hospital, it was not so urgent that I be seen immediately. After making sure I was not at death’s doorstep, I was allowed to visit the waiting room until my turn to see the doctor.
Five hours later, after a blood test, chest x-ray, heart monitoring and a number of tests, it was decided that I may have bronchitis. The remedy for this was a prescription for antibiotics at ten pills for $70. Thankfully, we have a drug plan.
I did appreciate the care and attention at our hospital in Cambridge and was relieved there were no serious problems. But I think next time I’ll go see my doctor, rather than having a telephone consultation.
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10.10.07
Posted in family, health at 3:45 pm by Mrs C.
A close friend of mine has four grown daughters. These days it seems that they are always after her about the things she says. One of them told her how negative she is, another said “Do you ever listen to yourself? Always saying be careful, or don’t do this, or watch out”.
The third daughter told my friend she was going to buy her a wooden spoon since she likes to stir things up with the family. Then to top it off, the fourth daughter said she didn’t say some things her mother was sure she said and accused the mom of saying some nasty things that my friend doesn’t remember saying.
Sorry if this sounds confusing, but I don’t know how I should respond. My friend has always been known for her cheerful disposition and all of these recent comments have her wondering if she is beginning to show signs of Alzeimers. She has become more forgetful lately and sometimes gets weepy for no reason. But that could be part of getting older.
I intend to do an Internet search for symptoms, but if my friend is in the early stages of that awful disease, I’m not sure how I should proceed. How would you handle it?
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08.05.07
Posted in health at 5:34 pm by Mrs C.
Fibro who? That’s what I said when I found out my aches and pains were symptoms of fibromyalgia. Called Fibro for short, I think it’s a type of arthritis, often brought on by extreme stress such as a whiplash. I have a mild case and have days when I feel quite normal, and then there are the days like this past week when I ache all over - especially the muscles of my upper arms and legs.
When I wake up in the morning, it’s a really strange feeling, like my legs are dead and too heavy to lift. I’m really stiff at first, but I have a number of stretches that I do and feel better after doing.
Certain foods seem to make Fibro worse too, like citrus fruit and tomatoes - which I could eat all day this time of year.
Depression usually accompanies a Fibro attack, whether because of the pain or other reasons, I don’t know. And I hate crying at the drop of a hat, especially for no apparent reason.
Getting lots of rest when Fibro flares up helps, although when I feel better, I try to do as much as I can - which makes me feel worse - and the cycle continues.
But this is not a “poor me” post. I have a lot to be thankful for and when things look bleak, I know tomorrow will bring a bright, new day.
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07.16.07
Posted in learning, health at 10:11 pm by Mrs C.
I didn’t realize until reading “100 Ways…” how important it is for us to practice deep breathing. That’s why when you have to do something difficult or make a speech, you’re advised to take a deep breath first. Our mental powers are increased when we deep breathe and move around every 20 minutes.
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06.21.07
Posted in learning, health at 1:42 pm by Mrs C.
These days I’ve been reading a book by Steve Chandler called “100 Ways To Motivate Yourself”. I’ve been enjoying the sections on the brain and how it works. Our brains are really amazing and we can do a lot more than we realize.
Some quotes from the book:
“Nobody cares how old you are but you. People only care about what you can do and you can do anything you want at any age.” Now, I realize sometimes you have to get people to look past your gray hair and give you a chance. That’s why I love the Internet, it equals the playing field.
“The memory loss and mental passivity that we used to believe was caused by aging has now been proven to be caused by simple lack of use.” I was so encouraged by that fact. Apparently, research has shown that mathemeticians live longer than people in any other profession because they keep so mentally active.
Now if you are like me and math is to be avoided at all costs, try reading detective novels. Not graphic crime stories, but the kind that make you try to figure out the clues and solve the case.
Reading Sherlock Holmes type books, doing crosswords, and playing scrabble all keep the brain young and active. Ask my mother-in-law, in her late eighties and still beating her schoolteacher children at scrabble - much to their dismay.
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04.19.07
Posted in life in Canada, health at 7:58 pm by Mrs C.
These days, I have had very little energy or motivation. It’s also been cold, wet, and gloomy outside, but somehow I didn’t make the connection. (Sometimes the obvious is the last thing we think of).
Today was warm and sunny, perfect walking weather. Cambridge has a number of parks and hiking trails, so my husband and I walked along the river. After just an hour and a half, I feel better already.
How about you? Does walking or working in the garden help your energy and your mood?
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01.15.07
Posted in family, health at 9:26 pm by Mrs C.
Did you ever notice how kids manage to grow so much when you don’t see them for a little while? It’s only been a few weeks since I’ve seen my grandson Brian, but he is a head taller than I am now (although I admit that isn’t saying a lot). He has also taken up weight lifting, so that skinny little guy is now becoming a big muscular teenager.
Amazing how life grows.
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01.13.07
Posted in life in Canada, family, health at 9:26 pm by Mrs C.
My second oldest daughter is having a baby. I know that happens to the best of us, but she is 36 years old and has two teenagers, so it will be a big adjustment. She is more nervous this time - I guess when you’re young you don’t think about all the possible complications.
Add to that the fact that her doctor wants to test her for every possible malady under the sun. Not that it would matter, because she would never abort this far along regardless of the findings.
This new baby’s name is Brandon, unless of course, the doctor is wrong and he is a she. I think I preferred the days of not knowing -there was so much more excitement in saying “It’s a boy” or “It’s a girl”, rather than “He’s here”.
What do you think? Better to know ahead or be excitedly surprised?
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01.09.07
Posted in family, health at 10:09 pm by Mrs C.
My husband’s hand is slowly healing after being badly burned. He says it was the most painful thing he has ever experienced, but for most things in life, time is a great healer. Every day the burn looks better, the swelling is going down, new skin is growing and the colour is getting better. His hand is itching now, but we are thankful that he has not lost any ability to move it.
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