— Health —

How Funeral Directors Can Help Your Healing Journey.

When we lose a loved one, it’s the start of a new chapter in our lives that is full of thought, grief, and finally, a happy celebration of life. Funeral homes can help you a lot during this difficult time. These keepers of custom and planners of goodbyes are very important for giving comfort, structure, and a way to heal during a grief.

A Guiding Light in Times of Darkness

During a time of grief, the funeral director is like a guide. Families are helped by their light, which shines with kindness and love for the road ahead. Their work, which is based on compassion and understanding, makes sure that every part of the funeral process is done with respect and honour.

The Art of Honoring Life

Putting together a service that really captures the spirit of the person who died is an art. Funeral directors think about every part of the service very carefully to make sure it honours the person who died. They’re the artists. From the viewing or visitor to the last burial rite, they tell a story that honours the life that was lived.

Viewing and Visitation: A private time for family and friends to get together, talk, and show their support.
The funeral service is a time for everyone to remember the person who died, and the coffin is often the moving centre of attention.
The Burial Ceremony is the last goodbye. Family and friends meet around the final resting place to say goodbye and think about the person who has died.

— Health —

How to Spot the Signs of Opioid Overdose

Believe it or not, it’s not all that easy to tell whether someone is high or experiencing an opioid overdose. Sometimes, it can take a skilled drug rehab professional to explain the signs, so you understand what to expect in both situations.

Below, we will run through not only what opioids are, but what to look out for when someone is experiencing an opioid overdose.

What Are Opioids?

Medically, opioids are used as anaesthesia and for pain relief. They work by reaching your body’s opioid receptors and acting similarly to morphine. Sometimes, they can also be useful for suppressing coughs, diarrhoea, and for reversing opioid overdose.

Outside of the medical world, people use opioids for euphoric reasons. However, it is a highly addictive substance. As a result, around 15 million people globally are addicted to them, and tens of thousands of people die from overdose every year.

How to Know When Someone is High

There is a list of signs to look out for when someone is high on opioids or using downers such as pills and heroin. You may notice that their pupils appear small and seem to contract. They may also have slurred speech along with slack and droopy muscles.

Some people also experience itchy skin, so continuous scratching can also be a sign that someone is high on opioids. Depending on how much they have taken, they might appear to be “out of it” but respond to stimuli like loud noises or movement.

If you are concerned that someone you love is abusing drugs, be it opioids or something else, then it might be time to look at drug rehab options.

— Fitness, Health —

How Long Does It Take to Get Fit?

February 12, 2023

When you start to get involved in exercise and work on your fitness, you may come to realise just how unfit you are. And it’s an uncomfortable feeling. You feel sweaty, out of breath, and your heart rate takes a long time to settle. Will it always be like that?

Your heart rate should always rise with exercise, and getting sweaty is all part of it. However, the more exercise you do, the fitter you become. Read on to learn about how long it takes to get fit and what that looks like.

The Six-Week Miracle

There are many marketing campaigns out there that promise you will get fit, healthy, and even ripped in just six weeks. It sounds like a miracle, or too good to be true. Studies show that it is. Twenty-five sedentary men were put through a six-week exercise programme to see if you could get fit in that amount of time.

They completed three 20-minute cardio sessions in a week or three 30-minute high-intensity strength training sessions. At the end of those six weeks, the men’s appearances remained unchanged.

Their body fat percentage, number of push-ups they could achieve, and oxygen efficiency also remained unchanged. So, six weeks isn’t the miracle number many people thought.

— Health —

5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Laser Eye Surgery

December 17, 2022

If you’re sick of wearing glasses or having to deal with contacts every morning and evening, you might be thinking about getting laser eye surgery. Although you might have heard some horror stories, laser surgery is usually a very successful procedure with great benefits.

There are numerous reasons why you should think about getting laser eye surgery. In general, it will improve your overall quality of life, and should result in long-term vision improvements.

Below, we’ve explored our top five reasons why you should consider the procedure. These include:

1. It Will Improve Your Vision

The number one reason why people get laser eye surgery is because it almost always results in vision improvement. In most cases, patients come out of their surgery with immediate results, and 20/20 vision is usually achieved within weeks.

Vision improvements will have a positive impact on all aspects of your life. If you’re sick of wearing glasses, hate having to bother with contact lenses or just don’t like not being able to see, laser eye surgery could be a good option.

2. It’s Super Convenient

Similarly, getting laser eye surgery can make your life that much more comfortable and convenient. There’s nothing worse than accidentally leaving your glasses home in the morning or having to suffer through the day after losing a contact.

— Health —

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Dental Implants

November 28, 2021

Dental professionals believe it is their duty to be completely open and honest with every patient. This means that they occasionally have to give a patient the bad news that they are not suitable for dental implants, possibly because of an underlying medical condition, or issues relating to the integrity of their jawbone.

For those that are suitable, your dentist will be upfront and advise you that whilst dental implants are the best solution for missing teeth, the procedure is not without its occasional complication. This includes the recovery period and that a patient who previously ignored their oral care, must now ensure that they look after their dental implants and their remaining natural teeth.

It is also true that dental implants have many advantages, but in addition, it is only right to point out that they do come with some disadvantages too. That same scenario applies to just about every medical procedure you could care to mention. So, in light of the dentists commitment to openness and being straight with clients, here is a list of advantages and disadvantages of dental implants.

Dental Implants Advantages

Comfort: One complaint many patients make about dentures or bridges is that they find them uncomfortable. This can either be from them rubbing against their tongue or gums and can sometimes be due to movement of dentures. As dental implants are fixed and do not move they are far more comfortable.

— Health —

10 Tips For Removalists To Avoid Injuring Themselves Or Others During A Move

October 20, 2021

To outsiders, the process of removalists moving belongings from one house to another or to storage, or office furniture between offices, might not seem like the riskiest of operations. The truth is, they would be right, but only if these types of moves are carried out correctly, and in a manner that eliminates as much risk as possible of anyone being injured.

With professional removalists, it is almost certain that the staff responsible for carrying out any moves have received training, that they know what risks they could encounter, and how to avoid them. However, should anyone working for removalists or any removalists owners who have either not received that guidance or wishes to impart it to their staff, here are 10 tips on how to eliminate the risk of injury when carrying out a house or office move.

Carry Out A Pre-Inspection Of The Premises: By inspecting both premises, assessing what is being moved, checking the surroundings, and planning the routes along which items will be moved, you can ensure anything which could be an issue is resolved or at least made known to those who will be carrying out the move.

Remove All Trip Hazards: Trip hazards can either be something that is in a fixed location, like the curled edge of an office carpet, or movable, such as the electrical cable for a photocopier. In either instance and for any other trip hazard, they need to be removed or made safe, by using tape, for example.

— Health, Marketing —

How SEO Can Help Your Local Health Food Store Compete For Better Rankings On Google

If you own or manage a local health food store and want to increase the number of customers who discover you while searching on Google, then SEO should be at the top of your priorities. As the SEO specialist at Perth-based SEO agency seoperthexperts.com.au points out, the opportunities for smaller and local businesses to get to the top of the search results have never been greater.

The first point we must make here is with regards to many small and local business owners believing that they cannot compete with larger businesses for the top positions on Google. This is not the case, and in fact, for certain keywords local businesses often have a huge advantage when it comes to competing for the top positions on Google.

Obviously, larger health food companies have larger marketing budgets, but when it comes to assessing rankings, Google’s algorithm has barely any idea whether a multi-national company or a single local store owns a website. This means that your local health store’s website has as much chance of hitting the top positions as a large company, if your SEO strategy is set up and carried out correctly.

One of the reasons your health food store’s website can compete is that Google has a huge emphasis on local searches, and it has set up its algorithm to take account of geographical searches. What that means is, if someone is simply searching for ‘health food’ it is a general search and therefore Google is likely to have larger, generic websites in the results for this.

— Health —

Benefits of Dentures

An alarming number of Australians are not happy with their smile. While stained teeth are a common problem, so too are missing or damaged teeth. The next time you visit your dentist, ask about dentures and what they could do for you. The benefits of dentures to replace your irreparable natural teeth may surprise you.

Improved Confidence

Do you make a conscious effort to hide your teeth when you smile? Do you shy away from photos? If you are missing teeth, then it can affect all different parts of your life. You may not feel confident in social situations, work life, or even home life. Missing teeth can also cause facial sag which changes how you look.

Seeing your dentist about dentures can change all that. They look like your natural teeth and fill the gaps in your mouth. You’ll be grinning from ear to ear in no time.

Suitable for Many People

The beauty of dentures is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. There are various options to suit people with different problems. If, for example, you only have a few teeth missing, you can get a partial set of dentures. These fit the roof or bottom of your mouth, filling the gaps between your natural teeth. You can take them out at your leisure as well.

— Health —

Medical Plumbing Services

February 12, 2019

Maintaining sanitary conditions in your house or business is of prime importance to ensure there are no safety and health issues. It’s also important to keep your environment free from germs and any transmittable viruses. Apart from private homes and office blocks, areas that demand the attention of expert plumbing services are hospitals and medical centres. By expert plumbing we mean medical plumbing.

Hospitals and medical centres treat many patients on a daily basis. Patients use the laboratories for urine, stool and blood samples regularly. It’s of paramount importance that the treatment of a patient is not hampered by clogged or blocked pipes affecting the waste disposal system. It’s important that these lines are always kept clear to avoid any damage to the sewer system.

A professional medical plumbing service works towards maintaining the safety standards and the operating devices and tools required in medical facilities.

— Health —

Drug Rehab Centres

These days, an important part of our community is a drug rehab centre. It can symbolise our resolve to beat addiction and the pain and torment that it brings. Hard work and perseverance will get you through. Drug abuse equates to pain and torment, and also leads to a rather unhappy life. Don’t let drug abuse get the better of you. Make every effort to rise above addiction and be the person society expects you to be.

The life we have now is not a rehearsal. There are no second chances so we must always strive to do our best, and be as good as we possibly can.

Face your challenges head on now. Drugs only deaden your sorrow and delay your pain. Drugs will not solve any of your problems. Quite the opposite, as drug abuse will mean difficulties in financial, spiritual, emotional, physical and psychological aspects of your life. A rehab centre can help you to end your addiction.

Fight Drug Abuse with the Help of a Rehab Centre

Unfortunately the use of drugs is common amongst our youth. In a rehab centre you will be introduced to people who are going through the same problems as you. You don’t need to fight this on your own. Your fight against drug abuse will be with the help of people who understand what is happening and they will go that extra mile with you to make sure you quit. As a bonus, you make friends with and meet a lot of interesting people. These people will not judge you. You can say that you are in safe hands when you are in a drug rehab centre.

— Health —

What to Expect When Getting Dentures

December 12, 2017

No one likes the thought of getting dentures, but if your teeth are missing you won’t be able to chew food properly and can get indigestion or even malnutrition. Besides, most people enjoy eating and if you can’t do it properly it can impact your enjoyment of life and even social interaction.

Probably the worst thing about going to the dentist and getting dentures is the thought of having your teeth out. But this may have happened gradually over the years and you may not need to have any more out. In this case, you’ll be getting a part plate to replace those that are missing. If you do need to have some out, it won’t be any worse than you’ve had before.

The dentist will fit you for a temporary plate so that you won’t be left without an attractive smile, but can pop it in as soon as the gums are healed enough. This temporary plate may be used for up to 12 months to allow all the swelling to go down and the mouth and gums to adjust to their new normal. Once this has happened, you’ll be fitted for a new, permanent plate.

— Health —

How to Cope as a Carer

October 9, 2017

There are many carers in the world, from nurses and mothers to those who dedicate their whole life to caring for a loved one who has been injured in an accident or who suffers from some form of dementia. Caring for others is the kind of work that is high in satisfaction, but even so, carers need to take care of themselves as well, because the job is emotionally and often physically demanding.

Very often, we see tragic circumstances where the carer gave their all – basically their life – for their loved one and died first, leaving the person they cared for without any support. In the case of a retarded child, this can have a terrible effect on them. Their carer insisted on doing all for the child for many years, thinking that such independence was a good thing.

In reality, it simply made their child depend on them completely so that once they were gone, not having them was a bigger emotional shock than it should have been. So the first thing every carer should know is this; they need to have a good support network to help them and the person they care for.

Even when the work of caring is relatively easy – you may not have to lift them in and out of bed, for instance, it is still essential to take care of yourself. Being a carer can be emotionally stressful, especially when you see a loved one’s mind being stolen by dementia. Such stress can cause you to become physically ill so that you simply can’t care for your loved one they way you want to. So here are some tips on caring for yourself when you are a carer:

— Fitness, Health —

5 Benefits of a Good Posture

September 9, 2017

These days we rarely hear Grandma – or anyone else – telling us to sit up straight like they might have done years ago. And with the increasingly sedentary work and lifestyle most of us are living, bad posture seems to affect most of us. However, good posture certainly contributes to healthy living and here’s how.

Good posture helps you to breathe properly. This ensures a good supply of oxygen in the body. Try inhaling deeply while slouching, then sit up straight and inhale. You’ll easily notice that the latter allows you to inhale much more deeply. When you have enough oxygen in your bloodstream you are much healthier.
It helps your brain to function properly with better concentration and clarity of thought. Studies show that the brain needs 20% oxygen to perform optimally.
Good posture improves your image. People look at you and think you are attractive, alert and healthy. When you see a person who constantly slouches, you’ll wonder if they are sick, in pain or feeling emotionally stressed.

— Health, Lifestyle —

Health Benefits of Sunshine

October 9, 2016

If you see a child with very pale skin you will probably think they are healthy because their mother has been very careful to slap on the sunscreen and only allow them outside in the early morning and late afternoon when the sun is not so hot. However, you would be wrong.

People who don’t get enough sun on their skin can be very unhealthy. The main way we get Vitamin D is by the action of the sun on our skin. Vitamin D is important in itself, but it is also necessary as an aid to absorbing calcium which makes bones and teeth strong and healthy. This is even more important for children, whose bodies are still growing.

There are many other health benefits of sunshine on the skin: –

— Beauty, Health —

How to Have Happy Hands

Most women spend time caring for their facial skin, but often neglect their hands to a great extent. Even having decorated or polished nails won’t cover up hands that are wrinkled and old looking. And since the state of our hands can give away our age to some extent, anyone who wants to look younger should give their hands some TLC.

Here are some tips to keep your hands happy

Wear cotton gloves outside if you are working in the garden or mowing.
Wear rubber gloves while washing up and when using harsh chemicals for cleaning.
Don’t put your hands in really hot or icy cold water as this will turn them red and the hot water will take all the natural oils out of them.
Wear sunscreen on the backs of your hands – and lower arms – when driving for long periods. Don’t put it on your palms as it can make your hands slippery. You can also wear fingerless gloves while driving to protect your hands from sun damage.

— Health, Lifestyle —

What is Sleep Apnoea?

November 22, 2015

Sleep Apnoea is a medical condition that prevents your body from getting the kind of sleep and rest that is needed for optimum health. It’s not just having insomnia; many sufferers don’t even know they have it and may even think they sleep well. At the same time, they’ll always feel tired and wonder why.

What is happening during those night hours if you have sleep apnoea? Your breathing is being obstructed so that you actually stop breathing for tiny periods of time while you are asleep. This often happens mostly during that deep sleep cycle and your body is then deprived of the oxygen you need while at the same time having too much carbon dioxide in the blood.

That sounds very bad and it is, but the brain recognizes the fact that there is not enough oxygen in the bloodstream and goes to work to waken you so that you start breathing again. You may not know that this happens because you are not likely to come fully awake. You’ll just come out of that deep sleep cycle and will once again sleep lightly and breathe more regularly – until it happens again.

The trouble is that this can happen hundreds of times per night, so is it any wonder you feel constantly tired?

— Health —

My Gums Bleed – What Can I Do?

August 30, 2015

Oral health is an extremely important thing which people should be aware of and well versed in. Unfortunately, a lot of people simply don’t visit the dentist as often as they should, and this can lead to a lot of different tooth and gum diseases – some of which can be very painful and degrading.

Bleeding gums are a relatively common gum disease in the modern world. A lot of people throughout the world suffer from bleeding gums every day, and they simply don’t know how to deal with them. If your gums bleed, the following should help you understand what you can do and how you can get your oral health back:

What Causes Bleeding Gums?

Bleeding gums can be caused by a number of things, but the most common cause is undoubtedly oral disease and infection. When you eat, small particles of food can get stuck between your teeth. Sometimes, you will feel them, and will dislodge them. However, at other times, you won’t notice that you have food stuck there, and it will stay there until you brush or floss.

While sitting between your teeth, old food will start to break down. It will become a food source for bacteria, and can become acidic. This can cause the gums to become red and swollen. When you brush or floss swollen gums, they can start bleeding, causing significant pain and discomfort.

— Health —

Where To Go For Drug Rehab

Many countries suffer from a drug addiction problem and most of them have some kind of treatment centres that help with drug rehab. In Australia, many addicts go overseas for treatment because it’s cheaper than that found at home, however that is not the only reason. In some states of Australia it is difficult to get in, with long waiting times caused by not enough beds in treatment centres.

This is particularly so in Victoria, where many users are forced to travel to Sydney for treatment or be at risk of suicide. This is also difficult for them due to the cost of travelling and if their family goes with them for support, there is the additional cost of accommodation, unless they happen to have a friend or relative they can stay with.

The kind of rehabilitation centre is important too, with those that offer accommodation being the best option. This allows the addict to stay away from the temptation to go back on drugs, easy to fall into when you know you can get a fix just down the street. Being right away from people you know who are sellers, gives a better chance of recovery.

— Beauty, Health —

A Guide to Getting Braces

September 28, 2014

A lot of teens don’t like the idea of getting braces on their teeth, but the expertise of a dentist who will then refer you to an orthodontist is needed to ensure your teeth are aligned properly and are straight. Otherwise there will be a lot of dental problems for you later on. You may even have some now, if your teeth are crooked or if your bite is incorrect.

In addition, there are sure to be plenty of others in your age group also having similar treatment, so you won’t stick out like a sore thumb; you’ll be in good company. So what’s the first thing that will happen?

The first appointment will be for an examination only. You may have to take x-rays from the dentist; if not, they will most likely be taken at this time. Then the orthodontist will discuss with you and your parents what the problem is and the treatment necessary, how long it will take and what it will cost.

— Health —

How to Beat Insomnia – and Why You Should

Most people know the feeling of waking up and having to get going on their day’s activities after a poor or restless night’s sleep. Not only does a bad night make you feel tired and unable to cope with things all the next day, it can cause serious problems with your life and your health.

For instance, being tired prevents you from concentrating and focusing on the activities you need to do. Driving the kids to school? They are at risk when you can’t concentrate properly on the traffic, or when your decisions to act come more slowly than they should for safety. If you work at certain jobs driving machinery or operating equipment the same applies. If you are too tired to concentrate, things can go wrong too easily. The results can be costly at best and dangerous to your health are worst.

However, constant insomnia can also cause less noticeable health problems that sneak up on you unawares until they become too big to ignore. These can negatively impact your life and the lives of your loved ones if they are not dealt with. Health experts agree that these problems include risks of –

— Health —

12 Ways to Beat Killer Stress

October 9, 2012

While we do need some kinds of stress in our lives, constant stress can be not only debilitating, but very dangerous. Health professionals have linked stress to many diseases, from ulcers to heart disease, stroke and more. Acceptable forms of stress are short-lived stress that helps us accomplish certain goals important to us, e.g. exercising for health – which is a form of stress on our body – and stress that saves us from danger. For instance, jumping out of the way of a run-away vehicle is good stress, even though it may leave you trembling.

Dangerous stress is that which goes on for months at a time, such as a stressful workplace or a situation that you can see no end to. Being constantly under physical or emotional stress is bad for your health, but even if you can’t see a way out of the situation you may be able cope with it by employing the following tips.

— Fitness, Health —

Should People with a Disability Play Sport?

As we have seen when watching the Paralympics, people with disability certainly can play sport and so, of course they should. In fact, this is one of the things they can do that they not only gets them out of the house, but is beneficial to them both physically and mentally.

Once they are focussed on what they can do – playing the game – instead of what they can’t do, they find their self esteem shoots up and their enjoyment of life increases exponentially. And if they win what a great way to celebrate being alive. If you’ve even pondered this question, you only have to watch the winners of gold medals to know what a great thing it is for them to play sport.