Becoming opiate dependent can change your life, in a bad way! There is no question that many people start taking opioids when they don’t need too. Some of the reasons may be a cautious prescription to treat someone’s pain, another reason may be that an athlete may want to deal with the pain they currently have from an injury and get back in the game as quick as possible. Whatever the reason for the drug use, there are too many people that are using opioids that shouldn’t. These drugs are legal; however, they are highly addictive to the user. This is why people can become very dependent on them. Building a dependence for these drugs can be just as lethal as using a drug such as ecstasy or cocaine. In fact, heroin is actually in the same class as these legal drugs. This gives you an idea for just how strong they are and what degree of effect they can have on the user’s body. I want to educate people on the many dangers of using opioids and help suggest other alternatives to overcome the pain and get back to feeling well in no time!

Can opioids kill you?

Just because your friendly neighborhood doctor prescribed you with opioids doesn’t mean these drugs are immune from doing heavy damage to your body. Many people think the drug is safe because it is legal. However, it is just the opposite. The comfort that addicted people get from using legal opioids hurts them in the long run until they are no safer than any other street drugs. Overdoses can happen and are a regular occurrence for opioid abusers. On top of this, they are just as addictive as any other drug. Fighting your addiction to these drugs can be very tough and an uphill battle. I would recommend that anyone who was thinking about using these very strong pain relievers search for any other type of method first before resorting to these drugs. They should be used as a last resort and only out of necessity if the situation calls for it.

Alternatives of opioid use

There are many alternatives people can use to get through whatever they are suffering from without giving into opioid use. Some of these alternatives encompass natural methods as a means to replace the need for addictive substances.

One obvious substitute for strong opioids are other drugs such as Advil, Aleve, etc. These are also pain killers but have a lesser effect. They are nowhere near as addictive as legally prescribed opioids such as OxyContin. Therefore, these choices are a great alternative so that people do not build up an addiction and tolerance level for the stronger drugs.

Another option is to find more natural methods to deal with the pain. These could be such things as herbal medications and any other type of pain relief method. Using herbal medicines is a very natural way to restore order to the body without disturbing the balance of what is chemically going on inside us. It is one of the safer ones to bring health to our bodies.

One final option is to ride out the pain and let it happen. Many people don’t want to do this and sometimes can’t, however if this is a possibility, it is definitely not worth taking the risk of ingesting highly addictive drugs to curb minimal amounts of pain. The risk reward factor of doing that does not make sense and should not be done. There definitely should be a more cautious air around doctors that prescribe opioid drugs so easily. Just be careful and if they can be avoided ,they should be at all costs.

How to overcome an opioid addiction

Once someone has started to take the prescribed drug, there is no point in finding an alternative. The best choice is to ride it out for the length of time the doctor prescribed it to them. This is definitely a dangerous choice as we know how addictive these drugs are, however once started, you really should do as your doctor says and not deter from it. At this point a family member should consistently monitor the person’s mood and make sure they are taking the right amount every time and staying consistent with it. They should not be sneaking around and taking more of it than they should at times. This is a huge red flag if that is occurring and help should be sought out right away. After their prescription ends, continue to monitor their behavior and try to notice any irregularities in their mood or patterns. These are tell-tale signs that someone is having withdrawal symptoms and has likely become addicted to the opioids. It is never easy to face a drug addiction, but standing up to it is way better than letting it take over your life one day at a time.

Stress and anxiety is a part of our lives that we can’t escape. There will always be a moment where we feel uncomfortable, worry a lot more than usual, or respond with signs of physical stress. If you happen to deal with anxiety symptoms on a regular basis, you will know that they can feel like they are completely dominating your system. One moment you can be in a party and having a blast with your friends, and the next you could be cowering in your mind about a memory you’re triggered by and can’t seem to say a word. You could be on a date with the man of your dreams, and something he says sparks a mass of mental stress that you can only get rid of unless you politely leave. Or, you could watching your favorite show and out of nowhere a certain scene reminds you of a hurtful memory that immediately takes a negative toll on your mood.

If any of these situations ring a bell, know that you are not crazy or alone in this process. Going through anxiety symptoms is incredibly isolating, as everything seems to be caged in your mind. You want to just crawl out of your body and feel normal again so you can function. You are not the only one, as anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental health problems that people today experience. However, don’t mistake having a mental health problem as being a “problem” yourself. Your current anxiety disorders do not define you or your future. It’s only a matter of knowing what side effects to expect, managing your symptoms better, and receiving an expert’s care to improve your health.

What Anxiety Disorders Bring

You will not lose your mind or go into a state of existential crisis with anxiety symptoms. At the same time, anxiety disorders can be incredibly disheartening and cause you to think that you can do nothing about your situation. You can feel powerless, negative, and like life is just throwing endless hurdles your way on purpose. Rest assured that this is your anxiety talking, and it’s not truly your life situation. When a person, no matter what their age is has anxiety symptoms, their body will begin reacting to a huge spike in adrenaline that immediately switches on their fight or flight system. This is the dose of hormones that allow you to run extremely fast in a dangerous situation, fight off someone possibly attacking you, or stay alive in an extreme environment. This is normal, as our ancestors relied on this reaction to get out of the most risky situations to keep on surviving. You can feel like these episodes are relentless, but it is simply the work of chemicals in your brain that you can take control of once you understand them better.

Anxiety Symptoms

Watch out for these signs if you feel like you might be having an attack from your anxiety disorder. A common thing that many people with anxiety attacks say is that they feel like they’re having a heart attack. This is very normal, as symptoms can include having a sudden chest pain, like your insides are about to burn up.  It can affect one area of your chest to the entire chest area so make sure you are prepared. Another anxiety symptom is having a lot of difficulty breathing normally, as your body is starting to demand oxygen more than usual. This results in breathing much more faster and feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or even like you have a huge headache. Another big sign is having muscle tension or soreness, as your severe anxiety causes muscles to have fatigue out of nowhere. You will likely feel weak or like your body is aching during some of your anxiety attacks. Lastly, you may feel like you’re shaking or trembling a lot to the point where you’re losing complete control. Remember that this is common and it’s only a temporary side effect that won’t directly affect your health overall. You will be okay and attacks don’t have the power to put your life in danger!

Taking Control

If you want to deal with your anxiety symptoms, there’s a few tips that experts have shared over the years that can help you calm down and manage your system. You might feel like you’re freaking out and there’s no way that you can just switch your symptoms off. However, if you take the time to first breathe deeply, you can better make sense of what is going on and decrease your levels of stress.

Deeply inhale and exhale for a couple of minutes, even if you’re trembling or dizzy out of nowhere. Getting enough oxygen to your body is important so you can have ample blood circulation and mental clarity to get through your anxiety attack.

Additionally, make sure you can get a drink of water and move your body enough so you are stuck sitting in a certain place. You want to be moving your limbs so your symptoms of lightheadedness or aching can dispute with enough time.

Lastly, remember that you may have been in an environment or around a person who could have triggered an anxiety attack. Make note of this as you are using measures to calm down so you can hopefully prevent a similar episode from happening in the future. For example, if you find yourself in an area that has negative memories attached to it, do your best to avoid it in the future so you aren’t as triggered by the visions and sounds it brings.

Gain Insight

Remember you’re in control in this process. Make sure you know what the signs are for anxiety attacks and do your best to gain as much information as possible. Take an anxiety quiz to learn more about your thought process and get recommendations for treatment if you wish to seek an expert. You’re not alone in this and you can get the help you need!

There is a lot of negative media today that surrounds the use of drugs and people who use them. As we all know, drug abuse is not good for the person using them. However this does not mean every drug abuser is trying to throw away their lives on purpose. There are many influential and successful people who have turned to drugs in their darkest hour. This does not mean that these people are hooligans and murderers trying to ruin everyone else’s lives that they come across. For example, they may have made one bad decision on a night when they were broken about their recent divorce, and from thereon they were hooked on whatever poison they chose. This does not allow us to judge them and pin them as bad people because their unfortunate circumstances led them to a place where they felt they needed to turn to drugs. This means we should feel lucky we did not experience that and try our best to help them, not put them down. Everyone deserves a second chance and no one deserves to feel ashamed and guilty for one bad decision they made. The stress for that person; maybe the head of the family, to turn to his wife and kids and tell them he is struggling with a drug addiction might be so overwhelming that he never finds the courage to do so. From this point on, who knows what could happen? His addiction could worsen and one fatal overdose is all it takes for his life to be taken from this Earth. It is much the fault of the media for the shame and guilt from drugs that many people feel when confessing they have an addiction and it shouldn’t be that way. That’s why I want to help those suffering from a drug addiction, and I want them to give them the courage to step forward and confront their problems head on.

How does it make you feel?

If you were to step in front of the mirror, take a long look at yourself, and confess to yourself that you are an addict, with no control of your addiction and no idea how to turn it around. How does that make you feel? How does it make you feel to admit you are helpless in your situation? Imagine trying for months, maybe years, to turn it around but never could. Maybe this is the toughest moment of your life to confront this issue. However, this moment is the biggest moment on your path to recovery.

Being able to step up and admit your problems and be honest with yourself is crucial. This allows you to let go: to let go of the anger surrounding your frustrating addiction, to let go of the emotional roller coaster you have put yourself through multple attempts of giving up, and to let go of the idea that you must face this alone. This moment allows yourself to surrender to the addiction and seek the help you need without judgement. This is because you have been fighting with yourself, not allowing yourself to see your reflection as a drug addict and as someone who has lost all control. But it’s the truth, and the truth must now be dealt with in the appropriate manner.

Having that conversation

As soon as you have allowed yourself to accept that your struggle is real and that you need help, you need to find the nearest loved one and have a serious talk with them about what is happening and how long it has been going on. Even the most embarrassing or messed up stories need to be confessed and out on the table so they know what is going on and you can both be on the same page. This is a major second step for a struggling drug addict and do not think for one second that this conversation will be easy. If you thought confessing to yourself was tough, this will be just as tough as now you are disclosing issues you have fought so long to keep under wraps. There may be a lot of shame and guilt associated with this conversation, however if you picked the right loved one there should be no judgement: just acceptance of the truth and a massive willingness to help with your problem. This conversation should shed a lot of light on your situation and all and every question they have for you, you must answer it truthfully no matter how painful it could be for you. From here, you can start to formulate a plan together, and you feel like you have someone else there with you to fight this tough addiction.

It takes a village

One of my favorite sayings is “it takes a village”. This means to say that nothing great was achieved by a single person. Every champion, every genius, and behind every success story there was a team of people helping that person strive for their very best. There is no reason why this saying should not be true for someone fighting an addiction. Just because the media has shed a negative light on it does not mean to say someone overcoming some of the deepest rooted addictions in their life isn’t as big as achievement as someone graduating from college. It takes a lot of conscious effort, a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of pain and tears to overcome any type of drug addiction. We do not understand their struggle and therefore should never judge someone before walking in their shoes. There should be no shame and guilt associated with these addictions, just forgiveness and whole hearted kindness and sympathy. Let’s keep our thoughts to ourselves and be grateful we did. Next time you see someone struggle, help them and don’t judge.

With technological advances moving at such a great speed these days, it’s tough to know what the newest trend is or where society is heading. It seems only 10 years ago that the smart phone was introduced and now we have the arrival of a smart home? For many, the smart home is something that scares them as they don’t know how to use it and don’t want to deal with the hassle of learning new things. This is especially the case with older people, as technology has almost created a divide between the younger generation and the elderly. Young kids are now growing up surrounded by technology and begin to learn how to use it at a very early age. Some elderly people never had this technology introduced until they were 60 or 70 years old. These devices are so alien to them that they almost avoid them altogether so they don’t have to deal with the stresses and annoyance of them. Even one of the most successful people, Warren Buffet, says he still likes to use a flip phone. He is a major believer in Apple and holds a lot of their stock, however he does not want to bother to use a device he did not grow up around. Not growing up around technology is one of the many reasons why people don’t want to tackle smart home automation, they feel there is a learning curve and they don’t want to have to deal with it.

The early stages of a smart home

With the introduction of Google Home, Amazon Alexa and now Apple’s Home Pod, a lot of people have brought artificial intelligence into their home and have had the ability to scratch the surface of smart home automation. These introductory level devices lead the way for people to become accustomed to technology in the home and start syncing some of their home appliances to one of these devices. Alexa can turn lights off and on, lock your doors and soon apparently turn ovens and microwaves on and off. This is very basic home automation but nonetheless it helps people get into and learn how to use it. From there, should someone decide to automate their home more , then they at least have some knowledge of how that would work and the time saving benefits of it. For this reason, I think smart speakers are a simple and an affordable way to start your journey to a fully automated home, making life easier for everyone in your family!

The efficiency of a smart home

Installing a smart home could be one of the best decisions you have ever made if you are a fan of ease and comfort around the house. Everything can be automated and more easily adjusted if you were to install some smart home features around your house. In my opinion, saving time is a big thing, especially in our busy everyday lives, so having things around the house made simpler and easier is never a bad thing.

How can you make your home smarter?

If you are seriously debating making your home smarter but don’t know what to do, then leave that up to the professionals. There are many services that can assist you in making your home smart that you don’t even have to break a sweat. They will handle most of the details for you and make the process as smooth as possible. So if you have been considering giving a smart home a go for a while, don’t hesitate to contact a professional service to give you the ins and outs of what smart home automation can do for you. I promise it will be one of the best decisions you have ever made!

Sometimes a normal activity can start to become an addiction if the behavior begins to repeat itself. These types of addictions can manifest themselves in many ways in people’s lives, almost to the point of obsession. These can range from shopping addiction, eating addiction, gambling addiction, exercise addiction and any other activity that indicates that the behavior could be considered repetitive to the point of abnormality. Obviously, some kind of addictions can be more detrimental than others. Someone addicted to working out could overdo it, but at least they are practicing good habits and really care to be healthy and try their best to achieve this goal. Other types of addictions are clearly not as good for someone to keep repeating, such as a gambling addiction or maybe an eating addiction. These habits become ingrained into one’s daily life and are then very tough to stop. I want to give you guys a few tips on what to look out for, so you can figure out if any family members or close friends are exhibiting any of the initial signs of a process addiction. From here, we want to be able to combat these habits effectively and have steps in place to reign in their current addictive nature.

Signs that a process addiction is brewing

A few of the first signs that someone is beginning to develop process addiction are as simple as looking out for very repetitive and excessive habits in their daily routine. For example, if they are going to the casino everyday this is probably not a good thing as the casino usually wins. A gambling addiction can lead people to losing everything they own. Another way to tell if these signs are turning into a process addiction is if they are acting unlike themselves, such as nervous or anxious all the time or having deep and aggressive mood swings. This would come from the rewarding feeling they get when they win or perform that behavior. The withdrawal symptoms they experience when they are finished with the addictive activity leave them craving more. That is how the vicious cycle is created and the repetitive behavior begins. If you find someone close to you exhibiting these habits, there are a few ways you can step in and help!

How to help a loved one recover from process addiction

If a loved one or friend begins to exhibit the initial signs of process addiction, this could be a major concern. The best thing to do if you think they are getting caught up in a repetitive behavioral habit that isn’t good for them is to just confront them. However, confronting them with planned out thoughts in mind is definitely a better approach than improvising on the spot. If you write the things you want to say down on paper this is much better, so you don’t get sidetracked or dragged into an argument if they start to become defensive about their habits. It is tough for many people to admit they are experiencing some issues in life and that they are becoming too overwhelmed for them to deal with it on their own. This is why going in with a plan and giving the discussion more of a conversational tone is a good way to steer clear of an argument. If you begin by acting condescending and judgmental of them or start to accuse them of things which actually may not be true at all, then not much will be accomplished and it will probably spiral into a verbal fight very quickly. Once you have confronted them and your suspicions turn out to be correct, it is best to be convey very confidently that everything will be ok and from this very moment you will both start to work in their best interest to tackle the addiction. Closely monitoring their activity is best in the early stages as you want to make sure they are not regressing back into their old habits and starting the cycle of process addiction all over again. Also, giving them something else to focus their mind on and giving them other goals to become obsessed with is a good way to do it. For example, if someone was going to be addicted to something, if they become addicted to their work or addicted to eating healthy foods this may not be the worst thing. It is easier to work with process addiction if it’s a more normal activity than something like an alcohol addiction or drug addiction. If nothing you are trying seems to be working and they are sneaking off when you aren’t watching or being non-compliant, seeking outside help may be the best thing for the person involved. There are many places that offer world class help for these types of issues, so getting help is never a bad thing and should never be something to be ashamed of. Everyone makes mistakes, and the only real mistake is not addressing a mistake because you are too ashamed of it. So, take action today, speak out if you know someone negatively affecting their life with bad habits, or try to start your own path to change if you feel you have a process addiction to something you don’t think is helping you get to where you want to be in life!

There are so many good reasons to start improving your home that it’s tough to list every single one. Home improvements can range from adding space, redecorating rooms or even a total makeover. However, not many think of home improvements as making your home ‘smarter’. Living in a smart home is definitely a new concept for many people and it definitely hasn’t become a stipend in society just yet. Many people have started their quest to a smarter home by utilizing Amazon Echo, Google Home and now the newly released Apple Home pod. These new speakers are able to talk to you and give you answers to a lot of your daily questions. Such as what the weather will be tomorrow. Or where the traffic is on the route to work. On top of that, these speakers of course produce good quality sound for the home, so for a lot of people that is enough. However, sometimes it might be worth taking it a little further and installing a surround sound system in the house for multiple reasons.

For a start, who doesn’t love good quality sound? If you don’t this probably isn’t the right blog to be reading but I know I certainly do. Coming home and putting on the music I want to hear and being able to listen to every note is something that I always crave. There is nothing better to relaxing or enjoying yourself with music bumping in the background and there is no better way to achieve this than by putting in high quality speakers for surround sound. Especially if you were to make your home smart with it. By this you would be able to change songs at the touch of a button and dim the lights maybe just by telling your Amazon Echo to do so. You really don’t realize just how many neighbors you can annoy until you install a fully equipped surround sound system.

Another great reason to install it is having cool and innovative devices around the home can increase the re`sale value when you want to sell it. People really pay attention to the details and having something that makes your home stand out to buyers is a great thing. When people are looking around many houses to find which one they want their new home to be, a home that is the most memorable definitely has a good chance to be picked. So this means that if your home is more marketable and the resale value is increased then installing these devices can somewhat pay for themselves. Who doesn’t love free stuff? I know I do!

To go with this is the fact that you would now be able to watch movies without hearing the phrase “pass the remote I can’t hear anything”, only to realize the TV volume is all the way up. Once you install the surround sound system get ready to be fully immersed in the movie and be taken to new inspiring lands. You will sucked into the movie from the first second to the last feeling like you are right there with the characters as the surrounds are echoing around your room. If you wanted to take this immersive experience one step further, you could install a home theatre along with the surround sound system to bring the movie theatre to you. The only issues you’ll have with this idea is your friends will always be begging you to come over and watch the new release of Avengers at your place. Hope you guys like popcorn if you go with this idea!

One final and simple reason for doing it is just because you can. If you can make your life easier and have a cooler home why not? Having a smart home can make doing things around the house much easier and that’s always a good thing. Life is tough enough so when you come home you want to feel comfortable and relaxed every second you spend. Make it your own and add your spin and creative taste to create the home of your dreams. So don’t wait, go make those smart home improvements you have always wanted too and blow your friends away. Just make sure you’re ok with hosting every family holiday from now on!

Battling addiction to our phones, the internet, and social media feels like an impossible feat in our digital culture today. We’re estimated to check our phones over 2,500 times every day, with the most extreme users looking at their apps and messaging their friends over 5,000 times a day. The best way to overcome addiction is sometimes to quit cold turkey, but since our lives are tied to our phones that’s a hard method for people to adopt. As someone who relies on their phone for nearly everything to function during the day, I’ve gathered the best tips in my experience that helped wane my addiction to using my phone. While you’ll definitely feel the urge to monitor every incoming buzz, I promise that the mental clarity and peace of mind that staying off your phone brings will be totally worth it!

1. Millions of people say that fighting addiction to their smartphones is extremely difficult, but it doesn’t have to be if you make small changes every day. When surveyed, the majority of people agreed that it was “generally OK” to be glued to their smartphones doing mundane things like while walking down the street, commuting, or waiting throughout the day. While these moments don’t seem important, you could be missing the opportunity to soak in your natural environment and form new connections with people around you. Even just timing yourself for ten minutes to stay off the phone a few times a day will allow yourself to unplug from the constant notifications that never stop.
2. Social media can suck you in. It’s best to not get too caught up with your Instagram and Twitter feeds, as attractive as they are. According to a pioneer study presented by a professor at Korea University recently, researchers found that spending too much time on such platforms led to chemical imbalances in the brain. Individuals who were addicted to their smartphones had much higher levels of depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and insomnia as well. Those are alarming symptoms from just staring at a screen if you ask me. If you’re spending a lot of time thinking about your follower count, feel nervous not checking your feeds every hour, or can’t live without watching each new story from your friends, you might need a serious reality check.
3. Support groups provide great accountability. If you’ve felt like you can’t shake the strong urge to get off your device, seeking social forums online or groups in person are amazing to connect with people going through the same experience. Together, you can talk about why you have such an intense dependency on social media or checking messages and develop realistic ways to decrease it. You also will benefit from the feeling alone throughout the process, as research has found that the best results come from creating collaborative goals within a group and sticking closely to them. You’ll be less likely to give up as you won’t want to let down peers who are counting on you to succeed.
4. Turn off the sound. Constantly hearing a ding or incoming call only warrants the need to immediately check your phone. There’s nothing wrong with responding to a family member or friend, but once you’re already on the device you’ll be pulled into checking other apps, Facebook videos, and trending Snapchat filters while you’re at it. Before you know it, several minutes can pass by without even realizing it. Once you put your phone on silent, you’ll be able to concentrate on your present environment better. If you’re with another person, they’ll greatly appreciate feeling more valued as you can pay more attention to what they have to say. No one likes that guy or girl in the room who is constantly scrolling through their feet while something important is being discussed.
5. Utilize night mode once it’s late. By the time it gets closer to going to bed, turning your phone on this mode will disable any incoming notifications from disturbing your peace, focus, and most importantly, your needed sleep. Not only will you feel so much better by being well rested, but you won’t feel the drag of checking social media every ten minutes as you’re trying to drift away to sweet dreams. Studies actually prove that having the bright smartphone light in our face at night biologically prevents us from being primed for feeling tired enough to sleep as well. Treat your body well and unplug for its own sake!

Internet Addiction Self Help

If you need more resources to overcome addiction to your smartphone and social media, just doing some research online will you give you more than enough health reasons to deplug. From sleeping better, being less stressed, and having a great peace of mind, there are many benefits that come about as your phone is away in your pocket.

The advances that the human race has made and is continuing to make has always astonished me when I look back at where we were 10,000, 1000, and even 100 years ago. From creating fire from wood to sending a message 1,000,000 miles across the planet in less than 0.1 seconds, putting men on another planet and now telling a black box in the corner or your room that you want the lights to turn on in your house. So many excellent people have contributed to these major advances and we cannot thank them enough for making our lives better, simpler and safer every day. So when someone asks me “hey is it worth getting an Alexa?” my answer is yes. I am a huge fan of being a part of the technological revolution that is becoming more and more pronounced in our society every year.

The smart home market

There are so many new and innovative smart home devices that sometimes it can be an impossible choice. Understanding the intricate details between each and every one, and making the right choice for your lifestyle, is very tough for most people. We have advanced so fast that the cell phone is a simple concept to the younger generation, however it is completely alien to a lot of the oldest generation.

For the first time in our society, technology has created a stark divide between the age groups that inhabit this planet. To me, this is so intriguing that so many new creative and complex devices have been brought into the marketplace has confused the older generation. Not only this, but the technology sector is growing at an exponential pace. This is reflected in the bull market in the tech sector for the past nine years; it has mostly outperformed the S and P and the broader market with no signs of slowing. This is especially true with Amazon, with the release of the Amazon Echo a few years ago, and now their completely automated grocery store. When stores start to become automated, I definitely think it is time to start thinking about becoming smart home compatible. Also, augmented reality and artificial intelligence are on the brink of being injected into our everyday world, so smart home automation is almost becoming outdated in my opinion. Many homes own an Amazon Echo or some type of smart home device and it is making their lives much easier. The cost is very affordable to most and, as everyone knows, time is money. Something that can make your daily life around the house much easier is a sure winner in my book.  

Home automation options for beginners

A great way to start off home automation if you don’t feel like your understanding of technology is the best is a simple Echo Dot. This is Amazon’s entry speaker system and smart home device. It retails at around 50 dollars now in most stores, after flying off the shelves at a higher price when it first came out. These speakers have great sound quality and can answer many questions you have for it. All you have to do is say “Alexa…” and ask your question. Does it know the weather? Sure. How about the exact time in Guatemala? Definitely! Do you want it to read a bedtime story to your youngest because you had a hard day at work? Just download the app for it and Alexa will take it from there! These devices can also help around the house, from turning the lights on and off, setting alarms and playing the festive Christmas music you most certainly need for your next family Christmas.

Smart home automation is worth it

There is no question that getting into the swing of having a smart home is totally worth it. Not only will it make your life much simpler, it will definitely enhance your security if you can get the hang of it. You can start to close your doors from your smartphone, see who is at your front door at the TV and set alarms if an intruder gets into your house. So not only is a smart home just pretty cool, it can also bring you the peace of mind you have been waiting for. So don’t hold off any longer, go get that gadget you have always wanted. Trust me, it’s totally worth it!

Sometimes men can be hesitant when it comes to speaking about their mental health problems. They become very introverted and don’t want to talk about the issues they are experiencing. Not only can some men feel uncomfortable talking to a health professional about it, they feel uncomfortable talking to their friends and family.

There are many reasons this may happen. One may be that he is the head of the household with a family that is dependent on him, and he does not want his family to worry and stress about his health when he is the one supporting the family. Another reason may be that they do not want to seem incapable of their job of supporting their family, and they do not want to face the shame and guilt and imagine that their wives or children think they are weak.

A man typically takes pride in being a strong and powerful leader, especially in a family setting. Therefore, if he were to have anxiety issues, he may practice self-blame and self-doubt, and he struggles with not wanting his family to see him feeling weak and incompetent. Even if he is in need of support, he may decide to not speak a word.

However, if they eventually continue with this burden on their own and never reach out to someone about their anxiety issues it can have a serious and long lasting effect. As time goes by, their mental health can deteriorate more and more until it is too late. I would like to discuss some of the ways men can reach out to professionals and gain help, or if this is not an option. Shed light on many more methods and activities that can be used to release stress and anxiety from their everyday lives.

Physical activity for anxiety release

A great way to detach from the anxiety is to engage in physically strenuous activities. This means that depending on your age, physical ability and physical health, you can choose an activity appropriate for you that can help calm the mind.

Any time someone engages in activity, the body releases endorphins that are directly correlated with happiness. These endorphins can play a critical part in reversing the effects of anxiety in men. It stimulates the mind and body and invigorates them, leaving them feeling stronger, healthier and happier, ready to tackle any task life throws at them.

Along with this, another activity that is directly correlated with stress release and health is yoga. Doing yoga is a great way to stay healthy and relax the mind and body after a very stressful day. Yoga for men is something that is becoming more and more prominent in society as many more people are engaging in these activities. Yoga is a mix of strength work, flexibility and mediation. It includes a period for self-reflection and a moment to completely relax the body and relieve the tension and stresses of everyday life.

This is why it is the perfect mix of healthy activity to release the endorphins and provide peaceful reflection to calm the anxiety and slowly make it fade. Physical activity is one way to help deal with anxiety in men, but it isn’t the only way. Men struggling from more severe mental health issues or do not feel exercise is working for them should seek the help of a professional.

Reaching out when you feel like no one is there

Anxiety and depression disorders can most definitely be treated by a professional. Many people like to think that they have untreatable health problems and if you have one then it is just your fault. They believe that it is something that is self-endured and it is a tye of issue that you can snap out of easily just by doing things that make you happy.

This is not the way it works. These mental disorders are very serious and have led many good people, even some of the strongest willed people, to taking their own life. This is the nature of the disorder and leads people to think that they are not enough and not worthy. Anxiety in men can especially be alarming as men sometimes do not want to talk about these things. Keeping these types of disorders private can be the worst thing someone can do. If you think you or someone you know have one of these issues, you should reach out to someone right away, as these are life threatening in a lot of cases.  

Anxiety can be a killer

Many people do not realize the severity of these cases until it is too late. All you have to do is look at the stats of lives lost due to mental illnesses. It is awful to see and it is awful to know that it will continue unless many people change the way they view it. Anxiety disorders in men should not be judged and should not lead them to feel like they cannot speak about it. A man should feel entitled to not be plagued by any mental disorders and be able to speak freely about it and find the help they need. This does not make them lesser than any other person, in fact it makes them stronger when they overcome it. So the next time you think about mental illness, just know that some of the survivors could be some of the toughest people you will ever meet.

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight in a short time, you’ve got to think long and hard about where to get your advice. Your best friend could say to cut out all carbs, your gym partner tells you to chug water all day, your husband forces you to run every morning, or your Mom swears she’s found the magic vitamin to melt off the fat. In reality, how can you be sure any of these tips completely work? If you want to truly shed off the remaining pounds without excessively starving yourself, taking dangerous diet pills, or eating only protein bars, I’ve gathered the best tips for you.

Gathering advice from my own weight loss experience and tips from experienced nutritionists, here’s real world advice you can actually live stick to everyday without losing your mind. No Atkins, South Beach, or Ketogenic diet is necessary to feel stronger and healthier than before. Let’s walk through the variety of amazing foods to add nutrition to you diet, how often you should be eating, the wide benefits of stress relief, and how FDA banned supplements are never right option to get think fast.

1. The first piece of advice is avoid under eating to quickly shed fat. While cutting calories will indeed make you thinner within a few days, keeping up a malnourished diet is the fast track to worse health and establishing a lower metabolism. Expecting a “famine” of nutrition from being so deeply deprived, your body will stop burning enough calories to do extra activity and will actually increase its fat storage. Once you do eat, you’ll notice weight being put on much faster than usual as your body as grabbing whatever it can get to keep functioning like normal. Treating your body this way is no way to go about becoming lean and more confident over time.

1. Eat foods that are organic and highly rich in nutrients. This means to cut out anything that is highly processed like snacks and desserts that come in a box. Instead, look for foods that are fresh and found in the produce aisle like fruits, veggies, and nuts. To build up muscle, eat three servings of low fat protein throughout the day and pair it with carbohydrates like whole grains, potatoes, or brown rice. As for fats, look for items like coconut or olive oil, avocados, and almond butter. Make sure you can still reach your goals and satisfy your taste buds!
2. Make sure to exercise at least 4 times a week for 30 minutes or more. This increases your metabolism and helps your body break down fat quicker. Being active a big part of living a healthy life. There are so many ways to exercise, from recreational sports, lifting weights, yoga, swimming or even going on a brisk long walk can keep your body healthy.  Depending on your age the amount of activity required to stay healthy varies, so make sure to check with your doctor the recommendations he has for you.

So hopefully these tips will help you on your journey to losing weight and becoming the best version of you. Being healthy can sometimes be a matter of life and death, especially if the conditions become serious enough. Start getting in shape today with these three simple tips!