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Muscle contraction
This is a type of problema which appears in somebody´s muscle because she/he requires to the muscle an overexertion. This is refering to problems which cause back pains.

Refering to pains caused because of the back pains, we can find the muscle contracs, which can make the back pain worse

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Problems that you may find if you don´t have a balanced diet and you do too much exercise.
First, if you don´t follow a proper diet, you could have some health problems that I´m explaining now:
-First, you could adquire health problems that could become serrious, such as obesity, which is the most visible fact from a bad alimentation, but there are also other facts which affect your health, such as the lack of being sleepy, the ones which affect the fertility or the bad development of the inmunological system, which could be the second more serious problem.

Is it well to do a lot of sport?
Of course doing physical activity is very well for your health, but I have been looking for it on the Ethernet, and doing excessive sport isn´t well, such as doing all in excess.

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Stretches for pregnant women (2)

Hip Flexors

The hip flexor muscles allow you to lift your knees and bend at the waist. Stretching them periodically helps keep you limber so it's easier to get into the proper position during childbirth.

Stand at the bottom of a flight of stairs and hang on to the railing.

Place one foot on the first step and bend your knee. Keep your other leg straight on the floor behind you.

Lean into your bent leg, keeping your back straight, to feel a stretch in your straight leg. Hold for 20 seconds, then switch sides.

Legs

Swelling,cramping…pregnancy has been tough on your legs. Give them a much-needed break with this easy stretch.

Stand and hold onto a sturdy object.

Bend your right knee and grab your right foot with your right hand, bringing your heel toward your buttocks. Press your hips forward, keeping your back straight, to feel the stretch more. Hold for up to 30 seconds.

Repeat with the left leg.

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Stretches for pregnant women

Neck

This stretch helps ease tension in your neck.

Sitting in a chair, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Gently tilt your head to one side and let it drop toward your shoulder. Don't raise your shoulder, and don't force your head down.

Hold for three to six seconds.

Gently roll your chin forward to relax into your chest, then switch sides.

Repeat three to four times.

Shoulders

This stretch helps ease tension in your shoulders (especially if you spend a lot of time at the computer).

Standing with your feet hips-width distance apart, bring your left arm to your chest.

Gently pull your slightly bent left elbow toward your chest with your right hand as you exhale.

Hold for five to 10 seconds. Switch sides.

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What to do if a dog bites you with rabies?

Wash the bite area well with soap and water and cover the bite with a clean bandage.

Call your doctor right away and go to the nearest emergency department.Anyone with a possible rabies infection must be treated in a hospital.

Call local animal-control authorities to help find the animal. It may need to be caught and watched for signs of rabies.

If you know the owner of the animal that bit your child, get all the information you can, including its vaccination status and the owner's name and address. Notify your local health department, especially if the animal wasn't vaccinated.

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What should you do if someone allergic to bees or wasps receives a peck for one?

Remove any stingers immediately. Some experts recommend scraping out the stinger with a credit card.

Applying ice to the site may provide some mild relief. Apply ice for 20 minutes once every hour as needed. Wrap the ice in a towel or keep a cloth between the ice and skin to keep from freezing the skin.

Taking an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine or a nonsedating one such as loratadine will help with itching and swelling.

Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief as needed.

Wash the sting site with soap and water. Placing hydrocortisone cream on the sting can help relieve redness, itching, and swelling.

If it's been more than 10 years since your last tetanus booster, get a booster within the next few days.

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Kick Your Bad Habits With These 4 Psychological Tricks (2)

Don’t try to suppress your thoughts.

When trying to kick a bad habit, people often attempt to think about everything but that one activity, which of course, causes them to think about nothing but that one activity.

Why? Studies show that when we try to suppress thoughts, they actually come back stronger, because our subconscious doesn’t differentiate between “do” and “don’t” and will inevitably fixate on the one thing we’re trying so hard to ignore.

Psychologists have dubbed this phenomenon “ironic process theory.”

So, for instance, if someone tells you not to think about pink dinosaurs, you will immediately begin to think about pink dinosaurs. If you tell yourself not to think about having a smoke, all you’re going to be able to think about is going for a smoke, and you’ll start seeing the temptation everywhere.

4. Make changes to your routine or environment.

New situations make you more conscious of your behavior and choices, so changing something in your routine or environment, even if it isn’t directly connected to the habit you are trying to break, can make it easier to welcome new habits.

This is why big changes like moving to a new city or ending a relationship are often accompanied by smaller changes, like exercising more frequently or following a new diet.
One study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that a new environment can remove the automatic guides for performing certain habits and help people to make new or different decisions about their daily routines.

Even small changes can make a big difference. For example, if you tend to overeat while watching TV, make an effort to sit at the table and turn off the television during meals so that you can be more conscious of your eating habits.

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Kick Your Bad Habits With These Psychological Tricks (1)

Figure out why and when you’re doing it.

There's usually an underlying reason for your bad habits, such as boredom or stress, and if you pay attention, you'll notice that all of your vices are tied to certain situations or routines.

These bad habits generally also reward you with something: smoking rewards you with stress relief, and wasting time on the Internet temporarily rewards you by diverting your attention.

Identifying how your vices are rewarding you, as well as when they occur is the first step to eliminating them from your life entirely.

For instance, you may notice that you drink more alcohol when you’re around certain people, or maybe you tend to overeat when you’re home alone. Knowing what triggers certain behavior can help you to come up with the right strategies for changing these unhealthy patterns.

Find a replacement habit.

Research shows that it’s far more effective to replace a bad habit with a better one than to simply cut out the old habit.

Why? Replacing a habit takes less mental effort than completely eliminating it, and believe it or not, willpower is actually a limited resourse

Once you've figured out how your vices are rewarding you, you can establish new habits that will reward you in similar ways, but without the same negative side effects, or at least fewer side effects.

For example, if you need to improve your diet, making an effort to snack on fruit instead of junk food would be a lot easier than not eating anything at all, and replacing your smoking break with another less damaging activity, like eating a small snack, would be more effective than doing nothing at all.

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What you should do if you have an injury:

If you have had a moderate-to-severe sprain or strain, ask your doctor when it might be safe to begin exercising again. Apply ice to the injury for 10 to 15 minutes at a time many times per day to reduce swelling. Gently compress the injury with a compression bandage to help minimize swelling.

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Tips to reduce the risk of injury:

1. Take time off.

2. Wear the right gear.

3. Strengthen muscles.

4. Increase flexibility.

5. Take breaks.

6. Play safe.

7. Do not play through pain.

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Posture Tips at Work

Keep your ears in line with your shoulders

Practice small shoulder and chest exercises.

Uncross those legs.

Pull back your shoulder blades.

Try using a lumbar support pillow.

Get up and move every so often.

Do sneaky desk exercises.

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Tips to correct sitting position.

1. Sit up with your back straight and your shoulders back

2. All 3 normal back curves should be present while sitting.

3. Distribute your body weight evenly on both hips.

4. Bend your knees at a right angle.

5. Keep your feet flat on the floor.

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Tips to Practice For Better Posture

1. Avoid Slouching. Walk as if you're balancing a book or a glass vase on your head.

2. Think Tall. If you find yourself looking at the ground or your phone while walking constantly, chances are your shoulders are down too.

3. Incorporate Yoga, Barre and/or Pilates Classes Into Your Fitness Regimen.

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Some problems that you will have if you don't do physical activity

You burn less calories,so body fats accumulates.

You have a higher risk of hypertension.

Your joints are damaged.

You can suffer premature aging.

Our body loses muscle fibers,the metabolism slows down and the blood supply gets worse.

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At present many sports centers already offer the possibility of practicing this sport discipline that combines stretching, relaxation, breathing, mobility, traction and ease. A whole mixture of factors that can help us improve our health, not only physical, but also psychic, since the main foundation of this practice is to combine body and mind and achieve a balance between both.

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Stress is one of the main problems of today's society, and it is very difficult to end it. For this reason, we increasingly demand more treatments to combat it. One of them is stretching.

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Becoming First Aid certified not only benefits you as an individual but it extends to your family, friends, co-workers and even the community as a whole. As unpleasant as it is to talk about, accidents and emergency situations are not completely preventable or unavoidable.

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First Aid knowledge is invaluable for both you as the individual and for your community. It enables you to assist persons who become injured in the event of an accident or emergency situation until help arrives. First Aid skills can be applied in the home, the workplace or in public locations, therefore the more First Aid certified people there are in a community the safer that community becomes.

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Breaking bad habits
Avoid tempting situations. If you always stop for a donut on your way to work, try a different route. Keep fatty foods, cigarettes, alcohol and other tempting items out of your home.
Replace unhealthy behaviors with healthy ones. Try exercising, a favorite hobby or spending time with family.
Prepare yourself mentally If you can not avoid a tempting situation, prepare yourself in advance. Think about how you want to handle it and mentally practice what you plan.
Enlist support. Ask your friends, family and co-workers to support your efforts to change.

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If you know something is bad for you, why can not you stop? About 70% of smokers say they would like to quit smoking. Drug and alcohol users struggle to stop addictions that damage their bodies and destroy families and friendships. And many of us have an unhealthy excess weight that we could lose if we ate well and exercised more.

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The most frequent types of sports injuries are sprains (ligament injuries), tensions (injuries to the muscles) and stress fractures (injuries to the bones). Injuries occur when excessive stress is placed on the tendons, joints, bones and muscles.

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All sports have a risk of injury. Fortunately, for the vast majority of young people, the benefits of sports participation outweigh the risks. In general, the greater the contact in a sport, the greater the risk of a traumatic injury. However, most injuries in young athletes are due to overuse.

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Ergonomics is defined as the field of multi-disciplinary knowledge that studies the characteristics, needs, capabilities and skills of human beings, analysing those aspects that affect the design of environments, products and production processes.

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The goal of postural hygiene is to prevent or reduce musculoskeletal injuries caused by static postures and incorrect movements, repetitive movements or muscle overloads. It helps patients to be aware of their posture and most common movements so they can modify and improve them. Posture is the way in which we hold our bodies whilst seated, standing, lying down or moving. We all have somatic, psychological and genetic components.

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The physical activity is very importance because without regular activity, your body slowly loses its strength, endurance and ability to function properly. It's like the old saying: you do not stop moving from aging, you get old and you stop moving. Exercise increases muscle strength, which in turn increases your ability to perform other physical activities.

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A balanced diet is important because your organs and tissues need adequate nutrition to function effectively. Without good nutrition, your body is more prone to diseases, infections, fatigue and poor performance. Children with a poor diet run the risk of problems of growth and development and poor academic performance, and poor eating habits can persist for the rest
or of their lives. Get more information on healthy meal plans for kids.

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Basic first aid procedures:

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Basic first aid procedures everyone should know

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Bad habits in our life
-Eat when you are not hungry: Chop between meals, especially for surrender to gluttony, is harmful, especially if we take into account that most snacks and snacks contain saturated fats, sweeteners, sugars and negative chemicals that can cause diabetes, problems cardiovascular diseases and obesity, among others. Do not eat before emotions and impulses or in order to alleviate stress, sadness and anger. Bet on a complete and varied diet, dispel the myths and enjoy feeding in five daily rations.
-Use electronic devices before sleep: Staying late into the night with your tablet or smartphone negatively affects your sleep and your productivity levels, since science points out that the lights of digital rings prevent the brain from releasing hormones They notify that it is time to fall asleep. If you want to be concentrated the next day, leave the mobile and before sleep, take a good book or put relaxing music.
-Complain constantly: Express negativity not in a timely manner, but all the time, transmit stress and pessimism to others and may even be harmful to your self-esteem, the perception of yourself and your productivity. Try to learn to turn negative thoughts around, learn from failures and gain assertiveness.
-Being disorganized with your time and space: Conditioning your workspace and respecting aspects such as luminosity, order or division between your professional and personal life is key to not stress yourself, to grow at the work level and to fulfill your objectives. If you want to manage your time more adequately, start by marking a schedule, write reminders in the form of post-its and dedicate ten minutes a day to leave everything neat and perfect for the next day.
-Multitasking: The saying goes that who covers a lot, little tightens, and numerous scientific studies claim that it is not effective. Do not try to complete more than two tasks successfully simultaneously. The ideal is to write a list of pending objectives the previous night and complete it successively or in order of importance.
-Do not save a penny: Of course, you must move within your own economic conditions, but squandering or opting for impulse purchases should not have a place in your life. Have a small mattress by hand, use specific mobile savings applications and if you have temptations, opt for cash purchases, in addition to contrasting offers in advance.
-Accumulate debts: Financial problems can cause you all kinds of health risks, from ulcers and digestive problems to headaches, depression, blood pressure or muscle tension. Create a budget and plan a savings margin every month instead of leaning to ask for money right and left and be with the water around your neck.

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The importante of young people
The majority of young people's good health, premature mortality, morbidity and injuries among adolescents remain considerable. The diseases can affect the ability of adolescents to grow and develop fully. The consumption of alcohol or tobacco, lack of physical activity, unprotected sex and / or exposure to violence can endanger not only your current health, but also the suadultez and even the health of your future children.
Promote healthy behaviors during adolescence and measures to better protect young people against health risks and the prevention of health problems in adulthood, as well as the future health of countries and their capacity to develop and prosper .

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Types of muscular injuries
Agujetas
They usually appear a few hours after having done an intense physical exercise. They can also appear the next day or two days. They are micro-tears that arise due to the weakness of muscle fibers or due to overexertion of exercise. To avoid them, it is necessary to adapt the body to the exercise with an intensity of progressive form, not to make exercise of blow.

Cramps
They are involuntary contractions of the muscles. Although they only last minutes, they are usually very painful. It also appears because of overexertion, when the muscle has not warmed up before exercising or when it takes a long time, exercise and muscle is tired.

Contractures
It is involuntary muscle contractions. The pain is local and permanent. It usually originates in the back and in the neck due to bad postures. They alter the normal functioning of the muscle and harden the contracted area, in addition to causing headaches or dizziness.

You can also perform stretches to improve the flexibility of the muscles, avoid inappropriate postures and situations of constant stress. If it occurs when doing physical activity, it is also advisable to go to a physiotherapist expert in sports injuries.

Tears
Muscle tears are very common and can produce partial or total partial fibrillar tears. Likewise, they are classified according to the degree of overstretching of the muscle in grades 1, 2 or 3.

Bruises
It originates when the muscle is hit. They tend to occur in contact sports. It is necessary to stop exercising and completely immobilize the area where the muscle injury has occurred, in addition to using compression bandages.

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Enjoy food in a healthy way. This is the first proposal in the Mediterranean diet, which was awarded the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation. Based on the consumption of olive oil, vegetables and fresh seasonal products, the Mediterranean diet is an example to follow as far as eating is concerned - as well as being recommended by the doctor, it is extremely tasty. Come and discover it in Spain - it is one of its best-known features.

The Mediterranean diet is based on a balanced and complete diet following principles such as simple preparation and the use of fresh, local products, and if possible, seasonal. In Spain you enjoy it in several ways: taste it in restaurants, discover its products in the markets or at a meal with friends, for example. A diet made in Spain The Mediterranean diet is the basis of Spain's food and many of its principles are present in the tastiest Spanish dishes. For example, olive oil is the main complement in the Mediterranean diet. As well as adding a unique flavour and aromas, it is recommended for its health and heart benefits. Do you know that Spain is one of its main producers? The regions of Andalusia and Catalonia are the best known. In order to taste it, we suggest a salad with an olive oil dressing, or recipes such as gazpacho and salmorejo (cold soup made with tomato and bread). The Mediterranean diet is essentially based on fruit, vegetables, pulses and dried fruit and nuts. They are bursting with vitamins and fibre, and Spain also stands out because of its produce. Some of the most outstanding fertile agricultural regions are in Navarre, Andalusia, Murcia, Balearic Islands and Region of Valencia. The latter is well-known for its citrus fruits. Other essential fruit includes bananas from the Canary Islands, strawberries from Huelva and Aranjuez (Madrid), Vinalopó grapes, and peaches from Calanda (Aragon), amongst others.

The Mediterranean diet also recommends consuming products derived from cereals, such as rice, as a good source of energy. In this sense, in Spain there are great rice-based recipes, mainly in the Region of Valencia, where the most popular dish is paella. Other products in the Mediterranean diet are dairy products. The regions in the north of Spain are well known for their milk and dairy products, with traditional desserts, such as cuajada (type of curd cheese) and rice pudding. Cheese also complements dishes very often, and some of them are especially tasty, such as the Manchego (Castile-La Mancha), Burgos (Castile-León), Cabrales (Asturias), Idiazábal (Basque Country), and Majorero (Canary Islands), etc. Amongst the recommendations in the Mediterranean diet we find a moderate consumption of eggs, and blue fish and seafood at least once or twice a week. First, why not try the tasty Spanish omelette? Regarding fish, Spain is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Sea, so you can taste many types. Some of the most typical are anchovies (very common in Cantabria), cod (typical of the Basque Country), and "pescaíto frito" (fried fish) in Andalusia, and especially, seafood from Galicia. Lastly, remember that drinking wine moderately, as part of the Mediterranean diet, is a very healthy habit. In Spain you can practise this with any of its tasty wines. One of the most internationally prestigious ones is Rioja, although there are many more to try. Things to remember: The Mediterranean diet is much more than a healthy gastronomic recommendation. It is a way of life that involves preparing food traditionally and enjoying it with friends and family, in a calm and relaxed environment. This is why it has been awarded the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation. You can discover many other Spanish products in the Mediterranean diet and learn about them in our section on Spain's food. If you would like to taste the most delicious wines and enjoy many activities related to our produce, we recommend visiting our section on the Wine Routes in Spain. In order to learn more about the Mediterranean diet, you can visit the Mediterranean Diet Foundation's website.

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Spain's Mediterranean diet. A healthy diet. | spain.info in english

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Dishes, meals and flavours of the Mediterranean Diet in Spain. Healthy gastronomy that is good for the heart and tasty: olive oil, paella, fruit, vegetables, rice, fish. Health and cuisine in the Mediterranean, and much more, at Spain's official tourism website. | spain.info in english

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Teenagers physical activity
In the teen years, kids who used to be bundles of nonstop energy might lose interest in physical activity. Between school, studying, friends, and even part-time jobs, they're juggling a lot of interests and responsibilities.

But kids who started out enjoying sports and exercise tend to stay active throughout their lives. So they might just need a little encouragement to keep it going during the teen years.

Immediate benefits include maintaining a healthy weight, feeling more energetic, and promoting a better outlook. Participating in team and individual sports can boost self-confidence, provide chances for social interaction, and offer a chance to have fun. And regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and other medical problems later in life.

Fitness in the Teen Years

It's recommended that teens get at least 1 hour of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. Yet physical activity tends to lag during the teen years. Many teens drop out of organized sports, and participation in daily physical education classes is a thing of the past.

But given the opportunity and interest, teens can get health benefits from almost any activity they enjoy — skateboarding, in-line skating, yoga, swimming, dancing, or kicking a footbag in the driveway. Weight training, under supervision of a qualified adult, can improve strength and help prevent sports injuries.

Teens can work physical activity into everyday routines, such as walking to school, doing chores, or finding an active part-time job. They can be camp counselors, babysitters, or assistant coaches for young sports teams, jobs that come with a chance to be active.

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How should you stretch?
Stretching should not include bouncing, it should be gentle, slow, and controlled if you want to receive most of the benefits. This type of stretching is called static stretching. We recommend static stretching for all the major muscle groups.

Always stretch opposing muscle groups such as biceps/triceps, hamstrings/quads, abs/lowerback. Stretching only one of a muscle group creates an imbalance, which can cause a decrease in flexibilty.

Bouncing seems like it would be effective, but it actually causes your muscles to slightly flex as a reflex to the bounce. Also, it's better if you gradually ease into the stretch, so as to not pull or injure any muscle fibers. It's not uncommon to take 30-60 seconds to ease to the point of your stretch. This maximum point is what experts refer to as the "pain edge". Once you find this maximum point, try and hold the stretch a little less than the point of feeling pain. That is your stretch zone and it's where you should strive to hold the stretch (not any further), working up to 2 minutes of holding.

Keep your beathing soft and consistent in a normal rhythm during the hold. Relax and move on to the next movement. Over time, you will gain more flexibility and be able to stretch further with more comfort.

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9 brilliant and easy ways to get a great posture

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9 BRILLIANT AND EASY WAYS TO GET A GREAT POSTURE

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Finger injuries prevention in handball

While writing about the prevention of injuries in handball, it’s very important to mention finger injuries, since they occur relatively frequently.

But, with all the focus on knee, ankle, hip, back and shoulder problems associated with handball, finger injuries often receive little or no attention at all, even though they are relatively common in our sport.
How many times you have had “jammed finger” which has irritated you during the practice for days? And how annoying is it to tape 2 fingers together, as one of the fast fix solutions after injury occurs, just so you could do the training?

Let’s see what is there inside of our hands?
Each hand has 27 bones including the wrist.

There are 14 bones in the fingers: 2 in the thumb and 3 in each of the other four fingers. These bones are called “phalanges”. There are 5 bones in the palm or “metacarpus”. These bones are called “metacarpals”. The hand is attached to the forearm by a joint called the wrist or “carpus”. There are 8 bones in the wrist. These bones are called “carpals”.

And all these bones are connected at their joints by bands of collagenous material called ligaments (sounds familiar, I guess?). Each joint is vulnerable to sprains (partial tearing and disruption of ligaments), strains (over-stretching of the ligaments), dislocations and complete ligament tears during the practice or a match.

“Jammed finger” is a finger which is troubled by a sprain, strain, or dislocation of one of its joints. For handball players the jamming may result from an impact with an opponent or teammate, and then for both handball players and goalkeepers reason of jamming can be sudden contact with a ball, a fall, or any sudden stretching of a finger.

Especially for goalkeepers it can happen while accidentally hitting the goal post. Or even while performing some of the variations of middle save reactions – when the save reaction requires lifting up the leg and covering the same area also with the hand, then sometimes in the speed of movement it can happen that the goalie hits her/his own finger. (Yes, yes, we goalies are truly talented! It took us years and years of hard exercising to  bring this self-injury movement to perfection!)

What can be done for finger injuries prevention?

Handball goalkeepers and players need to know that there are few things which they can make in their everyday training routine to reduce risk of finger injuries. It is obvious that increased strength of the fingers, hands, wrists, and forearms should be helpful in avoidance of an injury. Within limits, improved flexibility of the fingers, hands, and wrists should also be injury-preventing.

Fingertip push-ups are one of these preventive exercises.
The fingertip push-up is a classic exercise that can take your hand strength to new heights. If you don’t have the ability to do fingertip push-ups yet, you can practice the isometric plank position  on your fingertips.

Isometric plank position  on fingertips

And if you are not yet able to perform this plank position, you can try with modified plank on your knees.

Start with a few seconds at a time – eventually you should be able to build to a ten-second fingertip plank. Once you’ve achieved that, you’ll be ready to start practicing fingertip push-ups:

Begin with just a few reps and slowly add more over time.

So every time while you are performing normal push-ups, you can always dedicate at least one rep to make finger push-up.

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Long term effects of marijuana

#1: Changes in Brain Function

It’s quite possible that smoking marijuana could cause long-term changes in your brain.

The strongest chemical in marijuana, which comes from the cannabis plant, is delta-9-tetrahdrocannabinol (THC). When you smoke marijuana, THC binds to cannabinoid receptors in your brain.

In animal studies, when young rats were exposed to THC they had problems with memory and learning later in their life (NIDA, 2016).

Another study found that when young rats were repeatedly exposed to marijuana they had trouble forming new memories as they transitioned into adulthood. The rats in this study also had more anxiety and less desire to interact socially (O’Shea, Singh, McGregor, & Mallet, 2004).

What can we gather from studies like these? When your developing brain is exposed to marijuana it could possibly cause long-term and permanent changes to your cognitive functioning and behavior.

#2: Lung Damage

As you may have guessed, smoking marijuana can damage the lungs. Although some studies suggest that long-term marijuana use can have similar effects on the lungs as cigarette smoking, we cannot make conclusions based on current research.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that marijuana is not as damaging to the lungs as tobacco. In their study, occasional marijuana use was not linked with damage to the lungs. However, their study did suggest that heavier marijuana use may increase the risk for lung damage, but they did not have enough heavy marijuana smokers in their study to make that conclusion (Pletcher et al. 2012). Limitations in studies such as this are pretty common in the marijuana research community.

While their research doesn’t prove that smoking marijuana can lead to lung cancer or serious lung damage, you’re still exposing your lungs to smoke, which can lead to lung problems, such as chronic bronchitis.

#3: Damage to the Reproductive System

Marijuana may also affect your reproductive system, regardless of whether you’re a male or female.

With male infertility on the rise and 15% of couples unable to get pregnant (Eisenberg, 2015), researchers are beginning to ask whether marijuana use could be contributing factor (du Plessis et al., 2015). However due to a lack of research into the topic, this remains unclear. (Noticing a trend yet?)

In animal studies, males exposed to marijuana produce less testosterone. And in human studies, researchers have also found that THC negatively affects the production of testosterone. THC has been found to reduce sperm motility, or a sperm’s ability to swim properly, which also contributes to male infertility (Fronczak, Kim, & Barqawi, 2012).

Researchers have found that marijuana has affects on female rats too. When they were exposed to marijuana, the rats produced less female sex hormones, like progesterone and estrogen. If you’re a woman, producing less sex hormones may lead to sexual dysfunction and your ovulation cycle may also be affected.

These studies of the effects of marijuana on female fertility have also been inconclusive, and the research community does not known how much disruption of the reproductive hormones is needed to result in changes in fertility and sexual function.

Here’s another thing to remember if you’re female—if you’re pregnant, heavy marijuana use can be risky as THC can negatively affect fetal growth and development (Smith & Asch, 1984).

#4: Anxiety and Depression

If you’re an adolescent, you should be extra careful when smoking marijuana, as you may be prone to developing anxiety and depression.

Human studies have found, to varying degrees, that early marijuana use is associated with risk for anxiety and depression. However, the relationship is complex and poorly understood.

Some studies suggest that if you carry certain genes you may be at increased risk for developing a psychiatric disorder, like schizophrenia if you use marijuana. Some studies also found that there are certain genes that make you more prone to developing psychosis if you smoke marijuana. Not surprisingly, the amount you smoke will increase your risk of psychosis. In fact, the risk for psychosis was 7 times higher for daily marijuana users than less frequent or non-users among these specific gene carriers (NIDA, 2016; Caspi et al. 2005).

Conclusion

More and more people, especially teens, are using marijuana. With an estimated 22.2 million current marijuana users aged 12 or older in the United States, it is a concern that we have relatively limited information about how marijuana affects the brain and a person’s susceptibility to psychiatric disorders.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a major longitudinal study that will track a large cohort of young people and their marijuana use through adulthood (NIDA, 2016). Not only will this study examine the long-term effects of marijuana and THC, but it will provide insight on how the drug affects an adolescent’s brain development.

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Physical activity
The benefit of the exercise is that today there are endless possibilities through which a person can perform physical activity, either in individual or group activities, routine or recreational, concentration or relaxation, for different ages and for different abilities or needs.

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Long term effects of marijuana
#1: Changes in Brain Function

It’s quite possible that smoking marijuana could cause long-term changes in your brain.

The strongest chemical in marijuana, which comes from the cannabis plant, is delta-9-tetrahdrocannabinol (THC). When you smoke marijuana, THC binds to cannabinoid receptors in your brain.

In animal studies, when young rats were exposed to THC they had problems with memory and learning later in their life (NIDA, 2016).

Another study found that when young rats were repeatedly exposed to marijuana they had trouble forming new memories as they transitioned into adulthood. The rats in this study also had more anxiety and less desire to interact socially (O’Shea, Singh, McGregor, & Mallet, 2004).

What can we gather from studies like these? When your developing brain is exposed to marijuana it could possibly cause long-term and permanent changes to your cognitive functioning and behavior.

#2: Lung Damage

As you may have guessed, smoking marijuana can damage the lungs. Although some studies suggest that long-term marijuana use can have similar effects on the lungs as cigarette smoking, we cannot make conclusions based on current research.

A study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that marijuana is not as damaging to the lungs as tobacco. In their study, occasional marijuana use was not linked with damage to the lungs. However, their study did suggest that heavier marijuana use may increase the risk for lung damage, but they did not have enough heavy marijuana smokers in their study to make that conclusion (Pletcher et al. 2012). Limitations in studies such as this are pretty common in the marijuana research community.

While their research doesn’t prove that smoking marijuana can lead to lung cancer or serious lung damage, you’re still exposing your lungs to smoke, which can lead to lung problems, such as chronic bronchitis.

#3: Damage to the Reproductive System

Marijuana may also affect your reproductive system, regardless of whether you’re a male or female.

With male infertility on the rise and 15% of couples unable to get pregnant (Eisenberg, 2015), researchers are beginning to ask whether marijuana use could be contributing factor (du Plessis et al., 2015). However due to a lack of research into the topic, this remains unclear. (Noticing a trend yet?)

In animal studies, males exposed to marijuana produce less testosterone. And in human studies, researchers have also found that THC negatively affects the production of testosterone. THC has been found to reduce sperm motility, or a sperm’s ability to swim properly, which also contributes to male infertility (Fronczak, Kim, & Barqawi, 2012).

Researchers have found that marijuana has affects on female rats too. When they were exposed to marijuana, the rats produced less female sex hormones, like progesterone and estrogen. If you’re a woman, producing less sex hormones may lead to sexual dysfunction and your ovulation cycle may also be affected.

These studies of the effects of marijuana on female fertility have also been inconclusive, and the research community does not known how much disruption of the reproductive hormones is needed to result in changes in fertility and sexual function.

Here’s another thing to remember if you’re female—if you’re pregnant, heavy marijuana use can be risky as THC can negatively affect fetal growth and development (Smith & Asch, 1984).

#4: Anxiety and Depression

If you’re an adolescent, you should be extra careful when smoking marijuana, as you may be prone to developing anxiety and depression.

Human studies have found, to varying degrees, that early marijuana use is associated with risk for anxiety and depression. However, the relationship is complex and poorly understood.

Some studies suggest that if you carry certain genes you may be at increased risk for developing a psychiatric disorder, like schizophrenia if you use marijuana. Some studies also found that there are certain genes that make you more prone to developing psychosis if you smoke marijuana. Not surprisingly, the amount you smoke will increase your risk of psychosis. In fact, the risk for psychosis was 7 times higher for daily marijuana users than less frequent or non-users among these specific gene carriers (NIDA, 2016; Caspi et al. 2005).

Conclusion

More and more people, especially teens, are using marijuana. With an estimated 22.2 million current marijuana users aged 12 or older in the United States, it is a concern that we have relatively limited information about how marijuana affects the brain and a person’s susceptibility to psychiatric disorders.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a major longitudinal study that will track a large cohort of young people and their marijuana use through adulthood (NIDA, 2016). Not only will this study examine the long-term effects of marijuana and THC, but it will provide insight on how the drug affects an adolescent’s brain development.

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While it is true that alcohol can initially perk people up and even help them to socialize at a party, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. The depressant effects of alcohol are witnessed when people who have been drinking have slurred speech and poor limb coordination that prevents them from being able to walk properly. Although these outward signs of intoxication can be easily observed, it isn’t as clear how alcohol acts on a deeper level inside the body. So, how does alcohol act at the neurological level? Alcohol acts on the receptor sites for the neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) known as GABA, glutamate, and dopamine. Alcohol’s activity on the GABA and glutamate sites results in the physiological effects associated with drinking, such as a slowing down of movement and speech. Alcohol’s activity on the dopamine site in the brain’s reward center produces the pleasurable feelings that motivate many people to drink in the first place.

As a Psychology Today article on this topic discusses, the degree to which alcohol impacts a person’s mood, behavior, and neurological functioning depends in part on whether the blood alcohol content (BAC) is elevating or decreasing. With 1-2 drinks, the person may feel excited or more talkative, but with more and more alcohol in their system, they become more sedated and being to lose control of their movement and may experience impaired thinking and memory. The fluctuation in BAC helps to account for why the same person can go from being the life of the party to needing help with basics, like walking. In addition, the following factors have been shown to influence how alcohol impacts a person’s brain functioning over time:

The volume a person drinks

How often a person drinks

The age at which drinking began

The number of years a person has been drinking

The person’s sex, age, and genetic factors

Whether the person’s family has a history of alcoholism

Whether the person was exposed to alcohol as a fetus

The person’s general health condition

When considering the negative consequences of alcohol, people often think of what can happen in public, such as getting into a car accident or an alcohol-induced altercation. However, people play a game of roulette with themselves when they drink, especially when they drink heavily, because the effects of alcohol on the brain are uncertain both in the short-term and long-term. If other drugs are added to the alcohol consumption, the risks become more serious.

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Basic First Aid for Cardiac Arrest:

Command someone to call 911 or the medical alert system for the locale.

Immediately start chest compressions regardless of your training. Compress hard and fast in the center of the chest, allowing recoil between compressions. Hand this task over to those who are trained if and when they arrive.

If you are trained, use chest compressions and rescue breathing.

An AED should be applied and used. But it is essential not to delay chest compressions, so finding one should be commanded to someone else while you are doing chest compressions.

Basic First Aid for Bleeding:

Cover the wound with a gauze or a cloth and apply direct pressure to stop the blood flow. Don't remove the cloth. Add more layers if needed. The cloth will help clots form to stop the flow.

In most cases, applying a tourniquet may do more damage to the limb than good. The 2010 American Heart Association guidelines also discount the value of elevation and using pressure points.

Basic First Aid for Burns:

Flush the burned area with cool running water for several minutes. Do not use ice.

Apply a light gauze bandage.

Do not apply ointments, butter, or oily remedies to the burn.

Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief if necessary.

Do not break any blisters that may have formed.

Basic First Aid for Fractures:

Don't try to straighten it.

Stabilize the limb using a splint and padding to keep it immobile.

Put a cold pack on the injury, avoiding placing ice directly on the skin.

Elevate the extremity.

Give anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen.

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It's important to have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home so you can deal with minor accidents and injuries.

Your first aid kit should be locked and kept in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children.

Many people also keep a small first aid kit in their car for emergencies.

Your basic first aid kit

A basic first aid kit may contain:

plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes

small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings

at least 2 sterile eye dressings

triangular bandages

crêpe rolled bandages

safety pins

disposable sterile gloves

tweezers

scissors

alcohol-free cleansing wipes

sticky tape

thermometer (preferably digital)

skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula

cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings

antiseptic cream

painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen

cough medicine

antihistamine cream or tablets

distilled water for cleaning wounds

eye wash and eye bath

It may also be useful to keep a basic first aid manual or instruction booklet with your first aid kit.

Medicines should be checked regularly to make sure they're within their use-by dates.

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Balanced diet
A balanced diet should include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean meats. In addition to eating well, you must reduce the consumption of cholesterol, sodium, sugar and saturated fats. Along with regular exercise, a balanced diet can reduce the risk of suffering from heart disease, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some types of cancer.

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Why You Should Stop: With determination, anyone can fix bad eating habits, and get to a healthier, more natural weight. By paying attention to your hunger signals and switching to healthy snacks, you can boost nutrition, control cravings, lose weight, and avoid energy slumps. Your weight will fall to a healthier level, and you’ll replace unhealthy trans and saturated fat, sugar, refined carbohydrates, and extra sodium with more nutritious fare.

Reverse the Habit:
– Reacquaint yourself with hunger: Wait to eat until your body is physically craving food.
– Stop eating before you’re stuffed: Finish when you feel just a little bit full, you’ll eat less this way.
– Eat for the right reason: Because you’re hungry—not because you’re stressed, bored, angry, or sad.
– Stop mindless eating: If snacking is an old, bad habit, ban unhealthy food from your home.
– Replace junk food with real food: Once you’ve cleared your pantry, stock your kitchen with fruits, veggies, nuts, and low-fat, whole-grain products.
– Plan snacks like you do meals: Eat your healthy snack on a plate, with a glass of water, and sit down at the table to enjoy it.

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Pain, no; resistance, yes

The first rule, and possibly the most important, is that during our stretches we should not feel pain: we should only notice resistance.
We must feel a moderate tension in the muscle that we are stretching so that the stretches are effective.

Controlled and maintained movements

The second rule of stretching is that stretches should be maintained in time for approximately 20 or 30 seconds.It is important that we do not perform ballistic movements (quick pulls to reach the maximum elongation of the muscle), as they can cause pain or injuries in the muscle.

Watch your posture

We can not forget the correct body alignment and postural correction during stretching.The patterns are usually similar in all the exercises: shoulders back and down, aligned scapular waist, front look, chest up, neutral pelvis ...

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The video teaches you the basics, with resources which must be in many places, to save people with cardiac arrest, respiratory problems, etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuUXdQI5LLs

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- Spending too much time on the couch watching TV

Why It’s Dangerous: The more TV you watch, the less physical activity you’re getting, increasing your odds of being overweight and developing type 2 diabetes. A large-scale study of over 9000 people found that those who watched more than two hours of TV a day ate more, while downing more sugary soft drinks and high-fat, high-calorie, processed snack foods than those who watched less. If television is replacing the time you’d spend on an old hobby, visiting friends, or exercising your mind, it can also speed up memory loss.

Why You Should Stop: By turning TV time into active time and committing to a healthy TV/activity balance, you can burn more calories, become more fit, and reduce your odds for related health problems quickly. You’ll have a fitter body and more time for sleep, plus more energy, a better mood, sharper mind, and more social connections, which can even help you increase your self-confidence. These are some more reasons why binge-watching TV is unhealthy for you.
Reverse the Habit:
– Follow the 2/30 rule: That means no more than two hours of TV a day—and at least 30 minutes of exercise.
– Don’t channel surf: Only turn the TV on when you have something specific to watch. Get out instead of searching mindlessly.
– Don’t snack in front of the TV: It’s far too easy to eat hundreds of calories’ worth of chips and barely realize it.
– Exercise while you watch: Walk in place, do sit-ups, pushups, or drag your treadmill into the TV room.
– Clean during commercials: Avoid food commercials by emptying wastebaskets, vacuuming a room, or doing a load of laundry. It can add up to 20 minutes’ worth of calorie-burning chore time every day.
– Resolve to leave home more often: See more friends, do more interesting things, and stimulate your mind every day.

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- Common Sports Injuries: Prevention and Treatment

Summer is around the corner, which also means it’s the season to enjoy outdoor sports. Read this to avoid common sports injuries and learn how to treat them so you can enjoy the summer pain free.

1. Runner’s Knee

Knee injuries are one of the most common sporting injuries treated by orthopedic surgeons. Replacing your runnings shoes and insoles on a regular basis is one of the best forms of prevention. Following an injury, take a break from exercise for a few days and and take some anti-inflammatory medicine.

2. Ankle Sprain

Ankles sprains are common in sports that require lots of running and turning quickly. Prevention requires strengthening your ankles as much as possible. Treat with RICE, anti-inflammatories, and try to move the ankle to help with blood circulation.

3. Pulled Muscle

The most commonly pulled muscles include calves and hamstrings. Prevention is as simple as stretching properly. Treat with RICE and gentle stretching.
etc.

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Postural Hygiene Starts While Standing Still

Standing still has specific cues that you should be aware of to attain proper posture!

1) Stand straight with your shoulders back and down.

2) Keep your head level; chin should be parallel to the floor, and your ears should be in line with your shoulders.

3) Pull in your abdomen, ensure your lumbar spine is neutral and your hips are level.

4) Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, don’t lock your knees.

5) Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout your feet.

6) Let your hands hang naturally at your sides with the palms facing in.
Is very important

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Eating a balanced diet

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best.

This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Food groups in our diet

The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy, balanced diet, people should try to:

eat 5 A Day

base meals on starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta

have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)

eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein

choose unsaturated oils and spreads, eaten in small amounts

drink plenty of fluids

If you're having foods and drinks that are high in fat, salt and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts.

Try to choose a variety of different foods from the 5 main food groups.

Most people in the UK eat and drink too many calories, too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit, vegetables, oily fish or fibre.
- Physical Activity
Example of physical exercises to avoid weight gain, one of the things that everyone should do and not gain more weight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBMd30PX2ac

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Drawbacks of Stretching
Despite all of its touted benefits however and statistics such as ‘50% of sports injuries could have been prevented with stretching’ – stretching does have its limits. For instance it is widely believed that stretching can help to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (the ‘burn’ you get the next day after working out or strenuous muscle activity). Thus many athletes and bodybuilders will stretch following a gym session under the belief that it will prevent them from developing pain – however this is in fact incorrect and it will have no positive (or negative) impact on this pain.

Likewise it is important to recognize that everything needs to be moderated – and too much stretching can be a bad thing. Some sports for instance such as sprinting may actually benefit from the increased elasticity that comes from not stretching too much. Further over-stretching to the point where it causes pain can actually damage joints and muscle thereby hampering performance both in the long term and the short term.

At the same time further studies have shed doubt on whether or not stretching can prevent injury for runners at all – and in one recent survey of 2,729 runners there was found to be no significant benefit of stretching before running. Further – it has been suggested that during the process of stretching the athlete only learns to ignore and overcome the pain associated with stretching rather – which could in fact lead to injury. It was noted however that those who already do stretch should not stop stretching or they might then cause injury.

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Why Stretching Is Important

It Improves Muscle Development

If you’re doing a workout with the hope of building muscle then stretching is very important as it enables you to move through the full range of movement. This then results in your building full and long muscles instead of them becoming stunted and short.

It Increases Range of Motion

Not only does stretching increase the range of motion for someone lifting weights while they’re doing it, it also helps to increase range of motion and flexibility in general. This then means that you will be more likely to perform things such as the splits or high kicks. It’s highly useful in a range of different athletic and sporting events and many athletes practice stretching for this reason.

It Reduces Injury

Stretching reduces the chance of injury by gradually elongating the muscle. If you’re more flexible then that will mean that you don’t pull or tear a muscle if you are to slip or trip as your body is capable of reaching that position. In the short term it also helps to limber up the muscle and tendon and thereby prevent a pulled muscle or tendon.

It Warms You Up

Stretching can be used as a way to warm up the muscles and it will encourage the flow of blood. This then provides the muscles with an oxygen supply as well as nutrients in order to help them to keep going.

It Improve Posture

Stretching can also help you to improve your posture and particularly stretching the back. It may also be useful for alleviating pain and this is why it is commonly used as a part of yoga and Pilates.

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First Aid Kit

Preparedness is a key element of first aid. While every home, auto, and boat should be equipped with a basic emergency kit that includes first aid supplies and a first aid manual, special circumstances may necessitate more advanced or specific degrees of preparation for an emergency. For example, residents of certain geographic areas where natural disasters (such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, floods, landslides, or tsunamis) may occur should prepare for emergencies by assembling disaster preparedness kits such as earthquake kits, flood kits, andevacuation kits.

Travelers should also prepare to administer first aid in the region they plan to visit. In many developed countries, this may amount to packing a standard first aid kit and manual with your belongings. Medicines to prevent motion sickness and advanced awareness about the management of traveler's diarrhea are also helpful to travelers. In the developing world or in remote regions, a travel medicine kit should include medicines and supplies that may not be available for purchase as well as any specific products (such as insect repellant to prevent mosquito and tick bites) needed for your destination. It's also important for travelers in foreign countries to learn how to access emergency services by telephone.

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Injury Risks

All sports have a risk of injury. Fortunately, for the vast majority of youth, the benefits of sports participation outweigh the risks. In general, the more contact in a sport, the greater the risk of a traumatic injury. However, most injuries in young athletes are due to overuse.

The most frequent types of sports injuries are sprains (injuries to ligaments) strains (injuries to muscles), and stress fractures (injuries to bones). Injury occurs when excessive stress is placed on tendons, joints, bones and muscle. In a growing child, point tenderness over a bone should be evaluated further by a medical provider even if there is minimal swelling or limitation in motion.  Contact your pediatrician if you have additional questions or concerns.

To reduce the risk of injury:

Take time off. Plan to have at least 1 day off per week and at least one month off per year from training for a particular sport to allow the body to recover.

Wear the right gear.  Players should wear appropriate and properly fit protective equipment such as pads (neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and eyewear. Young athletes should not assume that protective gear will prevent all injuries while performing more dangerous or risky activities.

Strengthen muscles. Conditioning exercises during practice strengthens muscles used in play.

Increase flexibility. Stretching exercises after games or practice can increase flexibility. Stretching should also be incorporated into a daily fitness plan.

Use the proper technique. This should be reinforced during the playing season.

Take breaks. Rest periods during practice and games can reduce injuries and prevent heat illness.

Play safe. Strict rules against headfirst sliding (baseball and softball), spearing (football), and checking (in hockey) should be enforced.

Do not play through pain.

Avoid heat illness by drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise or play; decrease or stop practices or competitions during high heat/humidity periods; wear light clothing.

If children are jumping on a trampoline, they should be supervised by a responsible adult, and only one child should be on the trampoline at a time; 75% of trampoline injuries occur when more than one person is jumping at a time.

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To prevent back pain, you should start by avoiding positions in which the spine is subjected to tension, while you are asleep, at work, with the kids, doing some kind of sport and so on. By learning good posture you will be developing stronger muscles, greater stability and, in the long term, your body will learn to automatically adopt a correct position without you having to think too much about it.

Let’s look at 2 important activities in everyday life:

- Lying in bed and getting up.

- Driving and getting in and out of the car.

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Exercise: In general, you should be aiming for at least two-and-a-half hours of medium-intensity exercise per week, or a slightly lower amount of high-intensity exercise. Mixing aerobics in with things like weight training or sports is a great way to vary your workouts. Make sure to stretch before and after exercising, and take appropriate safety precautions.

Diet: Dietary needs differ for every person, but in general, some of the best foods you should regularly eat include:

Fruits and vegetables

Protein

Whole grains

Nuts and legumes

Try to balance items like dairy and oils, along with meats and poultry. Try to avoid sweets, overly salty foods, trans fat-heavy foods and overuse of alcohol. Pay attention to calorie count—your needed amount will vary based on your size, age and gender.

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Bad eating habits

Mindless Eating

Cornell University food psychologist Brian Wansink, PhD, discovered that the larger the plate or bowl you eat from, the more you unknowingly consume. In one recent study, Wansink found that moviegoers given extra-large containers of stale popcorn still ate 45 percent more than those snacking on fresh popcorn out of smaller containers holding the same amount.

The Fix: Eat from smaller dishes. Try swapping out your large dinner plate for a salad plate, and never eat straight from a container or package.

Nighttime Noshing

Diet folklore suggests that eating at night is almost never a good idea if you want to lose weight. Although many experts say this old adage is pure myth, a new animal study backs up the idea that it’s not only what you eat but also when you eat that counts. Researchers at Northwestern University found that mice given high-fat foods during the day (when these nocturnal animals should have been sleeping) gained significantly more weight than mice given the same diet at night.

The Fix: The diet take-away here? After dinner, teach yourself to think of the kitchen as being closed for the night, and brush your teeth — you’ll want to eat less with a newly cleaned mouth. If a craving hits, wait 10 minutes. If you’re still truly hungry, reach for something small like string cheese or a piece of fruit.

Endless Snacking

Here’s a bad habit many are guilty of: snacking round-the-clock, often on high-calorie foods that are full of empty carbs. A recent study at the University of North Carolina found that it isn’t just a problem for adults: kids are snacking more and more often on unhealthy junk food including salty chips, soda, and candy.

The Fix: Keep only healthy snacks within reach, such as hummus, carrots and cucumber slices, air-popped popcorn, yogurt, and almonds, says Jessica Crandall, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Don’t stock your desk or pantry with potato chips or cookies you know you can’t resist.

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5 Everyday Harmful Habits That Are Damaging Your Health

Missing Breakfast

If you start your day without eating breakfast, you are unintentionally putting your body into starvation mode. In starvation mode, when you do finally eat, your calories will be turned into fat rather than burned. Missing breakfast can also cause you to eat more later, in turn causing weight gain.

Dressing In Tight Jeans

Wearing tight jeans can lead to problems with your nervous system, as tight jeans cause constant pressure on your nerve endings. Wearing tight jeans also restricts the bounce in your step, your body’s natural way to absorb shock when you walk. This will cause additional pressure on your joints.

Keeping Your Food In Plastic Containers

Plastic containers contain BPA, a chemical that interferes with your ability to feel full. As a result, people using plastic containers may eat more, leading to weight gain. While pre-planning and packaging meals ahead of time seems like a good decision, make sure your containers don’t have BPA.

Checking Your Phone Too Often

Checking your phone all the time is not as harmless as it may seem. Spending too much time on your phone can cause increased stress, not to mention problems sleeping, poor attention span, and bad posture. Studies have even linked excessive time scrolling through social media to symptoms of depression.

Using Too Much Antibacterial Soap

Some bacteria that live on the skin’s surface are essential in protecting the body. Washing your hands too often with antibacterial soap will kill the good baceria, allowing the bad stuff to enter and make you sick. Using antibacterial soap twice a week for normal hand-washing is plenty.

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Injury rates:

More than 3.5 million children ages 14 and younger get hurt annually playing sports or participating in recreational activities.

Although death from a sports injury is rare, the leading cause of death from a sports-related injury is a brain injury.

Sports and recreational activities contribute to approximately 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children.

Almost 50 percent of head injuries sustained in sports or recreational activities occur during bicycling, skateboarding, or skating incidents.

More than 775,000 children, ages 14 and younger, are treated in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries each year. Most of the injuries occurred as a result of falls, being struck by an object, collisions, and overexertion during unorganized or informal sports activities.

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How to avoid injures
Hydration
Stay well hydrated to avoid heat injury.
Use Fresh Shoes
Purchase a new pair of shoes when the mileage totals from your old shoes reach a maximum of 400 miles.
Stretch Regularly
Include Weight Training
Add Some Cross-Training Activities
Be sure that these activities supplement your running rather than increase your level of fatigue that reaches the point of interfering with your running program.
Utilize Recovery Techniques
There are several therapeutic measures you can take to recover from stressful runs or from the cumulative effects of hard training over a long period of time. Massage therapy is great after a long run, hard race, and/or weeks of heavy training. Pouring cold water on fatigued legs after a race or long run is another therapeutic technique.

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Having proper posture is very important for many reasons. Beyond the cosmetic benefits of proper posture such as looking thinner and more confident in your appearance, your posture also affects how you look and feel on a daily basis. Posture influences every physiologic function of your body, it can have a positive or negative influence on your strength, function, performance and overall energy levels.

When prompted, almost anyone can “sit up straight” or “have good posture.” It is maintaining good posture throughout the day that is difficult for the far majority of the population. Maintaining resilient posture for a long period of time is called Postural Fitness. Just as you have to consistently workout to increase your level of physical fitness, it takes commitment and persistence to build your Postural Fitness.

Bad posture is a modern day health epidemic that is much worse than most people naturally assume. When you lack the ability to maintain good posture in your daily routine, then your spine is out of balance, putting unhealthy pressure upon all other structures of the body including the nervous system and breathing patterns. The spine has a powerful relationship with the brain, spinal cord, and overall organ function. This intimate connection means that poor posture and spinal health has a far more reaching affect throughout the entire body.

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Maintain the “S-curve” of the Spine
Your spinal column is shaped more or less like an “S.” It is important to maintain the natural S-curve of the back, whether sitting or standing. When standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, people with low Postural Fitness tend to have a “C” curve of their spine, meaning they round their shoulders forward and lose contraction of their core musculature. To maintain an “S” curve you must be mindful of your posture and avoid postural collapse into the “C” curve.

2) Work at the Proper Height
Working at the right height is also a way to increase Postural Fitness. Do most work at elbow height, especially repetitive activities. Also, while at work make sure that the most commonly used objects are within an arm’s reach away to avoid twisting and straining the spine and upper extremity when grabbing for your work tools.

3) Utilize Proper Lifting Techniques
Poor technique can cause both acute injury, and serious chronic effects. Implement these 7 steps to avoid over exertion and maintain good posture while lifting:

1. Lift close to your body

2. Feet shoulder width apart

3. Bend your knees and keep your back straight

4. Tighten your core musculature

5. Lift with your legs

6. Avoid twisting

7. If you’re straining, get help

4) Maintain Proper Posture While Sleeping
It is optimal to sleep with your back in a neutral position- not arched a lot, but not flat either. It is recommended to sleep on your side or on your back; these positions take pressure off your spine. Also, avoid bending and twisting your cervical spine during the night. Select a pillow that is not too thick to allow your cervical spine to be in a relaxed position without contracting the musculature or bending the spine.

5) Proper Technology Usage
The average human head weighs 10 pounds in a neutral position, when your ears are over your shoulders. For every inch you tilt your head forward, the pressure on your spine doubles. So if you’re looking down at a smartphone in your lap, your neck is holding up what feels like 20 or 30 pounds. All that extra pressure puts a strain on your spine and can pull it out of alignment. While checking your phone or Ipad, hold the device at eye-level to reduce compression of the cervical spine.

6) Put Your Wallet in Your Front Pocket
Make sure when you are seated your wallet is not in your back pocket. Your wallet can be real pain for your back and the hips, and it can even lead to shooting pains down the legs. Sitting on a wallet for prolonged hours every day can compress the sciatic nerve. The wallet acts as a wedge that forces the pelvis, spine and body out of alignment. The healthiest option to build your Postural Fitness is to move the wallet to your front pocket.

7) Move, Exercise, Stretch
To be healthy the human body needs to be exercised and stretched. General exercise recommendations are to do at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a minimum of 3-4 times per week. Exercising helps your posture by moving the articulations of the body and strengthening the postural muscles that support your spine. It is also important to stretch the muscles. Postural stretches should be done daily to increase flexibility of the spine and the limbs and to prevent injury.

8) Take Posture Breaks at Work
Rest periods give the body time to recover from work; break time exercises and stretches strengthen the body.  Workers should think of themselves as Occupational Athletes; athletes wouldn’t participate in a sport without proper rest and warm-up, so use the same preparation on the job. As muscles tire during a work task, slouching can lead to poor posture, sloppy, uncontrolled movements, and injuries. Rest breaks mean recovery for the body.  During a job task, take micro-breaks lasting 20 seconds every 30 minutes.

9) Carry Your Purse Properly
You should not carry more than 10 percent of your body weight! If your load is excessive, your head and neck jut forward rather than staying over your shoulders, which can lead to headaches, neck tension, and back pain. Long-strapped shoulder bags are not ideal because they tug you to one side in a “C” shape, with the purse bumping at your hip and the strap slipping (so you hunch up your shoulder to keep it in place). Look for purses with short handles, and reduce the amount of load in your purse to save your spine and increase your Postural Fitness.

10) Yearly Posture Exam
Good postural hygiene requires maintenance evaluations. Just as you get your teeth checked to prevent tooth decay, you should have your posture evaluated annually to prevent spinal degeneration. Yearly posture photos are a visual timeline of your posture and demonstrate your level of Postural Fitness each year. If you see your posture beginning to weaken, you should take action immediately to correct your posture. Avoiding the problem will lead to health consequences that are harder to correct later in life.

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Physical Activity

Physical activity is key to improving the health of the Nation. Based on the latest science, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans is an essential resource for health professionals and policy makers that provides recommendations on how everyone can improve their health through regular physical activity. Learn ways to help people understand the benefits of physical activity and how to make it a part of their regular routine.

What Can Physical Activity Do for Me?

Physical activity…

Helps lower your blood glucose, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides

Lowers your risk for prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke

Relieves stress

Strengthens your heart, muscles and bones

Improves your blood circulation and tones your muscles

Keeps your body and your joints flexible

Even if you've never exercised before, you can find ways to add physical activity to your day. Even if your activities aren't strenuous, you'll still get health benefits. Once physical activity is a part of your routine, you'll wonder how you managed without it.

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The 5 food groups
Vegetables and legumes (beans and peas)
Vegetables and legumes have hundreds of natural nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre. Eating your vegetables raw is indeed sometimes the healthier option. However; there are also some vegetables which offer useful health benefits when they're cooked.
Fruit
Fresh fruit is a good source of vitamins and dietary fibre. It’s best to eat fresh fruit.

Grains and cereal foods

Grain foods include rolled oats, brown rice, wholemeal and wholegrain breads, cracked wheat, barley, buckwheat and breakfast cereals like muesli.

Wholegrains have protein, dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins. In processed grains, some of these nutrients are lost.
Lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes (beans) tofu, nuts and seeds

These foods provide protein, minerals and vitamins. Legumes, nuts and seeds also have dietary fibre. It’s good to choose a variety of foods from this group.

Milk, cheeses, yoghurts

Milk gives you protein, vitamins and calcium. Soy drinks with added calcium can be used as a milk substitute for children over 1.

Some nut or oat milks have added calcium but they lack vitamin B12 and enough protein. Check your child’s total diet with a doctor or qualified dietician before using them.

Drinks

Apart from milk, the ideal drink for children is tap water.

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If you’ve ever participated in a sport, your coach probably taught you a simple fundamental: make sure you stretch to warm up those tight muscles and prevent injuries. Sounds like reasonable advice, right?

Turns out coach may not have been completely right. While certain types of stretching can be useful before and after workouts, you can actually inhibit your performance or, worse, hurt yourself by doing the wrong types of stretches at the wrong times.

In this article, you’ll learn 10 science-proven facts about stretching, so you can experience the benefits of stretching while avoiding injuries.

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Here's a list of the items recommended for each Sports First Aid Kit.

First Aid Kit Bag.

3 Pairs Disposable Gloves.

10 x Gauze Swabs.

6 x Sterile Dressings.

2 x Cohesive Bandage.

6 x Nasal Sponge Plugs.

5 x Skin Sutures.

2 x Instant Ice Packs.

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1. Smoking: Taking care of the body should be of utmost importance to anyone who wants to play sports seriously. Smoking and drinking are bad habits that do not mix well with sports. Smoking cuts a person’s breathing capabilities. It makes the person gasp for air after a short practice run.

2. Drinking: Drinking alcohol is another bad habit for athletes. It dehydrates the body and slows coordination. However, drinking other fluids is necessary. Some sports players have the bad habits of not keeping themselves hydrated. This should not happen, since there are usually plenty of water and electrolyte-rich drinks available at the event.

3.  Sleep Deprivation: Sports players are often entrenched in their bad habits of not getting enough sleep. They are wound up after practices or games and do not feel like going to bed early. They get up to start their training on an early schedule. If they push themselves too hard, they will find that these bad habits will end up taking them out of the game.

4. Lack of Stretching: An athlete should never start to play without some sort of stretching or warm-up exercises. Yet, bad habits often prevail. People begin doing their sport without the slightest thought to getting ready. This is important even for a professional athlete. It often happens, though, that an amateur athlete will be more careless about. They do not make it their business to do everything right.

5. Jumping in without Practice:Sometimes people who play sports occasionally think they can be athletes without much practice. They have the bad habit of doing nothing for weeks or months on end. Then, they jump in and do strenuous sports activities. They believe that they do not need to keep practiced and in shape. This can result in injury and exhaustion.

6. Not Using Proper Equipment: Not using proper safety equipment is a bad habit in sports. In professional sports, this equipment is required. If an NFL football player were to make it onto the field without his protective gear, he would be fined heavily.

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Causes of sport injuries may include:

improper or poor training practices

wearing improper sporting gear

being in poor health condition

improper warm-up or stretching practices before a sporting event or exercise

Common sports injuries include:

Sprains and strains

Joint injuries (knee, shoulder, ankle)

Muscle injuries

Dislocations

Fractures

Achilles tendon injuries

Pain along the shin bone

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Making sure your chair is set up correctly involves:

1: Making sure the seat is adjusted so that your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are kept at a 90-degree angle. You should avoid crossing your legs of you can.

2: Ensuring there is a small gap between the back of your knees and your seat.

3:  Being sure that your chair fully supports your natural spinal position. You can get a lumbar support to fit your chair if the chair itself can’t be set up accordingly.

4: Similar to being in a standing position the top of your head should be pointing to the ceiling above you and your chin should be parallel to the ground.

5: Keeping your shoulders in a neutral position. Make sure they are relaxed and not lifted or rounded.

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Healthy choices are essential to good health. Giving up tobacco, eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise will help keep you well and prevent some of Missouri’s leading causes of disability and death – heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. And getting recommended health screenings will help your doctor discover problems early when they can be treated more easily.

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Sretching is an activity which we must be done before exercising as well as after it. With it we stretch the muscles and we improve our flexibility. Nomrally, it is done before the warming-up and after the exercise.
During the stretching the muscles realease stress, they relax and then they´ll be prepared to do exercise. It worths also to calm down the muscles after doing some activity. It prevents injuries and soften them in case we have one. It is usually very easy and everyone could do them even if they don´t exercise.
It usually last about 5 or 10 minutes
It also improves the blood circulation and the capacity of oxygen transport

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Knowing about first aid is one the best things you could learn. If something happens in the future you would be prepared to face the situation and you would be able to solve it or help other people

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There is a big range of bad habits that could damge our health such as:
- Smoking: it is one of the worst habits you could have because it can develop some cardiovascular and respiratory diseases
- Drink too much alcohol: it is simmilar to smoking but it doesn't lead to any respiratory problem but cardiovascular and liver diseases, also both smoking and alcohol develope an addiction.
- Snack between main foods: it could altere your nutrition and could bring you problems of obessity, ...
- Skip the breakfast: there are people who avoid having breakfast just because it doesn´t seem important to them, while in reality it is the most important meal of the day, where you obtain the energy you need to face the day
- Eat to much junk food: it´s very popular between youths to eat that kind of food. Junk food is the worst food you can eat, it has lots of fats and bad substances which carries problems to our health

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FAll sports have a risk of injury. Fortunately, for the vast majority of youth, the benefits of sports participation outweigh the risks. In general, the more contact in a sport, greater the risk of a traumatic injury. However, most injuries in young athletes are due to overuse. Some of the preventions are:
- Take time off
- Wear the right gear
- Strengthen muscles
- Increase flexibility
- Use the proper technique
- Take breaks
- Play safe
- Do not play through pain

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It's very important to maintain a good posture in order to prevent the risk of having muscular or bone diseases. We must adopt a good posture while we are sleeping, sat down, studying, ...
First of all we have to take care o the natural curves the spine has and try not to altere them, have the back straigh when we are stood up and also have a proper curvature in our knees while we are in a chair

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Workout Injuries: Prevention and Treatment

A workout injury can happen to anyone, no matter your experience or fitness level. Even walking can cause an injury.

But you can significantly cut your risk of getting hurt by following certain workout precautions.

Common Workout Injuries

People hurt themselves in all kinds of ways when they work out. Common workout injuries include:

Muscle pull and strain

Sprained ankle

Shoulder injury

Knee injuries

Shin splint

Tendinitis

Wrist sprain or dislocation

Preventing Workout Injuries

There are simple steps that can help keep you injury-free during your workout.

But first, pay attention to this general rule. If you're a woman over age 55, check with your health care professional before you start an exercise program. Then you'll be sure you're healthy enough for working out. The same applies to a man over age 45 or a person with any medical condition.

Here are guidelines for avoiding injuries during your workout:

Warm-up and cool-down. Every workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down period. A warm-up helps your body get ready for exercise. It gradually increases your heart rate and loosens your muscles and joints. Some ways to warm up:

Ride an exercise bike

Jump rope

Jog in place for 5 to 10 minutes

A cool-down after you work out is important to slowly bring your heart rate back to normal. Walking for 5 to 10 minutes after you work out is one way to cool down.

Stretch. Do dynamic stretching before and after you work out. This will help increase flexibility. Research is conflicting as to whether it can also help prevent injury, It's best to stretch after you warm up and cool down.

Ease into it. When you begin an exercise routine or start a new workout program, start slowly. Then gradually build up the intensity, duration, and frequency.

Don't push yourself too hard. As your fitness abilities increase, you will be able to challenge yourself more.

Cross-train. Vary your workout. Don't overuse one set of muscles. Repeating the same muscle movements frequently can lead to overuse and repetitive-use injuries such as shin splints and tendinitis. Some ways to vary your workout:

Run on Day One.

Lift weights on Day Two.

Swim or cycle on Day Three.

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It is recommended that children should not carry backpacks that are more than 10% of their body weight to avoid developing back pain.

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7 Stretches You Should Be Doing After Every Workout
Stretching after a workout can reduce muscle fatigue as well as help your muscles to recover faster after a hard gym session. Stretching is also a great way to improve flexibility and range of motion.

1. Neck
Sit upright and tall with your shoulders relaxed. Bring your left ear down toward your left shoulder and feel the stretch. Roll your head down toward the ground and bring your chin to your chest and hold. Finish by rolling your head to the right bringing your right ear to your right shoulder.

2. Chest & Biceps
Stand tall, interlace your fingers behind your back and straighten your arms. With arms straight, lift arms up behind you while keeping your back straight and your shoulders down. Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.

3. Triceps
Stand tall and place your left elbow in you right hand. Reach your left arm overhead placing your palm on the center of your back and supporting the elbow in your right hand. Reach your fingertips down your spine. Keep your shoulder relaxed and away from your ears. Repeat with the opposite arm.

4. Hamstrings
Stand tall, with your shoulders down and feet hip-width apart. Bring your left leg forward, heel down, toes up and leg straight. Keep your back straight, abs strong and bend the right knee as if sitting back while supporting yourself with both hands on your thighs. Repeat on opposite side.

5. Quads
Stand tall, holding on to the wall for balance if required. Keep your feet hip-width apart, your back straight and your feet parallel. Reach back and grab your left foot in your left hand, keeping your thighs lined up next to each other. Repeat on opposite side.

6. Back
Start on your hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart, knees hip-width apart, abs engaged, and your back in a strong but neutral position. Switch on your abs as if pulling your belly button into your spine. Allow your head and neck to fall naturally between your arms.

7. Hips and Glutes
Bend your left knee, and cross your right ankle at your left knee. Grab the back of your left thigh and pull your legs toward your chest. Place your right elbow on the inside of your right knee and push it outwards to feel the stretch. Repeat on opposite side.

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Regular physical activity can produce long term health benefits. People of all ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities can benefit from being physically active. The more physical activity you do, the greater the health benefits.

- It reduces the possibilities of having heart, muscular and bone diseases, also diabetes...
- It decreases the chances of being depressed
- It improves the social interaction
- It helps us to move around easily
Some types of physical activity are especially beneficial:
- Aerobic activities make you breathe harder and make your heart beat faster
- Muscle-strengthening activities make your muscles stronger
- Bone-strengthening activities make your bones stronger
- Balance and stretching activities enhance physical stability and flexibility, which reduces risk of injuries

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Eating well is important for all of us. In the short-term, it can help us to feel good, look our best and stay at a healthy weight. In the long-term, a healthy, balanced diet can reduce our risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. But what exactly is a healthy, balanced diet?

To eat a balanced diet you need to combine several different types of foods - from each of the main food groups - in the right amounts so your body gets all the nutrients it needs while maintaining a healthy weight.

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Types of stretch for dance
Hip Flexor/Quad:

Kneel in a deep lunge with your back leg on the floor. Flatten your back until you feel the stretch in the front of your hip. Make sure you tuck your pelvis in to ensure your back is flat; sinking into your back too much is too much extension.

Stand holding onto a chair with your right hand and grasping your left foot with your left hand. Maintain a flat back and pull your heel toward your butt, keeping your knee close to your opposite leg. Make sure you tuck your pelvis and be careful not to hike your hip up. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

Calves/Heels/Feet:

Stand with your right foot behind you and left foot in front. Keep your heels on the floor and your feet parallel. Bend your front leg while keeping your back leg straight. Put both hands on a wall and lean forward, keeping your arms straight, until you feel the stretch in your calf. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

Start in the previous stretch position and bend both knees. Lean into the wall until you feel the stretch in your lower thigh. Make sure you keep your back straight. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

Piriformis:

Lay on your back with your knees bent and place your right ankle on the opposite knee. Grasp your unelevated thigh behind the knee and pull gently toward your chest until you feel the stretch in your butt. Hold without bouncing for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

Hips:

Sit upright on top of a foam roller (Moran recommends using OPTP brand) and cross your right leg over the left knee as shown.Place your hand beside you on the roller, feeling the stretch in your hip.Make sure your knee isn’t too high and you’re sitting directly on your sit bones (the bones directly under your butt).Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

Knee Flexion:

Lay on your back with a towel roll under your lower back. Place a resistance band under your left foot and use it to raise your left leg. Keep the opposite knee bent with your foot flat on the floor. You should feel the stretch in the back of the thigh. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side. Repeat two times.

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Stretching tips

Do not stretch cold muscles

Do stretch before and after exercise (active stretching during the warm up, static stretching during the cool down)

Do stretch all muscle groups

To increase flexibility do stretch when your body is thoroughly prepared (in contrast to stretching whilst relaxed to increase range and mobility as you might do in a warm-up)

Do stretch gently and slowly; do not bounce

Do stretch gently to the point of mild discomfort, never pain

Do not hold your breath; breathing should be slow and easy

Do not make stretches competitive

Avoid partner stretching as your partner cannot judge your pain

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What should include a first aid kit

Plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes

Small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings

At least 2 sterile eye dressings

Triangular bandages

Crêpe rolled bandages

Safety pins

Disposable sterile gloves

Tweezers

Scissors

Alcohol-free cleansing wipes

Sticky tape

Thermometer (preferably digital)

Skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula

Cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings

Antiseptic cream

Painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen

Cough medicine

Antihistamine cream or tablets

Distilled water for cleaning wounds

Eye wash and eye bath

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How to give first aid

Bleeding: Before providing care, put on protective gloves or use a barrier between you and the victim, to reduce the chance of disease transmission while assisting the injured person. Cleanse your hands thoroughly with soap and water when finished.

CALL 911 for medical assistance.

Keep victim lying down.

Apply direct pressure using a clean cloth or sterile dressing directly on the wound.

DO NOT take out any object that is lodged in a wound; see a doctor for help in removal.

If there are no signs of a fracture in the injured area, carefully elevate the wound above the victim's heart.

Once bleeding is controlled, keep victim warm by covering with a blanket, continuing to monitor for shock.

Cleaning & Bandaging wounds:

Wash your hands and cleanse the injured area with clean soap and water, then blot dry.

Apply antibiotic ointment to minor wound and cover with a sterile gauze dressing or bandage that is slightly larger than the actual wound.

Eyes injuries:

If an object is impaled in the eye, CALL 911 and DO NOT remove the object.

Cover both eyes with sterile dressings or eye cups to immobilize.

Covering both eyes will minimize the movement of the injured eye.

DO NOT rub or apply pressure, ice, or raw meat to the injured eye.

If the injury is a black eye, you may apply ice to cheek and area around eye, but not directly on the eyeball itself.

How to flush the eyes: If chemical is in only one eye, flush by positioning the victim's head with the contaminated eye down. . . to prevent flushing the chemical from one eye to another. Flush with cool or room temperature water for 15 minutes or more. Remove contact lenses after flushing.

Burns:

-First Degree Burn: Skin will appear red and may be swollen or painful. Generally does not require medical attention.

-Second Degree Burn: Skin will appear red, blistered and swollen. May require medical attention.

-Third Degree Burn: Skin will be visibly charred and may be white. Usually very painful. REQUIRES MEDICAL ATTENTION.

Basic first aid treatment for 1st degree & some 2nd degree burns: Submerge burn area immediately in cool water until pain stops. If affected area is large, cover with cool wet cloths. Do not break blisters if they are present. If pain persists but no medical assistance is needed, apply medicated first aid cream or gel and cover with sterile dressing. If medical attention is needed, do not apply any cream. Just cover with a dry, sterile dressing and seek medical help immediately. basic first aid treatment for 3rd degree & some 2nd degree burns: CALL 911!! Third degree burns MUST RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY! DO NOT try to remove any clothing stuck to the burned area. Cover with sterile dressing or clean sheet. DO NOT apply any creams or gels.

Chemical burns:

Flush the affected area with cool running water for at least 15 minutes.

Remove all clothing and jewelry that has been contaminated.

Monitor victim for shock and seek medical assistance.

If chemical burn is in the eyes, flush continuously with water and seek medical attention immediately.

Sunburn:

Avoid any further exposure to direct sunlight.

Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

Do not apply cold water or ice to a severe burn.

Use over-the-counter remedies to remove discomfort.

If burn is severe and blisters develop, seek medical attention.

Unconsciousness:

Do not leave an unconscious victim alone except to call 911 for medical help.

Assess victim’s state of awareness by asking if they are OK.

Check the victim’s Airway, Breathing, and Circulation (ABC’s).

If the victim’s ABC’s are not present, perform CPR. IMPORTANT: only a trained & qualified person should administer CPR.

If ABC’s are present and spinal injury is not suspected, place victim on their side with their chin toward the ground to allow for secretion drainage.

Cover the victim with blanket to keep warm and prevent shock. If victim communicates feeling warm, remove blanket.

Choking:

Ask the victim, "Are you OK?"

do not interfere or give first aid if the victim can speak, breathe, or cough.

If the victim cannot speak, breathe, or cough, ask for someone to call 911 and then perform the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrust).

How to perform the Heimlich maneuver: Position yourself behind the victim with your arms around victim’s stomach. Place the thumb-side of your fist above the victim’s navel and below the lower end of the breastbone. Take hold of your fist with your free hand and pull fist upward and in, quickly and firmly. Continue with thrusts until the object is dislodged or airway is clear.

Infant choking:

Place infant face down on your forearm supporting the head and neck with your hand. Rest your hand on your knee with the infant’s head lower than it’s body.

With the heel of your hand give four blows between the infant’s shoulder blades.

Turn infant over, place two fingers on the center of the infant’s chest (just below the nipples) and perform up to five chest thrusts.

Repeat until obstruction is clear.

seek medical attention after any choking incident, since complications may arise.

Poison:

Call your local Poison Control Center or 911 for immediate medical attention.

Antidotes on labels may be wrong!! do not follow them unless instructed by a physician.

never give anything by mouth (milk, water, Ipecac, etc.) until you have consulted with a medical professional.

Keep a one ounce bottle of Ipecac on hand at all times in case of an emergency, and give only when instructed by a physician.

If the poison is on the skin, flush skin with water for 15 minutes, then wash and rinse with soap and water.

If poison is in the eye, flush with lukewarm water for 15 minutes. Adults can stand under the shower with eyes open. always consult medical professionals after any eye injury has occurred.

Animal bites:

Control any bleeding by applying direct pressure or with elevation.To avoid risk of infection, do not close wound.

Rinse the bite thoroughly, holding it under running water. Cleanse with soap and water and hold under water again for five minutes.

do not put ointments or medicines on wound. Cover with dry sterile bandage or gauze.

seek medical assistance immediately.

note: report animal and human bites to local police and/or health authorities.

Bee sting:

If possible, remove stinger by scraping it off with a blunt edge (e.g. credit card).

Clean wound and apply cold compress to reduce swelling.

Remove tight clothing and jewelry from areas near the bite in case swelling occurs.

Watch for signs of shock or allergic reaction. Signs include swelling or itching at the wound site, dizziness, nausea or difficulty breathing. Seek medical attention immediately if any of these signs occur.

Continue monitoring victim for shock until medical help arrives.

Check victim’s Airway, Breathing, and Circulation (ABC’s). If ABC’s are impaired then call 911 and begin CPR. IMPORTANT: only a trained & qualified person should administer CPR.

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Steps to break bad habits

Decide that you really want to change and convince yourself that you can: You can only change what you decide you want to change. All psychological models of change emphasize the importance of commitment as a necessary first step. If you don't see a problem, you won't work on changing your behavior. Once you've decided you want to change, convince yourself that you are able to achieve your change goals. You need to strengthen your sense of self-efficacy, or belief that you can accomplish what you want.

Gain insight on what's causing the habit: Once you figure out your inner motives and the external incentives that are driving your bad habits, you'll go a long way toward changing them. Take a good hard look at the situations that lead you to commit your bad habit. By figuring out what's causing the bad habit, you can also work on deciding how to manipulate the outcomes of your behavior. Take the outcomes that are reinforcing the bad habit (attention, pleasure, excitement) and then use them to reward you for the behavior you want to acquire.

Set reasonable goals at first: Your bad habits have taken years to establish themselves. You're not going to throw them off in an instant. Decide on a realistic schedule that will work for you based on goals that you believe you can meet. Overcoming your sedentary lifestyle is a good example of how you can proceed through this step. In the first place, don't think that you can readily go from zero days of exercise a week to seven. You'll be bound to fail and then use your failure as proof that you can't change.

Measure your progress and don't be discouraged by occasional slips: If you're going to reach your ultimate goal, you'll need to know how well you're doing on achieving the reasonable goals you've set as first steps. This means that you have to keep a diary or journal. In the case of exercise and weight control, for example, you can take advantage of online recording programs that also give you tips that adapt to your record of progress. There are certainly "apps for that" which can make your record-keeping easy and perhaps reinforcing in their own right. Your motivation to change will be fired up in part by the rewards you get from your new behaviors. However, even the people most dedicated and determined to change will suffer an occasional relapse. If you use that slip as "proof" that you can never change, you will in fact not be able to change.

Seek additional support if your habits are proving harder to change: One of the best ways to build your inner resilience is by looking outward for support. If you're having trouble making these changes on your own, reach out to your friends, family, or perhaps your supervisors, teachers, or mentors. Group exercise programs may also be more motivating than going it on your own.

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Sports can be fun activities or a great way to make a living. Either way, the way you conduct yourself will make all the difference in how you enjoy the game. To be successful at any sport, you need to develop the behavior patterns that will lead to winning. A part of this is avoiding certain bad habits.

Types of harmful habits

Smoking: Taking care of the body should be of utmost importance to anyone who wants to play sports seriously. Smoking and drinking are bad habits that do not mix well with sports. Smoking cuts a person’s breathing capabilities. It makes the person gasp for air after a short practice run.

Drinking: Drinking alcohol is another bad habit for athletes. It dehydrates the body and slows coordination. However, drinking other fluids is necessary. Some sports players have the bad habits of not keeping themselves hydrated. This should not happen, since there are usually plenty of water and electrolyte-rich drinks available at the event.

Sleep Deprivation: Sports players are often entrenched in their bad habits of not getting enough sleep. They are wound up after practices or games and do not feel like going to bed early. They get up to start their training on an early schedule. If they push themselves too hard, they will find that these bad habits will end up taking them out of the game.

Lack of Stretching: An athlete should never start to play without some sort of stretching or warm-up exercises. Yet, bad habits often prevail. People begin doing their sport without the slightest thought to getting ready. This is important even for a professional athlete. It often happens, though, that an amateur athlete will be more careless about. They do not make it their business to do everything right.

Jumping in without Practice: Sometimes people who play sports occasionally think they can be athletes without much practice. They have the bad habit of doing nothing for weeks or months on end. Then, they jump in and do strenuous sports activities. They believe that they do not need to keep practiced and in shape. This can result in injury and exhaustion.

Not Using Proper Equipment: Not using proper safety equipment is a bad habit in sports. In professional sports, this equipment is required. If an NFL football player were to make it onto the field without his protective gear, he would be fined heavily.

Not Using Proper Gear: In amateur games, people are not so careful about using safety equipment. They may play golf in slick dress shoes instead of golf shoes. This may cause them an injury if they slip and fall. A bicyclist may have the bad habit of not using a helmet if she is an amateur. This can be a dangerous mistake.

Not Being a Team Player: One bad habit people have in sports is not being team players. If a person tries to take all the glory, the team comes to resent him and will not back him up the way they should. If the person works with the team, the team will be a cohesive unit that can accomplish great things.

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Most common injuries and how to prevent them
Anyone who has even been involved in sports has likely suffered an injury of one kind or another.

Runner’s Knee: Knee injuries are one of the most common sporting injuries treated by orthopedic surgeons. Replacing your runnings shoes and insoles on a regular basis is one of the best forms of prevention. Following an injury, take a break from exercise for a few days and and take some anti-inflammatory medicine.

Shoulder Injury: Shoulder injuries are common in a number of sports. The best form of prevention is to simply stretch properly before exercising. Again, taking a break and using anti-inflammatories are an effective treatment.

Achilles Tendinitis: Overuse of the back of the ankle (the Achilles Tendon) can cause major inflammation and pain. Strengthening exercises for the calf muscle and stretching can help prevent this injury. When it gets injured, use RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevate), and anti-inflammatories. Best sure to wait until it is fully healed before resuming exercise.

Concussion: A blow to the head usually causes this injury, causing disorientation and dizziness, among other symptoms. Our best advise for prevention is simply to avoid all contact sports. Recovery requires time and rest, and taking acetaminophen.

Ankle Sprain: Ankles sprains are common in sports that require lots of running and turning quickly. Prevention requires strengthening your ankles as much as possible. Treat with RICE, anti-inflammatories, and try to move the ankle to help with blood circulation.

Tennis Elbow: Injuries involving the elbow account for around 7% of sports injuries. Again, strengthening exercises are the best prevention, and treat with RICE, physiotherapy, and anti-inflammatories.

Pulled Muscle: The most commonly pulled muscles include calves and hamstrings. Prevention is as simple as stretching properly. Treat with RICE and gentle stretching.

Groin Strain: Athletes typically suffer this type of injury when making a sudden change of direction while running. This is one of the worst sports injuries, and is another case when stretching is the best advice for prevention. To heal from pulling your groin, take it easy for a couple of weeks, use RICE, and anti-inflammatory medications.

Shin Splints: Shin splint pain is caused by inflammation of the muscles that surround the inner side of the shinbone. Wearing good shoes and stretching is going to be the best prevention. Apply ice to the injury, stretch, and take anti-inflammatories.

Lower Back Pain: Lower back pain can result from any number of sporting activities. Warming up properly is your best bet for prevention, and treat with anti-inflammatories, RICE, and stretching thoroughly.

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How to treat sports injuries
The RICE method is a common treatment regimen for sports injuries. It stands for:

Rest

Ice

Compression

Elevation

This treatment method is helpful for mild sports injuries. For best results, follow the RICE method within the first 24 to 36 hours after the injury. It can help reduce swelling and prevent additional pain and bruising in the early days after a sports injury.

If your sports injury looks or feels severe, make an appointment to see your doctor. Seek emergency care if the injured joint shows signs of:

severe swelling and pain

visible lumps, bumps, or other deformities

popping or crunching sounds when you use the joint

weakness or inability to put weight on the joint

instability

Also seek emergency attention if you experience any of the following after an injury:

difficulty breathing

dizziness

fever

Serious sports injuries can require surgery and physical therapy. If the injury doesn’t heal within two weeks, contact your doctor for an appointment.

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Proper Stretching Technique

It is essential to practice proper stretching techniques. Doing so will allow you to avoid any unnecessary injury. Tips to proper stretching technique include the following:

Warm up first: Stretching muscleswhen they're cold increases your risk of pulled muscles. Warm up by walking while gently pumping your arms, or do a favorite exercise at low intensity for five minutes.

Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds: It takes time to lengthen tissues safely. Hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds—and up to 60 seconds for a really tight muscle or problem area. That can seem like a long time, so wear a watch or keep an eye on the clock to make sure you're holding your stretches long enough. For most of your muscle groups, if you hold the stretches for at least 30 seconds, you'll need to do each stretch only once.

Don't bounce: Bouncing as you stretch can cause small tears (microtears) in the muscle, which leave scar tissue as the muscle heals. The scar tissuetightens the muscle even further, making you even less flexible—and more prone to pain.

Focus on a pain-free stretch: If you feel pain as you stretch, you've gone too far. Back off to the point where you don't feel any pain, then hold the stretch.

Relax and breathe freely: Don't hold your breath while you're stretching.

Stretch both sides: Make sure your joint range of motion is as equal as possible on each side of your body

Stretch before and after activity: Light stretching after your warm-up followed by a more thorough stretching regimen after your workout is your best bet

With your new-found knowledge of the proper techniques and benefits of stretching, it will be easy to incorporate this activity into your exercise/rehabilitation regimen. Here are a few good stretches to try:

Low Back Stretches: Three quick and easy exercises to stretch the lower muscles of your back include the prone press up, the knees to chest, and the lumbar rotation stretch.

Morning Stretches: Stretching in the morning is a great way to "waken" up your muscles, and get them ready for the day.

Self-Assisted Neck Stretches: Stretches can be done with self-assistance to obtain a more efficient stretch. Here you can learn how to perform self-assisted stretches of the neck.

Be sure to check in with your physical therapist before starting this, or any other stretching program.

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The benefits of stretching are many and have been proven through various studies over time. Stretching benefits people of all ages, and is intended for the young as well as the elderly population.

The Benefits of Stretching

According to the Mayo Clinic, the top five benefits of stretching include:

Increased flexibility and joint range of motion: Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring. Flexibility tends to diminish as you get older, but you can regain and maintain it.

Improved circulation: Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood flowing to your muscles brings nourishment and gets rid of waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. Improved circulation can help shorten your recovery time if you've had any muscle injuries.

Better posture: Frequent stretching can help keep your muscles from getting tight, allowing you to maintain proper posture. Good posture can minimize discomfort and keep aches and pains at a minimum.

Stress relief: Stretching relaxes tight, tense muscles that often accompany stress.

Enhanced coordination: Maintaining the full range-of-motion through your joints keeps you in better balance. Coordination and balance will help keep you mobile and less prone to injury from falls, especially as you get older.

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The first step in any emergency is the recognition of the problem and providing help. When in doubt or when someone is seriously injured or ill, you should always activate the emergency response system by calling 911. If you’re not sure how serious the situation is, the 911 operator will ask you a series of questions to determine the seriousness of it.

Remain on the line until additional help arrives, or until the 911 operator tells you to hang up. Emergency system dispatchers can guide you through the steps of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using an automatic external defibrillator (AED), or delivering basic care until additional help arrives.

Whether you are at home, work, or school, know where the first aid kit and the AED are kept and be familiar with their contents. Know how to activate the emergency response system (by calling 911 if in the United States). Be aware of any policies in the workplace regarding medical emergencies.

After determining the problem, the next step in providing help is to determine the unresponsiveness of the injured or ill person. The best way to determine this is to tap the person and talk loudly to them: “Are you okay?” After determining unresponsiveness, yell for help. Look for any medical identifications, such as a necklace or a bracelet. This may provide a valuable clue to the cause of the situation.

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Spending too much time on the couch watching TV

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Why It’s Dangerous: The more TV you watch, the less physical activity you’re getting, increasing your odds of being overweight and developing type 2 diabetes. A large-scale study of over 9000 people found that those who watched more than two hours of TV a day ate more, while downing more sugary soft drinks and high-fat, high-calorie, processed snack foods than those who watched less. If television is replacing the time you’d spend on an old hobby, visiting friends, or exercising your mind, it can also speed up memory loss.

Why You Should Stop: By turning TV time into active time and committing to a healthy TV/activity balance, you can burn more calories, become more fit, and reduce your odds for related health problems quickly. You’ll have a fitter body and more time for sleep, plus more energy, a better mood, sharper mind, and more social connections, which can even help you increase your self-confidence. These are some more reasons why binge-watching TV is unhealthy for you.

Reverse the Habit:
– Follow the 2/30 rule: That means no more than two hours of TV a day—and at least 30 minutes of exercise.
– Don’t channel surf: Only turn the TV on when you have something specific to watch. Get out instead of searching mindlessly.
– Don’t snack in front of the TV: It’s far too easy to eat hundreds of calories’ worth of chips and barely realize it.
– Exercise while you watch: Walk in place, do sit-ups, pushups, or drag your treadmill into the TV room.
– Clean during commercials: Avoid food commercials by emptying wastebaskets, vacuuming a room, or doing a load of laundry. It can add up to 20 minutes’ worth of calorie-burning chore time every day.
– Resolve to leave home more often: See more friends, do more interesting things, and stimulate your mind every day

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Snacking non-stop, even when you’re not hungry

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Why It’s Dangerous: Losing touch with your body’s natural hunger and satisfaction signals can lead to chronic overeating and unhealthy extra pounds that can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and other serious conditions. If it’s junk foods you snack on, you’re also flooding your body with unhealthy ingredients.

Why You Should Stop: With determination, anyone can fix bad eating habits, and get to a healthier, more natural weight. By paying attention to your hunger signals and switching to healthy snacks, you can boost nutrition, control cravings, lose weight, and avoid energy slumps. Your weight will fall to a healthier level, and you’ll replace unhealthy trans and saturated fat, sugar, refined carbohydrates, and extra sodium with more nutritious fare.

Reverse the Habit:
– Reacquaint yourself with hunger: Wait to eat until your body is physically craving food.
– Stop eating before you’re stuffed: Finish when you feel just a little bit full, you’ll eat less this way.
– Eat for the right reason: Because you’re hungry—not because you’re stressed, bored, angry, or sad.
– Stop mindless eating: If snacking is an old, bad habit, ban unhealthy food from your home.
– Replace junk food with real food:Once you’ve cleared your pantry, stock your kitchen with fruits, veggies, nuts, and low-fat, whole-grain products.
– Plan snacks like you do meals:Eat your healthy snack on a plate, with a glass of water, and sit down at the table to enjoy it.

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Ways to self-care of bad posture

Be aware that it is “incorrect" to lean/bend over the computer and back pain lets us know when we have our shoulders shrugged and our head stuck close to the keyboard.

Keep the back straight, against the chair back, which should have an ergonomic design which means that we have the pelvis area active, as this is our motor.

Put the computer screen in front of the user to prevent neck twisting, which will cause pain in the short and medium term. The horizontal line of sight should be in line with the upper part of the screen, experts say.

Feet must be supported on the ground to improve venous return. It would be ideal to put them in a resting position, stretched as far as possible. To do this it is recommended that desks should have sufficient space underneath and if there is a foot rest, even better.

People are usually right-handed and lean to the right side without thinking. To balance this, it is recommended to use your left hand on the mouse. This habit can be learned in three weeks.

Put documents in a stand to prevent cervical problems. Wrist supports on the lower edge of the keyboard partially help to make the activity more comfortable.

Take active breaks every 60-90 minutes to stretch muscles. Experts speak of taking "compensatory micro breaks" for a few seconds, whenever you feel any problem, however small. This is better than waiting for the "major pain" to interrupt the task/activity being carried out.

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To reduce the risk of injury:

Take time off. Plan to have at least 1 day off per week and at least one month off per year from training for a particular sport to allow the body to recover.

Wear the right gear.  Players should wear appropriate and properly fit protective equipment such as pads (neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and eyewear. Young athletes should not assume that protective gear will prevent all injuries while performing more dangerous or risky activities.

Strengthen muscles. Conditioning exercises during practice strengthens muscles used in play.

Increase flexibility. Stretching exercises after games or practice can increase flexibility. Stretching should also be incorporated into a daily fitness plan.

Use the proper technique. This should be reinforced during the playing season.

Take breaks. Rest periods during practice and games can reduce injuries and prevent heat illness.

Play safe. Strict rules against headfirst sliding (baseball and softball), spearing (football), and checking (in hockey) should be enforced.

Do not play through pain.

Avoid heat illness by drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise or play; decrease or stop practices or competitions during high heat/humidity periods; wear light clothing.

If children are jumping on a trampoline, they should be supervised by a responsible adult, and only one child should be on the trampoline at a time; 75% of trampoline injuries occur when more than one person is jumping at a time.

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Proper Posture from a Sitting Position

Much of the cues for sitting in a chair will be similar to standing when it comes to the upper body. The differences will come with the lower body. When it comes to a proper sitting position at work, it is always recommended to have an ergonomic specialist do a full analysis of your work station.

Setting up your chair can be tricky, however here are a few cues to help with appropriate adjustments!

1) The seat should be adjusted so your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are at a 90° angle. Don’t cross your legs!

2) There should be a small space between the back of your knees and seat of your chair.

3) Ensure your chair supports your lumbar spine, you should maintain a neutral spine. Get a lumbar support if your chair cannot be set-up with a proper functional position.

4) Similar to a standing position the crown of your head should be pointing to the ceiling above not to the wall behind you. The chin should be parallel to the ground. The ears in line with your shoulders.

5) The shoulders should be down and back in a neutral position. Make sure they are relaxed, not rounded, elevated or over retracted.

Good sitting position! 👇👇👇👇