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Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Retweeted

Why are we striking? UCLH physios explain why we have no choice but to resort to striking for fair pay and better patient care #CSP4fairpay
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Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Retweeted
Why are we striking? UCLH physios explain why we have no choice but to resort to striking for fair pay and better patient care #CSP4fairpay
All the embarrassing situations, the things you’ve said that you shouldn’t—after you stop drinking, you realize just how destructive the alcohol was. “It’s so easy and convenient to delay your problems with alcohol. But it sure doesn’t solve them,” says one OYNB veteran.
From reflux to IBS, acne to vitamin deficiency—the list goes on. Once people quit the booze, they see just how many chronic health issues disappear. The problem started inside you, and the solution might be there, too.
So many of us drink because we lack the confidence to be vulnerable without “liquid courage.” But consistently losing control doesn’t cultivate self-esteem. Over time, it erodes it. Learning how to handle your life, and eventually realizing that you can conquer any challenge—without any numbing agents—is the best thing you can do for your long-term self-acceptance and personal growth.
“I’ve got an extra spring in my step that people my age just don’t have. People think I’m 10 or 15 years younger than I actually am. My eyes are gleaming again; my skin is vibrant. There’s a sparkle in my life that has been missing since I was young and free. I thought the closest I would get to feeling that sparkle was getting drunk. Turns out, the alcohol is exactly what was keeping me from it.”
“My wife and I were on the brink of divorce, and now we’re more in love than we’ve ever been. Friendships rooted in shared vices have fallen away, and authentic, loving relationships have risen up in their place.” When you remove the veneer of alcohol, meaningful relationships will flourish.
The impact of alcohol isn’t limited to the changes you experience while you’re drunk or while you’re hungover. It negatively affects your life in a thousand other ways. It exacerbates anxiety, anger, depression. It encourages bad habits like eating junk food and skipping workouts. When you ditch the booze, your life will experience a total metamorphosis.
This is a bit of a gut-wrencher. But almost without exception, parents who have gone off the booze say they are better parents now than they ever could’ve been while drinking. When it comes to parenting, the only argument that booze is a good thing is the one that says a stressed parent is a better parent. But we all know there are a million healthier coping mechanisms for anxiety and tension than drinking. And your kid, more than anyone else in the world, deserves a fully present, engaged parent. From rushed bedtime stories to short-tempered outbursts, a drinking problem can rob you of the ability to be the kind of parent you want to be.
So many events missed, so many moments gone. From weddings to birthday parties, vacations to intimate conversations, a booze-addled brain can never be counted upon to hold on to what’s important. Perhaps the scariest memory failure the frequent drinker experiences is the inability to answer the question, “How did I get home last night?”
You’re already paying rent, spending money on vacations, putting food on the table, etc. You probably don’t realize how much money you waste every month on liquor—especially if you socialize in a metropolis like London or New York. A few nights of heavy drinking a week can easily add up to a thousand-dollar-a-month habit. Think about all the things you’d rather spend that money on than drinking your life away.
We forget our hobbies, deprioritize our families, put our business ideas on the back burner. Under the veil of alcohol, nothing seems all that important. It’s only when you clear away the film of booze that you can feel the true importance of those things you set aside. And often, by then it’s too late.
“Changing my mindset and cutting out booze helped me find a level of peace I don’t think I’ve ever had in my adult life. I just can’t believe how different I feel. It’s like a fog has been lifted. A cloud that had been following me around for years is finally gone.” We all know that alcohol is a depressant, but we often choose not to recognize how it may be controlling us. You have to remove that variable from the equation in order to recognize how it changes the outcome.
Looking back on the years of misguided drinking—time spent trying to appease someone else or hide hurtful or shameful feelings—the newly sober are confronted with a profound sense of regret that they wasted as much time as they did. Once you see how good life can be sans alcohol, it’s hard to perceive time you spent drinking as time well-spent.
Thousands of people are happier, healthier, fitter, more productive, more well-rested, achieving their dreams, starting their businesses, running those marathons, feeling happy, loving their partners, spending time with their kids, being present, and absolutely loving their lives.
So what are you waiting for? You can learn more about the alcohol-free challenge here.
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/12-truths-about-drinking-everyone-should-know
Recipe: Sauteed Veggies with Avocado & Poached Eggs
Do these 9 things. 1. Keep Blood Pressure Normal 2. Maintain Normal weight 3. Normal Cholesterol 4. Minimal Alcohol 5. Avoid Diabetes 6. Good nutrition 7. Reduce stress 8. Don’t smoke 9. Exercise
It’s about stacking odds
·
A baby who can self-soothe will fall asleep on their own and play calmly without your intervention. It’s a process, and a skill, that will help throughout their lives. Follow these tips to get started.
It’s naptime — thank goodness. But your baby isn’t having it. They cry. They fuss. So, you bounce them, rock them or even drive around town until they fall asleep.
It’s the question on the top of your mind (and you’re not alone): When — and how — will my baby learn to self-soothe and calm down without so much effort?
Pediatrician Matthew Badgett, MD, answers this important question, and shares ways to help your baby learn to self-soothe.
When your baby self-soothes, they can calm down on their own and they:
But self-soothing isn’t just for little ones. It’s an important skill throughout your life. Whether you realize it or not, you use your own self-soothing methods to feel better when you’re stressed or anxious.
“Self-soothing is a way of regulating your emotions,” Dr. Badgett explains. “Babies might suck their thumb or hold a stuffed animal. Adults might listen to music, take a walk or do yoga. The type of self-soothing you use changes throughout your life, but it’s a key part of your emotional health.”
Every exhausted parent wants to know: When will my baby lie in their crib and drift off to sleep without my help? Or When can I put them in their bouncy seat for five minutes without screams of protest?
“In general, don’t try to teach your baby to self-soothe before they are 3 months old,” advises Dr. Badgett. “Newborns need you to help soothe them because they don’t have the ability to control their emotions. Learning emotional control is a process that takes years, so don’t expect too much from an infant or toddler.”
And self-soothing is a gradual process — not a switch you can flip. “Self-soothing is really co-soothing because the parent is still involved,” says Dr. Badgett. “Your baby plays a more active role in soothing, but you set them up for success. You figure out how your baby can calm down with less of your help.”
If your baby is past the newborn stage but still cries relentlessly when you put them down, there is hope. These tips can help your baby gain self-soothing skills:
Before you assume that your baby is just cranky, review their list of needs. Your baby won’t be able to self-soothe if:
After you’ve ruled out those issues, move on to the next steps.
Babies love routine. Try to put your baby to bed at the same time every day. Don’t skip naps or keep your baby up late. A schedule keeps them from becoming overtired — that’s when any hope of self-soothing goes out the window.
“If your baby goes to bed at the same times each day, their body clock will get used to it,” Dr. Badgett notes. “Then, they will start to feel sleepy right at naptime or bedtime. Babies that are drowsy, but not exhausted, are better able to fall asleep on their own.”
The sound of a fan or a white noise machine can be music to your baby’s ears. “Many babies prefer a steady sound over a perfectly quiet room,” Dr. Badgett says. “It helps drown out other sounds that could startle them, and it has a calming effect.”
Turn on the white noise machine when it’s bedtime. This can serve as a cue for your baby to learn when it’s time for dreamland.
After you place your baby in their crib or seat, don’t leave right away.
“If you give your baby some attention without holding them, they learn that being put down isn’t a bad thing,” Dr. Badgett explains. “Talk to them, or gently put your hand on their belly. After a few minutes, calmly leave the room.”
Pacifiers are a useful tool for babies under the age of 1. But use caution. It can be hard to take the paci away from a baby who can’t calm down without it.
“Pacifiers help young babies learn to self-soothe before they learn other techniques,” Dr. Badgett says. “But limit pacifier use to naptime and bedtime. Use them with other methods, like white noise and a consistent routine. That way, your baby won’t learn to rely on the pacifier alone.”
It’s normal for young babies to fall asleep at the bottle or breast. But as your baby grows, they need to learn other ways to drift off.
“Don’t feed your older baby right at naptime with the sole purpose of getting them to sleep,” Dr. Badgett suggests. “They might end up overeating or relying on the nipple even when they’re already full.”
You can avoid the feed-to-sleep method if you:
With a little persistence, perseverance and patience on your end, your little one could be self-soothing to sleep in no time.
Do these 9 things. 1. Keep Blood Pressure Normal 2. Maintain Normal weight 3. Normal Cholesterol 4. Minimal Alcohol 5. Avoid Diabetes 6. Good nutrition 7. Reduce stress 8. Don’t smoke 9. Exercise
It’s about stacking odds
·
A baby who can self-soothe will fall asleep on their own and play calmly without your intervention. It’s a process, and a skill, that will help throughout their lives. Follow these tips to get started.
It’s naptime — thank goodness. But your baby isn’t having it. They cry. They fuss. So, you bounce them, rock them or even drive around town until they fall asleep.
It’s the question on the top of your mind (and you’re not alone): When — and how — will my baby learn to self-soothe and calm down without so much effort?
Pediatrician Matthew Badgett, MD, answers this important question, and shares ways to help your baby learn to self-soothe.
When your baby self-soothes, they can calm down on their own and they:
But self-soothing isn’t just for little ones. It’s an important skill throughout your life. Whether you realize it or not, you use your own self-soothing methods to feel better when you’re stressed or anxious.
“Self-soothing is a way of regulating your emotions,” Dr. Badgett explains. “Babies might suck their thumb or hold a stuffed animal. Adults might listen to music, take a walk or do yoga. The type of self-soothing you use changes throughout your life, but it’s a key part of your emotional health.”
Every exhausted parent wants to know: When will my baby lie in their crib and drift off to sleep without my help? Or When can I put them in their bouncy seat for five minutes without screams of protest?
“In general, don’t try to teach your baby to self-soothe before they are 3 months old,” advises Dr. Badgett. “Newborns need you to help soothe them because they don’t have the ability to control their emotions. Learning emotional control is a process that takes years, so don’t expect too much from an infant or toddler.”
And self-soothing is a gradual process — not a switch you can flip. “Self-soothing is really co-soothing because the parent is still involved,” says Dr. Badgett. “Your baby plays a more active role in soothing, but you set them up for success. You figure out how your baby can calm down with less of your help.”
If your baby is past the newborn stage but still cries relentlessly when you put them down, there is hope. These tips can help your baby gain self-soothing skills:
Before you assume that your baby is just cranky, review their list of needs. Your baby won’t be able to self-soothe if:
After you’ve ruled out those issues, move on to the next steps.
Babies love routine. Try to put your baby to bed at the same time every day. Don’t skip naps or keep your baby up late. A schedule keeps them from becoming overtired — that’s when any hope of self-soothing goes out the window.
“If your baby goes to bed at the same times each day, their body clock will get used to it,” Dr. Badgett notes. “Then, they will start to feel sleepy right at naptime or bedtime. Babies that are drowsy, but not exhausted, are better able to fall asleep on their own.”
The sound of a fan or a white noise machine can be music to your baby’s ears. “Many babies prefer a steady sound over a perfectly quiet room,” Dr. Badgett says. “It helps drown out other sounds that could startle them, and it has a calming effect.”
Turn on the white noise machine when it’s bedtime. This can serve as a cue for your baby to learn when it’s time for dreamland.
After you place your baby in their crib or seat, don’t leave right away.
“If you give your baby some attention without holding them, they learn that being put down isn’t a bad thing,” Dr. Badgett explains. “Talk to them, or gently put your hand on their belly. After a few minutes, calmly leave the room.”
Pacifiers are a useful tool for babies under the age of 1. But use caution. It can be hard to take the paci away from a baby who can’t calm down without it.
“Pacifiers help young babies learn to self-soothe before they learn other techniques,” Dr. Badgett says. “But limit pacifier use to naptime and bedtime. Use them with other methods, like white noise and a consistent routine. That way, your baby won’t learn to rely on the pacifier alone.”
It’s normal for young babies to fall asleep at the bottle or breast. But as your baby grows, they need to learn other ways to drift off.
“Don’t feed your older baby right at naptime with the sole purpose of getting them to sleep,” Dr. Badgett suggests. “They might end up overeating or relying on the nipple even when they’re already full.”
You can avoid the feed-to-sleep method if you:
With a little persistence, perseverance and patience on your end, your little one could be self-soothing to sleep in no time.
You likely know that drinking alcohol too often or to excess isn’t a good idea, health-wise. But when it comes to alcohol and heart health, you may have heard different sides. Is drinking all that bad for your heart? Can a glass of wine help reduce your risk of heart disease — or make it worse?
First things first: If you drink alcohol, you should do so in moderation to avoid alcohol-related heart issues. And you should never intentionally use alcohol to try to reduce your risk of heart disease.
To further explore the relationship between your ticker and your favorite glass of merlot or IPA, we chatted with cardiologist Leslie Cho, MD.
Here are some of the effects of alcohol on your heart:
One of the most important things your heart does is keep a rhythm. On average, a regular heart rate is about 60 to 100 beats per minute when your body is at rest. But alcohol can lead to your heart rate temporarily jumping up in speed, and if it goes over 100 beats per minute, it can cause a condition called tachycardia. Too many episodes of tachycardia could lead to more serious issues like heart failure or going into irregular rhythms, which can cause heart attack and stroke.
That fourth drink at the bar may feel like it’s relaxing you, but it’s actually affecting your body differently than you might think. Alcohol can affect your blood pressure, causing it to go up temporarily. This is especially true when you engage in binge drinking (that’s defined as four or more drinks within two hours for women and people assigned female at birth, and five or more drinks within two hours for men and people assigned male at birth).
And sure, we’ve all had a night here or there where we’ve had one too many and we know it. But it’s important to make sure those nights of overindulgence are the exception and not the rule. If you’re not sure, make a note to tune into how much you’re having over the course of the next month or so. If it’s more than recommended, try to consciously pace your drinking to help reduce the spike in your blood pressure that excessive alcohol causes.
And if you have a history of high blood pressure, it’s best to avoid alcohol completely or drink only occasionally, and in moderation.
Whether it’s a glass of red wine with your turkey or toasting champagne for the new year, alcohol definitely becomes more present during the holiday season. And while enjoying celebratory spirits in moderation is alright for most people, it’s important to be aware you can fall victim to holiday heart syndrome if you overdo it. This is when overeating and overindulging in alcohol lead to an irregular heartbeat.
Holiday heart syndrome can happen if you don’t typically drink alcohol, but then have a few at a holiday party or if you binge drink. This can cause you to develop an irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation, which can increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure.
The short-term effects of alcohol (headache, nausea, you know the rest) are easy to pinpoint. But there are ways that alcohol affects your body over time that are important to understand. One of the long-term effects of alcohol on your heart is alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This is when your heart-pumping function gets weaker and your heart gets larger due to changes from heavy alcohol use over a long period of time.
OK, don’t panic. If you’re an occasional drinker, there’s no cause for worry. But it may be worthwhile learning about what counts as binge drinking and whether or not you may be drinking too much and don’t even know it.
It’s true, red wine is a better choice than hard liquor. But can a trip to the wine bar boost your heart health?
You should never consider wine or any other alcohol as a way to lower your heart disease risk. And, in fact, the study also showed that drinking one or fewer drinks per day was related to the lowest likelihood of dying from a stroke. However, Dr. Cho points out that more recent data shows that there may be no amount of alcohol that is truly safe. “The myth that wine is beneficial for heart health is no longer true,” she states.
“It’s not a good idea to start drinking alcohol in an effort to lower your risk of heart disease,” Dr. Cho continues. “It’s better not to drink any alcohol at all.”
The American Heart Association recommends the same.
It’s also important to know that the ways in which alcohol affects your heart will vary from person to person, depending on your age and other conditions you may have.
Let’s face it, a hangover in your mid-40s doesn’t feel the same as one in your early 20s. This is because your age plays a factor in how well you tolerate alcohol. While some people develop a tolerance to alcohol over time, this isn’t true for everyone — and this ability doesn’t last forever, Dr. Cho notes.
“As we get older, our ability to clear alcohol definitely decreases and our sensitivity to alcohol probably increases,” she explains. “Also as we get older, we end up having more diseases, so we could be on medicines that can interfere with the way our bodies metabolize alcohol.”
In many ways, your medical history (and present) can tell you a lot about your future with alcohol. That means, if you’re living with other medical conditions and/or taking certain medications, this will all have an impact on how alcohol affects you.
“Certain health conditions can make drinking alcohol more dangerous,” Dr. Cho says.
For example, some people who are on cholesterol-lowering medicines may experience muscle aches when they drink alcohol. Because alcohol and cholesterol medicine both are processed through your liver, they are, in a sense, competing for clearance. So, it’s important to think about your overall health and talk to a healthcare provider about your personal risk factors.
“Alcohol is made out of sugar,” Dr. Cho points out. “So, if you’re predisposed to diabetes or if high triglycerides are one of your issues, it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol.”
Dr. Cho also warns that if you have liver dysfunction or take other medicines that are processed through the liver, your risks might be different. Talk to your healthcare provider about how alcohol might interact with your prescription medicines.
The last thing you want is for that casual drink after work or glass of wine at dinner to negatively impact your heart health. There’s a way to have a healthy, balanced relationship with alcohol that lets you enjoy a drink occasionally and celebrate with friends and family. But your heart is an important organ that should also be cared for, so be sure to drink in moderation, learn about binge drinking and know what your body can (and can’t) tolerate before opening that tab.FACEBOOKTWITTERLINKEDINPINTERESTEmailalcoholalcohol and healthalcoholic beveragesbinge drinkingheart health