My latest attempt at being healthy… foiled. Thanks Covid.

I don’t know about you, but I have had moments in my life where I went something like “Alright! Enough. Time to implement healthy habits into my life! Time to be awesome!” and you would go out to try to implement something healthy like a new hobby, habit or something. Well this blog is inspired by such moment that happened to me recently.

For the Runners out there…

I appreciate you. You are the pinnacle that I aspire towards, although I will not *run* after you to get there (get it? haha. sorry). Many people I know have become regular joggers, running at least several times a week to be healthy and the such. I have infact attempted something similar, but after running for 10 minutes, I realized that you get nowhere and everything hurts. So for those runners out there, I salute your efforts.

Last year I lived in Florida for a time and was able to get a bicycle to ride around. And I soon fell in love with biking. Not only do you exercise, but you actually get places too! I was able to go to parks that were miles away. Stores to get snacks and just go biking to clear my mind. Eventually I moved back to Minnesota, and have been planning to get a solid bike for myself here too.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7qalmdnLUY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

A little look at how happy I was in Florida. I had a bike, a Uke, and the sunrise on the beach.

More reasons to have Coronavirus

I had a rise in inspiration and desire to start biking again, and in that spirit, I went bike shopping. Turns out, there is a massive bike shortage going on! See the link below detailing information on why and what is going on:

https://www.bicycling.com/news/a34587945/coronavirus-bike-shortage/

So as of today, I am bummed out. I WANT to start biking again, and I will probably resort to borrowing a bike like I did in Florida. But still, its sucks. Out of all the supply chain issues to be had, why did bikes have to be impacted too! For all those who did get a bike during the pandemic… good on you. For me, the wait continues.

Ethics of Online Research Using Publicly Posted Opinions

Quinton Miller, Public Relations Major, MDST 485, January 29th, 2021

Ethics are the moral principles that dictate a persons possible courses of action in given situations. This academic journal goes into depth on the belief that social media is or isn’t effective for collecting health research data. Relevancy to us is is captured by the means to how that data is collected in relation to a change that has happened in technology since this was written. The article explains that some individuals wonder if the data collected affects the people who posted it. Paraphrasing peoples words instead of copying still provides the same amount of insight. Gonzalez-Hernandez argues that the anonymity of sites such as Reddit allows for full reproduction of statements even when the wording is not changed. This could pose as an alternative source to peoples social network postings like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as the identities are further concealed in anonymous posts. As an additional personal input, I would argue that publicly made posts are already made to be seen as well as share opinions that can be used as research information on the web. Therefore, finding a conglomerate of unnamed opinions for researching purposes isn’t a terrible idea. Especially when social media sites, companies and developers actively listen for key phrases as is.

What I had absorbed is that the way things are done determine their clearance. This could help marketers in the way they present the data collected for commercial and legal purposes. This passage suggests that asking for opinions via surveys makes the research more clinical which requires consent. If the information is expressed publicly it illuminates the issue of meeting a full review by the National Institute of Health. For example, this entity, The National Institute of Health, wouldn’t allow research information related to medical marijuana to surface for credibility if it goes through them because the study of the drug is illegal in designated states, thus negatively pressuring it’s expansion and help to the nation. If anonymous opinions are recorded this study would be allowed to be utilized.

This is only one way to gather information as technology is ever changing and evolving. Bio-technology is predicted to become a more widely used assessment of specific individuals health structure in the near future. Biotech has been used by ancestry.com, myheritage.com and others to determine the ethnic make up of its paying users. I, myself, am awaiting my assessment. This technology will now be used more widely as it becomes more affordable and accurate than doctor diagnosis. Physicians, as qualified as they may be, sometimes inaccurately diagnose patients. This leads to more cost and less effectiveness. This redundancy can be avoided by using a biotech analysis of inherited health concerns and personalize a template for all age ranges of users.

Overall, what’s expressed in the reading is that the way things are done, determines its clearance. This could help marketers in the way they present the data they’ve collected for promotional and legal purposes. An example being, the passage suggesting that asking for opinions via surveys makes the research more clinical which requires consent. If information is expressed publicly, it leads the issue of needing a full review by the NIH.

Gonzalez-Hernandez, G. (2019) On The Ethics of Using Social Media for Health Research https://nlmdirector-nlm-nih-gov.mtrproxy.mnpals.net/2019/06/25/on-the-ethics-of-using-social-media-data-for-health-research/comment-page-1/

Biotechnology Innovation Organization https://archive.bio.org/articles/diagnostics

Are There Benefits to Drinking When in Moderation?

According to the CDC, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as having up to 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.

Photo by: @iamkarinasolis

Ever since prohibition in 1920, drinking has been a controversial topic. On 2018, an article claimed, “A New Study Says There’s No Amount of Healthy Drinking”. On the article, they believe drinking can have some benefits, but those loose their value when compared to the health consequences. To further explain their argument, they provide examples of the risks of alcohol consumption such as vehicle accidents, addictions, breast cancer, premature birth, and tuberculosis.

All the reasons the author of the article provides are valid. However, I do believe healthy adults could benefit from drinking in moderation. According to the Mayo Clinic, moderate alcohol consumption could reduce your risk of developing and dying of heart disease as well as diabetes.

My health coach gave me a list of 10 health benefits of drinking red wine. Red wine has a massive amount of antioxidants, helps lower bad cholesterol, keeps your heart healthy, regulates blood sugar, reduces the risk of cancer, helps treat common cold, keeps memory sharp, keeps you slim, reduces the risk of depression, helps with digestion.

In my opinion, the author of the article I mentioned at the beginning is bias. The article barely mentions the health benefits of drinking when in moderation. Yes, alcohol can produce health complications and even put a person in a life-threatening situation. Nevertheless, it is absurd to say “there is no amount of healthy drinking” because there is.

The key is to drink responsibly!

Check out my Guilt-Free Guide to Wine (when consumed in moderation).

Get to know me!

The Benefits Of My Good Friend “Viparita Karani!”

Now before I get into why you should be intrigued in my good friend “Viparita Karani” let me start off by explaining who she is. First off “Viparita Karani” is not a person, but of course the first time I heard of “Viparita Karani” my response was “Who is that? Is she a famous designer?” (LOL) Well she’s not a designer either!!! From there I did my research and learned that Viparita Karani is a restorative yoga pose meant to calm your body and restore your mind.

Pronunciation (vip-par-ee-tah car-AHN-ee)

viparita – turned around, reversed, inverted

karani -doing, making, action

Did you know you’ll start to feel a difference just after 5 minutes of performing Viparita Karani? I find it to be very true. Before being introduced to Viparita Karani, I’ve never taken yoga classes in my life. But the moment I seen an example from photos on how to perform this pose, I decided to give it a try! Why? Because this pose looks very easy and it just involves breathing while balancing your legs up the wall and back flat on the floor with flexed feet! Why? Because I was stressed out to the maximum, I had anxiety most likely from balancing work and school, and for my constant lack of sleep. Why? Because I was curious to see if it actually works!! And just five minutes into the pose I already felt more relaxed and relieved from stress. It helped me concentrate on my homework a lot better, and if you have a hard time concentrating like I do, Viparita Karani just might be what you need. Anyways, I started to consistently perform this pose whenever I felt anxiety sneaking up on me, and just like that Viparita Karani became my best friend! No wonder this is known to be a favorite pose by many yoga students according to jayayogastudio.com

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A post shared by Varsha Lulla | Yoga & Wellness (@yogalicious_yog)

Source: http://www.jayayogastudio.com/blog/2016/6/10/pose-of-the-week-viparita-karani

Now enough about my experience with Viparita Karani, now it’s time for me to help you release some of your tension and stress. Here are the steps on how you perform Viparita Karani:

1. First, you’ll begin by sitting on the floor while being close enough to the wall (make sure you have enough space on the wall and between the ceiling and the floor).
2. Then, you are going to bend your knees while laying your back down on the floor with your legs up. (Feel free to place a pillow or cushiony object under your head or lower back for more comfort).
3. Next, you are going to push yourself towards the wall, make sure your legs are firm and straight until they touch the wall.
4. Now that your legs are touching the wall, make sure your legs are perpendicular to the upper body and toes are pointing downward (you must try to keep your balance).
5. Make sure to flex your feet. Your neck, shoulders, and chest should be relaxed. Your arms should be relaxed on the side of you. 
6. Finally, close your eyes and stay in that position anywhere from 5-20 minutes. Don’t forget to take deep breaths while performing this act!

Sources: https://www.tummee.com/yoga-poses/viparita-karani/steps

https://www.doyouyoga.com/6-benefits-of-legs-up-the-wall-pose-48440/

Now here are a list of things Viparita Karani are good for:

-Anxiety

-Mild Depression

-Mild Backache

-High Blood Pressure

-Stretches Hamstring and Lower Back

-Swollen ankles

-Insomnia

-Menstrual Cramps

-Varicose Veins

-Blood Flow To Your Core

-Calms your nerves

-Improves Digestion

-Headaches 

Source: https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/legs-up-the-wall-pose

• 

There we have it! Now that you all know how to perform Viparita Karani, and are aware of the great benefits we receive from this self healing process, I highly recommend that you take some time out of your stressful day from school and work to perform Viparita Karani. Give it a chance, and I promise you will feel a difference within the first few minutes. The main root of this message is that Viparita Karani is absolutely free! You don’t have to pay money to release stress, anxiety, and mild back pain. (Although massages are nice LOL) All you need is yourself and a wall!! It worked for me!! Now is your chance to see if it works for you!! 

1: The link between music and health

It’s no surprise that music has the ability to fight depression—but did you also know it has the ability to improve blood flow and lower your levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone)? Even listening to music before surgery can improve post-surgical results.

All the technical language summed up is that is activates chemicals in the brain that make you feel good and helps regulate emotion and memory. The benefits of music can be compared to meditation. Both had outstanding improvements involving mood and quality of sleep. Let’s be honest, more people would much rather listen to music than partake in meditation.

BUT, music also has the ability to make us incredibly nervous. (Cue the Halloween theme song). In that case, silence would be better than listening to something random. Some music can also encourage negative emotions in us such as anger and aggression. The rhythm and other musical elements have the ability to change our brain’s activity just like it can do the opposite and make us feel good. So confusing, I know.

Just like you would expect, slow tempo music with gradual chord progressions make us feel calm whereas chaotic, up-tempo music can do the opposite. To make matters a little more complicating, not everyone is the same. While some people may think AC/DC is too hectic, some people claim for that to be their relaxation music. http://time.com/5254381/listening-to-music-health-benefits/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxgMVkDAOaG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Reclaiming My Health

I talked about the various ways that I manage stress in my last post, Stressed: the New Normal. I’ve allowed stress to take over my life in the past, to the point where my health noticeably began failing. Two years ago I decided to take my life back and made some drastic changes.

I kept telling myself that being a workaholic is necessary to getting ahead in your career. That people commute long distances to work all the time, it’s no big deal. I just needed to believe in myself and things would fall into place.

I love this card and have had it posted up at every home I’ve lived in for years. But a while back, I started thinking more about my limitations. No matter what I’d like to believe, I’m not super woman, and I cannot handle everything. I do have a breaking point.

I had taken on too much at work, spending close to 70 hours each week attempting to complete everything that had been put on my plate. My health started to decline and my relationships suffered. At first, I thought I was a failure. I thought that I should be able to handle anything, and more, that it was necessary to be successful in life.

Finally, I broke down and went to see my doctor. She calmly explained that the high level of stress I was enduring was causing my migraines, rashes, digestive issues, and erratic mood swings. My body was screaming at me to “STOP! SLOW DOWN!” but I wasn’t listening.

I needed to prioritize my health.

I quit my job and found a company that would allow me to find some kind of balance in my life. During my interviews I was open about my need to cut back. I let them know that I was not willing to be a workaholic, and that – honestly – I didn’t really have the ambition anymore to work my way up the ladder. I wanted a career that I enjoyed, at a company that allowed for lateral movement if I so desired.

With a renewed focus on being my best self I started working on a lifestyle focused on feeling good – every day. I don’t think about calories or weight loss. I’m not in it for a short-term fix. These are the three things I prioritize:

• Start moving more. I walk and take the stairs when practical. I found workouts that I actually enjoyed, rather than ones I felt that I “should do”.
• Focus on REAL FOOD. I’m not perfect, but I strive for 75/25 – 75% of the time I stay away from processed foods and refined sugar. 25% of the time I allow myself to relax. And whenever possible, I add more veggies – you can never have enough veggies.
• Invest in your health. Going to the chiropractor on a weekly basis, buying high quality foods, and memberships to workout facilities are expensive. But they’re worth it. I’M WORTH IT.

The Thing About Taxes

I will preface this by saying I am not well-researched in the areas of politics, national financing, or whatever actually goes into this mess, in the United States or elsewhere.

But I think it might be worth mentioning my thoughts on a few things, based on personal experiences, and some things I’ve heard that just… don’t make a lot of sense.

Taxes aren’t inherently bad.

The word “tax” in itself has come to have largely negative connotations–if you’re being “taxed” by something, you’re being weighed down or put upon. We have classic examples of people, like the Sheriff of Nottingham from the Robin Hood stories, who abuse taxes.

In a truly ironic state of affairs, my dad is adamantly against any kind of raise in taxes, but he also works for the state of Minnesota, and part of our taxes are what pay his own wages.

But if taxes are being abused, for things like… oh, say, a giant wall, or a football stadium… then, yeah, I wholeheartedly understand the aversion.

I don’t think anyone is ever entirely sure what taxes are used for, but there’s obviously some mismanagement going on somewhere, and that’s the bad thing. Taxes themselves? They have some truly positive possibilities.

Let’s just, for the sake of imagination, pretend that a perfect world is possible. What should taxes, in a perfect world (and my opinion) be used for?

• Protecting/conserving the environment
• Researching and developing important new innovations in energy, transportation, and health (cure for cancer, anyone?)
• Providing/maintaining a basic standard of health and well-being for everyone
• Paying first responders, health professionals, and peace-keepers
• Educating people well
• Preserving culture by investing in arts, museums, libraries, archives, and community centers
• Community improvements, like road construction, parks & rec, etc.
• Providing some kind of safety net and/or rehabilitation programs for those who are  out of work and/or homeless. (This would include retirement, and being out of work due to an injury, veteran benefits, and other things of that nature, in addition to being in a bad situation for other reasons.)

Some people are really put out by the thought of providing for others. Which… I get, to some extent. At the moment, it’s hard to fathom providing for myself, let alone anyone else in the country–but that’s because a lot of things in “the system” are broken. They’re not being used the way they should.

If I had the peace of mind that came with guaranteed good health, the basic ability to learn the things I need to know without being in debt for the foreseeable future, and the reassurance that life as we know it wasn’t on its way to being toasted out of the Earth like a bad virus, I would happily give away a third or more of my income for the rest of my life.

In a perfect world, what would your taxes be used for?

What would you be willing to provide, to make your own life and the lives of others easier?

Obesity is Contagious?/ BLOG 3

Throughout the world, beauty is defined in numerous ways. In some countries, being heavier is considered healthy and beautiful. But, as we all can tell, in most culture and/or countries, the standard for what is beautiful, sexy, and attractive leans more towards being thin. Because of social media, women in particular are proceeding that in order to be attractive, you need to be a certain size, weight, or have a specific body shape (coco cola, etc.) Even though weight gain is no longer looked down upon, hence the weight gain for body building; there are still cases of obesity and how contagious it is. In the article http://www.newsweek.com/weight-gain-contagious-and-you-could-catch-obesity-your-neighbors-study-finds-789547, researchers found that people were up to 57% likely to be obese if a friend or family did the same during that time. Because of the environment you live in and those you surround yourself with, it would more than likely affect your consumption intake.

Also, you should consider yourself. Just think, when you were in a relationship, did you and your significant other eat out a lot? Consider this, when you were together, you just wanted to do everything together, and when you ran out of things to do, eating out was fun (in it’s own way.) In the article, https://www.livestrong.com/article/130602-people-gain-weight-after-marriage/, it talks about couples who gained weight after marriage (in my argument, you can gain it even while dating.) This correlates with obesity being contagious and how much easier it is to gain weight because of those around you and their influence. Because of weight gain, health conditions can slowly draw it’s way into your life and slowly build up on your insecurities, leading back to what the world/society considers as the standard of what is attractive.

Staying Healthy in School

It’s that time of year where everybody is hacking and sneezing all over the place. If you aren’t sick, the person sitting next to you in your Media Studies class probably is. The best way to deal with the sickness is to avoid it altogether. Here are a few tips for keeping yourself healthy while on your grind.

-Antibacterial wipes

Our cellphones are great for keeping us connected at all times, but they’re also breeding ground for the germs that will make us sick. Check out this article from CBS regarding how much…stuff…is on your phone.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-best-way-to-clean-your-grimy-bacteria-laden-cellphone/

The best way to prevent flu-causing bacteria from being transferred to other surfaces, including yourself, is to clean your phone. Bye, bye, germs!

-Drink lots of water

Yes, even if you hate the taste of it. Water is necessary for the body to function properly. It keeps everything moist and doing what it’s supposed to do. Here’s an article about how water can prevent you from getting the flu. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-203142/Why-water-ward-flu.html

There are lots of simple ways to stay healthy this time of year, and these are just a few examples. Take the time to keep yourself healthy!

Invest In Yourself

Who doesn’t want to feel good? No matter what your age, race, gender, weight, healthy eating in combination with exercise will positively impact YOUR overall health. Yes, I said YOU. There are so many other weight loss products on the market right now that promise miraculous weight loss and boost in energy. The only promise they will fulfill is a dent in your bank account. The only proven way to look and feel better is through good old fashioned eating healthy in combination with exercise.

Think of eating healthy as an investment to your body. Eating out is not only expensive but can lead to poor food choices. The top 5 benefits of eating healthy according to Heathline.com highlight why committing to a healthy diet can be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.

1) Controls weight

2) Improves mood

3) Combats disease

4) Boots energy

5) Improves longevity

I get it, everyone has really busy schedules, but the gym doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. The top 5 benefits of exercise according to naturalbalancefoods.co.uk highlight why adding just 30 minutes of exercise 3-5 times per week can change your life.

1) Get a natural high

2) Sleep better

3) Look good

4) Get a healthier mind

5) Improve your health

Do all of these benefits sound like something you are interested in? There are obvious benefits to each action but you cannot be successful with one without the other. Imagine the endless possibilities that eating healthy in combination of exercise will bring to your life.