I’m not a morning person. For years, I struggled to get to work on time. What a chore it was to just peel myself off the bed, crawl into the shower, put on my make-up and fight the commuter traffic, only to get to a stressful job with long hours and demanding bosses.

My last job was with a huge multinational company, and 12-hour workdays were very common. Often, I had early morning as well as late-night teleconferences, so working as long as 18 hours in total before I could get any rest became a regular occurrence. Meals were hurried, and I ate at the computer more times than anyone should. Exhaustion, a compromised immune system and shared, stale air in the office meant that I was vulnerable to circulating flu bugs, germs and viruses. I was frequently sick.

Sounds familiar? Well, I was diagnosed with breast cancer at that last job. That was a real wake-up call. It started me on the road to better living. No more sacrificing rest and sleep, no more unhealthy meals, no more working crazy hours. People have been known to fall sick and even die from stress and overwork. So, several months after my cancer diagnosis, I left my well-paid corporate job to work from home.

It’s been great. I get all the rest I need, spend much more time with my loved ones, go for walks whenever I like, have time to make fresh juices as often as I wish, enjoy leisurely and much healthier meals, breathe fresh air everyday – you get the picture. Ah, the joys of working from home!

Is your job getting you down and hurting your health? Are you sick of the daily stress? If it is, explore other ways to earn an income which you will enjoy more, give you more freedom and allow you to live a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. Employment is no longer secure -this latest recession shows this vividly. No wonder growing numbers or people are building a home business and working from home. Fortunately, technology and the internet makes this much easier today. It’s made it possible for me to run several web-based businesses, which I thoroughly enjoy.

If your job is affecting your health and happiness, why not work from home? It could make a huge improvement in your quality of life.

Posted: June 19th, 2009 under Cancer, Enemies To Health, Rest & Sleep, Work From Home.
Comments: 1

Adult humans have 206 bones, while the skeleton of an infant contains 350 (the bones fuse together as you grow). More than half of your 206 bones are found in your hands and feet. No wonder joint care and pain relief is such big business. Imagine 206 bones moving together hour after hour, month after month and year after year. Cartilage, muscles, ligaments, and synovial membranes work together to protect and support the joints and allow you to execute various movements.

Without proper care, your joints can easily wear out and become inflamed and painful, a condition called arthritis. Should that happen, what can you do to relieve joint pain and improve your condition? Here are a few simple tips:

Massage
Use pure essential oils combined with mixing oil to massage the area which hurts. Lavender, for instance, has healing properties, while eucalyptus is soothing. Stroke in the direction of your heart.

Ice Therapy
As soon as you feel the pain beginning, you can apply ice packs hourly for 15 minutes each time. The following day, if the pain persists, you may continue with the ice packs for 15 minutes each time but reduce the hourly applications. Try doing this no more than half-a-dozen times that day.

Aromatic Warm Baths
Fill your bathtub with warm water and put in several drops of pure essential oils, like eucalyptus and lavender. Enjoy a nice, relaxing soak which will also help you to destress as well as relieve the pain.

Exercise
Low-impact activity such as walking, swimming and biking helps to build muscle around the joints to support them. Do this daily and you will probably lose weight too, which will reduce the burden and stress on your skeleton and joints, especially weight-bearing joints like the knees, feet, back and hips. My knees used to hurt terribly because of worn-out and inflamed joints. The pain was so excruciating that I couldn’t even get out of bed in the mornings. Going for regular walks helped me lose excess weight as well as build up the muscles around my joints. I’ve been pain-free for years now.

Nourish Your Joints and Connective Tissue
With age, glucosamine levels in the body declines. Glucosamine helps to keep cartilage and joints healthy. When the cartilage wears down, osteoarthritis results. Nutrients to support normal levels of synovial fluids, which help to lubricate the joints and tendons, are vital for joint health too. Feeding your body with antioxidants and nutrients which help to support your immune system also help to keep joint deterioration and pain at bay. Give your body the nutrients it needs for musculoskeletal health and healthy joints.

Walk Right
Are you wearing footwear which will support your joints and reduce impact when you walk? Is having the wrong gait causing your joints to wear out? The right footwear can help you correct your posture as well as the way you walk. Throw away shoes and sandals which don’t’ meet these criteria.

Watch Your Posture
Good posture helps to protect your back, legs and feet. Keep your spine straight and avoid lopsided positions.

Invest In Ergonomically-Designed Seating
Do you have at least one good ergonomically-designed chair at home or at work which supports your body correctly? Chairs which don’t support critical areas like your spine, legs, neck and arms can strain your joints and cause your body to ache. Low seats and chairs without armrests should also be avoided, as you may have to strain to get in and out of them.

Avoid Sudden Movements and Straining
Sudden twists and turns, stretching, lifting, jerking, pushing, pulling, bending, and reaching can hurt your joints and muscles. Keep your movements gentle, fluid and steady. Float like a butterfly.

Distribute The Pressure
Carrying a heavy plate? Use both your hands – palms and fingers- to distribute the weight. Avoid putting too much load on any single joint. Let the stronger joints and muscles of your body, like the shoulders and the arms, support a heavy load, rather than just trying to carry it with your hands. If you can sling it over your shoulders, please do so. In an episode of reality TV show, “The Amazing Race”. contestants (two per team) had to carry a full-grown pig on a pole for 200 yards. Those who tried to do so by using their hands only kept falling and dropping the carcass. On the other hand, one team – which included the oldest contestant – who put the pole across their shoulders managed to complete the task faster and with less effort.

Rest and Sleep
Healing is delayed when your body doesn’t get sufficient quality rest and sleep. Put your poor, aching feet up and give yourself a break!

Posted: June 16th, 2009 under Antioxidants, Exercise & Fitness, Immune System Health, Joint Health, Rest & Sleep.
Comments: 1

Women working the night shift are four times more vulnerable to breast cancer because of a disruption in their internal physiology – or circadian clocks. This discovery was made by Professor Paolo Sassone-Corsi and his team from the University of California, Irvine. He spoke at the sidelines of the inaugural Euro Gold Singapore 2009, a symposium which brought together 12 eminent scientists from around the world in early May.

“Everybody has their own 24-hour internal clock. It determines the time at which you go to sleep at night, when you decide to eat during the day and even when you may decide to go for a run.”

These internal clocks are made up of molecules that regulate a number of activities, including the metabolic rate. Disrupting these clocks can cause disturbances that lead to obesity, neurological disorders, depression, insomnia and even cancer.

An earlier study established that women on rotating shifts were 79 per cent more likely to develop breast cancer, as they produced lower levels of melatonin, a hormone as well as a powerful antioxidant produced during sleep which provides protection against the disease. Melatonin is also an immune system regulator, anti-aging agent and anti-depressant. Sleeping at erratic times, going to bed too late, and sleeping in environments which are not conducive for a good night’s sleep (too noisy or too bright, for instance) disrupts the production of melatonin. Bright light can even stop the production of melatonin completely.

No animal or even machine is designed to go without rest. The Bible tells us that even God rested after six days of working on creation. If you watch animals, they spend most of their time resting. Humans, however, are prone to pushing themselves, partying till late, burning the midnight oil and skipping sleep.

Doctors sometimes induce coma in patients to aid healing and recovery. This may seem bizarre, but coma is a deep form of sleep and rest.

Don’t compromise on sleep. Give it priority. Try to get to bed at a reasonable time every night (10 a.m. is a good time). Create a conducive environment for a peaceful, restful sleep. Turn off the TV. Close the curtains or shades. Switch off the lights. Make sure your room is in complete darkness. Don’t let worry disturb your mind and spirit. For me, praying and casting my cares on Jesus really helps (1 Peter 5:7). I often play soothing Christian music as well before I sleep, as it comforts me.

Getting sufficient quality sleep is vital, because it gives me the strength, energy and clarity of mind I need to face the day. When I don’t get enough rejuvenating sleep, it affects my ability to function well, as well as my mood.

Good night, and sweet dreams.

Posted: May 25th, 2009 under Antioxidants, Cancer, Enemies To Health, Health Basics 101, Healthy Spirit, Hormone Health, Rest & Sleep.
Comments: 3