Drinking Alcohol: The Health Pros and Cons

July 7, 2017 at 3:54 pm

Barrel and glass of alcohol.

Today, alcohol is the second deadliest drug in the United States, after tobacco (Source 1). It’s also the most legal drug. Although alcohol is famous for breaking social barriers, it can also have serious consequences on the body and mind.

Let’s review the pros and cons of alcohol being legal.

Pro#1: drinking alcohol protects your heart

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has confirmed that alcohol – again, in moderation – can reduce the risk of heart disease (Source 2). The article defines moderate drinking as the consumption of fewer than three standard drinks per day.  A standard drink is equivalent to approximately 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of distilled spirits, each of which contains approximately 0.5 oz of alcohol.

Pro#2: drinking alcohol cuts down on other risks as well

According to the study conducted by American Diabetes Association, men who drink alcohol only occasionally appear to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 25% (Source 3). The researchers found indications that increased alcohol consumption to moderate levels was associated with an improved measure of the average blood glucose level.

Pro#3: drinking alcohol helps to prevent the common cold

Two bottles of beer (alcohol) in the snow.

Even though smokers are more susceptible to the common cold, moderate drinking individuals who do not smoke experience a decrease on common cold cases (Source 4). Scientists discovered that drinking 8-14 glasses of red wine a week could actually lower the risk of developing a cold by as much as 60%.

Pro#4: drinking alcohol can lower the risk of developing gallstones

Drinking one unit of alcohol per day reduces the risk of developing gallstones by a full 1/3, the researchers at the University of East Anglia have found. To come to such a conclusion, the investigators measured the dietary habits of 25,639 men and women and followed them for a 10-year period, during which only 267 patients developed gallstones (Source 5).

Con#1: drinking alcohol overdoing it with alcohol

Now, it’s time to face some ugly facts, too. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are at least 39 million adults in the United States who drink too much, but only one out of six of them have discussed their drinking problems with any kind of health professional (Source 6). With an average cost of a drink being two to five dollars, gaining alcohol addiction is easier than one might think.

Con#2: consuming alcohol heavy drinking deteriorates skin

Each time you consume alcohol, it dehydrates your skin – your body’s largest organ. Drinking too much deprives the skin of vital vitamins and nutrients. Hence, over time, heavy drinking can leave permanent marks on your skin, such as deep wrinkles and facial disfigurement.

Con#3: There are a lot of calories in alcohol

Alcohol drinks contain an excessive amount of empty calories with no nutritional value. For example, one 12 oz of standard beer contains about 160 calories while a glass of white wine can have as much as 300 calories. If people consume a few alcoholic drinks per week on top of their regular diet, it can quickly put them on the path of obesity. Moreover, the calories found in the alcohol do not satisfy hunger. In fact, they stimulate hunger, so the individual ends up eating more than normal on top of the calories consumed in the drink.

Con #4: it increases crime rates

Drinking alcohol and driving.

It’s common knowledge that alcohol can impair good judgment. Most of the illogical and embarrassing moments happen when people overdrink. But drinking also causes crime. Some of the most common alcohol-related crimes involve cases of drinking and driving. In 2015 alone, 10,265 people died in alcohol-impaired driving cases, accounting for nearly 29% of all traffic-related deaths in the United States (Source 7). However, there are a variety of other offenses that can result from alcohol abuse, such as robbery, sexual assault, child abuse and homicide.

Conclusion

From all the studies, it is evident that the key to the whole legalization of alcohol lies within the moderation of its consumption. As long as you are a responsible drinker, you will be able to get the benefits and avoid the negative impact that alcoholism brings.

If yourself or someone else you know suffers from alcohol addiction, consider seeking help at an alcohol rehab center. Doctors there transform lives of every individual and family member that walks through their doors. Along the recovery path, teens and adults restore hope in themselves which has been shattered by substance abuse.  

Alcohol consumption with a group.

Sources

 

  1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/08/19/alcohol-is-still-the-deadliest-drug-in-the-united-states-and-its-not-even-close/?utm_term=.c33fd50a8f17
  2. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh23-1/15-24.pdf
  3. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/28/3/719
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3533961/
  5. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090601090035.htm
  6. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/alcohol.htm
  7. https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html

By korytn96 | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (8)

Overcoming the ‘writer’s block’ for content writing

July 6, 2017 at 1:05 pm

Pencil and paper for content writing.

It happens to every writer. It is inevitable. You sat down to write but the muse has left you, and the words don’t come into your mind. Yes, you encountered a writer’s block. But don’t get discouraged too quickly. Overcoming writer’s block is easier than you might think. Here are 10 powerful ways through which you can go back to your flow of writing

  1. Step away from writing and do something creative to improve your content wriing

Do anything creative. Doesn’t matter what. Paint pictures, make a scrapbook of collage, take pictures, design images in Photoshop or build something in a garage. The key is to exercise the creative part of your brain and eventually new writing ideas will come to you.

  1. Eliminate distractions from your content writing process

Turn off the phone and unplug the internet. Clean up your workspace. Plan time in your schedule just for writing – at least three to four hours. Eliminating distractions and giving yourself time and space to be in solitude is important to stay focused.

  1. Write content early in the morning

Man enjoying content writing in the monrnig.When you first wake up, your mind is still fresh. It is not yet preoccupied with daily tasks and worries. Creativity peaks tend to happen in the morning as the creative connections in our brains are most active.  You will be amazed what might come up in your mind while you are still half sleep.

  1. Move your body

When you get your body into flow, your mind flows. Get up from your computer and start dancing, practicing yoga, running, biking, or whatever other activity you prefer. Not only will you become more fit, but you will be able to relax your mind. A relaxed mind is more open and therefore more imaginative. Plus, you can focus longer when you are in a peaceful state of being.

  1. Use a different writing tool

Try a different writing tool. Switch from Microsoft Word to Google Docs. Or type your work into WordPress. Switch to a different font. Switch from Calibri to a non-Calibri. Or change your font color from black to blue, purple or green. Increase or decrease your font size. Although it seems silly, these small changes can make writing more exciting and spike your creativity.

  1. Drink caffeine, maximize content ideas

Caffeine for content writing.Okay, okay, caffeine isn’t that good for you. But sometimes you need a little boost, something to keep going. Don’t waste your fantastic ideas just because you are struggling to stay awake. Make yourself a cup of tea or coffee. Set your timer for about 30 minutes of writing while sipping your drink.

  1. Stop planning your post.

Writing an outline is a proven technique that speeds up your writing. But it can also suck the joy and fun out of writing. When you find yourself bored with a particular piece, stop planning. Just write whatever comes to your mind. Although it may be all gibberish at first, you’ll find your idea and might experience a full burst of creativity.

  1. Go to a different place

Leaving your desk is proven to cure writer’s block.  If you can, take a break and go traveling. If you can't travel and the time is pushing you, just drag yourself away from your desk. Go to a park, try new cafes or relax on the beach. Take your laptop and go somewhere that is not associated with work.

  1. Start in the middle

You know your goal is to draw a reader into your writing with an interesting introduction that will keep the reader to flip the page or finish your blog post. However, trying to write the perfect opening can obstruct your writing process. Leave your introduction for later. If you have an idea what your writing is going to be about, then go ahead and start writing from the middle.

  1. Create weird challenges

If you have been writing for a while, then writing might seem like a chore. If that’s the case, create new challenges to have more fun. For example, introduce a new metaphor in your next writing. Or learn some new words and try to implement them in your text. You can also try to eliminate your average chapter/post length. Try new writing techniques – the power of three, irony or metaphors. There are plenty techniques, and you just need to look them up.

If you want to look up more ways to overcome writer’s block, go to the Eminent SEO’s advice on helping you to get back your flow for writing and can teach you to balance creative writing and digital marketing, which is essential for your blog to become popular. Or explore the whole https://www.eminentseo.com/ to learn about different writing tools.

The truth about writer’s block content writing

There is no doubt that writing is hard work. But you can make it harder by accepting writer’s block. Instead, choose to get on with writing.

Experiment. Have fun. Find out what works for you and what doesn’t. Write where and when you like it. Be as crazy as you like it to be.

Ideas for writing content.

 

Sources

https://www.eminentseo.com/

https://www.eminentseo.com/blog/tips-balancing-digital-marketing-creative-writing/

By korytn96 | Posted in Tips for when you have “writer’s block” | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

About An Eating Disorder: Signs, Causes, Dangerous Pills

June 16, 2017 at 1:41 pm

Eating disorder girl trying to eat food.

Many people who suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge-eating show no outward signs and might appear happy while battling anxiety or other troubling emotions.

Research suggests that about one out of every 100 women between 10 and 20 years of age are starving themselves, sometimes to death (Source 1). However, eating disorder is not just a phase of adolescence. Eating disorders do not discriminate among age and gender. Middle-aged women can also struggle with eating disorders even if they are happily married and has kids. And, as estimated by the U.S. Department of Mental Health, 10 – 15 percent of people with anorexia are male (Source 1).

Eating disorder goes way beyond the desire to look pretty - it is a sign of deep inner issues.

Symptoms of an Eating Disorder

Eating disorder will cause a person to constantly measure them-self.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (Source 2), a man or woman suffering from an eating disorder may reveal several signs and symptoms, some which are:

  • Extremely restricted eating
  • Extreme thinness (emaciation)
  • A relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight
  • Intense fear of gaining weight
  • Distorted body image, a self-esteem that is heavily influenced by perceptions of body weight and shape, or a denial of the seriousness of low body weight.

Causes Of Eating Disorder

There are numerous factors that contribute to the disordered eating behavior.

Biological: In some individuals with eating disorders, certain chemicals in the brain that control the feeling of hunger, appetite, and digestion can be unbalanced. Eating disorders often run in families, and the scientists from the University of Iowa have actually proven that genes significantly increase a person’s risk of developing anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

Psychological: Low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy or lack of control in life; depression, anxiety, stress or loneliness – all these psychological factors can contribute to the development of the eating disorder.

Social: Social attitudes heavily influence the importance of physical appearance. Many teens want to look like beautiful celebrities from movies and media. Furthermore, teens continuously base their opinion of themselves by comparing themselves to each other. Teens often become exposed to eating disorders through classmates who binge, purge or starve themselves. Group of friends tends to do things together, even such dangerous behavior like anorexia.

Interpersonal: psychological problems may come from troubled personal relationships; difficulty expressing emotions and feelings; history of being teased or ridiculed based on size or weight; history of physical or sexual abuse.

Dangerous Diet Pills

People with eating disorders take a lot of diet pills.

Weight loss pills are winning the market, especially now in the summer when many women are dreading to show their bodies on the beach. But any time you try weight loss drug, you take a risk.

The Compounding Pharmacy of America listed these weight loss pills that are notorious for deteriorating rather than improving health. FDA banned most of these drugs, but they remain popular and can be quickly found via internet search.

Meridia: has the potential to increase blood pressure and carries a host of dangerous side effects. Was removed from the market in 2010 after people who consumed these supplements complained about having headaches, nausea, insomnia, dizziness, upset stomach, confusion, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Clenbuterol: also known as clen. It is illegal for human consumption and is used to treat horses with respiratory issues. Side effects include arrhythmia, chest pain, diarrhea, nausea, nervousness, hyperthyroidism, muscle tremors, dangerous blood pressure and headaches.

Ephedrine: in 2005, FDA banned ephedrine as a weight loss supplement because its side effects include a heightened risk of heart attack or stroke, cardiac arrhythmia, nausea, tremors, dizziness, dry mouth, anxiety, and insomnia.Girl with headache because of eating disorder.

Dinitrophenol: as known as DNP, dinitrophenol cooks the users from the inside out. DNP was originally used as a chemical pesticide to manufacture explosive compounds. It speeds up the body’s metabolism and raises the body’s temperature, causing intense sweating, lesions, respiratory difficulty, bleeding lips, and the formation of cataracts. More than 60 people died consuming these pills.

Fen-phen: The FDA banned this drug in 1997 after linking it to heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, and increased pulmonary artery pressure.

Japan Rapid Weight Loss Diet Pill: Sold under the name Meridia.  It was pulled from the market in 2010 for raising the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The Brazilian Diet Pill: Sold under the brand names Herbaslim and Emagrece Sim. Because these supplements contain Librium, Prozac, and Fenproporex they cause severe mood swings and extreme personality shifts.

Qnexa: Ashough this compound has gained FDA approval, it’s important to be wary of the dangerous side effects, including potential heart valve damage and alteration in user metabolism and mood.

Health strawberry for nutrition to recover from eating disorders.

If you are concerned about the medication you are consuming, you can consult with highly experienced pharmacists at The Compounding Pharmacy of America. The Compounding Pharmacy of America exists to provide you with that level of personal service that has been lacking in many compounding pharmacy customer and patient experiences. The Compounding Pharmacy of America offers a pharmacy compounding solutions that your typical compounding pharmacy may not offer and that’s Convenience, Personal Service, and Value.

By korytn96 | Posted in Dangerous Diet Pills | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Kids Are Not Alright – Depression in Teenagers

June 14, 2017 at 3:25 pm

Whenever a teenager appears to be upset or in a bad mood, it is common to think that they are struggling with some insignificant problem rather than teenage depression. Bad grades, first break up, college rejection – all seem like temporary problems that will soon be forgotten and will not affect life in a long run. But even such insignificant problems in teen’s life can result in devastating consequences.

Causes of Depression in Teenagers

Depression is a complicated topic, and there are a variety of issues that might cause it, including biological chemistry, changes in the body’s balance of hormones, inherited traits, or early childhood trauma.

However, even if the teenager was born healthy, there are a variety of external risks that can trigger depression, including having issues that negatively impact self-esteem, such as obesity, peer or family problems, long-term bullying or academic problems.

Mental health statistics for Depressed Teenagers

Consider this: the second-leading cause of death for teens between age 12 and 18 is suicide.

It is common to feel overwhelmed to the point where you feel hopeless. While many adults have learned to cope with stress, teens often break under the pressure. Nearly 18 percent, which is about 1 in 5 students between ninth and 12th grade, had thought about attempting suicide, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Depression in teenager caused overdose from prescription pills.

However, just thinking is not as bad as actually making a detailed plan how to kill yourself, which 14.6 percent of students nationwide had done.

To be diagnosed with depression, a person must suffer from a depressed mood and find less pleasure in things which they used to enjoy. Additionally, they must experience changes in appetite, loss of sleep, energy, and concentration. Consequently, with little or no enthusiasm and motivation, depressed teens usually have a smaller social circle and take advantage of fewer career and education opportunities. Similarly, depressed teens are more likely to have trouble at school and in jobs, and to struggle with relationships.

From Teen Depression To Substance Use

30 percent of teens with depression also develop a substance abuse problem.

Depression in teenager and crying.In the study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the University of Southern California researchers used an assessment of 476 teenagers to find the connection between adolescent depression and adolescent substance abuse. All of the participants self-reported their involvement in drug, alcohol and/or tobacco use as well as their experiences with symptoms of depression and their typical reactions to stressful situations.

Using this observation, researchers confirmed the link between experiencing depression symptoms during adolescence and increased odds of using a range of substances, including alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and opioid pain relievers.

The Difference Between Teenage Depression and Adult Depression

Depression in teens can look very different from depression in adults.

Unlike adults, teens may not admit feeling depressed. Rather, they may appear hostile, easily frustrated, prone to angry outbursts, and have physical complaints or behavior changes. They are also more likely to be sensitive to criticism – depressed teens are plagued by feelings of worthlessness, making themselves extremely vulnerable to criticism, rejectio, and failure. Parents should be cautious if their child’s grades fall or if their child engages in a risky behavior such as consumption of drugs or alcohol.

Depression And Suicidal Thoughts Can Be Treated

Another interesting fact: nearly one-fourth of all teens will experience depression before adulthood. It should not come as a surprise that depression is the primary cause of suicide. That is why depression always needs to be taken seriously and treated immediately before it results in a terrible outcome.

If you are concerned that your child may be depressed, take him or her to a mental health professional. If they are also abusing substances, you should strongly consider looking into an adolescent drug detox program with experienced professionals. There, mental therapy and medications can be helpful in treating childhood depression and the ensuing drug abuse.

bright-carefree-clouds-1556691

 

 

By korytn96 | Posted in Teen Mental Health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Binge Drinking in College

June 11, 2017 at 4:36 pm

College alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.

As high school seniors gathered their diplomas and celebrated a long-awaited graduation, they began preparing for a new, exciting stage of their lives – college. Many of these students-to-be leave home for the first time in their lives, making their own choices and enjoying freedom from their parents' judgments. But along with the new freedom, also come new dangers that they should know about. A common and harmful one is drinking.

Often pressured to fit in, new students may easily be influenced by others and may be naive to the dangers of alcohol. While drinking and partying is typically considered as a part of college culture, students need to understand the risk of consuming this addictive substance.

Some interesting statistics about college binge drinking

Alcohol problems cause academic problems

Students that abuse alcohol will do worse in school.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 1 in 4 college students report academic consequences of drinking, including missing class, falling behind the class, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.

Based on the national survey conducted by the same institute, binge drinkers who consume alcohol at least three 3 per week were 6 times more likely than those who drank but never binged to perform poorly on a test or project and 5 times more likely to have missed a class.

But this is not as bad as it gets.

Death from alcohol poisoning

Alcohol addiction will cause car accidents.

Consequences of college drinking don't only affect the grades but also students’ families, and college communities at large. Researchers from NIAAA estimated that each year about 1,825 college students between the ages 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes.

 Assault

Another data showed that about 696,000 students between ages of 18 and 24 were assaulted by another student who has been drinking.

Sexual assault

97,000 students of the same age range reported alcohol-related sexual assault or rape.

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

According to U.S. National Institute of Health, about 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for AUD. AUD is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using. In other words, alcohol addiction. Becoming an alcoholic in college is surely not the best way to begin your life.

Other consequences

Aside from those described above, other consequences include suicide attempts, unsafe sex, vandalism, driving under the influence of alcohol, property damage, and involvement with police.

Alcohol and Heart condition

You cannot surprise anyone by the fact that heavy drinking damages health. However, not everyone knows exactly the extent to which drinking affects the body and especially how much damage it does to the body’s main organ – the heart.

The heart is comprised of four chambers. In a healthy person, all of these chambers beat in an organized rhythm, constantly pumping the blood through the body’s circulatory system. Health concerns arise when the pace of a heartbeat becomes erratic or irregular. And this is when the dangers of atrial fibrillation come in.

Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is irregular heartbeat that typically leads to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and many other heart-related complications. According to the information provided by the Elevate Addiction Services, alcohol abuse increases person’s risk of atrial fibrillation by about 60 percent.

Complications from atrial fibrillation.

According to the American Heart Association, about 15 to 20 percent of people who suffer strokes have atrial fibrillation. That is because if a blood clot breaks loose and enters the bloodstream, it can lodge inside an artery that leads to the brain, which causes a stroke.

Recovering from alcohol addiction

It's never too late to choose a right path. And path might lead right to the Elevate Addiction Services, which is dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life of confidence, self-respect, and happiness.  Elevate has two beautiful locations – one in the very private Santa Cruz mountains and another near Lake Tahoe Basin, both of which are perfect places to overcome addiction and face the mental health issues that go along drug and alcohol abuse.

Elevate’s flexible addiction treatment programs challenge clients physically and emotionally sending the back to the world as sober, productive members of society.

 

Sources:

 

Northern California Holistic Based Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers

Alcohol Abuse and Its Link to Atrial Fibrillation and Cardiac Arrhythmia

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-use-disorders

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2701090/#

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/

By korytn96 | Posted in College binge drinking stats | Comments (0)

Traditional marketing vs Digital marketing

June 5, 2017 at 12:44 pm

Digital marketer taking a break from work

Businessman taking a break from work

Digital marketing or internet marketing is a new tradition – everything from news outlets to our wallet is now available on our smartphones and computer devices. But when it comes to marketing – does digital mean better?

That is a long-standing debate among the small business owners because their budget will typically only stretch to one or the other, not both types of marketing. The decision is not easy and depends on the company’s situation, but this post will break down the merits and downsides of traditional and digital marketing.

Benefits of traditional marketing

Laptop in the kitchen used for digital marketing.

Reach your target local audience

You can use a radio station that is popular in your city or region to play your company's ad. Another option is to send mailbox flyers to the households in selected suburbs. The hard copy can be kept, and your potential client can browse through it over and over again. This strategy can be especially effective if you are targeting the elderly community where people might not be very keen on technology.

More about the flyers: neuroscience seems to support the paper marketing. A study performed by Canadian neuro-marketing firm compared the effects of paper marketing with digital media one. The result showed that direct mail was easier to process mentally. According to the report, email required 21% less[1] cognitive effort to process than digital media, meaning that it is easier to understand and more memorable.

Downside of traditional marketing

Lack of communication

With traditional marketing, you are informing the public that your brand exists, but there is very little or no interaction between the business and the customers.

Higher cost

Radio ads and or thousands of flyers can be very costly. Printing materials is expensive enough, but you also need to hire people to distribute them.

Analysis restriction

Even if you think that traditional marketing is the right option for your brand, the results of such strategy cannot be easily measured. People tend to throw away the junk mail and lower the volume on their radios once the commercials begin. Or maybe, most people do listen to your commercial and hang your flyers on their refrigerators because your service is exactly what they need at the moment. There is no way to find out.

Benefits of digital marketing

Larger audience with

With digital marketing, you can target a local audience as well as an international one. You can tailor a campaign on specific audience demographics, such as gender, location, age, and interests. This way, your campaign will be more effective.

Gives your digital audience a choice

With digital marketing, your audience can decide how they want to receive your content. If clients hate receiving sales flyers in the mailbox or get annoyed by the phone calls at inconvenient times, they might decide to not deal with your company at all. However, online, people have a choice to opt in or out of the email subscription.

Easy to analyze the digital marketing results

Data and results are recorded. Using the insights tools such as Google Analytics, you can check on your campaign at any time. Unlike traditional marketing, you can see the number of visitors on your site and analyze when why the number of subscribers increases or decreases. You can adapt quickly to improve your results instead of waiting weeks to find out what is or isn’t working for your business.

Downsides of digital marketing

First impression matters

If you choose to save money on your website’s design, your campaign will not look professional and not trustworthy, which means that your products will not be taken seriously by your clients. You must spend a lot of time and money targeting people in ways that will establish a positive first impression.

Digital marketing can backfireMan doing digital marketing with a neck ache

When you are working online, you rely on the online service. That is if your digital marketing revolves around Facebook or Flicker and that site has a prolonged outage, so does your campaign. You have to rely on at least several online services when running a campaign.

Using both digital and traditional marketing

Rather than taking an all or nothing approach, try to combine digital and traditional marketing. For example, you can spend most of your money on digital marketing while also passing brochures to some neighborhoods but not investing in television or radio ads.

If you want to learn more how to converge traditional and internet marketing, visit Addiction-Rep, a direct response marketing firm. It will also explicitly describe differences between inbound and outbound marketing and teach about traditional marketing philosophies

 

Sources:

How Traditional Marketing Gives You A Leg Up In Internet Marketing

 

https://www.canadapost.ca/assets/pdf/blogs/CPC_Neuroscience_EN_150717.pdf

 

By korytn96 | Posted in Traditional marketing vs Internet marketing | Comments (1)

Understanding Anxiety Disorders

June 5, 2017 at 7:01 am

nightmare

nightmare

Go ahead and try to find someone who will think that college is not stressful, and you will fail. College is stressful for everyone, at least at some point. How can one not get anxious trying to juggle school, part-time job, friends, and family while ultimately trying to figure out the path for the rest of the life? Some of the students are either stress-resistant or learned how to cope with the overwhelming amount of responsibilities. But eventually, constant stress for a prolonged period leads to frequent, intense and uncontrollable anxiety disorder.

This post will explain what the anxiety disorder is, the danger of it and how to treat it.

Facts and statistics about anxiety disorders in young people

Embracing couple

Embracing couple

As a college student myself I know that students tend to hide their anxiety.  I personally, feel embarrassed to admit to friends that every aspect of my life is spinning out of control.  Although I never talk about this issue in college, I assume that way more people than I realize pretend that they are doing just fine while trying to hide deep stress and anxiety.

What is anxiety disorder?

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations by alerting the danger and helping us pay attention. Anxiety disorders, however, differ from normal feelings of nervousness and involve excessive worry or anxiety. It is the most common mental disorder, and it comes in many different forms.

According to the Maryland Recovery Center, the different types of anxiety disorders are

  • Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): A continuous, unreasonable sense of fear or dread in almost any situation. Usually, a person is diagnosed with GAD after six months of constant anxiety and worry about lots of different things.
  • Panic disorder: Feelings of sudden, overwhelming terror that strike at any given time, lasting around 10 minutes. Someone having a panic attack may experience shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness. The side effects are often so strong that people suffering panic attacks may think they are having a heart attack. A person is diagnosed with a panic disorder with these panic continuously occur for more than a month.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Usually occurs after a person experienced a traumatic event (military combat, major accident, disaster). PTSD is characterized by nightmares, irritability, insomnia and frequent flashbacks to the event in question. PTSD is diagnosed when a person has suffered these symptoms for at least a month.
  • Social anxiety disorder (SAD): An unreasonable fear of interacting with other people and being criticized, embarrassed or humiliated in everyday situations such as making small talk, speaking publicly or eating in public.
  • Various phobias: Do you fear heights? Flying? Being trapped in enclosed spaces? Clowns? Germs? Certain animals? If the fear is overly debilitating and irrational, then you may be diagnosed with a specific phobia.

The effects of anxiety disorder

The life of someone suffering from the anxiety disorder is plagued by a constant state of worry, fear, and dread. It dominates the thinking and interferes with even the simplest daily functions.  Chronic anxiety disorder frequently causes drug abuse, anorexia nervosa, bulimia or other eating disorder.

Treatment for addicts with anxiety disorders

hands

hands

Anxiety disorders are treatable, and the vast majority of people show the signs of recovery after few weeks or months of treatment. Others may need more than a year to recover. Treatment of anxiety disorder is complicated, especially if a person has more than one anxiety disorder or if he or she suffers depression or substance abuse along the way. This is why treatment should be led by professional medical care, which is offered at the Maryland Recovery Center.

Treatment at the Maryland Recovery is individualized: patients have their own recovery plan adjusted for their treatment program. All staff is fully trained and prepared to stop the effects of anxiety from controlling a person’s life.

Sources

Drugs and Alcohol and Anxiety

Home

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/any-anxiety-disorder-among-adults.shtml

By korytn96 | Posted in Anxiety Disorder | Comments (0)

Physical effects of alcoholism; overview of detox process

May 26, 2017 at 4:02 pm

Waiter serving wine for alcoholics.

Waiter serving wine

Alcohol is the most widely-used drug in the world. More than two million people die each year due to their alcohol addiction, according to the World Health Organization. Nonetheless, in movies and television shows, alcohol is frequently portrayed as an integral part of any fun party, along with silly mistakes and great memories. However, drinking easily spins out of control. Ask people who have gone through alcohol addiction or witnessed their loved ones suffer from substance abuse, and they will tell you that there is nothing fun about alcohol.

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Understanding the danger of alcohol

It is no secret that drinking is associated with both short-term and long-term health consequences. It is critical to deal with alcohol addiction as soon as possible – while drinking cause certain diseases to develop, it also leads to accidents and violent attacks, which puts the lives of other people at risk. This post will describe some of the physical and mental effects of alcoholism and how to bring the body back to a healthy state of being.

Short-term effects of alcohol

Family making fresh fruit juice together

Family making fresh fruit juice together

Most adults won't experience significant side effects from one or two servings of alcohol a day. The safe level of consumption differs for each person depending on the individual's weight, height, and whether he or she consumes alcohol on an empty stomach. Short-term effects appear after alcohol consumption rises above that safe level. While these effects may be pleasant, they result in lowered reflexes, poor coordination, and in general, a slowing down of activity of the brain. Longer, but not complete, a list of short-term effects of alcohol includes slurred speech, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea, headaches, distorted vision and hearing, impaired judgment, decreased perception and coordination, drowsiness, anemia (loss of red blood cells), memory lapses and unconsciousness.

Long-term effects of alcohol

Alcohol-damaged liver cells allow the excess of harmful byproducts to enter the brain, thus damaging the brain cells while also slowing the growth of the new ones, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Ultimately, it will lead to blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction, impaired memory, and difficulties in walking. For a person who drinks heavily over an extended period, these side effects will remain long after he or she achieves sobriety.

Brain cell damage also causes changes in sleep patterns, mood, and personality, and can lead to psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, depression and severe cognitive effects such as shortened attention span, problems with coordination and shaking hands.

Withdrawal Treatment for Alcohol Addiction

Today, there are many alcohol addiction treatment centers to help in recovery and get an addict back to a healthy and fulfilling life.

Healthy young girl getting quality nutrition and recovery from alcohol addiction.

Those addicted to alcohol suffer malnutrition (nutrition deprivation). Nutrition serves two main purposes: it provides energy and maintains body function as well as keeps it in good shape. To get nutrition from the food, body needs to digest it. However, alcohol prevents the body from properly absorbing, digesting and using the nutrients. As a result, alcoholics frequently experience deficiencies in protein and essential for the body vitamins, which ultimately leads to a liver disease and other serious alcohol-related disorders.

Vitamin therapy involves high doses of essential vitamins, a process which helps the body to regain basic functions. Vitamin therapy does not only addresses malnutrition and its side effects, but it also helps the alcohol abusers to approach the recovery process with a more solid foundation.

While the alcohol detox process is safe, it causes intense withdrawal symptoms, including shaking and tremors, nausea, vomiting, sweating, anxiety, irritability and difficulty eating and sleeping. That is why it is important to have medical supervision during the recovery process.

By korytn96 | Posted in effects of alcoholism & detox | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Quick and Easy SEO Tips

May 19, 2017 at 2:18 pm

Digital news. Laptop, mobile phone and tablet pc to optimize SEO.

Starting a business while at university or right after graduation is one of the hardest tasks you can undergo. With financial restraint and almost no working experience, you may encounter an array of problems that can diminish your confidence in success.

But don’t be alarmed about the upcoming challenges – there are multiple factors that contribute to your business’s success, and one of them is SEO, which stands for ‘search engine optimization.’ SEO increases the number of visitors to a website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines. SEO helps small business become not so small. Think of your favorite blogger or social media influencer – chances are, they are implementing various SEO strategies on their personal website that helped boost them to where they are today.

If you’re not a SEO guru – that’s fine. You can begin with some simple tips to boost your SEO and expand your effort as time goes on. Here are few quick and easy SEO tips that will get you on your way to driving traffic to your website

SEO Check for broken links

Have you ever visited a website and ended up on a 404 error page? Broken links chase visitors away and hurt your SEO as well as your business. When the number of web visitors decreases, the search engines will assume that your website does not provide a good user experience. Eventually, search engines will give your site a lower rank in a Google search.

Luckily, there is a reliable way to check for broken links. Eminent SEO created a link extractor tool that scans a web page and notifies of any broken links. With Eminent SEO’s tool, you don’t need to manually search for dead links. Keeping track of a web page’s links is crucial to maintaining a site’s overall health.

Implement Important and Relevant Keywords for your SEO

Multitasking businessman at work

Multitasking businessman at work

Making a list of SEO keywords is one of the most important steps. SEO keywords are words that describe the content of your page, and choosing appropriate ones will go a long way towards making your website rank higher. To figure out what the most effective keywords will be for your specific business, you will need to predict what words people are going to type in the search engine to find your web page. You can use Google Keyword Planner to help generate ideas for keywords.

Also, use keywords in your image alt text description. Once again, they need to reflect your site topic and content.

Have other websites linked to you

An inbound link is a link that comes from another site to your site. Inbound links drive traffic to your website and are essential to SEO. If someone posts a link to your page on their website or blog, their readers might click on it. Generally, the more links that refer to your site, the higher it will rank in search engine results pages. However, Google’s algorithm is constantly shifting, and there are many other factors that contribute to search rankings. Quantity over quality is NOT necessarily the case for link building.

The bummer is that you can’t force anyone to refer to your page. Or, at least you shouldn’t. However, you can link to others, especially when you do it in a consistent, opportunity-driven way. There is a great likelihood that bloggers will return the favor. Also, creating great content that people will be happy to link to will definitely help – we are living in the age of inbound marketing and content curation!

Avoid duplicate content that will affect SEO

When there are multiple pieces of similar content in more than one location on the Internet, it becomes hard for the search engines to determine which version is more relevant to a given search query. Ultimately, the site owner can suffer rankings and traffic losses.

Take advantage of social media to boost SEO

Woman with Laptop doing SEO

Social media has potentially had an enormous impact on your search rankings. Share your new blog post or news on social media. You should also add social sharing buttons to your site, so the readers can easily access it. Don’t go crazy with dozens of platforms. Stick with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or whatever you think would target best your viewers. If your consumers primarily use a certain platform, then make sure you are active on that platform. This may take some research.

The above five-point checklist does not include everything a person needs to know about SEO. However, following this checklist and doing more research about what would work best for your business will get you ahead of the competition. Just remember that as good as your SEO is, don’t expect quick results. SEO is a long-term strategy, and it will take some time to produce results, especially in a competitive field.

By korytn96 | Posted in Easy SEO Tips | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (10)

Get a head start! – Investing in a home, foundation problems and solutions, & loans!

May 17, 2017 at 5:08 pm

Graduated.

Once commencement is over, graduate students face an array of problems that no class could prepare them for. With the burden of a student loan and difficulties to land a job, graduates often forget about the importance of buying a house.

Even if a graduate has a student loan, becoming a home owner right after graduation is a better financial decision than writing checks to a landlord each month. In a long run, buying a house will save students a significant amount of money and might even serve as a regular source of income.

Benefits of investing in a house after graduation

The harsh truth – the real estate prices will rise indefinitely, according to Investopedia. More land can't be built, so the demand and prices for the real estate will always rise, making it a great investment. Here are few other reasons why buying a house is a better option than renting one.

Stability

Buying a house gives you a security that renting can’t provide. Although renting in affordable college towns like Athens, Georgia or Boston might provide flexibility when you’re young, it’s great to think about purchasing after graduation. While your income might remain the same for the first few years, the rent is more likely to rise. When you buy a house, on the other hand, the monthly mortgage you pay is always the same. Moreover, having a stable environment and not depending on the mercy of a landlord is an emotionally satisfying experience.

Saves money over time

While you are writing checks to your landlord each month, you could have been paying off house mortgage. You will pay rent for an indefinite amount of time, but if you own a house you will eventually free yourself from mortgage payments and live free in your space.

Make some money

Don't think that you are tied down to a home once you buy it. As a graduate who is most likely to move around for the different jobs, you can make money out of your travels. You just need to rent it out at a price slightly higher than your mortgage amount. This is a convenient way to get a stable income while continuing to pay off your mortgage.

Purchasing a house with foundation issue

Foundation problem.

Houses divide into two categories – the ones that have home foundation problems and the ones that will have home foundation problems. The signs of home foundation trouble don’t necessarily mean that the home is a bad deal, in fact, it can be an advantage for a student with a limited budget. Depending on the extent of the damage, the cost of foundation repair may fall well below the discounted price of the home. Moreover, once repaired, you are most likely to get a lifelong warranty. So this way, you will get a repaired foundation while also having a discount on a house purchase. More useful information about buying and selling houses with home foundation problems and repair can be found on Olshan Foundation Solutions’ website.

Buying a house with student loan: Tips

Being fresh out of college, you might be wondering whether it is okay to purchase a home despite having a student debt. As with the most financial decision, the answer is that it depends. However, becoming a homeowner even if you have student loans will certainly save your money in a long run and here are few tips that will help you manage your finances when considering to become a homeowner.

Get a roommate

You already got used to living with a roommate, so why not make some money out of it? You can rent a room to roommates, which will offset some or all the mortgage and other expenses. With estimates in hand, you will be in a better position to negotiate a fair price.

Low monthly student loan payments

The lower debt-to-income ratio shows your mortgage lender you have enough extra cash to make your monthly mortgage payments. So, consider refinancing your student loans and switching to a lower monthly payment.

Home for sale. - foundation problem

 

Being fresh out of college doesn’t necessarily puts a burden on buying a home. There are strong arguments for buying a home right now and making the most out of your homeownership. However, always make decision based on your personal finances, priorities, and goals.

By korytn96 | Posted in Investing in a home | Comments (1)