Proper dental hygiene is crucial to a health life. It’s not an exaggeration. Yet, it’s amazing how many people blow of a visit to the dentist—which is supposed to happen twice a year. We get it. Many health insurance plans don’t cover dental; it’s a separate plan that one must purchase. Regardless, you need to keep your chiclets healthy! Here’s what you expose yourself to if you don’t take care of business: Heart disease Respiratory infections Alzheimer’s disease Diabetic complications Periodontal disease Dr. R. Craig Miller is a dentist and author of Get Back Your Smile, Take Back Your Life! He says many parents don’t prioritize their own health care, and that causes problems. Here are his tips for good oral health: Prioritize your oral care. Miller says that starts with recognizing behaviors that undermine self-care, or in effect, people putting themselves last. “Parents just get caught up in their daily family life,” Miller says. “When it isn’t family, it’s work. Self-care takes a back seat to everything else.” Regular brushing and flossing. People with good oral hygiene spend less on health care overall. “Proper brushing and flossing can turn back the clock on gum disease. Oral hygiene has a direct impact on the mouth’s microbiome, which is the balance of organisms that keep decay at bay. Without good oral hygiene, the mouth is at risk for developing periodontal disease — the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.” Commit to a healthier diet. Excess sugar is one of the primary culprits of plaque, a sticky deposit on the teeth in which bacteria proliferate. “Without eating healthier foods and having good levels of vitamins and minerals in the body, good bacteria turn to harmful, which leads to tooth decay.” Stick with the program. “Dental treatment alone offers no guarantees for the long term,” Miller says. “The patient is the key person in the whole process. Successful outcomes rely on the patient to be a member of the care team.” Crack Wise-dom: Grab a toothbrush and toothpaste. Floss. And go see the dentist. Seriously. You get a free goodie bag with a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss every time. Win! We really need some (a lot) of disposable income so we can live our best life. It appears life is great at Velas Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta. On the resort’s jetty, which extends into Banderas Bay (Is Antonio there? Because that would really make for best living…) couples can receive a Moonlight Massage. For 60 minutes. For $348. This is the setting: From the press release: “Bathed in moonlight and showered in fragrant flower petals, listening to the soothing sounds of the night tide rolling in, couples are treated to a gentle massage for full relaxation. Following the treatment, sparkling wine and chocolate-covered strawberries are served to enjoy beneath the stars. As a special takeaway, couples will receive petals soaked in fragrant essences to trigger their mind to the memory for days to come.” Again, is Antonio doing the massaging? He hasn’t been in a movie in a while… For whatever ails you, stick your body in a Prism Light Pod and come out fantastic! Photobiomodulation therapy—or light therapy for us simpler folk—is an up-and-coming trend riding the wave of red light therapy’s popularity. This therapy is credited with enhancing weight loss and muscle recovery, and relieving chronic pain and skin conditions. Prism Light Pod is a full-body cold laser system with 14,000 red LEDs. Prism Light Pod has six settings optimized for specific benefits: Sports Rehab and Recovery Helps repair ligaments, tendons, and muscles, and reduce stiffness and soreness. Wound and Injury Healing Dramatically speeds recovery from sprains, strains, and surgical procedures. Skin Conditions and Anti-Aging Helps even out skin tone and wrinkles, and visibly improve psoriasis, acne, eczema, and dermatitis. Arthritis and joint Pain Supports improvements in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, while slowing disc degeneration. Chronic Pain Helps relieve pain caused by inflammation, nerve damage, and auto-immune conditions. Weight Loss Accelerates shrinking of fat cells We don’t know the price tag on this baby. Probably need to max out the credit card. But hey, if it’s like the fountain of youth.. Crack Wise-ing: You had us at “shrinking fat cells.” We want to get into this thing as Fat Bastard, and come out like Gigi Hadid. Can you do that, Prism Machine Thing!?!? The Asians got it going on in so many ways. Korean skincare has been a popular trend the past few years, and Singapore brand Sigi Skin wants some face time here in the U.S. Their focus is on personalized skincare with a minimalistic routine. Yes! Instead of spackling on the layers of makeup, Sigi wants your skin to shine so that you don’t need to cover it up. Some highlights from their skincare line: Kaleanser Face Wash ($38): A vegan face cleanser specially formulated with kale and soy extracts to gently remove impurities while also rebalancing your skin’s natural pH levels. It has a unique, jelly-like texture that makes the cleansing process feel like a dream and doesn’t strip away your natural moisture barrier. Morning Glow Physical Sunscreen ($58): This hydrating vegan sunscreen not only helps prevent premature aging by protecting your skin from UVA and UVB rays, but also contains added superfoods like avocado and acai extracts, which are both rich in vitamin E and fatty acids. When applied, its light, whipped texture blends into your skin with ease, disappearing completely and leaving no white residue nor greasy film. Pink Nectar ($62): Your eyes are in for a treat! This powerhouse eye cream is packed with natural extracts such as peach and propolis as well as nutrients like vitamin E, niacinamide and 5 different kinds of hyaluronic acid. What’s more, this product doubles as a hydrating lip mask too! Now, if Sigi could create a potion that mimics a soft filter… We put aside the funformation, for serious information… When we think of SAD--Seasonal Affective Disorder—we think “winter blahs”. The lack of sun, warmth, fun. But for some people, SAD happens in the summer. Dr. Vinjay Saranga of Saranga Comprehensive Psychiatry says reverse SAD is real. “It’s not about being a party pooper. Summer depression can really bring some people down. The sun, to them, is utterly oppressive. It drains and exhausts them. They are energized on cloudy days. This type of exhaustion can isolate people and intensify feelings of sadness and anxiety.” Dr. Saranga says to look for these signs in yourself, or someone you know: agitation, anxiety, fatigue, eating too much or too little, significant changes in weight, unexplained aches and pains, loss of interest in activities that usually bring pleasure, lack of motivation, depression, little to no optimism about things, lacking that zest you usually have, avoiding friends/family/social situations. If you see these signs, reach out to a health care professional. Or download an app. We want your happiness. Hey. We’re all friends. We can be honest with each other. And speaking of honesty… are you truly honest with your doctor? A new survey from TermLife2Go reveals that 23% of patients lie to their doctors about different aspects of their health. Highlights of the survey include: - 45% of people say they have lied about their smoking habits while 43% lie about their exercise habits. - The topic 50% of patients said they feel uncomfortable talking to their doctors about is sexual relations. - Patients 35 years or older are more likely to lie about their exercise habits while patients younger are more likely to lie about smoking. - In response to “Why do/did you lie to your doctor?” one respondent said they lied to avoid revealing their sexual activities while their mother was in the room with them. Crack Wise-dom: Don’t lie. Doctors are here to help. Do you really want to lie and then something that’s treatable becomes harder to treat? Don’t make us find you and slap the lunacy out of you. Most of us are all about do-it-yourself everything. Because it’s about saving money. Unfortunately, do-it-yourself skincare could be dangerous. Using natural ingredients could cause adverse side effects. Thank goodness board-certified dermatopathologist Dr. Gretchen Frieling reached out to us about this dangerous trend. Are you guilty of these skincare DIYs? Toothpaste for acne spots Treating pimples with toothpaste is backed by many who have extolled its drying properties. While it can dry the pimple out, Dr. Frieling explains, "It can also cause irritation, redness, and even peeling." The chemical and ingredients in toothpaste that fight bacteria are made for your teeth, not your skin! Crack Wise-dom: Guilty. We like to feel the burn. Makes us realize we’re alive. BURRRN! Citric acid (lemons and limes) as toners You may have seen DIY exfoliators or toners featuring lemon juice as an ingredient -- but you should really avoid putting this on your face. Dr. Frieling shares, "Because of its high acidity, lemon juice can disrupt the natural pH levels of your skin leading to irritation and hyperpigmentation." Crack Wise-dom: Not Guilty. We prefer our citrus in drinks. Like a rum and coke, while doing a DIY skincare routine. Rubbing alcohol to dry acne At the crux of germ-fighting products, rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol cleans wounds, disinfects, and sanitizes the skin. You think it would be great for your face too, right? Think again! "Repeated exposure to isopropyl alcohol on the face strips the skin of its natural protective barrier, oils, and irritates the skin." shares Dr. Frieling. While rubbing alcohol works great to remove bacteria, it's not always what is causing acne breakouts. Crack Wise-dom: Guilty. See the above “feel the burn”. No, we don’t have an issue. Don’t judge. Baking soda as an exfoliator Baking soda is an alkaline, meaning it attempts to neutralize acidity. When it comes to healthy skin, Dr. Frieling says it should have a pH level of around 5.5. "Baking soda (a pH of 9) can alter the outer layer of skin and actually cause it to break down," she adds, "leaving the skin vulnerable to bacteria and worsening the condition." Crack Wise-dom: Not Guilty. The only baking soda we have is the 10-year-old box in the fridge. Pretty sure it needs to stay there. Raw eggs in your face mask Anyone tell you not to eat raw eggs? Claims of salmonella and stomach issues would persuade you against it, but what about your face? While egg whites are definitely the cheaper alternative to most serums, Dr. Frieling says it should not go anywhere near your face. "If you have a scratch or unhealed blemish on your face, putting raw egg whites on your face can cause infection, not to mention possible allergic reactions," she explains. Crack Wise-dom: Not Guilty. Eggs are meant to be scrambled with cheese and devoured. Coconut oil as a moisturizer or cleanser It's excellent for food, hair, and even the legs, but coconut oil needs to stay far away from your face. Some claim it does wonders for their skin, making it brighter and smoother, others not so much. "Coconut oil is extremely comedogenic," says Dr. Frieling "it can't be absorbed into the skin, clogging your pores, and causing more breakouts." But what about as a cleanser? "Even after washing off, coconut oil leaves a thin layer of film left behind which can suffocate your pores." Crack Wise-dom: Guilty. Hey. We had dreams of being an exotic island girl. Don’t squash the only dreams we have! P.S. What if we put the lime in the coconut and put in on our face, tho? Parents, rejoice! Summer break is almost over! But the bitch is, getting the kids back on a daily routine—including sleep schedules. Ah, yes. The battle over bedtime. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends the following tips to help parents get their kiddos into the back-to-school sleep groove. Adjust for earlier wake times. Prep kids for a more stringent sleep schedule with a gradual transition at least two weeks before school starts. Visit the AASM bedtime calculator to identify the appropriate bedtime for each member of the family. Simply input the age and wake time to find a customized bedtime for optimal zzz’s. This personalized calculation can help individuals keep a schedule that will provide adequate, healthy sleep. Make time to sleep. Instilling a bedtime routine for the whole family can help children—and parents—fall and stay asleep. Practice healthy sleep habits such as avoiding electronics at least 30 minutes before bedtime and especially while in bed. Also, consider adding reading, journaling or taking a warm bath or shower as part of a nightly routine. *If you're an adult with sleeping issues, Crack Wise recommends drinking a bottle of wine before bedtime. Enjoy that blissful two hours of rest before massive hunger sets in and wakes you up... |
AuthorHaus of V is a creative collective that shares a similar mindset -- with a twist. Archives
June 2020
Categories
All
|