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Health – a benefit of technology

Over the years technology has developed ways in which human life can be better. Digital innovation has been seen in all areas including health and wellness. Thanks to technology, people can live healthier lives. Technology allows people to tap into different parts of their health and learn more about it as well as more about how to improve it. There have been digital innovations in health in all areas, including but not limited to skin, fitness, dental hygiene, and mental health. Innovations in health can help people transform their lives for the better. Here are two ways in which technological innovations can be used in creating a holistically improved health and lifestyle.

  1. Body:

Internal health directly reflects on one’s physical appearance and this is why humans are attracted to those deemed to be good looking – it is a testament of how healthy and strong they are and will be an ideal candidate to start a family with. However, recent innovations have also created ways to influence appearance positively. There are products that have been developed for skin, hair, and even dental care. Products like HiMirror help people track skin defects and how to fix them. Dental care has seen a lot of innovation as well and products to whiten teeth are now very common, both from a dentist or from an at-home kit. Even the technology of dyeing one’s hair dark is a benchmark of enhancing their appearance and in turn, their vitality.

Mobile applications like 7 Minutes offer workouts under 7 minutes. While it may not seem like much, but studies have shown that just a minute plank a day is able to help speed up metabolism and increase strength. This is especially helpful to those who work in an office and do not have ample time or are too tired to go to the gym.

  1. Mind:

It is important to keep a healthy mindset in order to live a healthy life. Over the last few years, the importance of mental health awareness has taken a forefront, diminishing the stigma which has been attached to it for centuries. Meditative benefits have always been mentioned, with more and more leaders across the globe talking about the amazing benefits of meditation and mindset development. There are also applications which can be used to help one achieve peace through meditation, but the more advanced meditators can also use their phones to set reminders to take a break. This is important as the daily routine of an average person is often so chaotic and filled with work and obligations that they leave little to no time to themselves.

Apple has included innovations like Breathe on their smart watches and it will periodically remind the wearer to take time off to breathe or stand. Relaxation through the day is extremely important as it directly influences one’s quality of sleep and sleep is very important in terms of mental wellness. Therefore, technological innovations in sleep have become more highlighted over the years.

Overall, technological innovations have given people a chance to focus on more areas of their health. It has helped people create a healthier lifestyle and to live positively. These health innovations are allowing people to live a more balanced life, and work productively towards a better life.

Home care providers on the internet – how reliable are they?

With the current technological advancements, access to health care services is becoming more and more stress-free. Technology has enabled health care givers to offer their clients remotely thus making their services more convenient, especially to people who require home care. Initially, families had to send their relatives, who required special care, away to nursing homes, which consecutively caused a lot of suffering.

But with the emerging home care services, patients have the choice of remaining at home as they continue to receive the care they need. They no longer have to be separated from their loved ones and sent to new homes with unfamiliar faces. However, families still have to face the challenge of finding the right care givers for their loved ones.

Here are a few tips for picking the right home care providers.

  • Research Widely

Just like in any other important venture, one is required to do extensive research on the available care givers before they make the final decision. These people will be spending most of the time with a patient or an elderly person who requires special attention. So, the decision one makes has to be right if not perfect. Luckily, the internet is full of useful information about home care services and the organizations that offer them.

  • Reputation and Accreditation

It goes without saying that the best nursing company is the one that has a good reputation and all the necessary accreditations. Therefore, one has to check what other people, especially who have hired similar services from the company, think about it. This can be found in the company’s online reviews. One also has to ask for the company’s operating licenses, certificates and other credentials that prove its ability to render quality nursing services. It is the right of the person hiring the services to have all this information before they put pen to paper.

  • Ask for Referrals

This is perhaps one of the most reliable and safest ways to find the right home care provider. By consulting people who have had an experience with the company, it becomes quite easy for one to know what to expect. One can also get suggestions of the most reputable nursing companies in the area, which in turn saves them time and money that they would otherwise spend moving from one company to another.

  • Check Cost and Innovations

While there are many other factors that influence the decision one makes when choosing a home care giver, the cost of services offered plays a major role. Quality nursing services are supposed to be affordable but not suspiciously cheap. If the services are too cheap, then they probably don’t meet the required standards. One also needs to check the kind of technologies employed by the company in the delivery of its services. More exciting innovations are emerging every day, making nursing services better. Therefore, any reputable home care provider should be able to incorporate these technologies into their services for better results. Overall, one should scrutinize every aspect of the company they wish to hire before they sign the dotted line.

Laws associated with Medical Malpractice in India

Medical malpractice is rampant in many countries across the globe. The term ‘medical malpractice’ refers to the problem of negligence or lapse in the treatment of a patient by a doctor which negatively affects the health of the patient. In the name of welfare and betterment of the patient large privately owned hospitals and nursing homes are reaping exorbitant profits by extorting money from the patient relatives. Most private practitioners have a tendency to provide a long list of tests to be done as a precautionary measure in case of simple health issues like fever and cold. In many cases, this is just to reap greater profits. In other cases, medical malpractice results from the carelessness or lack of knowledge of the healthcare personnel responsible. Medical negligence in the legal sense of the terms falls within the category of a personal injury case.

This issue is rampant in developing countries because there are several loopholes in the judiciary system, which allows such malpractices to occur frequently without stern action and remittance. Developed countries like Britain, U.S.A. and Sweden have witnessed a decline in the number of cases claiming medical malpractice as a cause of personal injury.

In India, special consumer courts deal with cases and complaints of medical negligence. There are several sections within the Indian Constitution which deal with the issue in general and specific. The Indian Penal Code or IPC has placed a medical practitioner at a different level from a regular person. Section 304A[10] of the Indian Penal code says that If a person causes a death of a person by engaging in a negligent or rash act that is not equivalent to homicide then the concerned person will be penalized with an imprisonment and/or fine. This means that a doctor who is proven guilty of negligence can be imprisoned or/and fined in India. Healthcare is a service which is provided to people. So, problems of medical negligence also fall within the Consumer Protection Act of India which mentions that the patient can claim compensation if he/she has sustained harm or injury in the course of treatment because of the carelessness of the doctor or the hospital. The Indian civil law is useful when dealing with medical malpractice issues. When the patient suffers permanent damage because of the carelessness of the doctor which cannot be covered under the Consumer Protection Act then the civil law is put to use. The onus in case of civil law is upon the patient to prove negligence.

Medico-legal history of India shows that it is very difficult to prove medical negligence in India. This is because in India in order to prove medical negligence opinion and diagnosis of a case is to be done by medical practitioners who are a part of State Medical Councils. The difficulty here is that majority of the doctors are unwilling to testify against corporate hospitals before a court of law. However, not all is lost, in the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of verdicts, which have recognised the negligence and made provisions for compensating the patient and his family.

Legal aid – a boon for elderly healthcare

Healthcare is considered to be a noble field that is generally considered to be for the welfare of humanity with personal and/or monetary gains to be of least importance. However, gone are the days when people aspired to become doctors just to be of service to man. During recent times, there has increasingly been an urge in members associated with the field of healthcare to draw as much fame and money as they can from each patient they encounter. The medical care required by patients may be dire, but the doctor usually takes recourse in the long route to treatment so as to milk out maximum monetary gain that seems logically possible.

Troubled patients especially senior citizens who have been victims of negligence have increasingly begun to hire legal aid in order to tackle such issues they encounter in the field of healthcare. One increasing cause of concern is the phenomenon of improper treatment meted out at nursing homes. In the field of law there have come to be known specialty lawyers that cater to the specific incidents of negligence at nursing homes. They are the nursing home negligence lawyers.

Though this problem of negligent treatment at nursing homes is more rampant in developing countries, it however, is not an extinct issue in developed countries as well. In the past few years, there have been some rules and laws even that have been passed to this effect. This helps safeguard the consumer’s right to a just and positive medical aid in exchange to the many financial and physical troubles patients especially the elderly have to go through. In India, there are special consumer courts that have been formed to provide legal recourse to those who seek it. There is also the concept of fast-track case; the use of which is determined on examination of how critical the patient’s condition is.

Even after having received medical treatment at nursing homes, many elderly patients complain of stress and anxiety owing to unprofessional staff or services that were rendered at the nursing home. Extensive research and consumer polls have also been undertaken in order to understand and effectively address the problems that appease or disappoint an elderly patient. Reputed healthcare centers and nursing homes are also increasingly trying to incorporate the findings of such research in order to cater to the patients in a satisfactory manner.

In spite of the growing concern in the field of elderly healthcare, it is a common sight to see the rampant malpractices that occur day in and day out due to unsatisfactory medical care. There have also been cases of patients suffering from chronic problems owing to such malpractices. The best recourse for an elderly victim to take as compensation – monetary or otherwise, is to engage legal help. This will ensure justice as well as discourage healthcare providers from engaging in such practices in the future, which will also help other possible victims to receive better; possibly the best medical aid.

Being healthy or the contraction of a medical problem is not in one hands. However, the right to receive proper treatment is every human’s birthright which gets further reinforced with the fact that there are laws and legal aid available to that extent.

Dental hygiene neglected by Millennials

Dental hygiene is one of the most commonly neglected areas of general health. Dentists lay great emphasis on maintaining oral hygiene because neglect and poor dental hygiene can cause serious irreparable damage to teeth, gums and serious infections within the body. Teeth not only make us look good and feel confident but also are an important part of the digestive system as the food must be chewed and mixed properly in the mouth before it enters the digestive tract.

Here are a few simple tips which can be followed to maintain a good oral hygiene:

  • Since childhood, we are told about the importance of brushing our teeth. But what is more important for a good oral hygiene is to properly brush them so that no bits of food or plaque are allowed to accumulate between the gaps. The correct way of brushing is to gently move the toothbrush in a circular motion to remove anything that may be stuck between the teeth. It is important to brush before going to sleep at night to remove germs and plaque which may have accumulated during the daytime.
  • Most people brush their teeth but avoid flossing either because they are in a hurry or because they find it difficult. Flossing is needed to clean the more difficult areas within the mouth. The ready-to-use dental floss is easily available and is simple to use. One can use this to floss their teeth daily.
  • Eating healthy is crucial to maintaining dental hygiene especially among children. Parents must avoid giving processed meals to kids regularly as it is mushy, high in sugar and gets stuck between the teeth easily. This can cause cavity, plaque and gingivitis. Children must be encouraged to consume fruits, crunchy vegetables and items low in sugar to exercise the jaws and keep the teeth healthy.
  • Water is the best beverage for the human body. It not only keeps the digestive system healthy but also makes the mouth feel fresh and keeps it germ-free by washing off the remains of food that maybe there in the mouth after a meal. Drinking a glass of water after every meal reduces the negative effect of sticky and acidic food on teeth.
  • Tongue cleansing is an essential part of maintaining oral hygiene. Plaque accumulates on the tongue over time if it is not removed regularly. This can cause bad breath, loss of taste and infections in the long run. The tongue must be cleaned once a day- this can be done by using a tongue cleaner or simply by brushing the tongue gently after the teeth have been brushed.
  • Getting an overall dental check-up done twice a year is vital to ensure good oral hygiene. Dr. Jennifer Silver is a dentist who offers regular dental check-ups that you can avail. During a regular dental check-up, the dentist generally examines the teeth, gums and mouth carefully to look for signs of dental problems. Getting this checkup is important because if you have a dental problem then early detection is crucial to prevent it from aggravating.

How To Beat The Sleep Blues And Get Smarter, Better Sleep

Today, everything happens quicker than we realize. It’s the same pace at which our careers, families and work evolve – oftentimes with an extravagant list of stress-filled days and anxiety-ridden, sleepless nights. While this has almost become the norm, many do not realize that there is ample potential to curb the negative symptoms and aid better sleep.

Not getting enough shut-eye can welcome a plethora of problems – right from poor immunity to heart ailments. Chronic sleep disorders are, surprisingly, pitched as one of the top medical threats to the nation’s health. For many who are battling insomnia or similar disorders, there are plenty of medications and supplements like Kavinace that help folks who simply lie awake at night.

Kavinace’s line of products that is expected to improve the user’s sleep quality, comes packed with nutrients, vitamins and herbs. Apart from the natural ingredients, the supplement also contains melatonin, which helps to rewire the brain’s signals to ensure you’re in bed.

What’s more, the ingredients rank Kavinace as one of the leading products in the market today, making it one of the most ideal dietary supplement to tap into.

Herbal teas, essential oils, epsom salt baths, and yoga can encourage healthy living and embrace the need for a healthy diet everyday. Most edibles churn great profits, along with making sure that you’re almost asleep. However, with dietary supplements, most users found that they were able to pull-off an almost sleep packed night for more than 6 hours.

A variety of other body-centric habits have also won big when it came to good sleep. With the number of apps listed by the day on mobile stores increasing, there are plenty of apps to choose from when it comes to soothing music or white noise. One can choose from soft soundtracks or instrumental melodies, to focus on meditation and calming the muscles.

Another aid to better and improved sleep is the temperature. Heat has been known to trigger sleeplessness, while the fan’s breeze or something more cooler can help in getting a good shut-eye. Yoga also provides great postures that are aimed at promoting better sleep and soothing the central nervous system.

Depending on local and other needs, each person is going to have a string of requirements to strengthen their sleep cycle. Ensuring the right food intake and the many ways to discipline your body through a schedule every week can work wonders for grabbing some great sleep.

How Cosmetic Surgery Differs From Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery has become near synonymous with plastic surgery, although they are distinctly different fields, albeit closely related. With rapid scientific advances in the field, a majority of plastic surgeons presently choose to focus their practice on cosmetic procedures. The confusion mainly arises from the fact that both cosmetic and plastic surgery involves surgical procedures conducted to change the appearance of one or more parts of the body. But that is where the similarities end. In reality, they are two interrelated yet different specialties. These two fields differ in the following ways:

  1. Goals

Plastic surgery involves surgery that is aimed at reconstructing facial or bodily defects or deformities that have been caused due to a trauma, birth defect, disease or burns. The goal of plastic surgery is thus reconstruction of defects in order to restore normal functioning and appearance of affected areas. Due to the fact that restoring proper functioning of the skin and tissues is the primary concern, aesthetics are not the major motive behind such surgery.

On the other hand, cosmetic surgery is aimed at solely improving the physical appearance of the patient for aesthetic reasons. The main goals are improving or enhancing aesthetic appeal, proportion and symmetry of physical features. Cosmetic surgery is entirely optional and the procedures tend to be more invasive and sometimes dangerous. It is intended more to improve the visual appearance of a body part or area that the person is unhappy or uncomfortable with and may cause them embarrassment or stress.

  1. Procedures

Plastic surgery involves procedures like repairing skin tissue after an accident with skin grafts, scar removal, restoring normal functioning after burn injuries, breast reconstruction after mastectomy, or repair of congenital birth defects such as cleft palates.

Cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, involves appearance-enhancing procedures like liposuction for fat reduction, rhinoplasty for changing nose shape, breast enhancement which involves breast augmentation or reduction, facelifts, skin treatments with lasers, or botox and lip fillers.

Therefore, if someone were looking for a cosmetic dentist in Calgary, they would go to a cosmetic surgeon. However, if someone were looking to remove a scar from a previous major operation, they would go to a plastic surgeon.

  1. Benefits

Both plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery have physical and emotional benefits for its recipients but in different ways.

Plastic surgery has immense physical benefits for the patients as it can heal the patient’s skin or tissue and restore it to a condition where it looks as natural as possible. Emotionally, plastic surgery has been proven to boost people’s self-esteem by eliminating the embarrassment or anxiety that accompanies living with a disfigurement.

Cosmetic surgery too has significant benefits for the person as it can give them increased confidence about a part of their body that they were always unhappy with or were teased about. Cosmetic surgery such as liposuction or nose job can have immense physiological benefits too, for example in cases of overweight people or people with sinus problems.

Thus, both plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery serve different purposes and have different consequences with people undergoing these procedures. However, every operation, major or minor, requires in-depth research and consultation and should be done by a certified professional.

Law proceedings of work related injuries

Accidents are bound to happen and sometimes a small accident can turn into a huge injury, resulting in not only physical and emotional trauma but also the loss of work as well. Even though you may be in immense pain and just want to stay in bed, there are a couple of crucial steps you need to take in order to make sure you’re properly protected and compensated. Here are the 5 things you need to do after a work injury.

Go to the Doctors immediately

Many people delay this, however, it’s extremely important that you go to the doctor as soon as possible after your injury. There are a couple reasons why you need to see a doctor, regardless whether or not you think the injury is serious. Firstly, you may seem to be fine, however, when you’re body is pumped with adrenaline, you don’t feel symptoms. Secondly, when you see a doctor, they’ll conduct a thorough check and record everything, including any complaints you have and injuries on your body.

Document the information

Your doctor may have documented information about the accident but you also need to have documentation regarding the incident. It’s important that right after the accident you write down what happened. Make sure you include every single detail, no matter how small. If you can, take a picture of the scene, this will only strengthen your case. If there were witnesses around, make sure you obtain their information and what they saw.

Get yourself a lawyer

When dealing with a workplace injury, it’s important to consult a lawyer. Regardless if you think you have a case or not, a personal injury lawyer will be able to use the law and their knowledge to best advise you. In addition, a lawyer can determine if it’s a WSIB issue or not.  If you allow too much time to pass, you allow the other party and possibly even your insurance company more time to find a loophole. Nobody, including your insurance, wants to pay you. WIth an attorney, you’ll be able to know what to expect and they’ll try to get you the best compensation for your injury.

Don’t speak without your lawyer

If the insurance company tries to contact you, it’s important that you don’t say anything to them without the representation of your lawyer. The insurance company is not there for your best interest, rather, they’re trying to find ways to get out of the situation without having to pay you anything. So, make sure you only speak to them when your lawyer is present as anything you say will be used to undervalue the amount you wish to be compensated or to simply deny your claim.

Keep a journal of your health progress

If you’re injured you should be writing down how you’re feeling and what’s hurting you on a daily basis. Naturally, even though you may be injured insurance companies are going to downplay the injury, claiming that you’re not in as much pain as you say you are. Write down the medications you’re taking, how they make you feel and the level of pain your injury is giving you. Include the limitation you have as well. Perhaps you cannot use the toilet unassisted or drive.  

The correlation between mental health and divorce

Getting a divorce is never easy. Even when it’s a mutual decision, there’s a lot of emotional baggage that comes along with it. Most likely, you’ve taken the appropriate amount of time in order to make this difficult decision but you know this is what needs to be done. Though you’ll get through this difficult time, there are 6 things that you can do for self-care while going through a divorce. That way, you come out of the experience strong and ready for your new adventure in life.

Talk about your feelings

You’re going through a break-up, naturally, you’re going to want to talk about it with someone. Of course, you should turn to close family and friends that are supporting you through the divorce. Talk to them about how it’s making you feel and any crazy thoughts you’re having. You don’t need to bad mouth your ex, this isn’t about them, it’s about you. You can also go see a therapist as well, they’ll be able to help you direct your feelings and help you go through the process.

Get yourself a good lawyer

When it comes to family lawyers, a good one can make all the difference in how your divorce process will go. Consult a couple different lawyers and see which one you feel the most comfortable with. This person is going to be heavily involved with the divorce so you want a lawyer that’ll not only serve your best interest but someone who understands you.

Focus on your basic activities

When you’re going through a divorce, it can be emotional, mentally, and physically overwhelming. This places a lot of strain on your body. So, in order to calm yourself down and eliminate extra stress, focus on the basics of your day. This means, make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating three meals a day, and partaking in a meditative activity such as walking or yoga. By focus on these activities, you can help your body cope with the changes in your life.  

Workout

You may be thinking if working out is really necessary right now but it is. Exercise is a great way to lower stress and anxiety. This is because it stimulates positive hormones and neurochemicals in the body. But this doesn’t mean you need to join a gym and workout two hours a day. If you go for a daily walk for 30 minutes that’ll be enough to provide you with the necessary benefits.  

Allow yourself to grieve

Grieving is a huge part of the divorce process. Essentially, you’re breaking up with your former partner. It’s normal to feel as though you lost someone important in your life. It’s crucial that you allow yourself to grieve rather than holding these emotions inside of you. If you feel like crying, that’s okay. If you want to yell and scream, do it. Whichever way you choose to grieve, do so until you can’t do it anymore.

Take 10 minutes

Every day, you should take ten minutes to think about all the positive things you have in your life. It’s easy for us to get stuck in our heads, thinking only about the bad things that are happening. But in reality, there are many positive things around you. Perhaps you have children, a great dog, or a loving pet. These are all things you need to remind yourself that you have in your life and should be grateful for.

Effective ways to prevent tooth decay

Dental care is crucial from the time humans develop their first baby teeth to growing in their adult teeth. Teeth are evolutionary and necessary for consumption of nutrients. As omnivores, humans are built with teeth that evolved to eat plants and meat. Some foods can be harmful to teeth if they are not properly cared for. For example, processed foods often contain many sugars that can cause tooth decay and eventually lead to cavities or gum disease.

Taking care of of teeth to prevent this from happening can be easily done with proper routine dental care discipline. Dental care can be done all the time from home, work, and visiting the dentist every six months for regular cleanings and checkups. There are many ways now to replace teeth including dentures, implants, and veneers, but finding a way to eliminate needed replacements starts with proper dental care.

To start, individuals should first create and stick to a brushing and flossing routine. Brushing should be done twice a day and flossing should be done at least once a day, if not more depending on the type of food eaten. Making these two things daily routine musts on the task list is just the first in helping to prevent tooth decay.

Since tooth decay comes from built up plaque, brushing the plaque away helps reduce this. Plaque is filled with harmful bacteria that slowly eat away at the teeth causing decay. Brushing the plaque away can be difficult, which is why it is important that it is properly done with the right toothbrush. Using a hard toothbrush can sometimes be harmful to the teeth and gums as it can be harsh against the enamel. The tooth’s enamel is the protective outer layer of the bone. Since teeth are technically bones, they need to be strong. Taking care of them also means eating proper foods to foster healthier bones and reducing the ones are harmful to the teeth. Eating foods and drinking liquids that are high in calcium like milk, can help grow and build stronger bones and teeth.

One of the most important ways to take care of one’s teeth is to visit the dentist for regularly scheduled appointments. Dentists are able to provide individual care for everyone’s teeth as each person in unique. Some people may have different recommendations based off the dentist’s analysis of their dental situation. For someone prone to cavities, a dentist may recommend that they use a certain type of anticavity mouthwash or toothpaste. Incorporating some type of anticavity mouthwash or toothpaste into a daily or weekly dental care regimen can be highly beneficial to an individual’s teeth and help protect against tooth decay.

The best way to seek advice about dental care if an individual is concerned is to consult a professional at their local dentist’s office like Southcentre Dental. Just as all humans are unique, so are their dental needs. Dentists are their to provide expert care and give the best tips to effectively prevent tooth decay at home.