Monthly Archives: November 2018

Holistic Health, Home Security, Mental Health

The Worst Environmental Toxins

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You want to keep your health strong at all times, so it’s critical to know what toxins can lurk in your home when you come back from the day. Some of these harmful chemicals can hide in our cooking appliances, storage items, and even our cleaning products so it’s in your best interest to stay away from them. Let’s walk through the top eight most harmful environmental toxins that may be closer to you thank you think. Cleaning up your space is essential to maintain your overall health and ensure no substances are tampering with it.

Environmental Toxins to Stay Away From

The following are toxins that sound alarm bells to keeping your home safe and sound. Even making small switches like using different materials for your home can make the biggest difference.

  1. BPA takes the cake as one of the most harmful ingredients out there. Even though it is used in several food products and foot containers it can cause unwanted acceleration in puberty, fertility issues in men and women, a greater chance of a miscarriage, and even increases the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Make sure you avoid buying food products in cans that can contain BPA and opt for buying groceries packaged in paper or foil instead.
  2. Dioxins are the second most harmful environmental toxin to take the list. Compounds like pesticides and PCBs belong to this group of chemicals and are directly correlated to causing hormonal issues, fertility problems, and an increase of cancer risk. Make sure you’re not using pesticides around your home and be wary of how much fatty meat you eat throughout the week. Dioxins tend to build up in the fatty tissues of animals like pigs, cows, and turkeys, and are commonly found in the food we put on our plates. Cutting out fatty meats will also help you opt for leaner meats and improve your waistline in the long term!
  3. Atrazine is the third toxin that is found in herbicides like Roundup which is applied to thousands of acres of corn, soybeans, and other veggies every year. Make sure you don’t ingest this toxin because it is known to cause infertility issues in both men and women who are exposed to it for a long time. The easiest way to avoid is it to go organic and eat less red meat. One study showed that eating organic food while avoiding eating animals that are fed tainted corn drastically decreased the risk of developing cancer.
  4. Phthalates sounds like a dangerous disease, but is actually a chemical that can cause just that.  The chemical is known to interfere with our body’s level of testosterone and estradiol, a hormone which is control of breast development. Women who developed breast cancer have been found by medical researchers to have higher levels of phthalates in their body than women who have no cancer. If you want to avoid it, make sure you aren’t buying products with artificial fragrances, vinyl curtains or flooring, and Tupperware made up of flexible plastics. Instead, use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel containers to make sure your body is safe over time.
  5. Make sure you stay away from perchlorate if you want your metabolism to function well. The chemical is meant to support the manufacturing process of rocket fuel but can be found in soil, our groundwater, and traces of it can be present in foods like eggs, dairy, and even vegetables. The water you drink can have the chemical at the highest level and can contaminate your air if you use a humidifier regularly. While it’s impossible to avoid in your food you can take iodine supplements to boost the function of your thyroid through seafood, seaweed, and other vegan dairy products as well.
  6. Flame retardants are also environmental toxins that can mess with your thyroid and even are believed to lower IQ levels in children, so make sure it’s out of your home. Furniture, carpets, and sometimes pillows can contain foam with this chemical. However, the lining of plastic on our television sets, iPhones, and even video game handles can have traces of it as well. The best way to protect yourself is to dust your surroundings, wipe down you appliances and electronics, and do your research next time you go shopping.
  7. Lead is known to be very harmful for our hormones and stress levels, so avoid paint that is mainly made of it. Paints can be tested for their amounts of leads from your local health department if you are worried or don’t know the paint that is used in your home. Additionally, water can contain traces of lead from old pipes that are made of up off brass or chrome. Make sure you get a water filter that removes this toxin and eat a diet that is organic and mainly comprised of non-dairy products.
  8. Arsenic is an environmental toxin that is known to kill in popular crime movies, but it can develop skin, lung, and bladder cancer in the rest of us if we’re exposed to enough amounts. It was historically used in common pesticides and is found in soil, but you can find high levels of the toxin in rice, apple or grape juice, and even chicken that are not free range. This is due to arsenic based chemicals being added to their feed for quicker muscle and fat growth. Luckily, a water filter will also help remove the arsenic traces in you water you use to drink and cook with. Limiting your rice consumption, eating organic chicken, and eating whole fruits instead of the juice it’s derived from will help you stay strong.

Home Bound Environment Toxins

You are in control of most of everything that can enter your home. By taking preventative measures to limit your intake of certain foods, cleaning products, and pesticides, you can ensure you can live with health and happiness!

Use cleaner materials in your home to remove air pollutants.

 

 

Drug Addiction, Mental Health

Being A Depressed Millennial

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It’s hard to say it but so many millennials these days are going through depression, anxiety, or other mental issues. Whether our families are putting too much pressure on us to succeed, we’re stuck in an abusive relationship, or we’re hooked onto a substance to overcome our emotions, it’s all damaging our health and happiness. Research has shown that millennials are marked as the most anxious and depressed generation to date. While I was initially surprised to hear this statistic, after thinking about the expectations against us and the huge role technology plays in our everyday life it makes sense. Social media tends to show us only the highlights of other people’s lives, and we never see what goes on behind closed doors. We may be hooked on to our phone and our live Snapchat feed, causing us to have less sleep and worse moods in the long run.

If you know someone who is feeling off and are slipping into a state of depression, it’s important to know what to do to help them get back on their feet. If you are feeling strong and care about their well-being, it’s critical to get educated about the types of treatment plans that available, what activities help with depression, and how to talk to people in depression in general. Let’s dive into the key things to know about!

It’s difficult to experience depression as a millennial.

Recognizing Poor Mental Health

There’s a variety of signs that point to someone in your life suffering from depression or weak mental health. They may been showing signs of being sad or irritable most of day, are losing interest in activities that once had their passion, are eating or sleeping differently, or are not doing well in their classes or job. They also may have previous thoughts of suicide, are isolating themselves from people, or turning to substances like drugs or alcohol.

The best thing to do when someone is struggling with these issues is to be supportive and open minded to what they have to say. If you want to ask them questions about how they’re doing, catch them at a time when they aren’t busy and try your best to put yourself in their shoes. You might notice that they are annoyed or aren’t being very descriptive in their answers towards you, but remember that their tone of voice is just reflection of the frustration they’re experiencing constantly with themselves. They may completely avoid you or retreat to their home or room as well, but this very normal.

When you are listening to them, tell them that you understand are make it really clear to them that you want help them, not criticize them. Be compassionate and curious with their emotions without point fingers are why they aren’t getting help already. The worst thing to do to someone’s mental health when they are depressed is to get angry at them be depressed. They would not know why, and often can’t give you an answer to such a vague or pressured question.

Get Them Help

If the person is willing to get help for themselves, make sure you accentuate how positive their decision to move forward is. That is a huge step, as doing even the smallest of actions as a depression person is very difficult. Appreciate their time and make sure that they don’t need to rush talking to a counselor or changing their habits until they are ready. However, there is a fine line between feeling ready to jump into treatment and being lazy to make a difference. If you know the person well enough, you will tell when they are scared or just simply making up excuses. The best action from that point is to get in touch with local depression specialists who can form a plan with antidepressants, counseling, support groups, holistic medicine, or another alternative depending on the person’s situation.

Dealing with depression is definitely not a one size fits all type of fix. If you know a family member or friend who followed a certain treatment method before, make sure you aren’t trying to influence the same exact plan on the person you’re helping. This type of plan is common when parents or close friends knew someone with depression and is one that will backfire and slow down their potential progress.

Often, the best results are gained from using a combination of medication and therapy so any other issues or concerns besides the depression are addressed. For example, someone may have a support group meeting a couple of times a month, a check in with their counselor once a week, and a daily antidepressant to take. The exact plan that the person you’re helping will follow will be determined after all their factors are taken into account.

While this sounds like a lot, it is necessary for a successfully completed treatment for a patient who will get used to the schedule in due time.

Depression Is A Journey

Dealing with poor mental health and anxiety disorder in millennialscan be hard because we all take on so much each day. We are constantly trying to please everyone while adjusting to the pressures of school, work, and growing into being a successful adult. The best thing to do if you or someone you know is depressed is to talk about your experiences then see a medical expert. You will great knowing that your health is in good hands and not the unknown future.

It’s also never embarrassing to talk about depression, as we have all felt it at some point and most people will understand that you are not feeling your best. It actually is far better to admit you have a problem are willing to work through it. Taking action says a lot about a person!

Planning a drug intervention takes several steps.
Get over depression as a millennial.