NicholasGrey.net

How many hours a day do you work? My magic number is 8. For those who work more than 8 hours a day, you might want to rethink your decision and decide if the paycheck is worth your mental health.

A study conducted over six years with over 2,000 British civil servants has shown that individuals who work more than 8 hours a day are 2.5 times more likely to develop depression.

Even when how demanding each job was is taken into consideration, the number one determinant of whether or not a worker would develop depression was related to how many hours they worked each day.

Interestingly (but not surprisingly), workers who were higher up on the corporate hierarchy were less likely to develop depression, regardless of the hours they worked.

Researchers hypothesize that the reason longer work hours are a factor in depression is because of the strain that they can place on marital and other family relationships. Also, longer hours have been shown to produce greater levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Here is a list of the jobs that have the highest rates of depression among employees:

10. Salespeople—A lot of the time salespeople are paid on commission, meaning that they never know exactly how much they are going to bring home each paycheck.

9. Financial Advisors and Accountants—Yikes! My spouse falls into this category. Dealing with numbers and other people’s fortunes must be very stressful things to think about all day long.

8. Maintenance and Grounds Workers—When was the last time you called a maintenance or grounds worker? Was it when something was broken? Apparently the stresses of this career are very difficult.

7. Administrative Support Staff—This is one of those jobs where the lower people on the totem pole have to take all of the heat that they have no control over. This would be an incredibly stressful job.

6. Teachers—Overworked and underpaid. Not to mention dealing with wild and crazy children or teenagers all day long. This one I understand.

5. Artists, Entertainers, and Writers—Sparse paychecks, unpredictable hours, and an uncertain future. Need I say more?

4. Healthcare Workers—This would be the category that I fall into. Unsurprisingly, many healthcare workers work long hours and deal with death and illness frequently. If you don’t love your job, it would be hard to remain optimistic in this field.

3. Social Workers—Dealing with unhappy families and abused, troubled children do not make for a stress-free environment. Often, the demands placed on social workers make many of them change professions after only a few years.

2. Food Service Staff—What percent do you tip at restaurants? I usually give 15%, but only if the quality of service is amazing. Others have different answers, however, meaning that income is unpredictable. It is understandable that this job comes in at number two.

1. Nursing Home or Childcare Workers—This is a very thank-less job that demands patience and a lot of dirty work. I have worked at a nursing home, so I can definitely understand how this comes in at number 1.

If you work in one of these fields and work more than 8 hours a day, it might be time to rethink your workday!

Hi, my name is Nick and these are my legs (Okay... these aren't really my legs. I only wish they were.)

One thing that I see all of the time is athletes coming in complaining about shin splints. For anyone who has ever had shin splints, you know what a major pain they are.

For most cases of shin splints, there are only a few things that I can really do: prescribe rest from high-impact, repetitive activities. Or activity… There really only is one activity that is the culprit behind shin splints: running.

Running is one of those activities that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love it when I finish a long run, but at 5am when I leave my house for a morning run before work, I might actually hate it. It really only takes a few minutes for that feeling to leave, but there definitely are moments when it is not my favorite.

I have been running for years and have proudly told The Unlucky that unlike them, I have never had shin splints.

But last week, something changed. I started to feel a dull aching throb develop in my posterior tibia (inner shin bone). I thought that maybe I had bumped my leg on something, but after a few days, it became clear that I had joined the ranks of The Unlucky.

So now, feeling a lot more sympathetic with those who have a shin splint problem, I’ll offer some advice to those of you dealing with this maddening injury.

First, it is important to understand how shin splints develop. Most of the time they develop because athletes ramp up their mileage or intensity too quickly for the body to adapt healthily.

Another common reason is footwear that was not designed for your body’s unique needs. A lot of times running shoes have been used for far too long for them to effectively protect your feet from injury. Replacing your running shoes every 500+ miles is a good rule of thumb.

These problems can cause tiny stress fractures in the tibia or irritation in the lining of the muscle. Once these problems happen, you have shin splints.

The bad news is that if you try to train through the pain, you can actually create a full-on fracture in your leg, which will halt your training for much longer than you would like.

So now that we know how shin splints develop, let’s talk about what can be done to get rid of them.

The best solution is rest. It is maddeningly difficult to stop your training (trust me, I know), but it is the only real solution that will help your body to heal and get you on your feet again.

I recommend about two weeks of rest. But this doesn’t mean sitting on your couch doing nothing but watching Sports Center… Make sure that you maintain your fitness doing low-impact activities like swimming or biking.

After those two weeks, you can get back to your training, but make sure to take it slow! You don’t want to get re-injured and start back at square one.

So happy healing to all you members of The Unlucky Club out there! I feel your pain. Literally.

The Holidays are referred to as “the most wonderful time of the year” for a reason. Chances are you will get to spend time with loved ones, go to parties, and maybe even get the gift from the top of your wish list.

Despite all of the happiness the holidays bring, many are often distraught during this time because it is also a season of eating, eating, and more eating, all of which can lead to weight-gain.

But this does not have to be the case. Here are some tips that may help you cut some calories this holiday season.

Exercise

Plan to exercise during the holiday season. Many people have more time to exercise because they do not have to work. Make good use of this time and be active.

Even taking one or two brisk walks a day can add up and help counteract the extra calories you may consume.

Beverages

At many holiday gatherings, alcoholic beverages are served. These drinks tend to pack lots of calories and can even induce overeating. If you must drink, consider a light-beer.

Non-alcoholic drinks can also contain lots of sugar and calories. Drink water or opt for sugar free drinks when possible.

Do Not Starve Yourself

Before a big holiday party or meal, many people starve themselves so they can enjoy all of the foods that they love. This is a big mistake in holiday eating. Not eating during the day will only increase your cravings and most likely cause over-eating.

Eating healthy snacks, like fruits or nuts, throughout the day can help suppress your appetite and keep you from over-indulging at meal time.

Do Not Stuff Yourself

Another common holiday trend is stuffing yourself. Rather than eating until you cannot possibly fit anything else in your stomach, you will save lots of calories by eating only until you feel full. Eating slowly will help your brain recognize when your stomach is full.

Survey the Buffet

When at a party or a meal with lots of different food options, survey the buffet before you start filling your plate. Only put your very favorite things on your plate. In addition, you can balance your plate out by choosing fruits and vegetables as well.

It is okay to eat your favorite holiday treats, just remember to practice portion control.

Healthy Cooking

You can alter many of your favorite recipes with low-fat ingredients without a noticeable difference in taste. Consider using half-fat ingredients to cut calories from your dishes.

Steaming vegetables, grilling rather than frying, and using low-calories spraying oils will all make a difference as you prepare meals.

Remember that the holiday season is a time to be happy. Have your focus this year be about maintaining your weight, rather than losing it. Being realistic will keep you from feeling down on yourself.

Just because you made it out of college without gaining the “Freshman 15” does not necessarily mean your weight problems are over.

Unfortunately, sitting in a cubicle for eight hours a day is not ideal for someone who is trying to lose weight or keep weight off. However, just because you work full time, it does not mean you are doomed for a sedentary lifestyle.

Luckily, there are tips and tricks you can use to help you reach your ideal weight and fitness level.

Staying Fit at Home

When you get home from a long day at work, you most likely want to eat dinner, relax, and go to bed. Working out is probably last on your list of ideal things to do. However, exercising is vital in staying healthy and losing weight. Many full-time workers have used some of the following tips to get their exercise time in:

• Ride a sedentary bike while you watch your favorite television show.
• Do jumping jacks or run in place during commercials.
• Pack your gym bag so you go straight to the gym from work.
• Get up a little earlier to work out in the morning.
• Ride your bike or walk to work.
• Record workouts on TV so you can do them at home, or rent workout DVDs from the public library.
• Walk around the block after dinner.
• Be disciplined. Write down a specific goal and deadline. This will help motivate you to get up and move!

Staying Fit at Work

There are also many things that you can do while you are actually at work that can aide you in your desire to reach a specific weight.

Eat Breakfast. There is a reason that breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. Eating when you wake up in the morning will help stabilize your blood sugar. This will help prevent cravings and possibly overeating later on in the day.

Eat Healthy. During the lunch hour, many of your coworkers will probably order lunch. Frequently eating take out will surely have negative effects on your health. This does not mean that you will always have to turn down lunch outings; however, it is important to be mindful of unhealthy foods. It is also smart to avoid the vending machines at your work place. In addition to providing negative effects on your health, frequently eating out and using the vending machines will also have negative effects on your bank account.

Take Advantage of the Fridge. Lots of healthy snacks, such as string-cheese and low-fat yogurt, need to be refrigerated. Healthy lunches, such as a salad or a turkey sandwich on a whole-wheat pita, also need to be refrigerated. Pack healthy snacks so you are not tempted to visit the vending machines.

Move Around. Every little bit of movement counts, no matter how little it may seem. Instead of using email or instant messaging to get in touch with co-workers, get up and walk to them. If you print out documents, walk briskly to pick them up instead of casually strolling. Take a walk on your lunch breaks and take the stairs whenever possible. If you are working full-time, you are most likely eligible for breaks throughout the day—take a ten minute walk. Stand up and stretch every couple of hours; you can make it a goal to try and touch your toes. Research online to find work outs and stretches you can do while stationed at your desk.

Make it a Priority

While working full-time definitely has its benefits, it does make it more difficult to get enough exercise throughout the day. However, if you make it a goal and priority to stay healthy, it can be done.

No matter where you are you’ll find people that say they can’t run because they just weren’t built for it. They either have collapsed arches, knee pain, back problems, you name it, there’s always something biologically holding them back from hitting those trails.

New Research Shows That Biology Is All on Running’s Side

Dr. Lieberman, an evolutionary biology professor at Harvard has spent years studying how and why the human body has evolved the way it has. In his research, he has found that modern humans have evolved from Neanderthals with the distinct purpose of long distance running.

Our Heads Were Designed For Running

To look at a Neanderthal and a modern human, everything would look the same except the neck up, but there you would find a whole host of differences. We have a different jaw for chewing different foods, and various other different facial features, but the most interesting difference is the way our neck is designed to keep our heads still while we ran.

By having a still head, we were able to chase our prey and still be able to see everything clearly ahead of us. And by evolving to run on two feet we were able to control our breathing, allowing us to do aerobic activity for longer amounts of time.

Running Can Keep You From Sickness

Dr. Lieberman equates most of the ailments that afflict the modern human to living a life that their bodies weren’t designed to live. In fact, hunter-gatherers who live similar lifestyles that our ancient ancestors lived find that they aren’t afflicted with osteoporosis, cancer, myopia, fallen arches or back pain. They don’t even have a problem with impacted wisdom teeth or cavities because of the diet they eat.

This research supports the movement that people are trying to make toward a lifestyle that is what their bodies were made for. Instead of listening to advertisement and the media to tell them how they should lead their lives, they’re listening to what has been working for millennia.

When most people hear the word vegan they think of health extremists that shut themselves away in caves just to wallow in their own health righteousness. But this is not the case, and it is becoming more widely recognized that everyone can benefit from a vegan lifestyle, not just those who thrive on depriving themselves.

Here are some reasons that might inspire you to adopt a more vegan-like diet:

Cut down fat

A vegan diet encourages you to cook with good fats like olive oil and other monounsaturated fats that are not only good for you, but essential. Veganism also cuts out all the fats that are bad for you and your cholesterol.

Spend less

Grabbing a bite to eat at a fast food restaurant a few times a week can really start to make a dent in your bottom line. There aren’t as many vegan options at fast food joints and even restaurants, making it easier for you to make the decision to eat at home.

Eat more fruits and vegetables

Because a vegan diet doesn’t include so many staples the American diet commonly uses, you’ll find yourself substituting pepperoni with caramelized onions, and ground beef with black beans, helping you finally get all those fruits and vegetables servings the food pyramid is always guilting you into getting.

Lose weight

Most vegans have a lower Body Mass Index as well as a healthier weight than other Americans because they are eliminating food that is so bad for us. Vegans have also been shown to have a higher level of energy due to all the healthy food they are consuming.

Eliminate hormone consumption

In modern agriculture there are so many hormones and antibiotics that are given to our livestock to grow them big and as fast as possible. This is great for large agriculture companies, but it is bad for us because these extra hormones and antibiotics have proven to disrupt the natural balance of your hormones, even causing tumors to grow.

Get a varied amount of protein

Finding protein as a vegan isn’t as hard as most people think it is. Beans, nuts, peas, lentils, soy products, quinoa and many more foods add protein to a vegan diet. Actually, vegans typically have more of the 20 essential amino acids that are required to build protein in the body because they get their protein from all different sources. Americans who don’t follow a vegan diet typically consume a large amount of one kind of protein—in fact it’s usually too large and Americans on average eat too much protein for their body to handle.

Longer Life

Several studies have indicated that those who follow a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle live an average of 3 to 6 years longer than those who don’t.

Even if you never end up going all vegan, adding a vegan meal or a vegan day into your week can literally add years onto your life.

If you visit the website www.lipovarin.info/ you will see in bold type “Reshape your future with Lipovarin.” And under that blazing red headline you can read  that Sterling Grant Laboratories has spent many years developing an advanced Thermogenic Super Weight Loss Formula that’s specifically tailored to your highly sensitive needs. Lipovarin’s™ patented formula was created to help achieve a leaner, sexier you…without the worries!

Then after asking the question “How fast will Lipovarin work for you?” comes the answer:-

The effects of Lipovarin’s™ powerful formula can be felt almost immediately from the first time you start taking it. You can be confident that Lipovarin™ will work for you, just as it has for the thousands and thousands of the other satisfied users around the world. You’ll not only feel better with Lipovarin™, it will renew the confidence lost by unintentional weight gain! Then follows the answer to “How it Works “

Lipovarin addresses weight control from many different angles. Stimulation of the metabolism is a prime focus of the Lipovarin formula. Advantra Z (citrus aurantium) an important component in the formula has been shown to have similar metabolism boosting effects of that of Ma Huang without the negative side effects. Caffeine, Metabromine and Green Tea all provide thermogenic and metabolism stimulating effects as well as supporting increases in resting energy expenditure. The patented ingredient 7 Keto is included in the Lipovarin formula for many of its clinically substantiated claims. These claims include the ability to stimulate enzymes in the liver responsible for thermogenesis, increasing the body’s metabolic efficiency, greater weight loss results, and maintaining an ideal body weight.

Imagine a product removing a main obstacle to losing weight:

• Slow metabolism.
• Safely supports the suppression of appetite
• Promotes Energy and resting energy expenditure.
• 100% Safe, Natural and Effective!

But there is another view of Lipovarin which is undoubtedly a highly popular diet pill. According to the Mayo Clinic website Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. says there is no evidence that Lipovarin promotes weight loss. And she further states the product could possibly pose serious health risks. She adds that Lipovarin has an ingredient called synephrine which is a stimulant similar to ephedrine, which itself comes from the herb ephedra. Several years ago health safety concerns led to the removal of ephedra as an ingredient  of products sold in the USA. So with that ban manufacturers substituted synephrine for ephedra. Those products, which include Lipovarin, likely have serious health risks just as ephedra products had — risks with ephedra include seizure, stroke and heart attack. Not really worth risk when there are proven ways to take care of weight problems. While there are no short cuts to good health and weight control there is no shortage of pills skillfully marketed to those who will take the latest pill in the hope that there will be a magical transformation without effort. Remember always consult a medical professional when weight loss has become such a concern that you are willing to take care of it. Exercise and the right choices of food along with medical oversight and some counseling are the keys to success.

 

This a cart before the horses kind of subject because some say Health affects Happiness while others will claim Happiness affects Health. Was it Abraham Lincoln who said a person can be as happy as they want to be? Yes; he is quoted as saying “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”  So let’s take  Honest Abe at his word. And then let us question: Can folks be as healthy as they make up their minds to be? I have seen people with severe health and physical difficulties who are happy and develop to the fullest their talents and bodies. They continually learn to cope with their difficulties and seek to be fit in mind, spirit and body. It is a question of maximizing potential. Happiness is a health factor undoubtedly.

In the beautiful Hawaiian islands you might come across the Institute of Health and Happiness, where you could be taught that The Foundation of Happiness is Health. And they will further sell you on a “modern macrobiotic way of living,” through which it is claimed that aided by  the use of your own intuition you may take responsibility for “your own destiny and create a strong base for health and happiness.

I am all for personal responsibility rather than any form of community or communal imposition of duty and responsibility collectively. We are after all each one of us rewarded or punished according to the use of our agency. You eat well and you can improve your overall health and outlook: you make bad choices and you damage proper functioning of your body and possibly your mind and spirit. Avoid dependence on anything that is damaging.

Learn how to be happy by serving others; seeing and doing what is in the best interests of both yourself and those near and dear, AND aid strangers in the mist, well in your midst anyway, and miraculously you gain self-esteem and respect. So start with treating yourself better with regard to eating, regular check-ups from your health care professional, steps in preventative medicine, and study what you can do to improve your life and the lives of others. Be an outstanding example to those around you, and treat others well. No more eat, drink and be merry philosophy. Take charge of your own well-being and interest your self in the well-being of others, starting with your family. Happiness is a key to long life and continued physical and mental health. It is being proved over and over that laughter is the best medicine. You don’t laugh much when you are unhappy.

And for more information try;

www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfeyidkfgboj/rss2/

and the report on leg ulceration patients.

Keep healthy and happy!