Category: Health & Fitness

According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, about one in every twelve adults has an alcohol dependency issue. But not all of those people pursue alcohol recovery.

Many people don’t even recognize they have a problem. Alcohol dependency doesn’t show up overnight. It develops based on your genetics, environment, and opportunity for addiction and many sufferers have a hard time seeing their own symptoms.

When a drink after work with your coworkers turns into five or six, you may have a problem but you still may not notice. If that becomes a pattern of behavior, then a real problem with alcohol exists.

But when you decide to seek treatment, you may be concerned about the cost. There are so many different phases of treatment, the costs could really add up. Keep reading to find out what kind of finances you need in order to get help today.

Intervention

Alcohol recovery starts with intervention. While some people with alcoholism admit they have the disease, many people live in denial.

They may convince themselves that the disease isn’t serious, or that they can handle it themselves with willpower. These are the people who will need an intervention before they will agree to treatment.

It’s possible to host an informal intervention by gathering friends and family members for support. But many families choose to get help from a licensed therapist to ensure the process is healthy and productive.

If you’re paying to have an intervention, you can expect to shell out between $2,500 and $10,000.

Medical Detox

Once someone has agreed to alcohol recovery, the next step on their journey is detox. If they have an alcohol dependency, then withdrawals can be severe and even life-threatening in some cases.

Medical detox programs offer a safe space for you to go through your detox and have staff that can support you, both physically and mentally. They are a great place to begin sober living.

Families that will pay for medical detox out of pocket can expect to pay about $500-$650 per day for as long as they’re in the facility’s care.

Some patients like to travel for their detox. It can help to get away from the place you were to help get rid of the patterns of behavior you’re trying to correct. Many people have found success at Tucson addiction treatment centers.

Partial Alcohol Recovery Hospitalization Program

Many people going through alcohol recovery choose to live at home during their treatment while spending their days at a treatment center. This gives them the opportunity to have access to in-depth, comprehensive therapies that can give control back to them.

But since they’re living at home, they will have a more difficult recovery than people who choose inpatient rehab. They will have access to temptation and will need very strong willpower to stay on the right path.

Since partial hospitalization programs don’t require housing, the cost of care is not as high as residential treatment centers. Families can expect to pay about $350-$450 a day if they’re paying out of pocket.

When you’re comparing the cost of inpatient care to outpatient, it’s important that you remember outpatient programs generally last several weeks, if not a few months. While people who choose inpatient stays may make progress slightly more quickly, leading to fewer days in treatment and less money.

Outpatient Care

If you need to keep up with your everyday duties, but still want to seek treatment, you can use outpatient care for your alcohol recovery. It’s designed to make treatment accessible to people who need to work while they’re getting better.

If you chose a program like this, you would get therapy for several hours every week, but it isn’t usually an all-day program. You also probably will have to monitor yourself as you recover because you won’t have as much interaction with medical personnel.

Outpatient care is a great way to save on the fees of room and board. These programs are often seen as a bargain since families are only expected to pay around $250-$350 per day.

For patients that are in outpatient care, relapse may be more likely. It should be used as a last step if nothing else is available or you can’t miss work.

The best way to use outpatient treatment is after being released from an inpatient facility. That way you have the stability of medical staff while you’re going through your withdraws and are the most vulnerable to relapse.

Sober Living

For patients who are released from inpatient care, but don’t feel that they are ready to go home, sober living houses are a great option. They give you some of the support of inpatient treatment, while also slowly reassociating you with a daily routine.

Sober living facilities are full of people who are recovering from a variety of different drugs. For that reason, the rules are generally very strict, ensuring that the space remains clean and sober. It can be a great help on your journey to sobriety.

The average sober living home costs between $1,500 and $2,500 per month, but these costs can vary. Try not to miss any payments, as you could get expelled from the home.

Aftercare

Once a formal program is completed, people who have gone through alcohol recovery often need continued support. Your facility may recommend you to a mental health provider for further treatment.

The costs of aftercare vary widely based on what services you need. Be sure to shop around if you find a rate that’s too high. Aftercare is important, as you have already done so much work towards your recovery.

Thrifty Alcohol Recovery

There is no one size fits all solution to alcoholism. In order to make the best decision for yourself and your family, you need to consider what support you think you need to be successful.

Be sure that you’re honest with yourself. Shorting yourself on treatment to save money could make you a victim of relapse.

For more ways to save money and improve your health, check out some more of our articles.

Did you know one in twenty Americans deal with calluses every year?

While calluses are just your body’s way of defending your feet against friction, they’re far from visually pleasing. Plus, if you leave them untreated, they tend to stick around a lot longer than you’d like.

Are you tired of hiding your feet? Let’s look at a few steps you can take to get rid of calluses quickly and effectively!

1. Soak Your Feet in Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is a mildly alkaline herbal tea. Therefore, a chamomile foot soak can temporarily raise the pH of your skin. It’s a soothing way to dry out the outer layer of your skin and get rid of calluses faster.

Boil 4 chamomile tea bags in a quart of water. Then pour the tea into a small tub, and let it cool off for 15 minutes or so.

Once the water is safe to the touch, place your feet in the tub for about 20 minutes. After you pull your feet out, wash them with soap to remove any staining from the tea.

2. Mix Lemon Juice and Aspirin

Aspirin contains salicylic acid, a commonly used peeling agent. As a result, the pain medication a key ingredient in many effective foot peels.

Start by crushing five aspirin tablets with the back of a spoon. Mix the aspirin with 1/4 teaspoon of water and 3/4 teaspoon of lemon juice, creating a paste.

Apply the paste to the problem area, and cover the area with cellophane. Then run warm water over a small towel, and place it on top of the plastic wrap.

After 15 minutes, remove the plastic and towel. Use a pumice stone or callus file to exfoliate your feet.

3. Try Pineapple Peels Before Bed

Bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein, is abundant in pineapples. By dissolving calluses, bromelain can help you maintain beautiful feet.

To take advantage of its benefits, begin by removing the skin from the pineapple. Since you’re only going to need the pineapple peel for this treatment, you can still enjoy the rest of the fruit.

Before you go to sleep, place the inside of the pineapple peel directly against your calluses. Use a cloth or tape to keep it from falling off.

4. Moisturize Daily

The skin on the bottom of your foot is prone to moisture loss. If you want soft and smooth feet, you need to start using a moisturizer.

Many of the best foot creams for calluses contain shea butter. Also, look for foot moisturizing creams that have Vitamin E and cocoa butter.

Moisturizing daily will not only treat your current calluses, but it can also help prevent more from developing.

5. Use a Sugar Scrub

Exfoliating 3-4 times per week can help you get rid of calluses. But if you need to soften up your skin, try an effective foot scrub recipe.

Pour half a cup of sugar into a small bowl or container. Add a bit of mineral oil, and mix the two ingredients together to create a paste.

Dip your fingers into the mixture. Using a circular motion, rub the paste on your calluses for 20 minutes.

Once you’re finished, wash your feet off with warm water.

Final Thoughts on How to Get Rid of Calluses

The five tips outlined above will help keep your feet smooth and healthy.

Keep in mind that ill-fitting shoes often lead to calluses. If you continue having issues, consider visiting a podiatrist for custom orthotics and inserts.

Looking for more surprising health remedies? If so, feel free to check out our health and fitness blog today!

With the recent wave of marijuana debates and legalizations in the United States, pot is a hot topic. But what a lot of people don’t know is that there are different forms of the hemp plant beside the kind that gets you high.

CBD hemp oil is derived from the hemp plant; it’s high in cannabidiol (CBD), as the name suggests. It’s also low in THC, which is the compound that makes you feel high. The high concentration of CBD gives CBD oil a wide range of health benefits.

Check out these 5 amazing health benefits of CBD oil.

1. Positive Effects on the Immune System

Numerous studies have shown that CBD oil can help regulate, and strengthen, the immune system. This has applications with people who have low or defective immune systems, like people with illnesses or people with overactive immune responses.

It also has applications for those with autoimmune diseases, like arthritis, allergies, and even multiple sclerosis.

2. CBD Hemp Oil Can Help People With Sleep Disorders

People who have insomnia, anxiety, sleeplessness, restless leg syndrome, sleep terrors, and other sleep disorders often suffer from extreme fatigue and negative health effects from lack of sleep.

Research shows that CBD oil is able to reduce anxiety, improve insomnia, and better overall sleep time. It has a calmative effect, which can be excellent in promoting a full, good night’s sleep.

It can be inhaled, rubbed onto the skin, or even sprayed onto a pillow to promote restful sleep.

3. Anxiety and Stress Relief

We briefly mentioned in the last section that CBD hemp oil can reduce anxiety. This might be surprising, seeing as marijuana can sometimes give people anxiety due to the THC found in the plant.

CBD oil, however, is low or completely devoid of THC. CBD, unlike THC, has calmative, anxiety-relieving qualities that can significantly reduce stress.

Not only will it lower anxiety, but it can also positively interact with chemicals that make you feel good, like serotonin and dopamine.

4. Pain Relief

CBD oil is perhaps most well known for its pain-relieving qualities. Whether that means chronic pain from migraine headaches, cancer, surgery, or other pain issues, CBD oil can significantly reduce that pain.

It works by interacting with “feel good” chemicals like serotonin and dopamine while simultaneously blocking pain receptors from working properly. You can learn more here.

5. Improves Appetite

A decrease in appetite can be a sign of numerous health issues and be a result of various life events, including:

• Long-term illness
• Persistent nausea
• Cancer
• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Drug addiction
• Dementia
• COPD
• Hormone imbalances

While a decreased appetite might be just a symptom of many things, it can result in a worsening condition because of malnutrition and weakness. CBD oil can help increase the appetite of people suffering from these ailments, which will help them gain strength and stay as healthy as possible.

Wrapping Up

CBD hemp oil has numerous health benefits that range from chronic pain relief to anxiety reduction. With all of these benefits, it can help millions of people suffering from a wide range of illnesses and ailments.

If you enjoyed this article, feel free to check out our other health and fitness articles on our blog.

You’ve probably heard it time and again – supplements are good for you, and you should be taking them.

However, are you a bit unsure about what they actually do, what they are, and why you need them? If so, you’re in the right place because I’ll be covering all of the above throughout this article.

We harbor 2,000 different types of bacteria in our bodies – all of which have a different healthy function and purpose. So, it’s not surprising we benefit from a helping hand when it comes to keeping these bacteria under control.

With that in mind, let’s dive into our favorite organic supplements.

1. ATP Lab Estro Control

Women in comparison to men produce significantly higher levels of estrogen. This is useful for healthy bones and good cholesterol levels.

However, estrogen is a pain in the butt when it comes to achieving an ultra-lean physique. This is because estrogen encourages the storage of fat and water.

You don’t want to get rid of estrogen entirely. Instead, you want to aim for the optimum hormonal balance.

This means you’re able to take advantage of the health benefits associated with estrogen without stifling your body goals.

ATP Lab Estro Control is fabulous when it comes to achieving this.

This should contain most of the following: Calcium-d-glucarate, dim, indole-3-carbinol, green tea extract, and resveratrol – all of which will help you strike the perfect estrogen balance.

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

If you’re hoping to improve your overall mood, then omega-3 fatty acids are the supplements for you.

Unfortunately, the difference in our hormonal balance can change throughout the day. This can be a problem for women who are predisposed to mood swings.

Have you ever felt yourself dip into a short period of anxiety or depression? If so, try taking an omega-3 fatty acid supplement to see if it makes a difference.

If this problem persists or worsens, we recommend consulting with your doctor.

3. Maca

Maca is a malt-flavored Peruvian root, jam-packed with calcium.

It’s perfect for your bones and your libido!

Women’s health mag reports a study that showed women on antidepressants who ate half a teaspoon of this powder for 12 weeks noticed a rise in their sex drive!

However, take this supplement with caution. Too much can increase blood pressure and toy with your liver – not cool.

4. Cocoa

Cocoa is full of flavonols which are great for your heart.

Plus, this supplement is an excellent source of fiber. One tablespoon of cocoa has more fiber and magnesium (great for boosting your mood) than half a cup of brown rice!

If you’re considering taking these organic supplements, opt for raw cocoa, but not the “Dutch process” or “alkalized” kind. These don’t have as many healthy flavanols in them.

5. Acai

If you’re looking for something that fights inflammation, acai is the supplement for you. This fabulous powder contains amino acids that are great for helping your muscles repair after an intense workout.

Plus, it contains fatty acids which help give your mood a little lift while boosting your brain power.

6. Bee Pollen

Bee pollen isn’t just super tasty; it’s full of protein, vitamin B, and leucine.

This fabulous combination is excellent for boosting your metabolism and burning fat!

However, steer clear of organic supplements related to bees if you’re allergic to pollen.

7. Baobab

For those of you who don’t know, this powder is the ground pulp of an African tree fruit and has a delicious citrusy taste.

Astonishingly, this has the highest antioxidant content of any foodstuff. In addition to this, it’s an incredible source of soluble fiber – win-win!

8. Spirulina

It may sound a tad gross, but this supplement is literally powdered freshwater algae. Stay with us because it’s really good for you!

Astonishingly, one tablespoon of spirulina has roughly ten times the amount of iron than spinach! Plus, it has an insane amount of vitamin A which is excellent for boosting your immune system.

9. Iron Supplements

Having healthy iron levels is essential for your overall well-being. Out of all of the organic supplements discussed, this is probably the most important.

Iron helps carry oxygen around your body, is brilliant for your immune system, helps regulate your temperature, is imperative for cell growth (and has loads of other benefits that we won’t bore you with) – iron is great for your body, you get the idea.

If you don’t get enough iron, you’ll struggle to produce the correct amount of red blood cells. This can result in anemia.

Anemia isn’t something you want to suffer from because you’ll be held back by the following symptoms:

• Constant fatigue
• Difficulty breathing while participating in everyday activities.
• Difficulty maintaining body temperature
• A poorer performing immune system

It’s also worth mentioning that if you suffer from heavy periods, you’re more likely to lose valuable iron. If this sounds like you, make sure you eat plenty of food that contains iron and/or take an iron supplement

10. Calcium

As you probably already know, you need calcium to keep your bones and teeth healthy.

However, did you know calcium is imperative for aiding both your muscles and blood vessels to contract and expand? This is necessary to successfully send vital messages from your brain to the rest of your body.

So calcium is pretty darn important! Especially if you’re over the age of 65. As you get older, you run a higher risk of contracting osteoporosis.

This is especially true of women because their bone density starts deteriorating from the age of 20!

If you’re looking to purchase organic supplements, be sure to check out I Am Healthy Store, as they have some fabulous stock over there!

Did You Enjoy This Blog Post on Organic Supplements?

I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I loved writing it! If you did, you’d probably like our other blog posts over on the health and fitness blog.

Everything from how to cure back pain, to improving your circulation, is covered. So, we’re sure you’ll find something of interest.

Alternatively, please feel free to reach out and contact me if you have any questions or comments. I’d love to hear from you. Speak soon!

In case you didn’t know, your circulatory system is really important. It’s responsible for maintaining and nourishing inherently every cell in your body!

While many factors can impact your blood flow, there are many fantastic ways to improve circulation naturally.

Let’s get to our favorites!

1. Move Your Body

You already know that consistent exercise is good for you. You know that it keeps your bones and muscles healthy, torches calories, and tones your body. You also know that it’s vital for maintaining good physical and mental health.

Did you know that exercise can also help improve circulation?

That’s because activities that increase your heart rate boost blood flow around the body. The takeaway here? To move is to improve circulation.

So, get running, hiking, climbing, lifting- whatever activity you like, and stay consistent with it.

2. Drink Tea

Not only can it keep you warm on a blustery winter day, but tea also has numerous health benefits.

Teas contain antioxidants, which can boost heart health and improve circulation. It’s as easy as drinking a cup or two a day.

Just be mindful and avoid prepackaged tea bottles (they often contain preservatives and added sugar). Stick to looseleaf bags of green, white, or black tea.

3. Stand and Stretch

Ever heard the warning, sitting is the new smoking? Whether it’s true or not, repeatedly sitting in the same position can wreak havoc on your circulation.

Furthermore, most of us have poor posture when we sit and do work, which can exacerbate the circulation issues.

Try this instead: put a time on your phone and make sure to get up and walk around or stretch every half hour.

Walk to a colleague’s office instead of firing off an email. Take the stairs to another suite instead of hop in the elevator. Most of us are far too sedentary- you need to take conscious steps to break this habit.

4. Pay Attention to Your Feet and Hands

Poor foot or hand circulation can lead to numerous problems, including strokes or heart attacks.

You probably know that it’s important to layer up your body when your cold, but this also applies to your hands and feet.

This is especially important if you have medical conditions. You’d be amazed to learn what do diabetic socks do. You’d also be amazed to discover that there are many ways compression can help you live a happier and healthier life.

5. Stay Hydrated

The world runs on water, and your body is no different. It’s important to stay hydrated to improve circulation and maintain your overall health.

Get yourself a refillable water bottle (preferably one that you’re excited to use), invest in a water filter system if needed, and get sipping.

Drinking enough water each day will make you feel infinitely better. This is not an area worth skimping out on!

6. Quit Smoking

Here’s yet another reason proving why cigarettes are terrible for you.

They can damage nearly every organ in the body, including your blood vessels, lungs, and heart. They also clog our blood vessels (you know the ones sending blood to the heart and brain).

Smoking impacts all your blood vessels, from the ones associated with aging to the ones related to tooth loss and hearing.

If you needed another reason to quit your habit, consider this one: if you need to improve circulation, it’s nearly impossible to do while smoking.

7. Eat the Right Foods

You aren’t surprised that a healthy diet can improve circulation, are you? As it turns out, there is some substantial evidence suggesting that the food you eat plays a huge role in boosting your circulatory system.

Fish – Research shows that Omega-3 Fatty acids can benefit the heart and improve blood circulation. Not a big seafood fan? Consider taking a fish oil supplement.

Nuts – Nuts contain Vitamin B3, which can boost your blood and stave off circulation issues. Grab yourself a handful of almonds, walnuts, or cashews.

Seeds – Many seeds contain Vitamin E, an essential vitamin shown to keep blood flowing. Consider the following ‘superfood’ seeds- pumpkin, chia, and flax.

Citrus fruit – Vitamin C can serve as a natural blood thinner, which helps prevent excess plaque build-up. Feast yourself on pineapples, mangoes, kiwis, or oranges to get your Vitamin C fix.

Dark chocolate – Here’s your permission to eat chocolate! Cocoa contains antioxidants and flavonoids, which improve blood circulation. The darker the chocolate, the better it is for your help. And, remember: a little goes a long way. This is not permission to gorge!

8. Add Herbs & Spices

Eating a diet rich in superfoods can improve your blood circulation, but sprinkling on the following spices can also go a long way, too!

Garlic – Garlic helps prevent plaque build-up and can even stimulate blood flow. Yes, your breath may stink, but your circulatory system will thank you for the added boost!

Gingko Biloba – Gingko Biloba can improve blood circulation and increase flow to all systems of your body. It can also support your energy levels!

Cayenne pepper – It heats your body up, and it also can supercharge your circulation by basically strengthening your cardiovascular muscles. This super spice can also improve nutrient absorption and aid in digestion.

Parsley – Next time it’s on your restaurant dinner plate, nosh it down! Parsley can act as a natural circulatory booster because it contains Vitamins C and B12.

Ginger root – Ginger can also open up blood vessels. It contains many anti-inflammatory properties, which also boosts your immune systems.

Improve Circulation Today

By integrating the following suggestions into your routine, you’ll be well on your way to improving circulation.

Interested in learning more tips about optimal health and fitness? Be sure to check out our extensive blog today!