Health and Wellness

Office Happenings. Welcome, doTERRA!

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Our family learned about doTERRA products about five years ago.  If you’re not familiar with them, they are  CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils and essential oil products.

When we first started using them, we thought we would experiment with some cheaper brands as well.  How much difference could there be?  After much trial and error, we found the doTERRA line to be superior in many ways and we are back to using them on a regular basis.

Because we love them so much, we decided to make them available through the office.  You will soon notice some new displays the next time you are in the office and some blog posts here about how we use them.  We will be rotating different samples for you to try as well.  If you don’t see something, but would like information or try a sample, just ask!

 

 

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Beat the Winter Doldrums

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Does the winter weather have you down?  Here in Western Pennsylvania, we’ve run the gamut from extreme frigid temperatures to snow days and rain storms over the past few weeks.  It’s normal to start feeling a little depressed this time of year.

One way to combat a bad mood is with exercise.  Even so, the gym can get tedious day after day.  At our house, we like to be able to get out and take walks on a regular basis.  If you feel like you can’t get outside though, due to poor walkway conditions or temperatures, consider visiting an indoor attraction to boost your spirits.

We spent one of the extremely cold days of January at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.  Not only did we get to stretch our legs, but we basked in some sunshine as well.  While it was a very cold (19 degrees!) day, it didn’t feel like it under the glass.  The sun was shining through and everything looked beautiful.  It was a big mood booster, as we felt like we’d escaped to the tropics!

The Pittsburgh area is full of museums and indoor venues, so try stepping outside of your normal gym routine to give yourself a little boost through the rest of the winter.

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Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens on a frigid January Day

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Inside it’s warm and sunny.

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Art mixed with lush greenery.

Exercise Your Way Through the Holidays

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The holiday season is often packed with the hustle and bustle of planning events, shopping for gifts and travel.  During this time, you can find yourself stressed out and lacking energy.   Be proactive in taking care of yourself during this busy time.  One great way to do this is through exercise.

An easy way to reduce stress and improve health is to get moving.  You can do this maintaining your active exercise routine or incorporating spurts of activity into your day.  This could include taking a walk or cleaning the house.   Make a point to do something every day.

I know it seems like a busy time, and exercise might not be a top priority but try to work it into your daily activity for a healthier holiday season this year.

 

 

Ice or Heat for Your Injury?

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IceorHeatredWhen you get injured, do you use ice or heat?

I find that people want to go for heat before they go for ice because it feels better warm than cold.  But there are definitive rules on the use of both.

When to Use Ice.

Always use ice for the first 24 hours after an injury.  Cold makes blood vessels constrict, which reduces pain caused by inflammation.   Also, use for inflammation reduction after activity – think of a baseball player icing a shoulder after a game.  Ice packs or frozen vegetables such as peas can be used.

When to Use Heat

Heat is a good pain reducer for chronic pain, but only after an area has healed.  Heat relaxes blood vessels and increases blood flow, which helps to aid healing.  This of back soreness after a long drive or finger pain from arthritis.  Use a hot water bottle or towel soaked in warm water for your hot compress.

Important!

Never apply heat or ice over skin that is damaged by rash, cuts or abrasions.  Place a damp cloth on the skin under the heat/ice pack and don’t use the pack more than 20 minutes every hour.

If you ever have a question on which home treatment you should be using, please call the office and I will be happy to guide you.

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Shovel Snow the Right Way.

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It’s that time of year again.   Snow shoveling the wrong way can lead to muscle strain and back injury.    If you don’t have a snow blower or someone else to do it for you, take some time to review these tips to make sure you don’t hurt your back.

 

 

  • Keep your chin up while shoveling and use your lower body muscles to pick up the snow.
  • Avoid arching your back.
  • Avoid twisting to throw the snow off of your shovel, especially if the snow is heavy.
  • Try pushing or sweeping the snow away instead of lifting it up, if at all possible.

Additionally, this article from CBS News provides good advice on avoiding other health issues from shoveling.

Hopefully, these tips will help to keep you pain-free and healthy when shoveling snow this year.

Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash