Looking after yourself after falling victim to a particularly bad injury or illness is really tough. The pain and discomfort felt is not only physical but emotional too, so coping with the experience on your own may seem impossible. Luckily, there are some very simple steps that you can take on your road to recovery which will ultimately push your abilities to perform self care to maximum levels, and help you feel as good as new before you know it. If you’ve recently seriously hurt yourself and are feeling behind in your rehabilitation, then read on to uncover some of the best top tips you can implement today!

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Seek The Right Diagnosis 

 

Possibly the most important aspect of your recovery is ensuring that you have the right diagnosis. Simply searching your symptoms online on forums and untrustworthy medical sites and then sourcing medication in a similar way can leave you open to even more severe illnesses as a result. Visit a doctor in person and ask for every kind of scan or test to uncover the ins and outs of your injury, and be certain of any medicines authenticity and purpose before consuming them. Though painkillers do serve a tremendous purpose, they can also block out some symptoms that your medical professional should otherwise be made aware of, so try to keep use of these to a minimum (especially during any related appointments).

 

Learn To Say No

 

Especially tough if you’re a busy parent or hold high levels or responsibility in the workplace, learning to say no to those who ask too much of your during your recovery is a big aspect of self care that should not be overlooked. Of course you cannot renounce all of your duties as you will only become bored and unmotivated, but you still must accept that you are unfortunately injured and cannot perform in the same way as you did previously. Saying yes to any kind of physical work could mean that your pain reaches new heights and your injury gets much worse rather than better, so it really isn’t worth the risk! Just sit back and relax as much as you can, taking the pressure off whichever part of your body is hurting to allow for the speediest return to health possible.

 

Could You Seek Compensation?

 

If your injury happened in the workplace or perhaps as a result of the negligence of a company or its employees, you may be entitled to some kind of compensation. Organisations like Belsky, Weinberg & Horowitz exist to professionally support you through this process, and can help to ensure that you receive the money you deserve. Simply approach them with the facts regarding your own specific situation and discover whether you can seek some kind of rebate for the pain and suffering you have experienced. 

 

Self care after a serious injury is a tricky topic, but with these handy hacks you can make sure that you do everything possible to speed down the road of recovery and get back to your normal self as soon as possible.

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It’s safe to say that everyone wants to be as healthy as they possibly can. However, it’s really not all that easy to work out whether you’re healthy right now, or that anything you’re doing is helping you to be healthy. And so, you have to make sure that you’re being really proactive about your health, and that you’re taking it into your own hands. But how can you do that? Is it all about food and exercise? Or is there more to it than that? Let’s take a look at the key things for you to focus on when you’re looking to be as healthy as possible.

 

Nutritional Health

 

To begin with, you’ll want to take a look at what you’re eating. A lot of the time, people think that they need to be on a diet in order to be healthy. But that’s not necessarily the case. Instead, you need to make sure that you watch what you’re eating, not necessarily how much or how often. But if you’re able to focus on nutrition, then you’ll have a much better shot at being healthy.

 

Fitness

 

But then also, there’s your fitness to be thinking about here too. And you’re likely to find that you’re able to really work on your health levels when you can manage your fitness and start exercising. Exercise not only keeps your body fit and healthy, but it’s really great for your mindset too. So just make sure that you’re doing any kind of exercise to keep yourself in shape.

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Stress & Anxiety

 

But then also, you’re going to want to think about what you can do to make sure that you’re managing your stress and anxiety as much as possible. It’s important for you to work on different options for this. It could be meditation or mindfulness, CBD, finding the best cannabis accessories, or even something like running or yoga. Just make sure you manage it.

 

Emotional Health

 

From here, you’re then going to want to take a look at your emotional health and what you can do to make sure that you’re as emotionally healthy as you possibly can be. Do you need to work out some issues? Do you need to start analyzing your past to determine how that affects your today? When you’re emotionally happy, you’re happier in general – so keep that in mind.

 

Thinking Ahead

 

But then also, you may find that you should also be thinking about ahead into the future too. Because when it comes to your health, things that you’re doing now will affect your health in the future. And this works in both a positive and a negative sense. You can harm your health by decisions and lifestyle choices that you’re making today. But at the same time, you may find that you can improve your future health by really adapting your lifestyle today.

It often seems like fitness and gym memberships go hand in hand. This is so much the case that many of us are on the phone to the local gym the day that we decide to take control of our health. Gym memberships are just what health-conscious people do, right? 

 

Undeniably, the gym is the best thing for a lot of people. It provides the structure and monetary motivation many need to get fit. But, gym membership doesn’t work for everyone. Many find the high-pressure setting puts them off altogether. And, when there are no visible alternatives, that can put the nail in their fitness coffin before they get started.

 

In reality, though, there’s a whole load more to getting healthy than hitting the gym. In fact, stepping away from the structure of gym workouts could see your health efforts benefiting in the following ways.

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Informed exercise decisions

 

When we go to the gym, we have to tailor our exercise to someone else’s fitness ideas. We use the machines on offer because they’re there. We even limit our experiences to the exercises our gym caters for. The moment you shake those shackles, you can start to enjoy an altogether more tailored experience. For instance, you could buy a machine because it offers benefits which appeal to you, rather than because it’s the only option. Equally, you could research an exercise method rather than just going along with it. Instead of doing tai chi because there’s a class on offer, then, you could look into the history of qigong and other alternatives to find something which fits your needs. Either way; you’ll be free to tailor an exercise routine which benefits you rather than holding you back.

 

A select exercise group

 

Other people are often the worst part of the gym experience. This is especially the case if you’re new on your fitness journey. The imagined judgment of those experienced gym pros could stop you going altogether. When you step away from the gym structure, though, you’ll be in the position of selecting who you work out with. If you want to get fit alone, you can do it. Or, you could select a few friends who are at the same fitness level as you. You certainly wouldn’t need to worry about accusing eyes ruining your weight lifting efforts.

 

A chance to take fitness outside

 

Ditching the gym can also see you taking your fitness efforts outside. Given that fresh air and meditative nature bring significant benefits, that’s a definite plus point. Even something as simple as some outdoor jogging could see you feeling a whole lot fitter than you might after a session on your gym treadmill.

 

Just like gym membership itself, ditching the gym isn’t for everyone. If you get along with the structure and accessible equipment, then keep doing what you’re doing. If that standard approach to exercise doesn’t work for you, though, don’t be afraid to step away and carve your own path on this fitness journey. 

An accident not only has an impact on your physical health, but it can negatively affect your mental health as well. Many people bottle up the psychological trauma that they suffer after an accident, particularly if it was down to someone else.

 

It is totally understandable –  making a physical recovery from injuries can be long and difficult for many people, and combined with the stress and need for often arduous legal processes and discussions with a personal injury lawyer can make them feel like they just need to get on with it.  However, it is important not to ignore any emotional symptoms after an accident, and seek treatment when they begin to interfere with your day to day life and other aspects of your recovery. 

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Accident victims often struggle with anxiety and depression.

 

It is entirely reasonable to experience a whole roller-coaster of emotions after an accident. From relief that you are alive, to shock, fear, worry, disbelief, anger, and confusion, you can expect to feel very emotional for a while. These feelings usually subside after a while or become a lot easier to manage, but sometimes, they don’t.

 

When these feelings begin to have an impact on your daily life, it is essential to seek help in the way that you would with any physical injury. It may be that you are suffering from some form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of this can be apparent almost immediately, in others, it can be weeks or even months after the initial trauma.

 

Anxiety and depression are common amongst people who have been injured in an accident. Many victims find that their lives are going to look and be very different due to the physical injuries they’ve suffered. They may have more limitations, or may not be able to work or care for their families in the way that they did before or participate in their favorite hobbies or activities. Some, especially if they have suffered a traumatic brain injury, may find their personality changes or that they can’t socialize or spend time with their loved ones in the same way. All of these can take a significant toll on someone’s mental health and puts them at a much higher risk of suffering from anxiety and depression.

 

When should you seek mental health help after an accident?

 

If you begin to experience any of the following symptoms in the aftermath of an accident, you should talk to a doctor as soon as possible, who will be able to signpost you to the right sort of help as quickly as possible.

 

• Irritability or excessive anger
• Persistent nightmares, flashbacks or bad dreams about the accident
• Inability to focus on tasks
• Increased anxiety or feelings of uneasiness
• Difficulty in sleeping or eating
• Relying on drugs or alcohol to get you through the day
• Thoughts of self-harm or ending your life

 

It’s important to recognize that psychological stress can also affect your physical recovery after an accident, making it even more important to seek treatment.

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If you’re suffering from an injury or illness, you need to take active steps towards helping your body recover as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here are a few steps that you can take to help yourself along the way!

 

Take Sufficient Time Off Work

 

It can be tempting to still head into work when you don’t feel too ill or injured, or when you’re at a stage where you feel almost better. But don’t return to work until your doctor says you’re fine to. Pushing your body too far before it’s recovered will only prolong your problems. If you are worried about losing money by taking time off work and the injury or illness wasn’t your fault, contact a personal injury lawyer. They may be able to seek compensation on your behalf, so you can rest easy while you recover.

 

Attend Appointments

 

If you have follow-up appointments, attend them. These will help medical professionals keep up to date with how your body is recovering. It can be inconvenient and you may not feel well enough to get out and about. But without these appointments, you’ll find it difficult to recover properly!

 

Take Medication as Prescribed

 

If your doctor or a hospital prescribes you medicine, it’s for a reason – you really need to take it. So, make sure to listen to their advice, read the information sheet inside the medicine and take it as prescribed. This can be difficult if you have multiple sets of tablets to take or if you have to take your tablets at set periods of time, or if you have to specifically take your medicine with or without food. But it’s possible as long as you stay organised. Use a note book to note down exactly when you’ve taken your medicine. You can then always refer back to this if you are unsure what you’ve had so far in the day and what you haven’t had. You can also get medicine organizers that sort your pills into days of the week. This helps you better track and monitor what’s going on.

 

Get Sufficient Sleep

 

Sleep is absolutely essential to a full recovery. So try not to underestimate the good that it can do for you! You should at least be getting your full recommended eight hours’ sleep a night. If you’re feeling worn out or tired, don’t hesitate to nap. Listen to your body! Sleep is when your body shuts down, repairs and recovers most fully. It also gives your mind a rest from constant thought!

 

Ask for Help

 

Never feel that you’re alone in this situation. Whether you’re experiencing physical or mental difficulties following any experience of illness or injury, know there are plenty of people out there to support you. It’s not unusual to struggle with these types of experiences – in fact, it’s expected. So if you’re not feeling great, in any way, shape or form, reach out for help. You can talk to friends and family, your employer, a therapist, or even specially trained individuals on call lines, support lines and helplines.

 

These are just a few different ways that you can help yourself recover from injuries or illnesses – all round – in the most effective ways possible.

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Many people take the fact they can hear for granted and therefore looking after your ears can be ignored and overlooked. Many people go through life thinking, paying very little attention to their ears, and hearing because it just works. However, the prospect of potential hearing loss is undoubtedly a concerning one, but there are some ways in which you can prevent it and look after your hearing health.

 

The preservation of your hearing is achieved by looking after your ears, for example, avoiding excessively loud noise, using earplugs when you attend concerts and using headphones instead of earbuds. If you do find your hearing deteriorating, you can learn more about how technology can help with this and take action now, but even if you have not noticed any issues yet, there are many natural therapies you could try for preventing hearing loss. 

 

The ear is made up of the outer, middle, and inner ear, and all of these three parts of the ear work together to move sound from the outer part through the middle and into the inner part of the ear and are important for detecting sound as well as maintaining balance.

 

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is an amino acid which helps to prevent damage to your hair cells in the middle ear. This can help to reduce the chances of suffering from hearing loss, which generally occurs when those hair cells get damaged or die. Acetyl-L-Carnitine can be found in meat and dairy products, and you can also take supplements just check with your pharmacist first, especially if you are currently taking other prescribed medication. 

 

Vitamin B12 

Vitamin B12 has an important role to play in maintaining optimal nerve health, which is particularly important if you want to protect your ears. If you suffer from a deficiency in B12, or you have noticed symptoms, then it is worth undergoing a blood test to check your levels as supplements are available over the counter, or injectables may be prescribed.

 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids 

Omega-3 fatty acids are very important when it comes to our heart health, but did you know that your hearing can also benefit if you make sure you have a good intake of these essential nutrients? Omega-3 supplements are an option, but a diet rich in oily fish such as salmon, nuts, and vegetables (like Brussels sprouts) should be more than sufficient for most people.

 

Melatonin 

Melatonin is a hormone which is most often related to the regulation of a healthy sleeping pattern. However, studies have shown that it may also have a role to play in protecting against age-related hearing loss. Supplementing melatonin could be the right for you if you feel you need that extra boost, and there are plenty of over-the-counter options available. Of course, you should always check for with your doctor if you are taking prescribed medication or any other supplements.

For many people, the last time they had their hearing checked was in primary school, but according to healthcare professionals, we should get a “baseline” hearing test early in our adulthood aged 18 to 21 which will also measure your ability to understand speech, both at soft levels and when the volume is comfortable. Also, the audiologist will evaluate the overall health of the ear via a visual exam.

Being healthy is one of the most important things that we can work towards in life. Unfortunately, sometimes we are not always in control of this as we would like to be. In fact, many things we use in life to make us feel temporarily better can end up driving us, rather than it being the other way around. Luckily, you can find out more about a few of the most serious one below, and how to take control of your health back from the as well. Read on for more. 

Food 

For someone that reaches for a cookie when you’ve had a bad day, it can be effortless to slip into a pattern of using food as an emotional support. This behavior being something that can spiral into addiction very quickly. 

Of course, food is something of an insidious addiction because we all need a certain amount each day. Therefore seeing someone eat a bag of chips may not seem as bad as them drinking Vodka in the morning. 

 

However, unless they are eating in response to actual hunger. Then stopping when that hunger is satiated, it is likely to be a maladaptive coping mechanism. Something that can lead to psychological dependency as well as health problems associated with being overweight or obese. 

 

Luckily there are things you can do if you feel you are using food in an unhealthy way. One is to get help for BED or binge eating disorder, an issue that is becoming increasingly more recognized by the medical community. 

 

Alcohol 

Being addicted to alcohol tend to be much more noticeable than a food problem. The reason being that it is not acceptable to drink everywhere or at all times. Our behavior also changes when we consume alcohol, too, so that is harder to mask it from others around us. 

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Of course, just because it is easier to spot, doesn’t mean it’s easier to treat. In fact, alcohol addiction can be one of the hardest ones to break, because the body actually becomes dependent on the substance. 

To that end, it is always better to get professional help from places like Lake Wellness Center that specialize in such issues. The main benefit of such centers being you don’t have to stay there to access treatment. This then means you can continue to live in your own home and sleep in your own bed too. Something that can make the entire process a lot easier to embrace for many people. 

Exercise 

You will be used to hearing about exercise positively. However, too much exercise can be just as bad for the body and mind as too little. In fact, it can be habit-forming due to the endorphins and dopamine it releases, as well as play havoc with your joints, and cause unnecessary injuries.

 

 

Luckily, if you are struggling with overexercising, there are people out there than can help. In fact, it is often treated as part or subsection of eating disorders, as the two can go hand in hand. Something that means the first step is heading to your doctor so they can refer you to a specialist.

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Living a healthy lifestyle is about so much more than feeling good in the here and now, but futureproofing your body. All of us want to be around for as long as we can, we want to see our children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren grow up. Here are some of the ways you can keep your body fighting fit.

 

Live a healthy lifestyle

It goes without saying that living a healthy lifestyle will set you up for success. It doesn’t mean you need to be ‘perfect’ but eating a balanced diet, getting plenty of physical activity, sleeping enough each night and drinking enough water will all benefit your body. Things like bone health is important to build when you’re young, once you reach old age your bone cells can deteriorate quicker than they’re replaced leading to weak and brittle bones. Building up their strength throughout your life and increasing the density means you keep osteoporosis at bay for as long as possible. With a healthy lifestyle, you slash your risk of preventable illnesses. And since heart disease is the leading cause of death, this isn’t something to overlook. 

 

Attend all of your screenings

Living a healthy life is a good start, but attending all of the screenings you’re invited to (this will usually be based on your age and gender) ensures any medical issues are picked up at the earliest stage. This means conditions like certain cancers can be spotted and treated before they become dangerous. Since lots of illnesses don’t show symptoms until they’ve progressed, this is a great way to keep tabs on your health. As well as cancer screenings, eye tests can pick up problems like high blood pressure and diabetes, an audiologist can give you pointers on how to take care of your hearing health such as ways to prevent tinnitus. It’s a good idea to go to your GP once a year, have them check your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and urine to assess your overall health. 

 

Keep stress down

Stress is a natural human response, it’s something that all of us will experience from time to time. Pressures from work or school, family, money or health can all elevate our stress levels. While many stresses will come and go and resolve themselves, if you’re experiencing long term stress it can wreak havoc on your body. It can prevent you from getting enough sleep, raise blood pressure, affect hunger hormones leading to obesity (and all of the related illnesses with that). Life is unpredictable, it’s impossible to alleviate all stresses within our lives as things just don’t work like that. But what you can do is make sure you’re responding to them in the healthiest possible way. Avoid alcohol, drugs, binge eating or smoking as a way to cope with stress. Take up a sport, practice meditation, take time out to put your feet up and relax. It’s not a luxury, it’s essential for wellbeing. 

 

Something we can all be sure of is that we age, and that hand-in-hand with the process of aging come all sorts of health problems too. Accepting this is great, and being prepared is even better, but in order to be able to do that you need to know what they actually are, and what kind of preparation you actually need to engage in in order to make sure you are doing whatever you can. In this post, we are going to take a look at some of the most common age-related health issues which you might want to try and prepare for, so that you can much more readily ensure that you are doing so. That could mean a better quality of life on the whole, and at the very least it will mean that you are able to know how to look after your body a little better.

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Hearing Loss

 

Something that happens to some extent to almost everyone as they age is hearing loss. If you are past the age of forty, chances are you have already have some kind of hearing loss – although it might have been so gradual that you are not even aware of it. Nonetheless, if you have experienced it and you know you have, then you will probably want to do something about it before it gets worse. The most important thing is to avoid loud sounds as best as you can, and to make sure that you keep your ears clean without intruding on the ear canal. If you experience something like tinnitus, be sure to get tinnitus therapy before it gets worse, and make sure that you follow the doctor’s orders when they say that you might need a hearing aid and so on.

 

Worsening Eyesight

 

By the age of 30, most people have lost some degree of clarity that they used to have in their eyesight. If you have already noticed this, you might be keen to do something about it. As such, it is important to make sure that you don’t overlook this problem, and that you instead go and get your eyes checked professionally to see how bad it is. If you have a prescription, then you should make sure you get it as soon as you can – otherwise you could be allowing your eyesight to get even worse. Avoid straining your eyes wherever you can, and you should hold off vision loss much more effectively in the long run.

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Breathing Troubles

After a certain number of years, it is likely that your lungs will start to struggle ever so slightly more than they used to. Such breathing troubles can be tiresome, literally, and can cause you to feel as though you are indeed getting old. But you can help to stave this off for longer in one simple way: make sure that you carry out plenty of cardiovascular exercise while you are young. The more you do that, the healthier your lungs will stay. You should also, of course, avoid smoking wherever possible, as that is just about the worst thing for your lungs that you can do.

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Follow Your Gut Energy Balance #Ad #CountryLife, #GutConnection, #ItsAllConnected, #GutHealth.

Have you ever felt bloated, digestive discomfort, or irregular bowel movements? That could be caused by an unbalanced gut microbiome. Gut Connection from Country Life digestive balance is a great way to “get connected” and started improving your microbiome health. An unhealthy gut can affect things like an upset stomach, weight changes, skin irritations and so much more.  When it comes to your gut, you need to aim to improve your gut bacteria.

 

Gut Connection from country life is a scientifically formulated range of supplements that connects the gut to individual health issues that matter. Gut Connection from Country Life uses a unique formulation that balances your gut microbiome by boosting your existing probiotics with whole food fermentate. Your healthy stomach lining can then efficiently absorb the clinically studied ingredients in each Gut Connection, providing personalized solutions for your everyday issues.

I have been taking Gut Connection from Country Life Digestive Balance and eating healthier for about two weeks now and I feel better than ever. I feel like a new person with more energy and so much healthier, I no longer feel the discomfort of being bloated and miserable. I never realized how much my bloating, digestive discomfort and irregular bowel movements could affect my life until I was able to get relief with Digestive Balance.

 

Here are a few more products that Gut Connection from Country Life offers, Immune balance which helps with falling asleep, relaxing muscles, and during stressful times. Gut Connection from Country Life Energy Balance increases clean, clear energy and supports alertness (I think we could all use this one!) I will be trying these once I am done with the digestive balance.

 

Eating a nutritious and balanced diet in today’s society, in which you are surrounded by advertisements for processed junk and fast food restaurants galore, is admittedly a difficult task. Sticking to the healthiest foods can appear on the surface to take a lot more time, effort and money to prepare and consume, but this actually is not the case. Eating fresh, home cooked vitamin packed meals is as easy as can be, and once you understand the side effects of a bad diet you may never want to pick up the phone to order a fat filled takeaway again.

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Why It’s Important To Eat Well

 

The simple fact is, the food you eat provides you with the ingredients your body uses to survive and function each day. If your heart is running on deep fried foods with a high salt content, of course it will begin to suffer as a result. As the saying goes, ‘you are what you eat’. If reading that makes you feel a little nervous as you’re now picturing yourself as a huge slice of pizza, then this might be a sign that you need to make some changes. Food is fuel, and you need to fill your tank with the right foods containing all of the necessary vitamins and minerals so that your mind and body can operate to their full potential day in day out. Without consuming these nutrients, you will be much more susceptible to catching an infection, or developing a much more serious problem later in life. The risks associated with a bad diet are seemingly endless, but include heart disease, strokes, and diabetes to name just a few. If you’re a parent that eats terribly, your children will copy your eating habits even if you make a special effort to cook them something different and healthier compared to what you are eating. Ultimately it is your own responsibility to care for your health and set the right example for future generations, and ensure that you can lead a long and active life.

 

What To Eat For Ultimate Health

 

Deciding what to eat can be a struggle for many people, and there are massive outside influences that can impact upon your choice. Fast junk food should be removed from your diet completely, as it provides you with no health benefits whatsoever and will only contribute to increasing your waistband whilst potentially shortening your lifespan. Instead, look for healthier options that include lean protein sources like Peruvian chicken, and pair this with complex carbohydrates and vegetables for a complete dish. Each meal you eat should be a mix of these basic food groups, and there should be a real focus on consuming at least 5 portions of fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Avoid high sugar foods like cakes and sweets as these can cause havoc with the stability of your mood and energy levels.

 

Hopefully now you can understand how to eat well, and why it’s so important for your health to do so.

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Our five senses literally help us to make sense of the world. As we get older, many of these senses naturally deteriorate, however certain lifestyle choices can speed up this deterioration process. Here are a few tips on how you can keep your senses sharp.

 

Sight

 

The biggest way to look after your eyesight is to avoid any activity that strains your eyes.

 

Using the right lighting when performing tasks such as reading or working on a computer is important. If the surrounding lighting is too dim or too intense, it could damage your eyesight.

 

Protecting your eyes from the sun is also important. Wearing sunglasses can stop harmful UV rays entering your eyes, preventing conditions such as photokeratitis and cataracts.

 

Your diet can also help you to maintain good eye health. Omega-3 fatty acids as found in fish and walnuts have been linked to a decrease in the risk of oracular degeneration, dry eyes and glaucoma. Meanwhile, foods that are rich in vitamins can also help to protect vision loss, often linked with a reduced risk of cataracts (this includes carrots, which may not help you see in the dark, but are good for your eyes due to their high vitamin A content).

 

Once you notice the first signs of vision loss, you should book an eye test immediately. Wearing glasses or contact lenses could help restore your vision and reduce eye strain, preventing further deterioration. Some companies such as Vision Express even offer free eye tests.

 

Unfortunately, vision loss can be hereditary for some people – myopia (or longsightedness) is a common example of this, although many of the above measures can prevent it from getting worse. Presbyopia (short-sightedness) meanwhile is a common symptom of aging and similarly may not be preventable.     

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Hearing

 

Hearing loss is most commonly caused by prolonged exposure to loud noise. Anything over 85 decibels can be harmful when listened to for sustained periods – this could include loud music or loud machinery. People that work jobs in noisy environments such as air traffic controllers, nightclub workers and builders are most at risk and should wear ear protection at all times.

 

Using cotton buds to clean your ears can also cause hearing loss. Cotton buds have a tendency to push wax further into the ear and can cause damage to the inner ear. You’re much better off cleaning your ears out with eardrops or using water. It’s possible to seek professional treatment to get your ears cleaned out if you have an unhealthy build-up of wax.

 

If you notice that you’re having trouble hearing people or having to turn the TV up very loud, it could be worth getting a hearing test. Companies such as ListenLively offer free hearing tests online. Getting a hearing aid could help you to restore your hearing back to normal.

Like vision loss, hearing loss can naturally occur with age. Infections may also lead to hearing loss – if you experience pain as well as hearing loss you should consult a doctor immediately.

 

Touch

 

Many factors can affect our sense of touch, causing unusual pain, tingling and sometimes numbness. Some drugs may cause numbness, whilst sitting or lying awkwardly could also restrict blood circulation and cause a temporary lack of feeling (also a big cause of pin and needles) – however these are generally forms of temporary lack of sensation. It’s when numbness is ongoing that you should worry as this could be a sign of nerve damage.

 

Handling hot foods without protective gloves is a common cause of nerve damage in the hands that many chefs can suffer from. By always taking care with hot objects, you can avoid this damage. Similarly, you should take care with tools like blades and sanding machines – injuries involving these tools often lead to nerve damage.

 

A number of medical conditions may also lead to nerve damage, causing unusual tingling and numbness in arms or legs. A few conditions that can cause this include diabetes, HIV, lupus, vasculitis, vitamin b12 deficiency and lyme disease.

 

Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause numbness by putting pressure on nerves, usually as the result of an RSI. Multiple sclerosis is another disease that leads to a gradual lack of feeling (the cause of this disease is largely unknown and thought to be genetic – although it has been linked with a lack of vitamin D, as well as habits like smoking).

 

In all cases where you may feel unusual prolonged numbness, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor. You may not be able to reverse numbness causes by nerve damage, however you may still be able to stop the condition developing.

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Smell

 

Many people experience a loss of smell when they have a cold or are bunged up from an allergy. However, there are causes for a lack of smell which can cause long-term damage.

Smoking is one bad habit that can permanently damage the sense of smell. By quitting smoking, you can protect nerve receptors in the nose.

 

You may also want to be careful when breathing in certain chemicals. If you work with pesticides or solvents, you could be at risk of animism – wearing a protective mask is advised.

 

If you think you’re losing your sense of smell you should always see a doctor. This is wise just to rule out conditions such as polyps.

 

Taste

 

The sense of taste and smell are strongly linked and as a result both are affected by similar factors.

 

Smoking is a major cause of lack of taste. This is because smoking kills of taste receptors (in serious cases it can lead to oral cancer). Fortunately, taste receptors can regenerate, so by giving up smoking you may regain your sense of taste.

 

Poor dental hygiene and use of certain medicine may also negatively affect your sense of taste. It could be worth seeing a doctor if you’re suffering a serious lack of taste (it’s worth noting that cold can sometimes cause temporary lack of taste).