Nicole

A stroke is a medical emergency that is often life-changing. Though there are varying degrees of severity, this health event is significant and there will be adjustments in the days and months after it takes place. If you are considering heading on vacation, visiting family, or jetting off on a work trip, there are a few things to think about before getting on an airplane. Here’s what you need to know about the complex nature of flying after a stroke. 

What Are Strokes?

When a part of the brain is cut off from an oxygen supply, a medical emergency known as a stroke occurs. It can severely impact how the affected part of the brain functions which could be anything from speech to mobility. Strokes are typically caused by blood clots but can also happen as a result of bleeding in the brain area. Risk factors include high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. So, can you fly after a stroke? Let’s find out more below. 

Mini Strokes

Mini strokes are an indicator that the person having one is vulnerable to a major stroke incident. They are also called TIAs and don’t tend to interfere with brain function in the same way as the alternative. They have the same symptoms as a stroke but last for a shorter time. It is still important to seek medical attention if you have dizziness, slurred speech, or loss of feeling in one side of the body. 

Is It Safe to Fly After a Stroke?

Lots of people do go back to regular flying habits after they have survived and recovered from a stroke. The advice around flying will be personal to your health situation, and the first place to find answers is from your lead care team. Airlines also carry strict policies about who can fly and post-stroke waiting periods so that they are not carrying the risk of a passenger dying or becoming seriously ill mid-flight. Check with your airline before you book the flight, but it is typical to wait at least two weeks after this kind of incident before being able to safely fly.

The Primary Risk Factors

The waiting period is necessary for mitigating all of the risks discussed below. The fact is that this kind of medical event is not something that should ever be taken lightly. It can be fatal and there are a lot of complications post-stroke that may impact the ability to travel safely. 

Oxygen Levels

The primary risk associated with flying is the low pressure in the cabins. Remember, a stroke is caused by a lack of oxygen to certain parts of the brain. With this in mind, a plane environment where the oxygen supply is less than sufficient is not ideal for people recovering from a stroke. There are a few ways to tell how your body would respond to this change in atmosphere. You can do simple fitness tests to trial how you might cope with the decreased oxygen during a flight, for instance, going for a walk and taking notes when you start to feel breathless. As ever, this should be discussed with your doctor before booking any travel just in case. 

Sitting Still

Sitting still for a long flight (two hours plus) increases the risk of a blood clot in the leg, also known as deep vein thrombosis. This is also a life-threatening incident, and anyone who has suffered from a stroke is more at risk.

Tips for a Safe Flight Post-Stroke

If you have been given the all-clear from your care provider, then follow the advice below to increase your safety during travel. 

Concentrate on Reducing Travel Stress

Stressful lifestyles increase cortisol production in the body, which is directly linked to strokes. So, wherever possible, it is better to concentrate on reducing travel stress. Arrive with plenty of time to check in and relax before the flight, and make sure all of the documents are easily accessible too. 

Get Plenty of Rest

Before you head out, take the time to create a meaningful rest period. A body that is well-rested is better placed to handle anything that might come its way, and it supports general health as well.

Splash Out on Premium Seating

Premium seating means you get extra legroom which will make it not just more comfortable, but also easier to move around and avoid DVT from occurring. 

Sort Out Administration Beforehand

You may need a doctor’s note with you for the airline to verify if things like medication are necessary during the flight. This should be easy enough to source, but it needs to be taken care of at least three weeks in advance to account for the waiting period between making a request and receiving a letter. This is a great time to talk to your doctor about your personal risk factors and listen to their advice about how best to travel. 

Travel Insurance 

Insurance policies taken out for travel purposes need to be notified of any condition like a past stroke. This will impact your cover and is not a job to avoid. 

So, there are more than a few things to think about. If you have suffered from a stroke or a mini-stroke, the most important thing you can do before a flight is to consult your doctor. After this, it is all about ensuring you have maximum comfort levels and plenty of time to travel with minimal stress. Watch out for any warning signs that your physical health is about to take a turn for the worse and remember that lots of people manage to fly frequently post-stroke, so you can do it too.

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It can be tricky to get your kids excited about school, at least the learning part, anyway. Your kids might love seeing their friends, but sitting in the classroom is not always as exciting. As a parent, you should help them develop a passion for education to ensure they give every class their all. One way to do this is to provide them with all the tools they need to excel at school.

Empower Their Learning

The hardest part of helping your child excel at school is trying to empower their learning. What does that mean, exactly? Empowering their learning involves showing them the benefits of an excellent education and hard work. It involves showing them the fruits of all their hard work. If you can prove to your kids that learning is good, they are more likely to take that attitude into the classroom. 

Positive reinforcement and working with them on projects (without completing these projects for them) will also empower their learning, giving them everything they need to reach their potential. 

Encourage Them to Use Technology 

While you don’t want your kids to rely on technology all the time or spend too much of their day scrolling through YouTube when they should be doing their homework, tech offers plenty of benefits for improving your child’s educational prospects. 

You don’t know everything, but your child can find the answers to questions online, teaching them research skills. You can also download back-to-school apps that offer curricular and extra-curricular activities for your child so they can stay on top of projects, homework, and more. 

Learn the Curriculum 

Learning the curriculum will also boost your child’s chances of success at school and help you keep up with everything that’s going on. Modern schools offer plenty for kids, and it can all seem like a lot if you don’t take the time to check what they’re learning this semester or which projects are coming up.

The more you know about the curriculum, the easier it will be for you to prepare for the night before a project is due and your child tells you they’ve forgotten all about it. Although you don’t want to bail your kids out forever, knowing what’s coming up and what they need for it can take some pressure off them and let them focus on other things at school. 

Get Them Extra Help 

Your kids may struggle with some subjects, but that’s okay. They might prefer more creative and artistic classes compared to academic subjects, but you still want to give them the best chance of succeeding. Researching Online Science Tutors they can work with after school or on weekends can help them fill knowledge gaps and feel more confident and comfortable in subjects they do not excel in. These extra hours each week can even show them a different side of the subject and they might find a new passion for it. 

Excel 

Your child doesn’t need to excel in everything, some kids are just better at some subjects than others, and putting pressure on them often has the opposite effect. Still, you can give them the tools they need to excel at school and discover that learning is quite fun once they know how to approach it. 

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Stress is just a part of life for all but the most Zen of us. Some of us will suffer from it only from time to time while others will feel constantly under the stresses and strains of daily life. Whichever category you fall into, it is essential to know that you can come out the other side and find more calm. For some, this may mean a course of therapy is necessary, but for others, there are lots of things you can do at home, from meditation to taking a hot bath, that will help to relieve your stresses pretty effectively for the most part.

That being said, today we are going to take a look at some of the more surprising “home remedies” you can use to lower your stress levels on a daily basis.

1. Hair Salon Haven

Let’s start with the classics: A trip to the hair salon. To many people, it is just a place you go to when your hair is getting a little too shaggy or you have an important event you want to look suitable for, but some of us know much better than that. To those of us who know, the hair salon is about more than just a makeover for your locks; it’s a rejuvenation of the spirit. The gentle massage of your scalp, the transformative snip-snip of the scissors, and the vibrant chatter around – it’s a sanctuary where stress melts away, replaced by a renewed sense of self.

2. Doodle Your Worries Away

Remember the joy of scribbling and doodling as a child? It’s time to bring that back. Grab some colorful pens and a notebook and just start doodling. No rules, no expectations, just spontaneous expression. You’d be amazed at how liberating and stress-relieving this simple activity can be, and it’s so cheap. easy and portable that you can do it almost anywhere too!

3. Barefoot Walks

This one might sound a bit odd, but walking barefoot on grass or sand has been found to have a calming effect on the mind. It’s a grounding experience, literally connecting you with the earth and helping to balance your energies in life, and even if you don’t believe in all that stuff, the sun on your face, the sand on your feet, and the sound of the ocean in the background is sure to soothe you anyway.

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4. Enjoy an animal

The mere act of watching fish swim or petting a furry friend can be extremely calming. But let’s take it up a notch and ensure that your worries are well and truly melted away along with your stress. Engage in a full-fledged conversation with a pet. Yes, you heard it right! Talk to them about your day, and your worries, or even discuss the latest book you’ve read. Their silent, attentive presence can be a comforting stress reliever Oh, and be sure to pet them, if they’re furry, too as that has been scientifically proven to lower stress levels.

5. Pillow Boxing

Feeling a little frazzled? Why not take a fluffy pillow and give it a good punch? Create a makeshift boxing ring in your living room and let those frustrations out on your softest cushion. It’s a great way to release pent-up energy and have a few laughs while you’re at it. Yes, you might feel a little silly and self-conscious at first, but pretty soon those thoughts will melt away, along with the sources of your stress, and you will just be having good clean fun, With an edge. It beats shouting at the poor store clerk who gets your order wrong!

6. Moonlit Conversations

Step out under the moon and stars and have a quiet, introspective conversation with the universe. Share your dreams, and your fears, and let the silent night sky absorb your stress. Sometimes, it is fair to say, that the best listener is the silent night sky, and this serene communion can be a beautiful stress-buster. Again, you might feel self-conscious at first, but once you have unburdened yourself to the universe, you will feel better, and next time, you will not feel so silly in opening up to the great beyond.

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7. Bubble Wrap Therapy

Who hasn’t found joy in popping bubble wrap? Next time you come across a sheet of bubble wrap, don’t discard it. Instead, keep it handy for a stress-relieving popping session. The tactile sensation and the popping sounds can be strangely therapeutic! Squeeze every drop of tension out of your body, and pretty soon you won’t be feeling so bad at all.

8. Whimsical Dancing

Put on your favorite tunes and dance like nobody’s watching. Let loose, make weird shapes, and just be in the moment. Don’t worry about how you look or whether you have the moves, and don’t worry about if you’re on time with the music. Be a freak. Move your body in any way that feels right to you in that moment. This spontaneous burst of energy can be a fantastic mood lifter, melting your stresses away, and giving you a surprisingly good workout into the bargain, too. 

9. Dream Jars

Create a dream jar where you jot down all your wildest, most impossible dreams and desires. Whenever you feel stressed, pick a note from the pot and spend a few minutes daydreaming about it. This simple act can take your mind off stress and transport you to a world of possibilities.

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10. Laughter Yoga

You’ve probably heard of this one but might have hesitated to give it a try. It’s time to let go of that inhibition. Join a laughter yoga group, and indulge in bouts of uninhibited laughter. It’s a genuine stress-buster, and you’ll find your spirits lifting in no time. After all, they do say that laughter is the best medicine, and many formerly stressed-out yoginis would agree.

So, next time you’re feeling stressed, instead of getting yourself even more worked up and distressed, try one of these surprisingly soothing activities instead. You won’t regret it!

If you are somebody who is ready to boost their health and well-being, you might start by going online and finding as many facts as you can about how to make sure that you feel healthier on the inside and look more beneficial on the outside. The problem is that the Internet is packed with charlatans. It’s a sad thing to say, but there are people out there who like to make money on health advice when they are not qualified to give communicated health advice. There are plenty of natural and home remedies to choose from to boost your health or well-being, but when it comes to knowing what’s healthy, you need to look at the evidence. If every single time you find a fact that helps you with your health you are confused and feel that it will conflict, then you’re not wrong. 

One expert will tell you not to eat red meat, whereas another expert will tell you to only have a certain amount of red meat. One expert will tell you not to drink milk, whereas another expert will tell you all the benefits of dairy in your diet. With the help of evidence-based facts, you can learn what hydrogen peroxide therapy can do for you. You can learn which vitamins your body needs the most, and you can learn how you can conduct yourself so that you stay as healthy as possible. Qualified experts may hold opposing opinions, so we’ve put together a list of evidence-based health-improving tips that will really count for you when you are looking to improve your health and wellness.

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• Start limiting how much sugar you drink. We all know we shouldn’t eat much sugar, but how much of it we consume can be a problem. Sugary drinks such as sodas and fruit juices can add unnecessary sugar to your diet and you can lose track. It’s not just calories here, but too much sugar can lead to the development of heart disease or type 2 Diabetes. They also have the potential to add more weight to your body, which can make you feel worse about yourself while endangering your health. Choose water first, unsweetened drinks second and if you do choose sugary drinks, keep them in moderation.
• Sprinkle some seeds. We’re not just feeding birds here, but you may find that nuts and seeds added to your diet could really change your health. You’re not a bird but you can still benefit from nuts and seeds sprinkled on your oats in the morning! Nuts can help you lose weight and you’ll find that nuts and seeds will be packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals you can’t always get elsewhere. You’ll add all this goodness to your body, enabling you to hold back heart disease and lower your stroke risk. 
• Start scratch cooking. If you haven’t already, the time is now to learn to cook from scratch. One of the best evidence-based health-improving tips is that of ensuring that you are eating fewer processed foods and sticking to whole foods. Processed foods are delicious – we won’t lie – but they’re packed with refined oils, salts, and preservatives that you can really do well to avoid. 
• It’s okay to drink coffee! Did you know that coffee has a controversy over it? You can still enjoy coffee in moderation and you’ll find that coffee is packed with health benefits you’ll be sure to enjoy. It’s packed with antioxidants and it’s proven to have a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. Coffee has caffeine, sure, but this is where the moderation part comes into play. If you’re enjoying creamy and sugary coffees four times a day, that probably won’t be the best thing for you. However, keeping your intake to fewer than four cups a day will help.
• Start gaining a taste for fatty fish. Omega-3 fats are in abundance in some fish, and studies have shown that those who regularly eat fish can lower Dementia, IBD, and Heart Disease. You can also ensure that you are gaining some high-quality protein in your diet because of the fatty fish you consume.

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• Get as much sleep as you’re able to. Poor sleep can drive things like insulin resistance, and it can disrupt your appetite hormones. Not only that, but with poor sleep you will reduce your physical and mental performance which makes you feel sluggish and grotty every day. If you don’t get enough sleep, you are also more likely to make poor choices around your food because you are craving an energy hit from sugar or fat. This can lead to unwanted weight gain.
• Feed yourself the healthy bacteria. Not all bacteria are
• bad, but one evidence-based health-improving tip you need is to feed your gut healthy bacteria. Your gut microbiome is important for your overall health, and knowing that you have healthy bacteria in the gut will help you avoid chronic disease and will also help you to avoid obesity. A good way to improve it is to include things like fermented foods such as sauerkraut and yogurt. You could even take probiotic supplements and eat plenty of fiber.
• Start drinking more water. Hydration is so important as, as the evidence proves, when you are well hydrated, your body can function better, heal faster, and make you feel less sluggish. Drinking water is the best option for hydration. There is no set amount that people need per day, but you should aim to drink enough so that you are adequately quenched of your thirst. 

Evidence-based health-improving tips such as these ones will help you to feel healthier for longer. You can avoid overeating, weight gain, and chronic diseases when you look and ensure that the facts that you are reading are coming from professionals. Looking after your health should be a priority of yours.