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Communicating with a loved one who has aphasia after a stroke

HealthOptimal Health

A stroke can change a lot in a short time. For some people, one of the hardest changes is losing easy access to words.

Aphasia, also called dysphasia, affects how a person speaks, understands, reads or writes. It does not change their intelligence or who they are.

Perth Speech Therapy is a speech pathology practice in Perth that works with adults with dysphasia, including after a stroke or brain injury. Its dysphasia page explains that therapy includes teaching family and carers communication strategies, and those everyday strategies are the focus of this article.

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High Blood Pressure and Why Knowing Your Numbers Matters

HealthOptimal Health

High blood pressure is often called a silent condition, and for good reason. Most people who have it feel completely fine. They only find out when a doctor or pharmacist checks their reading. Yet over time it can quietly strain the heart, brain and kidneys.

The simplest way to stay on top of it is to know your numbers. A blood pressure check takes a few minutes and does not hurt. This guide explains what the numbers mean and who is more at risk. It also covers how often to get checked and the everyday changes that can help.

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Gum Disease: Early Signs and How to Keep Your Gums Healthy

DentalOptimal Health

Gum disease is one of those problems that can sit quietly in your mouth for a long time. Many people only notice it when their gums bleed in the shower or at the sink. It is easy to shrug that off as brushing too hard. In fact, bleeding gums are often one of the first signs that something is not right.

The good news is that the early stage of gum disease can usually be turned around. A few steady habits at home and regular visits to a dental professional make a real difference. This guide explains what gum disease is and what the warning signs look like. It also covers the everyday steps that help keep gums healthy.

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The Many Fabulous Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar

HealthOptimal Health

More than just a fancy salad dressing, apple cider vinegar (ACV) is everyone’s favourite health tonic. Made from apple juice, it is fermented twice. The first to produce a hard apple cider & the second to become a cider vinegar. The longer fermentation process creates a rich bioactive vinegar which provides antioxidant & antimicrobial benefits. The thick accumulation of yeasts & acetic acid bacteria form ‘The Mother’. Sounds scary but ‘The Mother’ contains proteins, enzymes & friendly bacteria which give the ACV its murky appearance & provides the most benefits.

Get shiny hair

Give your locks a lustrous shine as you rinse your hair after shampooing. Fill a (BPA-free) bottle with ½ tablespoon of ACV & a cup of cold water. Use the solution after shampooing several times a week. ACV will boost your hair’s body & shine. It won’t happen overnight but it will happen.

Throw Away Your Skin Toner

Dilute one part ACV with two parts water & dab over face with an (organic) cotton ball or pad. Use after cleansing & before applying your moisturiser. The acetic acid is a great astringent for the skin. You can also dab neat on your face & leave overnight. ACV will help to fade age spots or acne scars.

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7 Steps To Support A Loved One Who Has An Addiction

HealthOptimal Health

Whilst it might be the case that the ultimate resolution of a loved one’s drug addiction is their enrolment in drug rehab, whether local or at an international program like Sivana Bali, there is no shortage of ways in which you can help them before and towards that destination.

So many actions and steps can be taken by those who care deeply for someone addicted to drugs that it can pose the problem of deciding which to follow.

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15 Motivational Fitness Quotes That Will Inspire You

Fitness, HealthOptimal Health

No matter at what level anyone partakes in exercise and fitness programs, there has to be motivation within that individual to do so. For some, this comes easily; for others, they seem to be on a roller coaster, whereby some days, they cannot wait to get out of bed and go jogging first thing in the morning, and other days, they just want to pull the duvet over their head and go back to sleep. Let us be honest; we have all been there at least once.

It is certain everyone who does exercise has moments when their ‘get up and go’ has got up and gone! In those moments, there are several ways in which you can seek the motivation that you need, and one of the best is to recall a motivational quote. These are words that have been written or spoken, more often than not, by famous people that provide some inspiration and motivation to carry on.

So, we thought it would be useful if we did some research and found what we believe to be the best motivational quotes and, in particular, those motivational quotes that could relate to fitness and exercise. We found loads but have narrowed them down to 15 of the very best. For all quotes, we have credited the person to whom the original words belong. Some are sportspeople, others are celebrities, and you might even see one from a former US president.

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3 Dental Problems You May Experience On A Skiing Holiday And How You Can Avoid Them

DentalOptimal Health

The furthest thing from your mind when you are lying on a beach enjoying the warm sunshine might be skiing and winter sports, but for those who do enjoy them, it can mean a trip to an emergency dentist.

Now, dentists and winter sports might seem an odd association but if you ever ask someone who has experienced one of the many problems winter sports and the extremely cold weather conditions that come with them can create for teeth and gums, you will understand the connection.

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Why Employers Must Recognise Drugs Addiction Is A Disease, Not A Choice

HealthOptimal Health

When an employer is confronted with the reality that one of their employees is a drug addict and must enter a drug rehab program, there are several views they may take on that scenario and they cover a wide scale of opinions.

At one extreme will be employers who say the employee is a criminal, that drug addicts have no place in their business, and that anyone who chooses to take drugs is to be fired. At the other end of the scale are employers completely sympathetic to their employee’s predicament, who may have experience of a loved one recovering from drug addiction and who even offer to finance their employee’s recovery.

As you read both of those viewpoints, which do you lean towards? The answer is crucially important if you are an employer and speaks to whether you believe drug addiction is a choice, a crime, and punishment is the answer, or that drug addiction is a medical condition that needs treatment.

Ultimately, how you run your business and your terms and conditions relating to drug addiction within your workforce is a matter for you. However, we ask you to pause for a second and understand one thing. It has been proven by countless medical studies of those addicted to drugs that their drug addiction is a disease rather than a lifestyle choice.

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