Inspired Blog
7 Daily Things That Are Harming Your Eyes
Photo by maxime caron on Unsplash Our eyes are one of the most important parts of our body as they allow us to view the world around us. Even with eyes acting as such an important element of our quality of life, many individuals are unaware of the several factors in their daily routine that might be bringing harm to them. Read below to learn more about these potential hazards and the best ways to combat these risks for stronger, healthier eyes. Blue light exposure By now, you’ve probably heard of blue light rays that are emitted from LED lights, cellphones, televisions, and more—but do you know just how much these rays are affecting you? Studies show that blue light exposure contributes to eye strain and has a big impact on the body’s natural sleep cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm. Exposing yourself to extended periods of blue light suppresses melatonin secretion, making it more difficult for your body to fall asleep when it’s time for bed. Traditionally, focusing on less screen time is recommended, but in today’s day and age with quarantine restrictions and remote work, it can be harder to stay away from our devices. Consider looking into blue light blocking glasses options to help filter out these rays and promote a healthier, more stable sleeping schedule (and put the phone down a few hours before bed!). Dehydration Since our eyes are organs, they depend on a certain level of hydration to function properly. While lack of water can cause dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, and other challenges, dehydration can also affect the eyes. Specifically, dry eyes can occur when the body is lacking the proper amount of fluid to lubricate the eyes and produce tears on its own. To help fight dry eyes and the other many negative results of dehydration, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Specifically, alkaline water bottles help you stay hydrated and provide needed antioxidants along with other health benefits like inflammation reduction and aiding indigestion. An insulated water bottle makes it easier and more convenient to consume the adequate amount of water that the body needs to perform at its best on a daily basis. Be smart about old makeup products Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash As great as mascara, eyeliner, concealers, and other eye cosmetics can make us feel, they can also do serious damage to your eyes if not used properly. From using outdated products, contaminating products by contact, color additives in products, and more, staying vigilant in your cosmetic use is a crucial part of your eye health. The FDA suggests properly sanitizing your hands and storing your cosmetic products in the proper temperature and surfaces can fight harmful fungi and bacteria that can lead to unwanted infections of the eye. Additionally, refraining from swapping products and using only products intended for your eyes can create a healthy makeup routine and keep your eyes safe. Smoking cigarettes Everyone is guilty of some sort of unhealthy habit, and for some, this might include smoking. If you smoke cigarettes, you may want to reconsider the health impacts that it can have on your body and long-term wellbeing. In addition to causing various issues to the lung and heart, smoking can further lead to several vision issues—such as glaucoma, cataracts, dry eye syndrome, and more. As smoking increases the chances of developing these types of eye health and vision loss issues, looking at support and options to help quit could have direct benefits on not only your eyes but your overall health. Incorrect contact lens care Given that not everyone is blessed with 20/20 vision, a popular option for individuals with vision impairments is to wear contact lenses as a convenient alternative. While contacts offer a great option outside of eyeglasses or Lasik surgery, they also open the door for unwanted eye problems when not correctly used. In fact, the CDC shares that anywhere from 40%-90% of contact lens users do not follow the proper care instructions. If you are a contact lens wearer, remember to have fully sanitized hands before putting in and taking out your contacts, throw away old lenses, remove lenses before going to sleep, and select the best type and brand of contact for your situation and lifestyle. Lack of good sleep Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash Getting a good night’s sleep has many benefits to your body and how you feel when you wake up in the morning. Because of this, it isn’t surprising that not getting enough sleep can cause weakness in eye muscles resulting in instances of blurred vision or a harder time refocusing. In order to maintain clarity, decrease puffiness/under-eye circles, and give your eyes the rest they need to function at their best, follow some of these tricks to get a better night’s sleep. A few top tips include avoiding caffeine intake later in the day, developing a stable bedtime routine, and creating a space that promotes relaxation. UV light Ultraviolet light is the radiation present in sunlight, and, without proper protection, can have damaging effects on the eyes. Keep in mind that this includes both short- and long-term problems. Therefore, if you live an active lifestyle that includes many outdoor activities, it can be worthwhile to invest in quality products to fight these harmful rays for your eyes and skin alike. To prevent Macular Degeneration and other issues associated with extended UV exposure to the eye, wear UV-blocking sunglasses when outside for long periods of time. Similarly, if you are a tanning bed user, it is recommended to always wear approved goggles to protect your cornea and to keep them on securely for the duration of your session. Final thoughts All of these considerations and different ways you can best focus on healthy vision ultimately lead to creating healthier habits overall. You only get one set of eyes, so working to protect them from these daily hazards and bad habits boost your long-term vision.
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5 Hacks to Start an Alkaline Diet Right Away
It might appear daunting at first, and you will have to make considerable changes and sacrifices, but by following these hacks, you will have a much easier time switching to the alkaline diet.
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Breathing Exercises to Keep You Calm and Grounded
Other than being vital for keeping us alive, breathing has a lot more powers, of which most of us aren’t usually aware. A study conducted in 2018 by the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience...
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Is My Kid Drinking Enough Water? 5 Hacks to Give the Little Ones Better Hydration
Without it, we cannot imagine our existence. Our bodies, the cells, organs and tissues need plenty of water everyday to perform bodily functions, that keep us alive and healthy. Now as easy as it may sound to us adults, it can be a huge challenge when the above piece of information needs to be explained to kids.
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Superfoods - The Hidden Gems to Prevent Cancer
Cancer is a word that can bring shivers down the spine to anyone. It is a dreadful disease caused by the abnormal development of cells that start dividing in an uncontrolled manner, infiltrating and destroying the body tissue. These cells don’t die but multiply rapidly. They interfere with the functioning of the immune system and hamper it from functioning properly. Although there are a lot of treatments, sadly, there isn’t any definite cure for it. It is the second-highest cause of death in the entire world with a very poor survival rate. A lot of research and studies have been conducted on cancer for decades, and though the medical experts have not been able to develop a cure, there have been considerable improvements in the detection, screening, and treatment of this dreadful disease. Despite all the progress in its treatment, cancer patients are exposed to a lot of struggle, pain, and changes in their lives. The treatment is very expensive and involves a lot of difficulties and challenges for the patients. Therefore, the best way to protect yourself from cancer throughout your life is to try and prevent it from developing in the first place. Although we do not have much control over the external risk factors of cancer such as genetics and pollution. Many cancer-causing risk factors depend on our day-to-day lifestyle and are directly in our control. How Dietary Changes can Reduce the Risk of Cancer? Eating well can help you in both preventing and fighting cancer. Good dietary habits include eating a lot of fresh fruits, green vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding processed and fast food. The main idea is to stay fit and maintain body weight by consuming fewer calories, less starch and less fats. Also, good dietary changes for cancer prevention involve moderating your meat intake and reducing it as much as possible. Processed meat has been directly linked to various types of cancer including that of colon, bowel, and stomach. The focus has to shift towards plant-based proteins through beans, lentils, and similar food. Superfoods That Prevent Cancer Changing your eating patterns and adopting good dietary habits is essential in preventing the risk of developing cancer. But besides this, there are some superfoods that are considered to be hidden gems in the fight against cancer. They are said to have the perfect properties consisting of essential nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and most importantly phytochemicals (plant chemicals that protect cells from damage) that can lower down the risk of cancer significantly. Some of these superfoods are: 1. Garlic We all hate that strong garlic breath, but the same component that causes it, i.e. sulfur, is a key component that can stop the formation of cancer building substances in your body. Besides that, sulfur is also known for speeding up the process of DNA repair and killing cancer cells even before they become dangerous or start to spread. Also, being part of the allium family, just like its family members like onion, chives, leeks, etc, garlic is also linked to protecting against cancer of the stomach. 2. Broccoli Phytochemicals, as discussed above are chemicals present in plants that can protect the cells from damage and keep them healthy. Broccoli is a superfood that is filled with these amazing phytochemicals. A phytochemical named glucosinolate is found in plenty in broccoli, and it is known to produce protective enzymes that prevent the rupturing of the walls of body cells and keeps them healthy. It also contains a compound named sulforaphane which detoxifies the body, removes pollutants and toxins and aids in protecting from the risk of developing cancer. 3. Beetroot Beetroots are amazing sources of Vitamin B that promotes heart health. Besides, it is rich in antioxidants known as betalain that can flush out the toxins from the body and keep you protected from cancer in the kidney. Betalain is also a powerful fighter against cancer cells and does not allow them to grow, killing them at an initial stage only in case they appear. 4. Cinnamon It is referred to as a super spice as it brings numerous health benefits to the human body. It has a great quantity of essential oils that brings benefits such as stroke prevention, reduced risk of heart disease, a decrease in chronic inflammation and most importantly reduction in the risk of cancer. The essential oils block the growth of the cancer cells, giving cinnamon the name of cancer-fighting spice. You should include a half tablespoon of cinnamon in your diet each day. 5. Spinach Spinach has always been related to good health in most fables, cartoons and folklore. In reality, it is much more beneficial and a true superfood that is a blessing for the human body. It is full of antioxidants and chemicals including lutein, zeaxanthin, carotenoids that remove free radicals in the body before they can damage the cells. Also, a study has found that people who eat spinach are less likely to develop esophageal cancer. Also, the carotenoids are known to reduce the risk of developing ovarian, lung and colorectal cancer. 6. Papaya Papaya is known to have anti-cancer properties. It is found to be majorly effective in preventing liver, pancreas, lung and breast cancer. Moreover, it works on improving the strength of the immune system and enables it to fight free radicals that can be very dangerous to the body cells. Papaya is also helpful in improving the metabolism of the body and prevents the development of cancer cells in the stomach too. 7. Blueberries Blueberries are the richest sources of antioxidants amongst all fruits. These are super effective against free radicals that can be damaging to cells and cause various types of cancer. They also contain a chemical compound named anthocyanin, known to bring down the biomarkers for cancer of colon. Apart from this, blueberries are a great source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers that have great health benefits. 8. Carrots Vitamins are found in abundance in carrots. From Vitamin A to Vitamin K, you can find them all in carrots. Additionally, carrots contain a lot of antioxidants, one of which is known as beta-carotene which provides it with a distinct orange color and strength to the human immune system. As many as 8 studies have linked beta-carotene with reducing the risk of breast and prostate cancer. A separate analysis also concluded that regular consumption of carrots can decrease the risk of stomach cancer by 26%. 9. Walnuts The American Institute for Cancer research has concluded that all nuts possess some anti-cancer property. But Walnuts stand out from others as these contain a substance known as pedunculagin that upon entering the metabolism turns into urolithins and binds the estrogen receptors to prevent breast cancer. Walnuts also consist of multiple genes that can suppress tumors and thus considerably reduce the risk of developing multiple types of cancer. 10. Legumes When we talk of legumes, we include everything from beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas. The biggest advantage of these is that they have super high contents of dietary fiber, making these easiest to digest while promoting the health of your gut. Moreover, these contain prebiotics that can transform the microbiome in the gut and reduce the risk of developing cancer in the stomach. To add to it, these are also rich in phenolic compounds. These compounds are great for health and have shown effectiveness in reducing inflammation and preventing the growth of cancer cells. Besides eating good and including the aforementioned superfoods in your diet, there is one more essential thing that you should religiously follow to reduce your cancer risk, and that is to drink plenty of water and keep yourself hydrated. Water plays a crucial role in eliminating toxins from the body and protecting the cells from damage by keeping them hydrated. It is a key component of each cell in our body and we can reduce cell damage by drinking lots of water. You can even switch from your regular tap water to alkaline water. Alkaline water has a pH balance of over 9 on the pH scale and is renowned to keep the cells hydrated for longer, hence further reducing the chances of developing cancer. It can also improve the pH balance in your gut and prevent it from various gastrointestinal diseases, further reducing the risk of problems in the stomach. To get easy access to alkaline water anytime you want, you can buy a DYLN Bottle. It is built with state-of-the-art technology and it comes with the VitaBead Diffuser at the bottom that turns regular water into alkaline water within a few minutes. The bottle can be easily carried anywhere, and hence you can drink alkaline water throughout the day, keep your cells hydrated, and prevent illnesses. Final Words By taking a few preventive steps and some precautionary actions, we can significantly reduce the chances of ever developing cancer. The food we eat has a major impact in our health. It decides whether we will live a healthy life free of diseases or whether we will struggle a lot with multiple serious diseases, including cancer. By making some right choices and including healthy food in your diet, you take a big step towards good health and divert away from the risks of cancer. So start including the above-mentioned superfoods in your diet and minimize your risk.
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20 Ways to Live a More Sustainable Life
What faces us now are major threats including climate change and global warming. But all is not lost yet and we still can control a lot of things. If not at a larger scale, we should at least start from a smaller scale and start taking individual actions, such as living a sustainable life.
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Can You Drink Away Your Cancer Risk?
The best way to fight cancer is to try your best and prevent it in the first place. As difficult as it may sound, it can be done by shifting some of our habits.
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A 7-Day Alkaline Diet Plan to Rebalance pH Levels and Fight Inflammation
An alkaline diet can be very helpful in treating negative inflammation as well as rebalancing the pH level of the body. By just making a few changes to your diet and cutting back on a few items, you can heal your body naturally and protect it from various potential problems.
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The Therapeutic Benefits of Journaling
Journaling is the modern-day form of self-therapy for our minds and mental health. There are multiple options out there to improve mental health and the quality of our lives, but there is none as simple as journaling.
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