Page 21 - Florida Sentinel 8-5-16 Online Edition

Health News
• Attitude Is Everything
• Mindfulness
Nothing affects life more than the way you think about yourself, others and the world around you. Your thoughts and attitude are among the very few things over which you have COMPLETE CON- TROL. Choose them wisely!
Relationships open our lives to richer emotions. Sci- ence tells us that love --- in a variety of forms – can help us live longer, stronger and more fully.
A thankful heart recog- nizes that all of life is a gift. Good can come out of even the darkest moments --- you just have to look for it. Prac- ticing gratitude can lift your spirits during difficult times and increase the joy you feel day to day.
Tapping into something greater than yourself pro- vides the perspective that life has meaning and that we are never
alone. Regarldess of your religious beliefs, this practice of happiness reveals why faith matters.
The only way to experience life is in the moment. Dwelling on the past or focusing on the future robs you of the joy avail- able to you right now. Practic- ing mindfulness can help you see the world more accurately and empower you to make the most of every minute.
• Connection
• Gratitude
Reasons why:
•Happy people often earn more money.
•Happy people are generally healthier.
•Happy people tend to live longer.
•Happy people tend to have stronger relationships.
•Happy people learn and inno- vate more easily.
A heart attack strikes when the blood flow that brings life- giving oxygen to the heart muscle is severly reduced or cut off completely.
Everyone’s symptoms may vary, but the consquences are deadly. Some women mistake heart attacks for the flu or acid reflux.
Do not hesitate to call 9-11 if you experience any of these symtoms --- even if they do seem elephant-sized.
• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the chest or upper abdomen that lasts more than a few min-
utes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain, discomfort or pressure in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort, or lightheadedness.
• Breaking out in a cold sweat • Nausea, dizziness or fainting.
RED FLAGS
• Spirituality
Natural Ways To Get Enough Sleep
Feeling crabby lately? Or simply worn out? Perhaps the solution is better sleep.
• Develop a Sleep Rou- tine
It might seem tempting, but sleeping until noon on Saturday will only disrupt your biological clock and cause more sleep problems. Going to bed at the same time every night even on weekends, holidays, and other days off helps to estab- lish your internal sleep/wake clock and reduces the amount of tossing and turn- ing required to fall asleep.
• Change Your Diet
Cut out the food and drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate, by mid afternoon. Make dinner your lightest meal, and finish it a few hours before bedtime. Skip spicy or heavy foods, which can keep you awake with heartburn or indiges- tion.
• Say "No" to a Nightcap
Alcohol disrupts the pat- tern of sleep and brainwaves that help you feel refreshed in the morning.
A martini may help you doze off initially, but once it wears off, you’re likely to wake up and have a hard time getting back to sleep, ac- cording to Mayo Clinic.
• Create a bedtime ritual
Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed. Relaxing ac- tivities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.
Be wary of using the TV or other electronic devices as part of your bedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime interferes with sleep.
• Get comfortable
Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this
means cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-dark- ening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.
Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjec- tive, choose what feels most comfortable to you. If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. If you have children or pets, try to set limits on how often they sleep with you — or in- sist on separate sleeping quarters.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9-B