Author: Cameron

Remedies for Neck Pain and Stiffness

We all know that awful feeling of waking up with a stiff, sore neck. Maybe you slept on it funny or pinched a nerve. Maybe you’ve got muscle soreness, maybe you’re stressed, or maybe you just need a good vacation.

Whatever the case, you just want some relief from this neck pain. Here are some of the top remedies for neck pain and stiffness.

Neck Pain and Stiffness

NSAIDs

One of the most straightforward ways to deal with neck pain and stiffness is through over-the-counter NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen. These medications are anti-inflammatory and can ail minor aches and pains. These are best when taken with water, as your muscle pain could be related to dehydration, too.

Make sure you only take NSAIDs as directed. Taking these medications improperly can result in liver damage. Also, we recommend mentioning any new medications you’re taking to your doctor to make sure they don’t have any negative combined effects.

Massage Therapy

While not everyone can afford the cost or time off work, getting a massage can be a huge help with neck pain and stiffness. Seeing a massage therapist can be incredibly helpful with this muscle stiffness, as they are able to work with your muscles and find tension points.

Massage therapy can be stress-relieving as well as physically stimulating. This combination can go a long way to remedying neck pain and stiffness. Some of the common causes of this type of stiffness are addressed directly by massage therapy.

Stretching

Getting the right amount of stretching in can be a huge help for neck stiffness. Roll your shoulders up and down, touch your ears to your shoulders, press your head back into a headrest. These types of stretches help to keep your neck muscles loose and limber, making it less likely for them to lock up and become stiff.

Likewise, you can address many forms of pain and stiffness with these types of stretches. It’s not hard to take a few minutes to limber up!

Sleeping Well

Another important thing to remember is that you should avoid sleeping on your stomach. When you sleep facedown, you’ve got to turn your head one way or the other for hours. This is really quite bad for your neck, and you should sleep on your back or side instead.

Along these lines, make sure your pillow is the right one for your sleeping style. If you sleep on your back, you need a shorter pillow. If you sleep on your sides, you need a taller pillow. Not following these guidelines could result in neck soreness and stiffness.

March 20, 2019
Top Car Insurance Providers: Who is the Best for Your Ride?

When it comes to driving, you simply have to have car insurance. That’s not just poetic, either, you’re literally legally required to have insurance. Jokes aside, you might as well pick a good insurance provider, since you legally have to have one.

Today, we’re breaking down some of the top car insurance providers to help you find the one that’s right for you.

Car Insurance Providers

Nationwide

Nationwide, well-known for their goofy commercials starring football players and country music singers, is a solid car insurance provider. While they offer insurance on numerous things, like life and home, today we’re focusing on their auto insurance.

This company offers rates that are, often, quite competitive with other auto insurance providers. They’ve got a number of features you’d expect from an insurer, including roadside assistance, accident forgiveness and vanishing deductible.

Erie Insurance

Erie is a highly-rated insurance company, noted by publications like NerdWallet, J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. They have very high consumer satisfaction ratings, competitive auto insurance rates and great customer service. They’re one of the most well-regarded auto insurers due to their generous offerings.

Notably, Erie insurance offers its policyholder’s rate lock, letting them lock in their insurance rates. Other great features of this insurance provider include new or even better car protection, allowing you to get a vehicle of the same year or newer if you total yours.

Travelers Insurance

Travelers is a long-standing name in the world of insurance. They offer insurance on a number of things, though their auto insurance is particularly noteworthy. They offer a great range of benefits for policyholders, including things like Gap Insurance.

Policyholders also get the benefit of premier new car replacement if their brand-new vehicle is totaled. Travelers offers ridesharing insurance for people who drive for Uber or Lyft in Colorado and Illinois. They also offer accident forgiveness once every 36 months, and minor violation forgiveness on that same time frame.

Amica Mutual

A very highly-rated insurance company, Amica is considered one of the very best auto insurers by many publications. J.D. Power, Consumer Reports and NerdWallet have all ranked Amica highly, noting their various programs like depreciation consideration, free airbag replacement and free lock replacement.

Notably, Amica even offers reimbursement for earnings loss if you go to court at Amica’s request. This, along with full glass coverage, advantage rewards, identity fraud monitoring and prestige rental coverage for Platinum Choice Auto members, makes Amica a popular pick.

March 20, 2019
Should You Buy a Used Toyota SUV?

Toyota SUVs are popular choices for families for a number of reasons. The 4Runner, C-HR, Highlander, RAV4 and Land Cruiser are all popular choices in their respective categories.

If you’re looking for a new vehicle for your family, maybe you’re considering a Toyota SUV. Today we’re going over the merits of buying a used Toyota SUV.

Used Toyota SUVs

Toyota

Toyota is a Japanese company, the sixth-largest company in the world and one of the most popular car brands out there. They make a huge variety of vehicles, though today we’re focusing on their SUVs. Their family of SUVs range from affordable, compact vehicles to full-sized luxury SUVs. Let’s talk cars.

Toyota 4Runner

The 4Runner is one of Toyota’s most well-known vehicles, though recent versions of the vehicle have received lackluster reviews. Notably, the 4Runner has been rated very low in mid-sized SUV ranking for poor ride quality, uninspired design and cumbersome features. This all combines with a relatively high base price of $35,000 to make the vehicle quite unlikable.

Toyota C-HR

The C-HR, a subcompact SUV, is a bit more well-regarded than its midsized cousin. Bringing a good starting price of $20,000, good handling, and lots of safety features, there’s lot to like here. However, the vehicle is somewhat hobbled by a loud powertrain, poor cargo space and underwhelming acceleration. There are better options for subcompact SUVs than the C-HR.

Toyota Highlander

If you’re going to buy a used Toyota SUV, consider a Highlander. The Toyota Highlander is a solid vehicle, bringing a comfortable and quiet ride alongside a great engine and wonderful safety features. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious ride or solid performance, this SUV has you covered.

The Highlander is a bit pricey when new, starting around $31,000. That makes it a good vehicle to find used, to save a bit of money while you’re getting a great ride. Finding one that someone is willing to part with is the hard part!

Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota’s luxury large SUV, the Land Cruiser, is a solid pick for those that love off-roading. This massive vehicle is tank-like in design and performance, bringing a ton of power but sub-par handling. There are tons of standard features in the Land Cruiser, and it’s got a very comfortable ride.

The fuel economy on this vehicle is also tank-like, as it guzzles gas. There is also less cargo space than one would expect, due to the awkward third-row seating. That said, this is a good pick for off-road enthusiasts who need an SUV.

March 20, 2019
Natural Probiotics: These Foods Encourage Healthy Digestion

Probiotics are compounds, chemicals and substances that encourage the bacteria that naturally occur in your digestive tract. Don’t worry about the word bacteria. The ones that live in your digestive tract are supposed to be there, and they’ve got a symbiotic relationship with you.

Here are some of the best natural probiotics that occur in foods to encourage the little guys in your gut!

Natural Probiotics

Sauerkraut

Fans of German food will be happy to hear that the ancient shredded cabbage dish is actually a probiotic. That’s because this popular European dish is fermented in lactic acid bacteria! Sauerkraut is one of the oldest dishes on earth and has been eaten in Europe for hundreds of years.

The sour, salty dish is great on sausages, can be eaten as a side and can even be stored in airtight containers for months. On top of all of that, it’s great for promoting good bacteria in your digestive tract.

Kimchi

Fans of sauerkraut, or those with knowledge of fermented foods, could have guessed the kimchi would make this list. Kimchi is not dissimilar from sauerkraut, as it is also made by fermenting vegetables. In fact, the most popular vegetable choice for kimchi is cabbage, making it a very similar dish to sauerkraut!

Much like its European cousin, kimchi is a great probiotic. This tasty, spicy Korean food is undeniably delicious to those who love it, but it’s a bit of an acquired taste. If it’s your thing, though, nothing else really compares to the sour, spicy flavor of kimchi.

Tempeh

You might be noticing a theme. Fermented foods tend to be a fantastic probiotic! Tempeh, an Indonesian soybean dish, is no exception. This earthy, nutty dish is a firm patty that is often used as a meat substitute. That’s because it’s high in protein and has a texture that mimics that of meat.

Like other fermented foods, tempeh is a stellar probiotic. Whether you eat meat or not, you can’t go wrong adding more tempeh to your diet.

Kombucha

Surprise, surprise, everyone’s favorite fermented tea drink is a fantastic probiotic. Kombucha is fermented by bacteria or yeast, and the types of microorganisms used to ferment the drink are quite friendly to humans. They encourage your stomach’s natural bacteria and can keep you quite healthy.

While the internet tends to go bananas on the supposed health benefits of kombucha, scientific evidence isn’t conclusive. However, like all fermented food products, the probiotic side-effects are a sure thing

March 20, 2019
Chevrolet Malibu Review: The Right Car for You?

Today we’re taking a look at the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. We’re going to be digging into its design, its standard features, the price and the value of the vehicle.

If you’ve been tossing up what kind of vehicle you want, you probably know what sorts of features you’re looking for. Today we’re going to tell you what works and what doesn’t with the Chevrolet Malibu.

Chevrolet Malibu Review

Design

The Chevy Malibu is a sleek-looking vehicle, sporting a slick design that makes it look elegant. The Malibu is a four-door sedan with a svelte design, a mean-looking grille and clean lines. If you like an elegant, upscale look then the Chevy Malibu is a good pick for you. It won’t turn any heads, but it’ll look slick.

Performance

The engine performance in the Chevy Malibu is solid. The base trim sports an engine with 160 horsepower, though higher trim levels could offer as much as 250 horsepower. The vehicle sports a respectable 22-27 miles per gallon in the city, and a solid 32-36 miles per gallon on the highway.

The handling of the vehicle is good, as it can handle turn with an agile and responsive turning action. While you won’t be tearing up any race tracks, this is a solid vehicle for road performance. If you’re looking for something dependable and sporting a good engine, you can do worse than the Malibu.

Safety

One of the strongest points of the Chevy Malibu is the safety ratings. The vehicle has a Teen Driver mode that allows parents to set limits for their young drivers. Ample airbag coverage, emergency braking, excellent crash test ratings and more make this a great pick for younger drivers.

Upgrading to higher trim levels can get you a number of great safety features, too, including a 360-degree camera. You can also upgrade to a Wi-Fi hotspot in the vehicle, smartphone integration and an excellent infotainment system.

Pricing

There are a number of trim levels available, and the Malibu starts at $21,680. However, you’d do well to discount the base trim, as there are very few standard features that are worth it at this price. Adding an extra $1,500 and going to the LS trim offers a ton of great features for your money.

Wi-Fi, infotainment and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto are all available with the LS trim. We’d recommend starting there if you’re looking for a solid, modern vehicle.

March 19, 2019
Top Tips for Treating the Cold or Flu

There’s nothing quite as deflating as coming down with the flu or a cold. When you feel that funk coming down on your health, it’s time to cancel plans and call out of work. Really, no one wants to suffer through with a cold or the flu.

What are some of the best ways to treat these common bugs?

Treating the Cold or Flu

Vitamin C

One of the best ways to combat one of these common bugs is by getting tons of vitamin C. Whether you’re drinking orange juice, eating tons of vitamin C-filled fruits or taking supplements, vitamin C is great for you.

This wonderful little vitamin helps your body’s immune system and can help you kick a bug faster. Supplements like Emergen-C and other flu and cold medication often include lots of vitamin C to help bolster your immune system.

Pain Relief

One of the hallmarks of the flu, and, to a lesser extent, colds, is that they bring aching muscles along with them. If your flu or cold symptoms include this painful ache, consider keeping pain relievers on hand. Aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol and the like are often recommended to help with these kinds of general aches and pains.

Make sure you take these NSAIDs and pain relievers only as directed. If taken improperly, these medications can cause damage to the liver.

Stuffy Nose

Decongestants can be a huge help if you’re suffering from a stuffy nose. It’s quite miserable being unable to breathe through one’s nose, so decongestants are a great investment during flu season. They come in several delivery methods, including nasal sprays and pill form.

Nasal sprays tend to be the fastest-acting, often allowing for relief in a few minutes of using them. Make sure you only use decongestants as directed. Using nasal decongestants for more than three days can result in a rebound where your congestion gets worse. Oral decongestants, while slower, don’t have this drawback.

Cough

If you’re struggling with a rough, loud cough, there are ways to combat that, too. The most obvious way is to take cough drops, which can help coat the throat and reduce inflammation. However, it’s worth noting that a cough drop or other cough medication is likely not going to last for long, as they’re addressing the symptoms and not the causes.

Many doctors suggest warm drinks, such as tea with honey, for relief from a cough instead of medication. That’s because medications can have side effects that could exacerbate other flu/cold symptoms. A bowl of warm soup can have similar throat-soothing properties.

March 19, 2019
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a commonly-occurring autoimmune disorder that often occurs in older patients. RA is caused by the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacking its own tissues and resulting in inflammation.

In particular, RA attacks the lining of the joints, resulting in stiffness, soreness and joint pain.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Arthritis Overview

Generally speaking, the term arthritis refers to soreness in the joints. There are two major types of arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by repetitive motion and wear-and-tear. Generally speaking, osteoarthritis can be predicted by a patient’s life history, such as the type of work they perform.

Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disorder and has nothing to do with prior wear and tear. RA can occur in otherwise healthy individuals and cause severe discomfort, joint pain and stiffness.

Causes

It’s largely thought that the disease has a genetic component. That’s not to say that the disease spontaneously occurs in patients, though. Typically, something occurs that triggers the disease’s onset. Namely, a few types of viral infection or bacterial diseases, can cause the body to kick on the processes that bring on RA.

In layman’s terms, RA occurs when the immune system attacks the lining of the body’s joints. This causes the lining to thicken, which results in the cartilage and bone within the joint being stressed. Over time, the bone and cartilage will be destroyed, putting stress on the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint together.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of RA include joint stiffness, tender and swollen joints and loss of appetite. Other symptoms could include fatigue, fever and damage of other parts of the body as the disease progresses. Joint stiffness in RA patients tends to be stronger in the mornings after sleeping or after periods of inactivity.

Progression

Generally speaking, RA first manifests in the smaller joints, such as fingers, wrists, ankles and toes. However, as the disease spreads and progressively becomes worse, it will manifest in the shoulders, knees, elbows and hips.

RA is what is referred to as a progressive disease. There is no cure for the condition, and it will progress indefinitely until the end of the patient’s life. While treatments exist that can slow the disease’s progress, none of these treatments will completely halt it.

Treatments

Common treatments for RA include medications, exercise, dietary changes and physical therapy. Generally speaking, when addressed soon enough, the disease can be slowed dramatically. Physical therapy, when combined with the right diet and medications, can slow the disease by a large margin.

March 19, 2019
Treatments for Alcoholism: How to Help Someone Struggling

Alcoholism is a serious issue. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcoholism it can seem really hopeless trying to find help. Alcohol dependency can result in serious long-term health issues and can impede one’s ability to live their life in a healthy way.

How can you help someone struggling with alcoholism?

Treatments for Alcoholism

When to Get Help

Sometimes it can be difficult to figure out when you really need help with your drinking. Some people can drink large amounts of alcohol without experiencing some negative effects, while others can have much less but have a serious drinking problem.

It’s time for someone to get help when their drinking is affecting their day-to-day life. If they’re spending most of their money on alcohol, spending too much time drinking or recovering from drinking, or missing work because of excessive drinking, it’s time to get help.

Types of Treatment

There are several different types of treatment for alcoholism. Depending on the severity of a patient’s dependence on alcohol, the well-known 12-step program or 28-day inpatient rehab program could be suggested. However, these aren’t the only options available.

Notably, many patients don’t think to simply contact their doctor. Talking to a primary care doctor can help a patient in a number of ways. Doctors can identify whether the drinking is a dangerously high amount, help evaluate the patient’s health and can even help with a treatment plan.

Another thing that many people forget, or simply don’t know, is that their doctor could even help them find if there are any appropriate medications they could take for their dependence.

Medications

There are several medications that can help patients overcome dependence on alcohol. In cases of physical dependence, these medications are often used in conjunction with in-patient rehab treatments. Likewise, in less extreme cases, the medications can be prescribed for use on their own without any accompanying rehab.

Support Groups

One of the most well-known treatments for alcoholism is the support group. A notable example of one such support group is the somewhat-controversial Alcoholics Anonymous. Support groups can be helpful for some alcoholics, as the community fostered by these groups helps with accountability.

It’s much harder to fall off the wagon of recovery when there are people counting on you to succeed. As such, people with few friends or family in their own lives tend to benefit the most from support groups.

March 19, 2019
Are Protein Shakes Good for Losing Weight? The Facts

A lot of people who are fitness-minded love protein shakes. They’re a good way to help stock up on the proteins you need to build muscle, after all! However, some people like to use protein shakes as meal replacements in order to love weight.

Can protein shakes help you lose weight? Let’s look at the facts.

Protein Shakes and Weight Loss

Meal Replacement

Replacing a meal with a protein shake isn’t a surefire way to lose weight. When people are losing weight with protein shakes as part of their diet, there are likely a few things at play. Firstly, if you replace a meal with a protein shake, you’re taking in less calories that day. Well, assuming you’re otherwise eating healthy.

Secondly, replacing a meal with a protein shake does you no good if you don’t follow that up with exercise.

Simply intaking less calories won’t get you meaningful results when you’re looking at nutrition. You’ve got to go back to solid food eventually, and when you do, you have to make sound nutrition choices in order to keep the weight off.

Overdoing It

Keep in mind that you need around 46 to 56 grams of protein per day. If you’re eating a healthy diet, you’re already getting that many grams, and you’re likely doing just fine. Adding more protein on top of that isn’t going to get you any different results from dieting or exercise.

Further, keep in mind that adding protein shakes to your normal diet might actually have the reverse effect of what you were planning. That’s because protein shakes contain calories fitting of a meal replacement. If you’re not using them to replace a meal, then you’re just taking in more calories, full stop.

How to Use Them

If you want results in weight loss involving protein shakes, here’s our advice. Get a steady workout regiment going, and only use protein shakes as a meal replacement on the days you exercise. Otherwise, eat a normal healthy diet that gets you the right nutrition.

One of the best ways to keep yourself in good shape and keep the weight off is to exercise regularly. There are no magic answers when it comes to health and fitness. Anything worth having is going to come as a result of hard work. That includes a proper diet, regular exercise and responsible use of meal replacements.

Hopefully, this helps you when considering what role protein shakes should play in your diet!

March 18, 2019
Does Meditation Offer any Health Benefits?

People have long known about the various spiritual and mental upsides to meditation. However, fewer people know about the other benefits of meditation and mindfulness.

Namely, the health benefits associated with meditation are often overlooked or downplayed. Let’s look into the top meditation benefits for your health!

Health Benefits from Meditation

Stress Reduction

One of the primary reasons people meditate is in order to reduce their amount of stress. Stress is a silent killer. Cortisol, the stress hormone, is created in larger quantities in people who have extreme stressors in their life. One of the best things stressed people can do is meditate on their stress and reduce their stress levels.

High cortisol levels can lead to a higher number of cytokines in the body. Cytokines, in turn, can lead to trouble sleeping, anxiety, depression, higher blood pressure, and fatigue. Essentially, the more stressed you are, the more stressed you’ll continue to be. Meditation can break this cycle by cutting out the production of cortisol.

Outlook

It can be very difficult to keep a positive outlook on life in the face of adversity. However, meditation can have a huge positive impact in this regard. When one lets go of their thoughts and embraces stillness and meditation, it’s easier to have a positive outlook.

In short, remember that your problems are all entirely temporary. Love, beauty, kindness and the goodness of the human spirit are indefinite and will last far longer than anything troubling you. When your outlook is more positive, your heart health and mental health both enjoy the benefits.

Attention Span

In the modern world, attention spans have shortened dramatically, thanks in large part to the prevalence of media for consumption. From binge-worthy TV to online videos to video games, there’s no shortage of things to take your attention. Meditation can lead to increased attention span lengths as well as helping reduce reliance on social media.

If you find yourself often swapping between several social media apps, listening to music with the TV on and trying to read all at once, you know how it feels to have a short attention span. Meditating can help you focus in and take more time doing things you want to do. Nothing quite beats sitting down and reading a good book after a nice session of meditation!

March 18, 2019