5 Home Remedies That Really Help a Cold

The common cold can be quite a nuisance; unfortunately, there is yet to be a cure for it. However, there are a number of home remedies that can help alleviate some of your symptoms and which can help you recover quicker. The following are five home remedies that are particularly effective if you have a cold:

  1. Drink lots of liquids – You’ll want to make sure to stay hydrated. To flush out the toxins in your body, be sure to drink lots of liquids, such as water or juice. Staying hydrated will help loosen congestion. Avoid liquids such as sodas and alcohol, which actually contribute to dehydration.
  2. Sip on warm liquids – If you have a sore throat, sipping on warm liquids can be very soothing. It can also help to ease your congestion by increasing mucus flow. Warm liquids like chicken soup, tea, and warm water with lemon juice are all good options. Avoid drinking coffee.
  3. Gargle salt water – A sore throat is a common cold symptom that can be incredibly uncomfortable. Gargle an eight-ounce glass of water with a half teaspoon of salt to help soothe the pain. 
  4. Add moisture to your indoor air – Adding moisture to the air inside your home is a good way to reduce congestion and prevent your throat from drying out. A cool mist vaporizer or a humidifier are both effective ways to add moisture to your air.
  5. Get lots of rest – The most important remedy is rest. Your body uses a lot of energy fighting off a cold. The more rest you get, the more likely you are to recover quickly.

If your symptoms are particularly bad and these home remedies aren’t quite doing the trick, then you may want to try an over-the-counter cough and cold medication. There are decongestants and antihistamines that are appropriate for patients ages 5 and older, and they may offer some relief from your cold symptoms. For more health tips and general advice, visit us at The Benefits Store today.

Can Too Much Sleep Kill Me?

Sleeping Too Much

Most experts recommend adults sleep at least 6 to eight hours a night. Getting plenty of sleep helps promote a healthy body and a fully functioning brain the next day. But this doesn’t mean the more you sleep, the better. In fact, sleeping too much can actually be detrimental to your health. A new study revealed adults who sleep more than they should may be more at risk for heart disease and even death.

Researchers spent almost eight years studying the effects of sleep by analyzing data from almost 117,000 adults 35-70 in 21 countries. The following are some of the conclusions they were able to draw from the research:

  • Individuals sleeping between six and eight hours a night experienced a 7.8 per 1,000 rate of heart disease and death.
  • Individuals sleeping between eight and nine hours a night experienced an 8.4 per 1,000 rate of heart disease and death.
  • Individuals sleeping between nine and 10 hours a night experienced a 10.4 per 1,000 rate of heart disease and death.
  • Individuals sleeping over 10 hours a night experienced a 14.8 per 1,000 rate of heart disease and death.

The risk of heart disease and death jumps five percent, 17 percent, and 41 percent for every hour you sleep per night over the recommended amount. The rate of heart disease and death also increased for people who slept less than the recommended amount: individuals who sleep less than six hours a night have an average rate of heart disease and death of 9.4 per 1,000.

One thing worth noting is that sleeping too much doesn’t directly cause heart disease and death. Sleeping too much is a symptom of an underlying problem that increases the rate of heart disease and death. Poor health often causes people to sleep more than they should because the body is attempting to recover.

For more information and advice concerning how sleep affects your health, by visiting us at The Benefits Store today.

Test Your Home For Radon Gas This January

The last thing you expect to give you lung cancer is your home’s indoor air. But if you don’t have your home tested for radon gas, that’s exactly what could happen. According to an assessment published by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in 2003, radon gas causes an estimated 21,000 deaths a year. Unfortunately, a lot of people are unfamiliar with radon gas, which is why January was named National Radon Gas Action Month.

What is Radon Gas?

Radon gas is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that cannot be seen, tasted or smelled, which is one of the reasons it’s so dangerous. Unless your home is specifically tested for radon gas, you may never know that it’s there.

Radon gas is formed when the uranium that’s naturally present in soil, rock, and water breaks down. Radon gas can exit the ground and enter your home through cracks and holes in the foundation. Because of the way radon gas enters, houses with basements tend to be more at-risk.

Testing for Radon Gas

There are two ways you can test your home for the presence of radon gas. They include passive testing and active testing.

Passive testing includes the use of charcoal liquid scintillation devices, alpha-track detectors, and charcoal canisters, which do not need power to work. They will need to be exposed to your home’s air for a certain amount of time to collect samples.

Active testing devices require power and measure and record the levels of radon in your air using continuous working level monitors and continuous radon monitors. 

If the level of radon gas found in your home is at the level of four picocuries of radon per liter or higher, you need to install a system that will reduce those levels. If you haven’t tested your home for radon, then you should do so to help reduce the risk of getting lung cancer.

For more information about lung cancer or for health tips in general, visit us at the Benefits Store today.

Get Screened for Cervical Cancer This Month

Cervical Cancer Screening

Cervical cancer is a serious disease that kills thousands of women every year. It’s estimated 13,240 women will be diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S. and 4,170 women will die as a result of cervical cancer this year. Fortunately, more awareness of cervical cancer and its risks helped incidence rates drop by 50 percent between 1975 and 2014. To increase awareness even more, January was named Cervical Health Awareness Month.

Cervical Cancer: Are You At-Risk?

You should be aware of the following major risk factors linked to cervical cancer:

  • History of cervical cancer – If you or someone you are directly related to (mother or sister) has had cervical cancer, then you’re more at-risk.
  • HPV – HPV is typically a harmless and temporary infection, yet it’s also the most common cause of cervical cancer. Anyone can get an HPV infection through sex, and most people never know they’re infected. 
  • Oral birth control – Long-term oral birth control pill use can increase your risk of cervical cancer.
  • Poor diet – A diet lacking in vitamins A, C, E, and carotene can increase your risk of cervical cancer, as will being overweight. 
  • Smoking – Women who smoke are twice as likely to get cervical women than those who do not.
  • Three or more pregnancies – The risk of cervical cancer increases if you’ve had three or more full-term pregnancies.

Getting Screened for Cervical Cancer

You should make sure to get screened regularly for cervical cancer, especially if you are at-risk. You can get screened with a Pap test as well as with pelvic exams, colposcopies, and biopsies. If you are sexually active, then you should be tested for HPV as well. An HPV vaccine is available, although it needs to be administered before an infection occurs and only protects against the most common strains (there are 13 types that can lead to cervical cancer).

Make sure you get screened for cervical cancer and visit The Benefits Store for more women’s health tips today.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

Sleep

Getting a good night’s rest is vital to having enough energy for the next day. But that’s not the only reason you should get plenty of sleep. Your body needs sleep in order to rest and remain healthy. However, a recent study revealed that not only is not getting enough sleep detrimental to the brain, getting too much sleep can be as well.

The Sleep Study

The study was published in the academic journal Sleep, and included an online survey completed by over 40,000 subjects around the world. In addition to the survey, they were asked to complete a series of tests of reasoning, memory, and verbal skills.

According to the results, they found subjects who slept an average of 7 to eight hours every night performed better on these tests than those sleeping fewer or more hours. Other conclusions researchers were able to draw from the study included:

  • Around 50 percent of the subjects revealed that they slept less than 6.3 hours a night. 
  • The amount of sleep associated with the best performance on the tests was the same for all ages.
  • Short-term memory skills appeared to be unaffected by either too little or too much sleep.
  • Reasoning and verbal skills were very much affected by the amount of sleep a subject had.
  • Subjects who slept more than usual the night before taking the test did better than those who either slept their usual amount or slept less than usual.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

Doctors have been saying for years that people should get at least 7 to eight hours of sleep every night, and it turns out they are right. Recently published research has indicated that less than seven hours or more than eight hours of sleep can affect the brain’s ability to function at an optimal level the next day.

Make sure you get the proper amount of sleep every night. For more information about sleep or general health tips, be sure to visit us online at The Benefits Store today.