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Breastfeeding Benefits : What Should New Mothers Know About Breastfeeding

September 19, 2018 by Power of Positivity

Apart from providing basic nutrients and vitamins for your baby, breast milk also protects your young one from dangerous diseases. The milk contains antibodies and proteins that protect the baby from infections.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics urges new moms and existing ones to breastfeed their baby for the first six months after birth. You shouldn’t feed the baby any formula during this period since it can mess with the child’s immune system.

Other known breastfeeding benefits are as follows:

breastfeeding benefits

1. It Protects Your Baby From Having Allergies

An allergic reaction happens due to inflammation caused by undigested food in the intestines. Breast milk contains secretory IgA, which prevents the baby from developing allergic food reactions by creating a protective layer on the baby’s digestive tract. Babies that are fed formula during the first six months of development are vulnerable to allergies because the formula lacks IgA.

2. It Can Boost Your Child’s IQ

Research shows that breastfeeding can increase a baby’s IQ by facilitating the growth of white matter in the brain. Another study discovered that children that drunk breast milk continuously for the first six months scored 7.5 points higher on verbal tests. Further research is still ongoing, but the current results prove that breast milk is good for your baby’s cognitive development.

3. It Can Prevent Obesity in Infants

According to publications in the American Journal of Epidemiology, breastfeeding reduces the baby’s likelihood of developing obesity in their teen or adult years. In fact, the longer the child was breastfed, the less likely they were to become overweight. The reason why breast milk prevents obesity is because it has less insulin than formula.

4. Reduces the Likelihood of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

SIDS happens when a baby stops breathing while they are asleep. There are a number factors associated with this disease, such as brain defects and respiratory infection. Luckily, breast milk has been shown to reduce the baby’s risk of developing SIDS.

5. A Natural Source of Nutrient Supply

Breastfeeding benefits your baby throughout the entire development period. Unlike synthetic formula, the composition of breast milk changes to cater for your baby’s growing demands. Colostrum – the first breast milk that you produce after giving birth – is full of protein and low in sugar to satisfy your baby for longer. Four days after birth, you begin producing full milk which has a higher volume and protein content to catalyze your baby’s growth.

Benefits On You

1. Lowers Stress and Postpartum Depression

Breastfeeding benefits the mother too. If you are a first time mother, you’ll realize that nursing your baby relaxes you. This effect is brought about by the production of oxytocin, or ‘the happy hormone’. Giving your child breast milk also reduces blood pressure and after-birth anxiety.

2. Lowers Risk of Getting Cancer

Research shows that continuous nursing lowers your risk of getting ovarian and breast cancer. Furthermore, if you breastfeed for one year or more, your chances of breast cancer go down significantly. Although it’s not clear how this happens, biologists believe that lactation leads to positive structural changes in the breast tissue.

3. Helps Burn Calories

Breastfeeding benefits you by helping your body break down fat. Whenever you release breast milk, you burn 20 calories for every 1 ounce. This means that if you feed your baby 1 ounce of breast milk daily for one week, you burn 140 calories.

4. Healthier Bones

If you breastfeed your baby on a daily basis, you reduce your chances of getting postmenopausal osteoporosis. This effect happens because lactation enables your body to absorb calcium more efficiently. In fact, producing breast milk makes your bones denser and stronger.

5. Stops Menstruation For A While

When you are lactating, you are less likely to ovulate because the process lowers the production of estrogen and progesterone. Usually, you resume regular menstruation after six to eight months when the prolactin levels eventually go down and the volume of breast milk also subsides.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding benefits both you and the baby. In case you are new to parenthood, try to give your baby as much breast milk as possible during the first six months so that they can grow without health problems. If you feel that there’s something else that needs to be added to this list, contact us.

10 Positive Life Quotes Everyone Needs To Live By

September 18, 2018 by Power of Positivity

Life quotes can give us a boost when we need it the most. When circumstances get you down, inspiring life quotes are there to help you find a way to move forward. These life quotes apply to many different situations in life. Whether you are looking for a way out of a difficult problem or for a pick-me-up on a rough day, life quotes can lead the way.

Often, our paths are difficult. Inspiring life quotes can help by showing a better example of how to deal with our problems. The people who are quoted here have all gone through painful times in their lives and eventually found a path to success. You too can transform your life through living by their example.

10 Positive Life Quotes Everyone Needs to Live By

1. “The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.” – Barbara Hall

2. “The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion. – Terry Orlick

3. “Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are ultimately to be at peace with themselves. What humans can be, they must be.” – Abraham Maslow

4. “Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don’t. And believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.” – Harvey MacKay

5. “We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” – John Lennon

6. “You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

7. “You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Sharon Salzberg

8. “Don’t let the expectations and opinions of other people affect your decisions. It’s your life, not theirs. Do what matters most to you; do what makes you feel alive and happy. Don’t let the expectations and ideas of others limit who you are. If you let others tell you who you are, you are living their reality — not yours. There is more to life than pleasing people. There is much more to life than following others’ prescribed path. There is so much more to life than what you experience right now. You need to decide who you are for yourself. Become a whole being. Adventure.” – Roy T. Bennett

9. “Why do they always teach us that it’s easy and evil to do what we want and that we need discipline to restrain ourselves? It’s the hardest thing in the world– to do what we want. And it takes the greatest kind of courage. I mean, what we really want.” – Ayn Rand

10. “There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask “What if I fall?”
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?” – Erin Hanson

Final Thoughts

These wonderful life quotes will teach you how to deal with the stress you experience every day. They will remind you that everyone is vulnerable and that everyone needs to build their strength from within. With these life quotes, you will be able to bring yourself much-needed inspiration.

10 Healthy Habits That Can Help You Say Bye Bye To Depression

September 18, 2018 by Power of Positivity

As anyone with depression or anxiety knows, sometimes there’s no real reason or trigger for feeling the way that they do. In fact, 14.8 million Americans share this condition known as depression. It also manifests as different symptoms for different people. Where some may feel listless and low on energy, others may feel disinterested or even under-stimulated. Because it varies from person to person, this condition is so difficult to treat or manage.

Because of its far-reaching existence, however, researchers have devoted a great deal of time to researching the condition. As such, they’ve discovered a few ways that can help to deal with depression. So, if you or someone you know is suffering, then consider some of these healthy habits to adopt.

10 Healthy Habits That Can Help Depression

depression

1. Exercise

While it may seem almost impossible to drag yourself out of bed, keeping yourself responsible is one of the best ways to deal with depression. Your fitness is one of those responsibilities to focus on and perform. Exercise has been shown to have powerful effects on more than just your health; it can boost your mood, too. While you exercise, you release endorphins, and it’s this molecule that can help make you feel happy.

2. Spiritual Routines

This can differ for every person. For some, it might mean spending an hour or a few minutes in quiet reflection with their respective religious affiliation. For others, it might mean meditating for a while right after they wake up. It could even be as simple as making a cup of coffee and starting your day with a book. Find something that nurtures your spirit, and make it a habit.

3. Discover The What

Another common theme of depression is asking yourself why it is happening to you. The why isn’t important. Instead, understanding what it is doing to you is far more important. By being able to recognize what is stemming from your condition, you can offer yourself a chance for reflection and understanding. You could just end up discovering something new about yourself.

4. Find Support

It can be easy to withdraw, but an excellent way to deal with depression is to not do it alone. Whether your support group is your friends, your family, a group that also deals with depression, or even a therapist, find that group and check in with them regularly. A lot of healing can come from listening to and supporting others.

5. Clean Your Life

Self-reflection is a powerful tool in fighting the condition. Take some time to examine the relationships in your life. Are there toxic people who continue to bring you down without you first realizing it? Are there relationships that, perhaps, don’t add anything to your life? Is there a hobby that is negatively impacting your mental or physical health? All of these should be washed out and removed. It may be difficult to do, but they are necessary.

6. Travel

While flying across the country isn’t the most feasible for every person, it should certainly be attempted. By experiencing other people’s lives, it can help with your perspective and help you learn more about yourself. Learning about a different culture, especially, can be an excellent point of growth.

7. Service

This may also prove to be difficult when your focus has been situated on yourself. However, by forcing that focus on someone else’s plight and actually being able to assist them, you can help yourself far more. Take the time to serve your community and discover your own form of healing.

8. Learn Something New

To help with that understimulation, consider your bucket list. What’s something you’ve always wanted to do or learn about? Set some time aside and join a workshop or class and learn a new craft or hobby.

9. Eat Right

You may not realize how much your diet can actually affect your mood. It does. Try taking out the comfort food and replacing it with wholesome vegetables and fruits. The energy boost you receive from good food could be exactly what you need to break through the fog.

10. Write A Journal

A final method that you may want to consider is keeping a journal. By having an outlet where you can safely express your thoughts, you can remove some of that weight on your chest and shoulders. It can also be an excellent place to test your words out if you need to speak to someone about something.

Not Alone

The important thing to remember about dealing with this mental illness is that you are not alone. There’s support readily everywhere. With these methods in hand, you can shake off the shadow and live.

Therapists Explain 5 Best Ways To Stop Anxiety

September 17, 2018 by Power of Positivity

More than 28 million Americans suffer from panic every year. Most people don’t realize what they are dealing with until the symptoms become crippling. While so many are suffering from this condition, it’s estimated that 38 percent don’t seek help. The problem is that there is still a stigma attached to mental health disorders. Then consider those that don’t have insurance or feel they can handle the issue alone. It’s acceptable to have nervousness regarding deadlines at work, a busy schedule or the daily grind. However, it’s when that angst starts interfering with your day that it becomes a disorder.

Anxiety disorders are divided into six categories, they are:

•OCD or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
•PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
•GAD or General Anxiety Disorder
•Panic Disorder
•Social
•Phobias Such as Agoraphobia

5 Ways to Stop A Anxiety Attack

Research shows that an imbalance of the chemicals in the brain causes that unwanted feeling of impending doom. While medications have proven to be a great source of help for many, they are not always the answer. There are many ways to help rebalance those chemicals that don’t require prescription drugs. By following a few simple tips, you can learn how to stop a panic attack and ease the racing heartbeat, nausea, sweating and intense fear.

1. Learning the Feeling of Impending Doom Will Pass

Once you have experienced a few panic attacks, you will soon begin to recognize the symptoms. You must train your brain to comprehend that the situation is temporary. Though it feels like you are having a heart attack or a stroke, you must remind yourself that it will pass. Most panic attacks last between 3-10 minutes. Though you will be left feeling drained, you can still carry on your day once it’s gone.

Keep a journal of attacks and the sensations you experienced. Refer to this journal to help you make a mental note of how your anxiety disorders displays. Then, the next time one of these sudden attacks comes around, you can remind yourself that these feelings happened before, but you quickly recovered. You can lessen the severity by calming yourself during the incident.

2. Teach Yourself the Art Of Deep Breathing

One of the best ways to beat anxiety is through deep breathing. When a mother is in labor, breathing exercises help her to control the pain. The same theory is used to help with panic. Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly can help to get the oxygen flowing.

Do you experience a choking sensation when you are having an attack? Most people hyperventilate and don’t get the oxygen they need. However, a deep breathing exercise can help to shorten the duration of the attack. Mastering the art of breathing can help you to control these unwelcomed attacks too.

3. Add Exercise to Your Day

How many times has your doctor told you that you need to exercise? While you may have been thinking about your weight, they know that working out has a bigger impact than calories and pounds. Exercise can do as much as an antidepressant medication. When you move your body, you cause a chemical reaction that releases endorphins in your brain.

The “feel good hormones” as they are called, help to balance neurotransmitters and improve your mood and anxiety level. There are numerous stories on the internet of people who have increased their exercise and decreased their panic, depression, and improved their whole outlook.

4. Find Your Happy Place

It’s hard to be tense when you picture yourself lying on a beach soaking up the sun. Visualization is a great tool that many find effective. You must remove your mind from the panic to calm yourself. The next time your heart is racing, and you are feeling the sensation of impending doom, do your deep breathing exercises and picture yourself at a happy place.

Some take themselves to the mountains reaching the top after a long climb, or others want to go to grandma’s house and reminisce about the good old days. Find “someplace” that brings you peace and makes you feel good. One of the best ways to beat anxiety is to transport your mind to a happier place.

5. Use Self Talk

Self-Talk is a very effective tool that works. Have you ever heard the term “talk yourself off the ledge?” The same theory applies to talking yourself through a panic attack. Tell yourself things like:

•”This is a temporary situation.”
•”I am not dying.”
•”I’ve had this happen to me before and was okay.”
•”These sensations are not life-threatening.”
•”I am not having a heart attack or stroke.”
•”I can get through this.”

By giving positive reinforcements during these stressful times, you can learn to minimize their effect. Beating anxiety is not something that is done overnight. However, you can reduce the frequency, the impact, and learn to manage this debilitating condition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFdcCXmGpy4

10 Traits Of A Type A Personality

September 17, 2018 by Power of Positivity

We all know someone who is overly competitive and impatient, but have you ever considered what else goes alongside these traits? Better yet, have you ever wondered how to best be around someone with these traits, or how others can be around you? Knowing the traits of a type A personality in conjunction with best practices can help you communicate information as well as receive it, and can assist you with decision making, whether logical or intuition-based.

Type A personality traits can seem a little more on the hostile side than most others, but they have quite the redeeming qualities as well. People with type a personality are incredibly productive and self-motivated. With their energetic tendencies, they can amp up a room just by walking in!

10 Primary Traits of a Type A Personality

1. Aggressive

The first thing to note about type A personality is their aggressiveness. The person will want to win, and they will want to win now! If expressed in a healthy manner, such as refraining from lashing out, they can use their aggressive tendencies to be very productive. Keeping this aspect in check, however, is a must for interpersonal relationships.

2. Competitive

With their strict adherence to guidelines, type A tends to be very competitive. Being goal-oriented, they want to get to the finish line! Alongside that, however, they tend to not feel joy in their accomplishments. This competitive nature can cause them to overreact, which can cause high blood pressure if left unattended.

3. Ambitious

The ambitiousness in this personality type is a force to be reckoned! Once they set their sights on an idea, they will not quit until their idea is complete. Having this ambitiousness gets the goal finished, but remember to appreciate the efforts you have put into a project. You will be much happier in the long run!

4. Impatient

Oftentimes this temperament will loathe waiting in line because of their sense of time urgency and impatient demeanor. If their time isn’t managed correctly, they could lash out, making them seem quite aggressive!

5. Time Urgent

If their needs in time management aren’t being met, this can often make the person hostile and offensive. They will expect everyone to also be aware of time urgency, and when working with others will have an unending need to get everyone on the same page and finish their deadlines ahead of schedule.

6. Fast Talking

Everything that is in a type A’s head needs to be said right away, including the next sentence! These fast talkers have so many things they want to tell you and can’t talk fast enough to get it out!

7. Perfectionist

The perfectionistic thought process could cause quite a bit of anxiety for the person with type A personality traits, and they are often susceptible to stress because of their fear of failure.

8. Hostile

Type A personality traits tend to be overly competitive and perfectionists. If their needs in time management aren’t met, this can often make the person hostile and aggressive. Furthermore, a type a personality can be susceptible to heart attacks. They tend to hold in their emotions, making them also vulnerable to coronary disease.

9. Conscientious

The work wishes of a type a call for a higher level of productivity and conscientiousness, or thorough aspects of workflow. They are very aware of their deadline and will labor on until it is met!

10. Energetic

These people are very energetic, and it can often be a challenge to keep up with them! The energy flow in the type a personality they exude keeps them busy and interactive.

With any personality type, it is best to associate what the perks are as well as the risks involved. Knowing your personality type will give you an understanding of your personal people preference, or who you plan to keep company alongside. Furthermore, you will be able to work with all types of personality, even if they do not match your own, because you will understand their key traits. Building better relationships is always a great way to heighten your self-esteem, or maybe help someone else who has trouble connecting with others.

One final thing to note is the predisposition to how your personality affects your body. If you are someone who holds in your emotions, finding a healthy way to express them can be vital to keeping yourself in good health. Working out is one way to keep your heart in check and, if done right, can help push out hostile emotions that may come out in aggressive behavior if not addressed. We’re all in this life together, and the more we learn about one another, the better off we will be both mentally and physically.

Psychotherapist Explains 5 Ways To Deal With A Narcissist In A Relationship

September 17, 2018 by Power of Positivity

So, you’ve fallen in love with a narcissist. The term sounds wildly demeaning but learning all you can about the narcissist partner can help you work with and ultimately love them while keeping your emotions on a level scale. We all have a bit of narcissism, and we sometimes need to feel special. Those that exhibit the traits of a narcissist to the degree that it affects their daily lives, however, are the ones with the diagnoses of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is the extreme variation of a narcissist and can only be clinically diagnosed. With that in mind, if you do feel your partner exhibits narcissistic traits and want a compassionate way to address it, then this blog is for you.

Narcissist Partner

From helping them step forward in a healthy communicative relationship to discussing your concerns, here are five ways to deal with a narcissist partner.

1. Sympathy

A narcissist may have come into their traits by way of abusive means. For the vulnerable narcissist, their outward appearance is self-centered, indicative of a weaker inner core. Understanding how the person feels in their essence can give you a better understanding as to why they feel the need to be self-absorbed. Letting them know you are there for them and are happy to listen at any time of need, can open their ability to connect with you and communicate more openly.

2. Compliments

You may think the narcissist doesn’t need any more compliments, but this is a different type of praise. Instead of boasting about their performance or achievements, tell them how much it means to you when they are kind or express various positive emotions. This version of positive reinforcement can help them learn to empathize with your feelings and ultimately set in motion constructive feedback.

3. Constructive Feedback

If complimenting them for their better attributes is showing signs of helping them progress, then it could be safe to move forward into constructive feedback. Avoid demeaning, as that would lead to a backpedaling. Instead, focus on positive ways to tell them behaviors that can be addressed. As an example, mention “Normally we can’t talk about “x” without you raising your voice. It’s wonderful that we were able to talk about it today in a normal tone.” If constructive feedback leads to the sound of silence or irritability, then you may want to take that behavior into account, take a step back, and reassess.

4. ABC’s

Affect, Behavior, and Correction. Affect, meaning feelings during an event, behavior, or experience that caused that effect, and correction, or the change you would like to see moving forward. These ABC’s are another form of constructive feedback but can open the line of communication for how specific behaviors make you feel. With effect, you mention that you are feeling a certain way such as sad or afraid. Behavior, as you might have already guessed, is the behavior that caused that feeling, such as when they raise their voice. Finally, correction notes what you would like to see as far as change is concerned, such as “Can you, please lower your voice.” Grouping this you would say “I feel afraid when you raise your voice. Can you please lower it so that we may talk in a normal tone?”

5. Using “we” for understanding

Setting the understanding that you’re both in the conversation together can avoid feelings of isolation. For example, “Can we talk things out in a normal tone of voice?” Another aspect of pointing out “we” versus “you” is that you make it known that you’re emphasizing the relationship that you’re in. Pointing out the “we” can also help address one-sided conversation.

Often you will read about instances where you cannot love someone with a narcissistic outlook and, to be fair, sometimes that is the case. If you try to work with someone on the way they treat you and they will not budge, it may be time to seek greener pastures, especially if they begin to isolate you from your friends and family. However, sometimes all you need is to add some compassion and understanding to the mix, as there are instances where people don’t know how to act differently from what they have always known.

As in any relationship, communication is vital. Keep your own emotions in the forefront of your mind and try to learn the reasoning behind someone’s behavior. You never know, you might find out something you would not have known otherwise. One final thing to note is that if someone’s narcissistic behavior is so overbearing that you feel they may have a personality disorder, sympathetically advising them that they may need to seek professional help is the best course of action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO-TMrAyth4

Other known breastfeeding benefits are as follows: