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What Does Your Birth Month Reveal About Your Health?

Interestingly, the month and season that your birthday falls in can have surprising correlations with your risk for certain diseases, and what this information reveals about your health is essential for you to know. We’ve studied the research on your birthday as it relates to your health so you can be prepared to talk to your physician about the types of diseases that you might be predisposed to.

Causality is not the same as correlation. So being born in January does not cause hypertension, for example. But there is a correlation between those with their birthday in the first month of the year and high blood pressure. Knowing these potential risks is good for you to be able to prevent the disease in the first place and also to be aware of the early warning signs and symptoms of the diseases that you might be more likely to have in your lifetime.

Let’s look at the birthdays for each month and season and discuss what they reveal about high and low risks for health problems.

What Does Your Birthday Reveal About Your Health?

The early developmental days, months, and years following your birthday can have a significant affect on your lifetime health. Being born during flu season, typically during the winter months, for example, could lead to the risk of an early severe illness that could affect your lungs’ healthy development as you grow. So, what does your birthday reveal about your health? Read below for a description of the most common health concerns for birthdays that fall in each month of the year.

A study conducted at Columbia University Medical Center and published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) looked at what your birthday reveals about your health by examining lifetime disease risk. The research looked at the health of 1.7 million people born between 1900 and 2000 and found 55 diseases that were significantly dependent on the month of their birth.

Here are the month-by-month health risks associated with your birthday:

January

Cardiomyopathy (diseases of the heart muscle tissue), essential hypertension (high blood pressure)

February

Malignant neoplasm of overlapping lesion of bronchus and lung (respiratory cancer)

March

Congestive cardiac failure, cardiovascular disease, atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat), mitral valve disorder (heart valve problem that affects blood flow), chronic myocardial ischemia (reduced blood flow to heart), and primary malignant neoplasm of prostate (prostate cancer)

April

Chronic myocardial ischemia (reduced blood flow to heart), cardiac complications of care, angina (chest pain)

May

None reported in JAMIA study; lowest risk for acute upper respiratory infection

June

Pre-infarction syndrome (chest pain that comes before a heart attack); lowest risk for sexually transmitted disease screening

July

None reported in JAMIA study

August

None reported in JAMIA study

September

Vomiting, lowest risk for cardiac problems

October

Increased risk for acute upper respiratory infection, sexually transmitted disease screening, non-venomous insect bite; lowest risk for prostate cancer malignancy and pre-infarction syndrome

November

None reported in JAMIA study, lowest risk for chronic myocardial ischemia

December

Increased risk of bruising.

Other studies have found a connection between the season that someone was born in and their exposure to common indoor household allergens. The researchers say ‘Our data indicate that avoidance measures in the domestic environment aimed at the primary prevention of allergen-driven sensitization should be introduced at the earliest possible stage, if possible during infancy.’

Related article: 10 Common Health Symptoms Women Should Never Ignore

In other research related to dust mites, scientists found that ‘higher mite levels occurred on the most heavily used fabric-upholstered furniture and carpeted floor areas of the living/family room and bedrooms.’ The good news is that ‘Mattresses were not found to be the major foci for mites.’ In other words, your bed is safe from dust mites as a cause of allergic reactions.

When are dust mites most prevalent? The summer months with the highest levels of humidity are the times when dust mites are at their highest levels in the home.

They also say that unfortunately, how much you clean may not improve things much when it comes to dust mites because ‘No significant positive correlation was noted between mite abundance and frequency or thoroughness of cleaning, amount of dust, and age of furnishings or dwelling. Significantly higher mite levels occurred on carpeted floors than on non-carpeted floors. Successive vacuuming did not significantly reduce mite abundance.’ So relax about cleaning, but it sounds like furnishings and flooring that are made from surfaces that can be wiped down are the way to go in your house to prevent dust mites and exposure to allergens in the home.

Related article: 5 Signs of Poor Heart Health to Never Ignore

Infertility is another health risk that the JAMIA study looked at. They say that there is a decrease in births for parents who were born between the months of May through September. In other words, if your birthday is in May, June, July, August or September, you are less likely to have as many children as women who were born the other seven months of the year. The Columbia researchers say ‘Many studies show a link between maternal birth month and number of offspring supporting the belief that prenatal and early developmental effects can alter a female’s lifetime fertility.’

3 Reasons Why You Don’t Need to Sexually Label Yourself

We’ve all grown up being used to labels and classifications for things, including our sexuality. Before recent times, most people identified as gay, straight, or bisexual. But in today’s world, a lot of folks have realized the fluidity of sexuality. For example, maybe you have been dating a man for quite some time. But find yourself attracted to a female suddenly. This means your sexual orientation doesn’t fall on either end. instead, it constantly goes back and forth. Many have realized that the gender of a person doesn’t matter so much as the substance, personality, and character underneath their skin. They have understood that you can like both genders without labeling yourself.

Of course, if you feel comfortable labeling your sexuality, there’s nothing wrong with that, just as there’s nothing wrong with choosing NOT to give yourself a label.  However, if you’ve felt pressured to identify with one sexual orientation but don’t care about labels, you’ll want to keep reading.

Why You Don’t Need to Label Yourself Sexually

Society generally loves to label everything. That’s because it gives us a sense of order and helps to categorize things. Labels, in some ways, help to get to know a person. For example, as far as diet goes, it helps to know if someone follows a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous lifestyle. You label yourself regarding what occupation you have, what music you like, and many other aspects of life. In some ways, labels serve a very valid purpose.

However, when you become so fixated on labels that you identify solely with the words and can’t dream of straying from that label, then it becomes a problem.

If you’re a woman reading this, let’s just say that you’ve dated men your whole life. But you suddenly feel a connection with a woman. If you identified as straight before, you’d have difficulty simply getting over that label before considering flirting with the woman. If, however, you chose not to label yourself sexually, then it wouldn’t seem like such a big deal.

When you give up the sexual labels, you give yourself the freedom to live whatever lifestyle you choose without adhering to a certain categorization. You liberate yourself from the box you’ve put yourself in, and can live more openly and carefree. Labels can become limiting because if you ever choose to change your lifestyle, you’ll say, “But wait, I’m ______, I can’t do that!”

However, outside of labels, you’ll understand that we can change our whole life instantly, as we have that power. It all lies within the mind, so labels, in a way, can limit you from reaching your full potential. Getting caught up in sexual labels might hinder you from meeting someone you connect with just because you feel you can’t date a man or a woman due to your orientation.

Today, we have more labels for sexuality than ever: gay, straight, lesbian, queer, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, sapiosexual, fluid, and so on. Many people try to find the right category for them but find themselves confused and frustrated. Does the label matter that much? It may help others figure out what gender you like(if any), but what if you change your mind one day? Will you attach yourself to another label or give them up altogether?

If you still feel skeptical about this whole ‘fluid sexuality’ thing, look at this interesting theory published in Biological Reviews. Psychologist Dr. Satoshi Kanazawa suggests that sexual fluidity arose in women as a method of ‘reducing conflict and tension in polygamous relationships.”

So, maybe we evolved to not have sexual labels as a way to reduce conflict and engage in new partnerships. Maybe the human mind just wants connection overall and doesn’t care which gender it happens with. Or, maybe sexual fluidity occurs, most importantly, because humans are complex, and you can’t throw people made up of many identities into one box.

Only you can decide your sexual orientation. But just remember that if you don’t fit into one label, you don’t have to feel bad about it. Keep an open mind, and enjoy life, above all else, no matter who you choose to enjoy it with!

5 Signs A Relationship Is Draining You

When you are in a relationship that feels like it is draining the life energy out of you, it can almost feel like it’s stealing your soul. You were created to love and to be loved, and if you aren’t feeling that, you need to reevaluate why you are staying and make a plan to get out.

Can you change things for the better, or is the only option a breakup?

That could depend on how severely negative things have become. It’s possible that your partner is not aware of your suffering.

A heart-warming love that will last your entire lifetime is a dream of many of us romantics. If your relationship is far from being your fairytale, it’s a sign that it might be stealing the life right out of you that you so rightly deserve. Your soul should rejoice when you see your partner, when you hear them speak, when you feel their touch. Your soul should be uplifted by the immense power of their love and support. If you just aren’t feeling the love, it may be too late to save this particular partnership.

5 Signs A Relationship Is Draining You

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1. You can’t remember the last time you laughed

Losing your ability to experience joy is one major sign that your relationship is taking more out than it puts in. This might be indicative of a minor or major depressive episode. Anxiety, loneliness, frustration, resentment; all of these negative emotions make you feel powerless to control not just your mood, but your future in the relationship.

A study by researchers at Carleton University found that in psychologically abusive relationships, ‘the termination of a relationship was associated with an absence of positive behaviors, rather than a high frequency of negative behaviors.’

Other factors that led to the breakup of a relationship where one partner felt this way are the ‘diminishment of self-esteem, verbal abuse, social and emotional control, jealousy, and withdrawal.’

2. You feel hopeless

When you fear your partner, be it their response to your decision to leave, or your fear of further mental abuse by them due to how negative the relationship has become, you are afraid to make a change. This fear keeps you from being able to move on in a positive way and away from the toxicity.

3. You think about life after the relationship

  • ‘If only I was single, I could do ___.’
  • ‘I’ll never date someone like this again.’
  • ‘I wish I could get out of this relationship without hurting my partner.’
  • ‘In my next relationship I’ll do things differently.’

These phrases are all focused on the future. Besides that, it is clearly a future minus the relationship that is stealing your soul. You are seeking a more positive future for yourself through your daydreams, which is a sign that you’re ready to leave your relationship.

4. You put your passion on hold

Before you met your partner, you did different things, had dreams that you were going to fulfill and exciting challenges ahead of you. If you have put all of that on hold for your mate, without their support to still pursue dreams, it’s a sign that the relationship you have with them is draining you.

5. You spend less time with your friends

Researchers at the Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago socially isolated adults and studied the factors related to their mental and physical health. They found that ‘While socially isolated young adults did not report more frequent everyday stressors, they rated everyday events as more intensely stressful. They were also more likely to report passively coping with stressors, and to show greater vascular resistance, a mechanism of blood pressure control previously associated with passive coping and a risk factor for hypertension. Finally, they exhibited slower wound healing and poorer sleep efficiency.’

Related article: 7 Ways to Peacefully End a Toxic Relationship

The team of researchers also found that those who had not spent time with their friends were more likely to feel insecure about the romantic relationship that they were in. Psychologists believe that relationship insecurity is related to how we are raised as children and if we feel loved and supported by our parents. If you are feeling insecure because your relationship is doing this, you will definitely need the help and support of your social network in order to make a break from your partner.

3 Habits That Make Parents Have Better Relationships With Their Kids

What makes a good parent? We can read a million books for answers on how to keep our children happy and healthy. But what truly makes some parents have better relationships with their kids, while others struggle through difficult situations?

One of the most important qualities of having a good relationship with your child is the ability to listen. Kids need to feel they are seen and heard. They need to know that they matter above everything. Healthy children grow in homes that allow individuality and confidence.

Here are 3 proven habits that make parents have better relationships with their kids:

1. Awareness of a child’s emotional state and a connection to them.

Dr. John Gottman has over 40 years of research in parent-child relationships. He believes that in order to build a child’s emotional intelligence, the parent has to have the ability to understand and manage their child’s feelings in a positive way so that eventually they (the child) can regulate their own emotions. Dr. Gottman says, “Emotion Coaching Parents recognize a child’s expressions of emotion as an opportunity for connection.”

Sometimes, being aware of your child’s feelings can be enough. At other times, it might not be so easy. Children mask their feelings through their actions at times, especially if they feel that they aren’t being heard. For example, they may throw a tantrum for something as simple not being able to watch a television show, but the emotion might be triggered by an event that happened at school that day. Emotionally, they cannot pinpoint what happened and they play on those stored up emotions in other ways.

It’s up to us as parents to truly notice and listen to what they say and do. Children need to know that they can come to us anytime. They have to believe that we hold them above everything else. When they are secure in this awareness, they exude self-confidence. But, like everything else in their surroundings, you cannot raise a confident child if you, yourself, aren’t showing confidence, because children pay attention.

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2. Children want to know that they can make their own decisions.

Our personality is ingrained in us from the moment we are born. We are molded by all external and internal experiences. In turn, our children learn from their surroundings. They are constantly capturing everything around them. But, they need to feel that even when you tell them to do something, that they are in charge of their decisions. This is why when you tell your child not to touch the hot stove because they will get hurt, he may still touch it. He learns through his own experience. They have to believe that they are individuals with the ability to do what they can and pay consequences. One of the most valuable lessons we can teach our children is independence from early on. They also have to learn that there are good and bad decisions.

Sensory experiences begin to play a role in development from the moment of birth. Allowing your child to experience without judgment is invaluable. It’s important to demonstrate support. This isn’t about letting your child do everything they want without consequences and actions. It’s about teaching them right from wrong and always discussing their behavior and actions.

Children who are raised in nurturing environments are more confident and secure. They are capable of dealing with obstacles in the future. Allowing your child the opportunity to feel that they can make decisions is healthy and opens up a channel of trust and communication with you as the parent. The external world can be a bombardment of overload for our children. Making time to sit with them on a daily basis for a few minutes and check in is priceless in their upbringing.

3. Setting boundaries is important.

We cannot give into all of our child’s wishes. Dr. Gottman believes that there are healthy ways of saying “No” that will help your child learn. If your child wants a toy but you can’t buy it for him, there is another way than just saying, “No!” You can express how great the toy is and perhaps at a later time it can be something that he may be able to get. Or you can talk about the toy on his level of awareness without dismissing his desires. You can express to him that just because you cannot buy it at this time, it doesn’t diminish the value of his request. This approach is allowing him to witness that he is heard and seen. You aren’t devaluing his desire, but adjusting it to this reality that right now it’s not possible to buy that toy.

A child who is given attention, even when he’s not getting what he wants, learns to overcome anything. He recognizes that not everything revolves around him. He grows up working for what he wants. We, as parents, tend to give into the tantrum and the crying because it’s easier than talking to the child, and allowing him to understand why he cannot have what he wants at the moment. Substituting the art of listening with things is not teaching face value.

Related article: Research Reveals Parents Who Raise ‘Confident’ Kids Do These 10 Things

Kids are smart. They learn the art of manipulation quickly. They know that with a few tantrums they can get what they want. The objective is to carefully pick those opportunities to sit with your child and explain that the behavior is not going to provide them what they want. Negative reinforcement is unacceptable. Children respect this. They need structure and assurance in that their parents are always able to provide a place of familiarity and love.

Indeed, no parenting manual exists. What works for one doesn’t necessarily work for another. But, the ability to speak to your child in a loving and nurturing way helps the future relationship of both of you. Opening up the lines of communication starts from the moment your child is born.

“Your children are not your children. They are sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you. And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls. For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the make upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness. For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He also loves the bow that is stable.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

The Single Ratio That Will Predict The Success Of Your Relationship

Couples happiness researcher and psychotherapist Dr. John Gottman has developed what he believes is the secret to the success of your relationship, and he calls it, ‘The Gottman Ratio.’ In this article, we will look at how you and your partner can use this scientifically based information to help improve a failing relationship or even help a good relationship get even better.

How “The Gottman Ratio” Can Predict The Success Of Your Relationship

By the time you read this article, you will find ‘The Gottman Ratio’ to be a simple to understand relationship rule, but may find that it is harder to put into practice. Easier said than done, you might say, but it is definitely valuable information that can help you and your partner to feel much happier in your relationship and much less likely to break up.

What is ‘The Gottman Ratio’ and how it can it predict the success of your relationship

How many times did you feel positive about your partner or your relationship today? How many times did you feel negatively about your partner or your relationship today? The difference between the two of these is what Dr. Gottman is referring to as ‘The Gottman Ratio.’ It’s not only about balancing the positive and negative, it’s about outweighing the negatives with five times more positives.

Dr. Gottman says that the ideal, happy, and successful relationships produce five times more positive interactions than negatives. If you look at your relationship, this can be through positive actions that your partner makes toward you, or positive, kind, supportive, and loving words that they give you. And vice versa. It takes two to make ‘The Gottman Ratio’ successful for your relationship.

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How you can apply ‘The Gottman Ratio’ in your relationship

Did you nag your partner about something that you dislike about their appearance or behavior today? That one negative thing can stick with them not only today, but in the future when they think about you, they may hear your negative tone, see your hands on your hips or picture you with your arms crossed in front of your chest. Do you want that to be the lasting image of yourself in your partner’s mind? No, of course not.

Think about what you’ve said or done today when you interact with your spouse or your partner. Were you smiling and expressing your love and appreciation? If not, you now need to give your partner five separate positive interactions to outweigh the impact of that one negative interaction that you had.

Researchers at the University of Washington tested ‘The Gottman Ratio’ and were able to predict divorce with an 83% accuracy based almost exclusively on the amount of positive emotion that was expressed during a conflict. Positive emotions tended to de-escalate any fight that the couple had rather than making it worse. Couples who used humor to change the negative mood of an interaction rather than respond with anger to their partner were more likely to have happy partnerships.

Gottman has also done research into the factors that can be identified in a marriage that can actually predict whether or not a couple will get divorced in the future.

You can read more about that in our article ‘Psychologist Reveals These 4 Behaviors Are The Biggest Predictors of Divorce.’

Strategies to use in your relationship

‘If you want people to understand that you value their contributions and that they are important, the recognition and praise you provide must have meaning that is specific to each individual.’  – Tom Rath

You have an emotional bucket that holds water. If your own bucket is empty, you can’t help someone else to fill their emotional bucket if theirs is also empty. And that’s what often happens when your relationship has become negative, resentful, and loveless.

First, you must fill your own bucket first. Do things that bring you joy and happiness. Surround yourself with positive, supportive, happy people and avoid those who only complain about things. Eat good, healthy food, move your body, and look at the beauty of the world around you. Now that your bucket is full, you can help others to put marbles in their bucket. You do this by being supportive, kind, and loving to them. Speak only positive, encouraging words. Show them how much they are valued, and find something that you can do that will be meaningful to them.

As a reminder of how much positive interaction to give your partner, place 5 coins, marbles, or pebbles in your left pocket and as you do supportive things for the other person, you move them to your right pocket. Once the marbles are in your right pocket, check your own emotional bucket and move the marbles back to your left pocket and repeat the process.’

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

3 Ways to Love the F**K out of Mercury Retrograde

Another Mercury Retrograde is in full effect, and some people are already talking about having a meltdown. 

This time, let’s not panic. Let’s not hibernate and disconnect until it’s over.

There really isn’t anything to fear, although it feels like it just happened the other day and we barely survived. Well, expect this planetary shift at least four times a year. This new one began August 30th and will end September 22, 2016. Every time this planetary occurrence happens, we start to incur mini meltdowns, as if we have little control of our lives.

Retrogrades are about slowing down and allowing the natural shifts to happen. And, yes, sometimes they can create a lot of chaos and havoc, but it’s always for the evolution of your higher self. As the planet Mercury shifts, in what seems a backward motion, we begin to also retreat to old patterns and programming. Embrace it all! Take this time to encourage your soul to create intentions, accept old thoughts and learn to move forward. And, yes, Mercury Retrograde seems to affect communication, technology and other parts of our lives. Astrologers believe you should hold off on executing big decisions, signing contracts, and making huge life changes during the 21 days. But, retrogrades aren’t that powerful that you cannot move past things in a conscious level.

“The term ‘retrograde’ in this instance refers to a perceived reversal in the standard west-to-east movement of Mercury through the stars. While some objects in space do experience true retrograde motion — Venus spins about its axis in the opposite direction than the other planets, a situation called retrograde spin — Mercury’s backtracking is an issue of perspective. Its orbit is smaller and faster than Earth’s. When its orbit catches up to and passes Earth, it creates the illusion that Mercury is backtracking,” astronomers say.

This can be a time to visit parts of your life that you keep putting off.

Here are 3 ways to love the f**k out of this Mercury Retrograde:

1. Embrace your past.

As you slow down, you may find that you are returning to old thoughts, revisiting past memories, and questioning your decisions. You may be feeling the claws of resentment and regrets. This is okay. This is actually an incredible opportunity to close some chapters and stories. It’s time to end and complete things that no longer serve you. Remind yourself of your strength, kindness, compassion, and love.

Recognize how far you have arrived. Embrace the massive hot mess you think you are, right now, at this very moment. Get over all the conditioning and programming of old stuff, voices from the past, and remember that you are this person because of all your life experiences. You have choices in every decision you make. You have the ability to process what has happened and make changes for the future. When you become aware of your past actions, take responsibility, and forgive, you can restart by moving forward with your awareness.

2. Make space for new opportunities.

Every single event that appears in your path is an opportunity for greatness. What are you waiting for? When will you stop waiting for something big to happen? Retrograde forces us to take a giant halt. Communication begins to crumble with others. This is an occasion to do things that scare you, entertain parts of you that you keep putting off, and break through new beginnings. Make your intentions, write them down and follow through with the awareness and acceptance that you get to manifest everything you put out. If you don’t want negativity, then stop entertaining it. Use the things you have in storage. Take out the expensive china, the heirloom crystals, the bath towels you never use, and romance yourself because you matter. Wear that outfit you keep in the back of the closet, the bikini you have saved forever in that drawer, and change your hair style. Stop waiting on others to give you a chance for a special moment.

You are the chance that you keep waiting on. Retrograde forces us to step back, as the planet moves in that direction, to really see things that make the soul dance in passion. You want to go dancing? Do it. You want to go back to school? Start a plan in motion. These 21 days are about pausing, shifting gears, and creating an environment for the desires that are in your heart. If it doesn’t make you jump for joy, find a way to discard it. Clean out your closet, the drawers, and the parts of your life that are holding you back from succeeding. Don’t see the Mercury movement as a curse. Use this time to stop, retrieve, and release. Make it work for you as we begin to move forward in a few weeks. You want a special occasion to do things? You are the special occasion. Utilize these days as a chance to work on you.

3. Love your life (exactly the way it is right now, regardless of your situation)

Put your hand on your heart. Feel that? This is your life. You are a beautiful essence that gets to live here on this miraculous planet. Everything around you happens for you, not to you. You are not a victim. Get over the second-guessing, the negativity that you pick up from others, and stop allowing others to dictate your worth. They don’t live your life. They don’t really know your emotions, the deep-seated struggles, and how you have to conquer the world on a daily basis.

You are a warrior. You are courageous. Do yourself a favor and stop making excuses for the things you want and you don’t go after. You cannot continue waiting for life to happen.

Related article: 3 Things You Need To Know As Mercury Retrograde Ends

You also cannot continue handing your life over to others to dictate what you should or shouldn’t do. It doesn’t work that way. Retrograde forces us to slowly integrate with the past and move inward. It’s more of a pause from the universe to witness our decision making mechanism. You shouldn’t continue making excuses that you keep carrying from childhood. Dance when you want to. Sing out loud, and play however much you want. You aren’t a child restricted from doing what you desire. You get to create the life you want. Make your lists, your intentions, your vision boards, and put forward the delicious dreams in motion.

You are an incredible and magnificent soul. You were created to learn, love, and lift others. You don’t have to keep waiting for cosmic changes and using excuses for not accomplishing the things you want. You get to decide right now. You can shift your consciousness and move beyond all the issues from the past. We are experiencing some wonderful phenomenons in our own lives. Be authentic. Be honest. And, be the best version of you the world has yet to see.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved
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