Healthy Living
©Happy Holidays Corfu
Computer Stress
by Trevor Dumbleton
Of all the forms of stress in today's world, computer stress is the one that is on the rise the fastest. Computers are wonderful machines, but they can also stress out workers by their sometimes confusing demands, their constant presence and their simple inability to work properly. Thus, computer stress must be understood and it must find an outlet or computer users will find themselves even more stressed out than they already are.
The first thing to remember about computers is that they are machines. They do not have feelings, they do not respond to emotional appeals, they only do what they are told to do; nothing more and nothing less. Thus, you need to remember that just about anything that your computer does is probably something you told it to do. Sure, you may not have wanted to tell it to do something, but you told the computer to do it and that's all it knows. You can save yourself a lot of computer stress by keeping this in mind.
The next thing you need to know in order to avoid computer stress is that computers are machines and, therefore, they will break down. That means that you need to keep backup copies of everything important. If you absolutely need a file, keep a copy on a floppy disk or on a CD. Hard drives are well known to just give out after a while (the average lifetime is about 4-5 years) and therefore you need to keep backups of everything you want to keep. If it's important enough that you want a copy, it's important enough to keep a backup copy. The sooner you remember to keep your computer's failing in mind, the more stress free you will be.
Third, you need to protect your computer. On the most basic level, that means a surge protector. A power surge can quickly fry the delicate insides of a computer and suddenly realizing that you need a new computer is just about the worst computer stress of all.
As well, you need to protect your computer from outside interference. If your computer is hooked up to the Internet, protect it with a network firewall and anti-virus software. There are plenty of malicious hackers out there and they tend to enjoy watching people panic about their computers suddenly dying. These hackers write viruses and worms that can infect your machine and delete important files or send out malicious emails all on their own. You do not want to have your computer taken over like this. Save yourself from this sort of computer stress by keeping your system and your files secure from outside attackers.
Another way to protect your computer is to shut it down properly. Many people simply hit the power button without shutting down the machine first. This is a serious danger, as it can damage the delicate circuits of the computer. Run your computer through its shutdown system and wait until it either turns itself off, or it tells you that it is time to turn it off. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but it can damage your computer in the long run.
Computer stress can also simply arise from sitting in front of the silly thing so long that you realize you do not know what you are looking at any more. You know you need to get work done on the silly machine, but you haven't gotten anything done and the deadline is looming and you need more time, but there isn't any and… just slow down. If you are not getting anything done, they save yourself some computer stress by walking away. If you are at work, lock your screen and wander the hallways for a bit. If you are at home, get up and go make yourself a sandwich or something. Just walk away and you will save yourself a lot of stress over something that is really not a big deal.
One of the problems with living in the computer age is, simply, the computer. However, it is only a machine and you can learn to control it without it controlling you. Your computer is a tool no different than a hammer or a crowbar. So save yourself from computer stress and you won't feel compelled to use a hammer or a crowbar on the computer that is supposed to make your life easier.
Trevor Dumbleton is the owner of http://www.LowerYourStress.com
by Knut Holt
Some words about anti-aging and disease prevention.
The aging process is for the greater part no mystery anymore. It consists for a great part of daily damages done on the macroscopic, tissue, cellular and genetic levels. These add up as the years are passing. These damages have specific causes like oxidating agents, sun beams, mechanical wear and tear, psychological stress, lack of some nutritional components and too much of others, like fat.
Another component of aging is the reduction of the telomere chains at the chromosome ends, as each cell division occurs. However, the body has means to repair these ends again, with an enzyme called telomerase. The rapidity of the aging process depends on lack of efficiency in this repair process. The above mention aging causes also slow down this repair process.
The factors causing aging, also causes other diseases like cancer and coronary heart disease. Both aging and these diseases can in great extend be prevented with the knowledge possessed today, and the damages can in great extend be reversed. The components to achieve this are:
-Adequate daily food containing whole cereals, peas, beans, vegetables, fruit, fish, mushrooms, fouls and seafood, and with just a moderate amount of red meat.
-Just a moderate amount of fat and most of the fat supply coming from sources like olive, fish, nuts, sun-flower, etc. Then you will get a good balance between mono-unsaturated fat (olive), poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-3-type (fish) and poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.
-Just a very moderate amount of butter, soy oil, corn oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat and poly-unsaturated omega-6-fat.
-Just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.
-Supplements of specific nutritional components like vitamins, minerals, lecithin and some essential fatty acids.
-Adequate training, that both gives both a muscular load, work up your condition and stretches out your body. To stretch out, yoga-exercizes are ideal.
-Adequate rest and stress-reduction. Daily meditation is a method of achieving this. Natural relaxing agents or specific tools for meditation or relaxation may also be useful.
-Supplements of specific anti-aging agents like anti-oxidants or human growth hormone.
-Use of specific anti-aging agents to apply upon the skin surface.
-To protect the skin against excessive sun exposure.
The amount one needs of nutritional supplements, like vitamins and minerals, differs very much according to a person`s health condition, work load and exposure to environmental stress. A person having a poor digestion, doing high performance sport or being exposed to a high amount of environmental stressors, may need more than an person in an average situation.
Courtesy of Pantera Consulting, K Holt, att/Knut Holt. http://www.panteraconsulting.com/salg2.htm
Health and Anti-Aging
Corfu Magazine - Vol. 3, No. 3; March 2008
A Nutty Diet
What To Do About Sports Injuries
by Sue Cullen
In England I lectured on Sports Injuries, the treatment and rehabilitation of an activity injury. I was fascinated at the number of people who came for treatment for a variety of so-called sports injuries which had not occurred as a result of playing sport.
You see most of injure ourselves doing everyday activities for example: stepping off a curb awkwardly or reaching up to a high a shelf and pulling a muscle.
While I have been here in Corfu, I have treated many conditions that are considered sports injuries, like muscle tears, sprains, strains, minor breaks and ruptures. Other common conditions like muscular aches and pains and, repetitive strains are also included. No matter what the injury, I will spend most of my time treating minor ones because more serious injuries often require specialist treatment outside my jurisdiction.
For any injury the treatment procedure is the same and basic first aid is important for anyone to follow so as to reduce further damage.
Follow the six points and reduce the symptoms:
1.stop activity and get a diagnosis
2.follow R I C E procedure (see below)
3.get rehabilitation plan from s specialist
4.adjust a everyday activities to reduce aggravation of the Injury
5.take painkillers if necessary
6.never apply heat in the first 72hours, this will encourage inflammation
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R = rest
I = ice
C = compression
E = elevation
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What do I do ?
Well I treat the injury according to the above rules with the use of massage, ice treatment, remedial exercises and advice on preventing further damage. I Monitor the progress over a period of time , checking to see whether you have followed instructions and give personal attention where required.
In order to prevent further injury , it is important to be sensible by following some simple guidelines:
· Be in good condition to do the activity. Unfit people have the most injuries.
· Wear appropriate clothing for the activity
· Rest
· Warm-up before activity
· Avoid trying to do things when you are tired or in pain
· Know your limits
Even with the all this knowledge, the two outstanding factors for injuries is re-injuring yourself after an existing injury has not recovered and not allowing enough time to get the injury better before working with it under pressure.
So if you don’t want to go to a town specialist and would prefer a one-to-one visit from s sports therapist, then contact me through the website.
Or ring me direct on :00306940769020
Gouvia Market
is the largest and most fully stocked supermarket in the resort village of Gouvia. Owners Tolis and Vasilis (Billy) welcome you to their shop and are more than happy to help you find what you need for your holiday stay in Gouvia. The full service market offers fresh fruits & vegetables, fresh dairy products, sweets and snacks and ice creams, soft drinks, wines and spirits, unique local products (such as gourmet olive oils, herbs and liquers), personal care products, beach gear and all your favourite brands of cigarettes and tobaccos.
