patience and love can help ensure a speedier recovery for everyone. - life after stroke

Did you know a stroke occurs every 40 seconds on average? About 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year, according to the American Stroke Association. If you or a loved one has survived a stroke, recovery depends largely on the severity of the brain damage. With love, support and patience, the journey toward a new normal can begin.
A stroke is life changing for the patient as well as his or her support network. Some people make a full recovery, while others suffer from various disabilities. In addition to working closely with a doctor through a personalized recovery program, joining a support group is a great initial step. When coping with the aftermath of a stroke, it can help to be surrounded by others with similar experiences. Some difficult parts of stroke rehabilitation may include:
Communication challenges
Difficulties communicating can be some of the most frustrating effects of stroke. Depending on where the brain is damaged, it's not uncommon to suffer partial or total loss of the ability to talk, read, write or understand what people say. It's important to be patient and stay positive.
Make it a goal to practice communicating at least once a day. Relax, take your time and use communication aids as necessary, like cue cards. Using fewer words paired with gestures or tone of voice can help streamline communication. Many people benefit from speech and language therapy.
Family and friends need to remember that improving communication skills engages stroke survivors so they feel more connected and less isolated, an important part of rehabilitation.
Physical movement
Getting out of the house and being able to move independently provides a sense of freedom during recovery. Many stroke survivors regain the ability to walk, but may suffer from side effects that make it more difficult. Foot drop is a common side effect, which means difficulty lifting the front of the foot when walking, so much so that it may drag, which can be a tripping hazard.
Foot drop may be a temporary or permanent condition caused by stroke. The good news is there are options to help. Vibration therapy provided through affordable products like the Step Sensor by Brownmed can help increase mobility and retrain muscles and nerves in the leg and foot to respond as they should while walking.
Unlike traditional ankle-foot orthoses that are big and bulky, the Step Sensor is comfortable and discreet to wear under slacks. It works like some more dynamic Foot Drop Stimulators, without the costly doctor-led training or required weekly follow-ups. Simply adhere the pressure switch to the insole of your shoe, beneath your heel, and wrap the vibrating band around your leg just below the knee. A gentle vibration will occur when your heel strikes the ground, providing a subtle, yet effective, reminder to lift your toe. What's more, the Step Sensor provides only topical vibration, so it's even safe to use if you have a pacemaker or other cardiac conditions. Learn more at www.brownmed.com.
Emotional adjustment
When adjusting to life after a stroke, survivors often experience a flood of emotions. Grieving for loss of physical and mental abilities is normal and a healthy part of the adjusting process. But when normal sadness continues for extended periods, it can turn into depression and needs to be treated immediately by a mental health professional.
Stroke survivors also often feel anxiety. Extreme worry or fear can cause restlessness, fatigue, muscle tension, poor concentration and irritability. Both depression and anxiety are common for stroke survivors. The good news is they can be treated, and there are many coping mechanisms, so be sure to ask your doctor.

Whether adjusting to physical impairments or the emotions of suffering from a major health scare, it's important to remain positive. Loved ones are a crucial part of rehabilitation and can provide support when it is needed most. It might take years to adjust to a new normal after a stroke, both for the victim and the families, but patience and love can help ensure a speedier recovery for everyone.

apps for smart phone to manage diabetes - worth in todays fast life

The amount of effort it takes for people with diabetes to pick the right foods and track everything they eat is a common source of frustration. Many people simply give up on actively making food choices or logging their meals despite the potential health risks.
In the past two years, a growing number of people have been turning to smartphone apps to help simplify the process. Medical research seems to indicate this is a good thing.
According to the Oct. 2012 issue of Clinical Diabetes, recent studies have repeatedly shown that smartphone apps are a useful tool for improving diabetes management and reducing hospitalization.
These apps provide accurate tracking of glucose levels, exercise and food choices. Information from the app can then be shared with doctors during regular visits. As a result, doctors are armed with more accurate information when making recommendations about diabetes management.
With the American Diabetes Association reporting that there are 25.8 million adults and children with diabetes in the U.S. alone, the number of smartphone apps being released specifically for this audience is hardly surprising.
"With a smartphone in your pocket, the process of tracking all the information your doctor wants becomes much easier," said Pier Massa, CEO of Thrive365, which just released the beta version of a smartphone app to go with its patented food scoring system for people with diabetes.
Among the most highly rated smartphone apps, according to user reviews, are Glooko Logbook and Glucose Buddy. Both allow smartphone users to keep track of carbs, glucose levels, and physical activity throughout the day. Users can also view trends over time to see how eating and exercise affect their glucose levels.
Another app called GoMeals provides instant access to nutritional information on a wide variety of foods, helping people with diabetes to make smart decisions on the go. The app is plugged into nutritional databases that include packaged food, grocery store ingredients and even restaurant menu items at popular eateries nationwide.
The Thrive365 app is also tied into nutritional databases. It uses this information to calculate a diabetes score for individual foods and menu items. Users are then given a target score for each meal based on their personal health information. The goal is to choose foods that add up to the target score for each specific meal, without going over or under. Users can also log their meals, glucose levels and physical exercise in the app for simple tracking.
"Managing diabetes is an 'every meal' effort, which can be overwhelming. You can't bank food from one meal to another so you have to get it right every time. This is one case where technology is definitely making life easier," said Massa.
A number of medical studies are currently underway to evaluate which features of smartphone apps provide the greatest benefit in the management of diabetes.

For patients with diabetes, selecting the right app depends on their personal comfort level with smartphone technology. Since users are required to enter information into the app several times a day, the most important consideration is ease of use. Armed with the right apps, people with type 2 diabetes can take the frustration out of making and tracking food choices.

fun tips goa vacation 2013-2014

Family vacations are always a great time for family bonding and exploring new places. With some careful planning, the trip can be packed full of fun from the minute you lock the front door to the minute you arrive back home, exhausted and ready to share stories of your adventures with friends and family.
Traveling with children does require careful planning, but taking a little extra time to plan ahead will make your time spent together that much more rewarding. Take these ideas into consideration as you organize your family trip.
* Traveling organization - If you're on a road trip this spring or summer, keeping track of all the snacks, games and travel necessities isn't easy. Put a few household items to use, and you'll be able to keep everything where it belongs, instead of having it rolling around under the seats. For example, a shoe organizer hung over the back of the front seats helps to keep all children's toys and activities within reach. And a divided cardboard drink container is an excellent storage kit for needed items like snacks, tissues, hand wipes, etc.
For airline travels, the mantra "less is more" comes into play. Have each child pack one carry-on, such as a metal lunchbox or a backpack, with all their traveling necessities. Crayons and coloring books, as well as small game books like crossword puzzles or word searches are recommended.
* Create "snacktivities" - Package the snacks you'll be eating on-the-go with activities to keep the kids busy. For example, a new coloring book with a juice box and a snack will help everyone forget they're on a long trip. Pack satisfying snacks such as Lance Xtra Fulls Toasty and ToastChee sandwich crackers, which are made with real peanut butter and deliver up to 6 grams of protein per serving.
* Make the hours work for you - If you have the ability, schedule your travel time during bedtime or nap time. Plan frequent breaks where everyone can get out of the car and run around, releasing pent up energy. Try to avoid driving during rush hour traffic, which would add additional stresses to everyone in the vehicle. For airplane travel, avoid leaving on peak travel days if you can.
* Get creative with snacks - Mix up the traditional to keep the snacks interesting, which can help make the travel time appear to pass much quicker. Create your own trail mix with protein-packed Lance snacks of salted peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds and Star Bites. Or give the kids paper plates, sandwich crackers, cheese and fruit make their own "snack creations" in the shapes of animals. Visit www.lance.com for additional snack recipes and snacking ideas.
* Play together - When in doubt good old-fashioned car games such as "I Spy" can provide hours of entertainment for the entire family. While in the car ask kids to look at billboards, road signs, license plates and buildings to find the letters of the alphabet in order. For instance, to find an "A" the child might see Applebee's and say it aloud, then move on to finding the letter B. You can also play counting games with younger children. Count blue vans, find 10 horses, count rest stops or water towers. How many people pass you on the highway? Count those, too. There are endless possibilities.

Family vacations are a lot of fun, and if your trip is well-planned, everyone can return home with great memories and stories to share.