What is the Difference Between Mental and Behavioral Health?

Mental health and behavioral health are two terms that are often used in place of one another. If you have been researching on any one of them, you must have heard the other term.

However, it is essential to note that there are differences between behavioral health and mental health, like their definitions, signs, symptoms, and treatment methods.

Knowing the correct definition and the difference between the two terms can help you in getting the right treatment and care. However, it is important to note that there is a strong inter-connection between mental health and behavioral health.

Most Deerfield behavioral health services also focus on mental health and strive to modify behavior and patterns for your mental wellbeing. Let us discuss mental and behavioral health to understand the difference between the two terms.

What is behavioral health?

The concept of behavioral health originated around forty years ago, and since then, its meaning has undergone numerous changes. In the 1970s and 1980s, behavioral health referred to habits and behaviors that prevent illness and promote health.

The meaning of the term was later modified to include behaviors that help people manage diseases. Behavioral health today is a broad topic that also includes mental health.

Behavioral health refers to the ways our habits affect our health, biology, emotions, and behavior. It connects our habitual patterns to our physical, mental, and spiritual health. It is an expansive concept that includes mental health, family counseling, marriage counseling, psychiatric health, and addiction treatment.

What is mental health?

Mental health refers to your emotional, social, and physiological health. It is a crucial aspect of our overall health for people of all age groups.

Our mental health has a strong impact on our emotions, thoughts, and actions. It impacts our relationship with people and our reactions in a different social environment. It also has a direct relation to our stress levels and mood.

What is the difference between mental and behavioral health?

Mental health and behavioral health are two interconnected terms. However, there are some subtle differences between the two.

There are numerous aspects of mental health, and your behavior can have a powerful impact on it. However, there are other factors like your biology, genetic conditions, psychological conditions, etc., that affect your mental wellbeing.

Behavioral health, on the other hand, is focused on the connection between your cognitive habits and their impact on your mind, body, and spirit. Hence, behavioral health has a wide range and includes mental health along with other aspects.

Some behavioral issues like overeating may not have an impact on your mental health but can adversely affect your physical wellbeing. Similarly, your hygiene is associated with your behavioral health but may not have any direct effect on your mind.

Many mental health conditions are a result of unhealthy habits. For example, substance abuse and inadequate sleep are behavioral issues that can adversely impact your mental health. However, some mental disorders can also result from other factors like injury, genetic conditions, etc.

When you contact Deerfield behavioral health care providers, they carry out a thorough assessment of the behavioral patterns and identify their impact on your physical and mental wellbeing.

Sometimes the behavioral disorders coexist with mental illness. Understanding a mental concern and the underlying causes is quintessential to effective treatment. If the cause of the mental illness is genetic, then behavioral modification may not be sufficient.

However, habitual patterns can have a strong positive or negative impact on mental disorders. This is also true in the case of disorders due to genetic conditions.

Patterns like excessive drinking and smoking can worsen the situation, whereas yoga and meditation can be a powerful aid in dealing with mental disorders.

Hence, the correct diagnosis is essential to address behavioral issues and mental illnesses.

HEPA Air Purifiers: How They Can Help Keep Spaces Safer

Making your space compliant with local health and safety measures has never been more important. More and more, companies and property owners are evaluating their HVAC systems to ensure they can help purify the air and keep people inside more protected against possible infections. But can HEPA air purifiers actually help contain the coronavirus?

To answer that question, we have to understand how the virus spreads and how HVAC systems can help. From there, we can then understand the effectiveness of HEPA air purifiers and how they can be an important part of a broader coronavirus contingency plan.

How COVID-19 Spreads

You may remember that in the early days of the pandemic, scientists were still learning the specifics of how the coronavirus, known as “COVID-19”, spread. As we have learned more, the general consensus is that the virus spreads through respiratory droplets and droplet nuclei (dried respiratory droplets) breathed out by people infected with the virus. After these droplets enter the air, they can land in people’s eyes, nose and throat, where it can then spread into the body and start replicating.

With the new Delta variant, which accounts for most of the coronavirus infections in the United States, and has a significantly higher “viral load,” it means the amount of virus trapped in these droplets can be higher than with the COVID-19 virus of the early pandemic.

For people with pets, you should know that there have been very rare instances of the virus spreading to cats and dogs. It is recommended that anyone infected with COVID-19 should be isolated from people and their pets for everyone’s safety.

Do HEPA Air Purifiers Protect from the Coronavirus?

In a word, yes. But it is important to understand how they operate so you can take additional measures to protect people. Many governments and local authorities recommend HEPA air purifiers as part of an overall coronavirus strategy. They should be used in conjunction with other measures.

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are filters that can “theoretically remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns (µm),” according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The unit “0.3 µm” is important to remember, because the average size of a coronavirus particulate is roughly 0.1 µm on its own. However, since we know that COVID-19 spreads through droplets, the real number that we need to know is the size of those droplets, which is roughly 0.5 µm. Therefore, HEPA filters can collect and filter out droplets that could potentially contain the coronavirus.

How to Expand Protection with HEPA Filters

HEPA filters are an effective means to removing the coronavirus from the air but it’s important to note that they are best used in conjunction with other strategies. Broadly, any coronavirus plan needs to consider hardware and protocols. Let’s go through each.

Hardware, for the most part, includes things like HVAC system upgrades and expectations around personal protective equipment being used inside a building. HVAC and ventilation has been getting a large amount of coverage as schools head back into session. Schools and many other buildings do not have the necessary ventilation in place to filter air through and keep people safe. HEPA air purifiers in conjunction with recommended HVAC upgrades can help improve overall air quality and work to limit the spread of the virus indoors.

That said, ventilation improvements and HEPA air purifiers alone are not enough. Proper social distancing and compliance with local mandates about PPE and building occupancy can also help stop the spread and keep building occupants safe.

When it comes to stopping the spread of the coronavirus, HEPA air purifiers can play an important part in an overall strategy. Since these filters are designed to stop particles smaller than the droplets that spread the virus, they can effectively filter out the virus when used correctly. On top of this, HVAC improvements that include increasing ventilation can help as well when used together with protocols like social distancing and masking as required or mandated.

If you own a property with regular in-person visitors, be sure to use HEPA air purifiers and connect with HVAC professionals to ensure your systems are working hard to limit the spread of the virus.

How the Cord Blood May Preserve Insulin Levels in Children with Type 1 Diabetes?

A wide range of research and journals state that children’s own cord blood stem cells can subsidize the autoimmune attack of the patient by neutralizing the insulin level of the body. According to Cord Blood America Inc.’s press release, umbilical cord blood stem cells can successfully treat type 1 diabetes in children. As per their view, these stem cells send re-instruction to T cells so that the pancreas will start producing insulin again. Hence, the injected insulin amount will get reduced. Following this scientific research, it is also a fact that the umbilical cord may safely preserve insulin resistance and production in children who are newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. So nowadays, storing the stem cells of newly-born children in the Private Cord Blood Bank has become a trendsetter.

•  From various researches, it is clear that diabetes is reversible. If transplanting bone marrow in mice can lessen the diabetes effect without chemotherapy or radiation therapy, it will work the same in the human body.

•  Cord Blood stem cells have the potential to neutralize the autoimmune attack on the pancreas. It also helps the body to restore the previous level of ability to make insulin on its own. This restoration helps to regulate the body to utilize the sugar and nutrients for energy purposes.

•  Within the first six months after birth, babies generally require less amount of insulin. By default, they maintain better control of blood sugar. That is why you should store the cord blood stem cells for future purposes.

•  Using cord blood as a potential therapy for type 1 diabetes treatment in children becomes efficient in both ways. One is to reduce the immune system attack on the pancreas, and the other is introducing the stem cells into insulin-producing cells within the body.

•  Cord blood stem cells therapy in treating diabetes type one does not guarantee the eradication of diabetes, but it surely can lessen the effect of diabetes in the human body.

•  Using cord blood as a potential therapy might be less painful in comparison to radioactive or chemotherapy.

•  According to the scientist and doctors, cord blood peaks with sales which provide a lot of strength to restore the body mechanism.

•  This particular therapy is way safer and secure and definitely can refrain people from using other available treatments.

•  In today’s era with the high amount of children getting affected with type 1 diabetes, this particular therapy is beneficial for them.

•  Preserving the cord blood in the private cord blood bank in America is unpopular in recent past years. But now, the figure has grown from 1to 4% of parents, preserving the cord blood stem cells of their children in the bank.

•  Apart from treating leukemia-lymphoma, this cord blood stem cell therapy gets widely used in diabetes type 1 treatment in children across the globe.

•  All the private cord blood banks in America and other parts of the world are encouraging new parents to restore their children’s cord blood stem cells for future uses.

•  According to research, it becomes clear that children who receive a cord blood infusion have higher levels of autoimmune system in their blood than the kids who do not receive the same.

•  As per the Juvenile diabetes Research Foundation and the National Institute of Health, it becomes clear that children who receive an infusion of cord blood stem cells will become healthier than others of their age.

UF researchers have enrolled some children who will receive stem cord blood for treating their type1 diabetes. They have already improved on the immunographic and small metabolic advantages with the trials so far. They are also experimenting which medicine will combine well with the cord blood to deliver the best outcome to the kids. If an emergency arrives, the treatment of cord blood stem cells can lessen the life-threatening situations and will provide a less painful therapy to get well.

How To Safely Do An Indoor Tan

Indoor tanning is a solution for getting a tan for many reasons. The weather plays a role in where you decide to tan. Sometimes it is winter or a rainy season, and sitting outside does not have the same effect as sitting in the summer sun. Maybe you’re too busy to take the time to sit in the sun. Whatever the reason that you decide to tan indoors, make sure that you make it the safest indoor tanning session possible. This starts with the right Indoor tanning bed lotion.

Before you begin your indoor tanning session:

Understanding how tanning lotions work will help prepare you for the best indoor tanning session. Tanning beds will emit ninety five percent UV-A and five percent UV-B, which is similar to the exposure of the summer sun. The tanning bed stimulates the melanocytes to produce melanin, which appears as dark pigments on the skin. The melanin is produced to protect your skin from further exposure to the ultraviolet lights. Using Indoor tanning bed lotions will help protect the skin as well.

Understand your skin type:

Knowing your skin type (normally on a range from 1 being very light to 5 being dark skinned) will help ensure that your indoor tanning session is the safest it can be. Each skin type will have different recommended time under the indoor tanning lights. The lighter the skin, the less time you should spend under the tanning bed lights. There is no exact calculation for determining the amount of time under the lights because each tanning bed may vary along with each person’s skin.

There are some guidelines, though, such as starting slowly. When beginning to indoor tan, slowly increase the amount of exposure time (this could be a simple 5-minute tan that gets increased over time). This will give a base tan to prevent further burning. Going too fast could result in damaged skin. You may need to wait a few days to tan again. Everyday tanning could result in skin damage; however, waiting too long could result in the base tan fading, requiring you to begin the cycle again. Avoid overexposure. Using indoor tanning bed lotion can help prevent this exposure, but be mindful of the time spent under the lights.

Prepare your skin by using indoor tanning bed lotion.

Prior to your tanning session, begin to clean and exfoliate your skin to ensure that all dead skin is removed, and that your skin is ready to receive the UV lights. On the day of the tanning session, ensure that you apply indoor tanning bed lotion. Use gentle circles to ensure that you have even coverage over your entire body.

Do not use outdoor tanning lotion because it is not designed for tanning beds and can damage the bed.

Do not wear cosmetics when tanning as the oils from these products may interfere with the tanning bed, could make your skin more sensitive to the UV lights, could damage your skin, and could also impede the tanning lotion’s effect. When going tanning, also ensure that all jewelry is removed. This could give your skin white spots where the UV lights were not able to tan the skin. This also includes removing your glasses.

Post tanning tips.

Caring for your skin after a tanning session is also important. Ensure that you use a moisturizer that is recommended for tanning. This will help your skin stay plump and prevent it from appearing leathery. Following a tanning session, avoid showering for a few hours. It will take a few hours for the skin’s melanin to be stimulated. Humans will shed their skin roughly every thirty days. Tanning will only darken the first few layers of skin. When these layers begin to shed, the tan will begin to fade. Extreme heat can increase the rate of shedding. Also, hot water (such as spas) and harsh soaps with chemicals will cause the skin to fade faster.

When indoor tanning, follow the rules of the salon and the advice from the staff in regards to how long and when to use an indoor tanning bed. Ensure that you have the right indoor tanning bed lotion, and follow any post tanning recommendations for a safe indoor tanning session.

All You Need to Know About Herbalife Shakes

Herbalife shakes boost weight loss. They are multivitamin and meal replacement nutritional supplements. But what else makes Herbalife products special? What is the secret in Herbalife shakes that deliver weight loss results? Let us understand these aspects in detail.

What are Herbalife products?

Herbalife products are multi-level marketing nutritional supplements. They are designed to aid weight loss by cutting the number of calories for the human body. By creating a calorie deficit, the Herbalife diet archives the burning of stubborn fat. This promotes visible weight loss and inch loss.

The makers of Herbalife products specify that they are scientifically designed by a renowned team of scientists and researchers. The ultimate aim of Herbalife products is to help people with their weight loss journey by providing shakes, pills, bars, and powders as meal replacements.

What is Herbalife shakes?

Herbalife shakes are prepared by mixing 1-2 scoops of Herbalife powder with milk or fruit drink. These powders are available in a variety of flavors including French Vanilla, Banana Caramel, Dutch Chocolate, Wild Berry, mint chocolate, cookies, cream, and cappuccino. They are rich in protein derived from milk and soy and provide the essential amino acids for the body.

Another trending and most loved of Herbalife shakes is its Formula 1 (F1) shake. It contains a tablespoon of nuts and slices of pineapple. Many celebrities often vouch for this shake as a healthy breakfast option.

All the ingredients in the Herbalife shakes are carefully chosen so that they boost metabolism and provide nutrition at the same time. For individuals who are keen to lose weight fast, the Herbalife makers suggest replacing two meals with shakes for optimal results. Others who want to maintain their weight and boost their metabolism can replace one meal with the shake ad have two other healthy meals as usual.

Nutrition in Herbalife Shakes

The main ingredient in Herbalife shakes is soy isolate and dairy extract. They are the key to providing the protein content to keep you full for longer. Studies indicate that one serving of Herbalife shake provides 9 grams of protein and 9 grams of sugar. The calorie count varies with the type of milk used to make a shake. A single portion of Herbalife shake made from skimmed milk provides 170 calories.

Results and observations

Studies find that usage of the Herbalife shakes in addition to the low-calorie diet specified on the website can help individuals to lose 0.5lb to 1lb per week. Some of the active ingredients in these shakes include amino acids and caffeine. While amino acids keep you full, caffeine boosts the metabolism. In addition, the shakes also are rich in sugar content. It can be one of the downsides if you are keen on your sugar intake.

There have been varying observations about the results of the usage of shakes. Some studies discourage relying on the shakes as a sole source of nutrition. Some others mention that Herbalife shakes are safe as long as users consume them as prescribed without overusing them.

The makers of the Herbalife shake specify that their products are not certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Hence, users should consult their nutritionists and doctors before starting with the shakes and diet.

People suffering from illnesses and chronic ailments, children, and pregnant women are never encouraged to adopt herbal shake diets. It is one aspect that differs from common people to celebrities. Though famous personalities seem to endorse and rely on such herbal shakes, they follow a strict diet as suggested by their nutritionists. Thus, they experience positive results that last long.

Thus, weight loss enthusiasts should consult doctors before kicking start the shake-based diet plan. Shakes can cause calorie deficiency and promote weight loss. However, too much deprivation of calories and relying on processed foods in the form of shakes may not be a sustainable option in the long run.

Conclusion

Herbalife shakes can act as meal replacements to assist weight loss. Provide your body with healthy and wholesome meals the rest of the day to nourish it naturally. Consult your doctor before starting a shake-based diet irrespective of your health condition and age.