The Beach Health Blog

Most people think of dental health solely in terms of teeth. However, dental hygiene is comprised of several elements including your teeth, tongue, and gums! Let’s explore important tips for your dental health. Importance of Dental Health Your mouth is an entry point for food, beverages, and bacteria/viruses. While we naturally have certain defense mechanisms in place, such as saliva and tooth enamel, the sugars, acids, and bacteria we consume can all take a toll on our oral health. Neglecting dental care can result in painful conditions that make everyday tasks like eating and drinking hard. As well as that, ignoring your dental health can be costly. It’s much cheaper to buy a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss than it is to pay several hundred dollars to get a cavity filled or replace teeth with implants and dentures, which cost thousands of dollars! Missing teeth can have an impact on your appearance, which affects your job and social prospects. And finally, did you know tha...

Don’t get caught up with New Year’s resolutions, instead, start setting S.M.A.R.T. goals that will guide you into a productive new year. Goal setting is crucial; it gives you motivation, maximizes your performance, and gives personal satisfaction when accomplished. S.M.A.R.T. goals differ in that they are specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time-bound. 2018 is a fresh blank page waiting to be written. Take the initiative and get started! SMART Goals S pecific: Your goal must be simple, straightforward, and a complete sentence. Include the what, why, and how. M easurable: There needs to be a way for you to keep track of your progress. If needed, you may add mid-term checkup points to help you prepare the overall goal. A chievable: Be realistic with yourself while making it a challenging goal. Be sure to have the right tools to reach your goal. R ealistic: Keep your eyes on the prize, but be open to the fact that money, time and abilities can change t...

1.        Take effective notes Learning what notetaking style works best for you will ensure that you’re able to retain the information you’re writing down. Whether it’s bullet points, drawing diagrams, or using your tablet, figure out what method works best for you. 2.       Study methods that work for you Once you’ve mastered your note taking skills, understanding your learning style will help you with your studying. Educationplanner.org offers a learning style quiz that can help you figure out which studying style will help you best retain information. 3.       Pay attention to the syllabus Most professors design their syllabus to be a one stop shop for FAQs, scheduling questions, grade calculations, etc. Make sure you read the syllabus at the beginning of the year, and refer back to it before asking your professor any questions. 4.       CSULB Tutoring CSULB offer...

            Sex; we’ll discuss it openly with friends, watch it depicted on television, and read countless articles about it. In fact, we’ll often discuss it with just about anyone except the people that matter most: our partners. Let’s be honest; talking openly about sex can be a bit awkward and quite stressful. With such a sensitive subject matter, we often fear rejection and embarrassment. Despite this, those tough conversations are most definitely worth having as they can ultimately lead to much more rewarding and pleasurable sexual experiences for both you and your partner.             Talking about sex can seem like a very daunting task. Making a discussion out of something that television and media constantly depicts as spontaneous and passion-fueled can seem unnecessary. In the real world, however, individual desires and boundaries can be more difficult to deciphe...

All of us desire to get fit at some point in our life, but not all of us want to join a gym or a health club. Many of us cannot afford a gym membership or perhaps there’s no gym close by; or maybe even you have a gym membership, but are too busy to go; or maybe you’re simply independent in regards to your health and exercise. Including all of these reasons and maybe others, you might feel that working out at home is the best option for you. It does not take much effort or money to design an effective workout program at home. There are various inexpensive pieces of equipment you can use to create an exercise routine that works on all the major muscle groups in our body. For example, you can use fit balls, exercise bands, dumbbells, or push-up bars to create an exercise routine at home. These can be bought low cost on line or at some stores, like Big 5, Big Lots or Target.  There are five components of fitness/exercise: Warm up A warm-up can include a simple walk...

What are mindfulness and meditation? According to Mindful.org, mindfulness refers to when “the mind is fully attending to what’s happening, to what you’re doing, to the space you’re moving through.” Instead of just floating through your day, mindfulness aims to make your conscious of every action and reaction you have. Yoga International defines meditation as “the technique employed to focus the brain, and reach higher levels of consciousness.” Mindfulness meditation is a centuries old practice that dates back to ancient India. So why have people continued this practice for so long? Below, we’ll take a look at just a few of the many benefits of mindfulness meditation! Reduce Stress and Anxiety Countless studies have shown that focusing on breathing and clearing the mind lower the amounts of cortisol (the hormone related to stress) that is found in your brain. This calming effect can be felt within minutes, so setting aside even five minutes to meditate each day can b...

If you think you don’t like Brussel sprouts, think again! This recipe for crispy, savory Brussel sprouts will be sure to leave you wanting more. Although the ingredients may look deceptively simple, this very healthy side is packed with delicious flavor. Follow these directions carefully and the effort will be worth it! Ingredients: ·        1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed ·        3 tablespoons olive oil ·        1 teaspoon salt ·        1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack. Roast in the preheated oven for ...