| How to Live Well with Down Syndrome (Teens) Posted: 02 Aug 2017 05:00 PM PDT As a teen with Down Syndrome, you already understand that you're different. You've recognized that your face is unique, you learn different things from most teens your age, and you struggle with many challenges that most people don't face. You may sometimes feel different, but that's okay. You can make the most of it and thrive, even in your teen years. EditUnderstanding Down Syndrome Understanding your disability is one important part of living well with it. - Learn the basics of what Down Syndrome means. Down Syndrome has several symptoms, most or all of which you will experience.
- Different face and body—This includes wide slanted eyes, a flat face, little hands and feet, short height, and other unique features.[1]
- Intellectual disability—You may have extra challenges learning in school.
- Low muscle tone—Babies with Down Syndrome can be very "floppy" and it may take longer for them to learn to walk.[2] By teen years, though, many people with Down Syndrome are quite strong!
- Health problems—People with Down Syndrome are more likely to have heart problems, stomach problems, hearing disabilities, eye problems, and more. You may get sick easily.[3]
- Learn where Down Syndrome comes from. Down Syndrome is in your DNA, the code that gives instructions on how to build your body. You have had it since before you were born, and you will have it all your life.[4]
- Chromosomes are groups of DNA. People with Down Syndrome have an extra chromosome—specifically, the 21st pair comes with one extra. You may have one whole extra chromosome, or just part of one.
- Check out Down Syndrome websites. There are groups that focus on helping people with Down Syndrome and their families. They may have useful advice for you. Here are a few websites:
- National Down Syndrome Society[5]
- National Association for Down Syndrome[6]
- Self Advocacy Online[7]
EditLiving Happily - Discuss with your parents or guardians about questions or worries that you have. They love you very much and want to look after you. They can answer many of your questions and help you through your challenges.
- Ask them about Down Syndrome. You can show them this article if you want to!
- Be kind to other people. People with Down Syndrome can be fantastic helpers and great friends. Be nice to your friends and to other people you know, and help people when they are having a hard time.
- Work hard in school and therapy. These will teach you many important life skills. If you work hard, you'll be able to learn a lot and be prepared for being an adult someday.
- Give yourself plenty of time to relax. Between school, therapy, and other stuff, life can get very busy! It's important to take time to relax each day, so that you don't feel too stressed. Taking good care of yourself is an important part of living well.
- Keeping a balanced life is important. Working hard is good, but not if it stresses you out a lot. Talk to someone if this is becoming a problem.
- Find people you can talk to when you're having a hard time. It's important to have people in your life who support you. Choose someone who is a good listener and a good helper, and talk to them when you have problems.
- Do not keep bullying a secret. Bullying is a serious issue, and if you are being bullied, you deserve help! Your family and teachers care about you, and they want to help you if something bad happens to you. You are not being a burden by speaking up.[8][9]
- If someone else is being bullied, talk to an adult about what is going on. The adult can help them. You can also help by being kind and being their friend.
- Adults can be bullies too. If a grown-up is hurting you or making you upset, that is wrong, and you don't deserve that.
- Remember, "I'm okay, you're mean."
- Be with people who make you happy. Think about people who make you laugh and smile—people who make you feel happier when you hang out with them. These people are great friends.
EditLoving Yourself You are a worthwhile and important person. Having Down Syndrome does not change that. - Get rid of any bad ideas you have about disabilities. A disability means that you face extra challenges in the world, and many people have different abilities than you do. It does not mean that you are broken or a burden. Plenty of people with disabilities, including people with Down Syndrome, live happy and wonderful lives.
- Don't compare yourself to other people. Everyone is good at some things and bad at others. It isn't helpful to compare and see where you aren't as talented as other people. You are talented in your own way.
- Remind yourself that life isn't a race or a competition. You don't need to be the best or be the first.
- For example, maybe your sister is better at science than you are. That doesn't change the fact that you might have a beautiful laugh, work very hard, and be great at cheering people up when they're sad.
- Meet other people who are like you. Look for Down Syndrome groups or disability groups in your area. You can also check social media sites like Facebook or Tumblr.
- Work on your talents. Down Syndrome is one piece of you, and not all of you. What do you like to do? Think about things from dancing to painting to helping other people. Find your way to shine.
- Remind yourself how special you are. If you ever feel bad about yourself, it helps to have reminders that you are a good person. Here are some ways to do this...
- Write a list of your favorite things about yourself. Try things like "I'm good at giving hugs when people need them" and "I'm funny."
- Keep a box filled with nice notes about yourself. Try notes from teachers and therapists, thank you cards, and nice things on your report card (like "hard worker"). You can even explain to your family members what you're doing and ask if they'll write you a little note!
- Look at pictures of yourself with your family and friends. Remember how much they love you.
- Accept that you're different. You are not going to be like other teenagers. This is okay. Instead of worrying about fitting in, focus on what makes you special. It's okay to be unique.
- Remember that it's okay to have bad days. Some days will be challenging. Sometimes you will feel frustrated, worried, or sad. This is normal. You are still okay.
- If you are often feeling this way, then it's important to tell someone, because you may have a sickness called depression.
- Focus on the good things. Everyone has challenges and gifts, and you can't change what you were given. However, you can choose to make the most of it. Work to do your best, bounce back from your bad days, and stay positive.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations Click on a link to get more information.
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| How to Lower Myostatin Levels Posted: 02 Aug 2017 09:00 AM PDT Myostatin is a protein that prevents muscular growth, tone, and body strength. Many bodybuilders and some scientists believe that lowering myostatin can increase muscular development, as well as prevent aging and improve overall health.[1] To lower myostatin levels, both cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise, as well as resistance training (weight training), are useful. Quitting smoking and taking a follistatin supplement might also help. EditDoing High-Intensity Resistance Training - Put the "HIRT" to your myostatin levels. Resistance training of any kind can improve health and build muscle. But to lower myostatin levels, you'll need to engage in high-intensity resistance training (HIRT). This means doing resistance training that pushes you to your physical limits.[2]
- HIRT requires doing full-body workouts. In other words, your resistance training regimen should work your arms, back, and legs.
- String several resistance training exercises together for a superset. Instead of limiting your set by the number of repetitions per exercise, limit it by a length of time. Perform as many repetitions as possible without resting during the time limit you've set.[3]
- For instance, do 10 push-ups, 10 pull-ups, 10 leg extensions, then 10 biceps curls as quickly as possible over the course of about 10 minutes.
- If you've gone through the 10 biceps curls before the 10-minute time limit has elapsed, start the cycle again by doing 10 pushups.
- Rest one or two minutes between each superset.
- Use caution during HIRT. HIRT can be physically taxing. Talk to your doctor before adopting a HIRT exercise regimen and don't perform HIRT more than three or four times per week.[4]
- Choose the right weight. When doing resistance training, you must choose the right weight for you. Start at the lowest weight for whatever machine or barbell you're using. Perform 10-12 reps. If you find that it was very easy and you don't feel taxed by the end of your 10-12 reps, add weight in small increments. You'll know you've found the right weight for you when 10-12 reps is significantly taxing.[5]
EditTrying Specific Resistance Exercises - Perform biceps curls. Grip a barbell from below with your palms facing up. Grip the barbell in such a way that the weights on either end are equidistant from each hand, and place each hand shoulder-width apart from the other. Lift the bar to your chest using your elbows.[6]
- Keep your elbows pinned to your side as you lift. Sliding your elbows behind your ribs will decrease the amount of work your biceps do.
- Don't swing the bar up using the momentum from your hips.
- Use a chest press machine. Sit at the chest press machine and adjust the seat for your height. The handles should be situated near the middle or bottom of your pectoral muscles. Lay your hands on the handles of the machine. Your shoulder blades should be retracted. If they are not, adjust the position of the machine's handles so that they are.[7]
- Keeping your head and chest up, press the handles forward, extending through the elbow.
- Pause briefly when you've reached your maximum extension, then return the handles to a position just beyond the starting position in order to keep the tension on.
- Use a machine shoulder press. The machine shoulder press is not unlike the chest press, except that instead of pushing forward, you push up. Grip the handles of the machine, keeping your elbows in line with your torso. If your elbows are not lined up with your torso, adjust the level of the seat. Lift the handles as you exhale. Extend your arms slowly. When you reach your maximum extension, hold the position briefly, then bring the handles back down to a place just above the starting position.[8]
- Try other resistance exercises. There are many other resistance exercises that could lower your myostatin levels. For instance, you might want to use a resistance band, do squats, or lift free weights.[9]
EditPerforming Aerobic Exercises - Exercise at a moderate intensity. When using aerobic exercise to reduce your myostatin levels, you have significant leeway regarding how much exercise you wish to do. To begin reducing myostatin levels you need only exercise at about 40% to 50% of your maximum ability. Pushing yourself beyond these basic exercise levels will result in a greater decrease in myostatin.[10]
- Working out at moderate intensity on a bike, elliptical, or in other aerobic exercises will feel similar to taking a brisk walk.
- You should burn at least 1,200 calories each week to see real declines in your myostatin levels. To track the number of calories you burn, check the digital readouts on your aerobic exercise equipment, or use a wearable fitness tracking device (for instance the FitBit).
- Use an elliptical. An elliptical training machine (sometimes called a "ski machine") is a popular piece of equipment that can help you lower your myostatin levels. To use the elliptical machine, step onto the machine's foot pads. Place your left foot in the left foot pad, and your right foot in the right foot pad. Grab the left and right handles.[11]
- Select the settings under which you wish to train. For instance, you can increase the machine's resistance or set time or calorie burning targets.[12]
- The handles and feet pads on a given side of the machine work in opposition to each other. In other words, as you swing the machine's right handle forward, your right leg will move back. On the opposite side, the left hand will be pulled back and your left foot will be moved forward. Swing your feet and arms forward and backward in time with the machine.
- Ride a bike. Riding a bike is a common aerobic exercise, and can lower your myostatin levels. You can ride either a regular bike or a stationary bike to gain the benefits of lowered myostatin.[13]
- Ride at moderate intensity to lower your myostatin levels. Aim to burn at least 1,200 calories per week by riding a bike.
- Always use safety when riding a bike. Wear a helmet and ride in the bike lane, or as close to the curb as possible. Do not ride against traffic and do not ride on the sidewalk.[14]
- Go for a jog. Running is one of the most common forms of aerobic exercise and can lower your myostatin levels. Wear light, loose-fitting clothing when running. Choose a clean, well-lit path.[15]
- Aim to jog at least 20 minutes. As you gain strength and build endurance, add time to your run in 10-minute increments.
- Try other aerobic exercises. There are many aerobic exercises you could do which, over time, could lower your myostatin levels. For instance, you might choose to jump rope, go swimming, row a boat, or do jumping jacks.[16]
EditFinding Other Ways to Lower Myostatin - Do not smoke. Smoking is associated with higher myostatin levels. To lower your myostatin levels, do not start smoking. If you are already addicted to nicotine, adopt a plan to quit smoking.[17]
- The best way to quit smoking is to gradually phase out the behavior. For instance, if you decide that in two weeks' time, you want to stop smoking completely, cut your cigarette intake by 25% today. Cut it by another 25% about five days later. After about 10 days, cut your cigarette consumption by 25% again. Finally, when two weeks have elapsed, smoke your final cigarette.
- Nicotine gum and patches can also help you combat your addiction.
- Use a myostatin inhibitor. Myostatin inhibitors are still experimental, but if you suffer from cancer or another muscle-wasting medical condition, you might qualify for treatment using one. You'll need a prescription since they are not available over the counter. Talk to your doctor about your options for lowering your myostatin levels using an inhibitor.[18]
- Another experimental medical procedure, myostatin-inhibiting gene therapy, might also be an option for you, depending on your medical need. Talk to your doctor about opportunities to receive such a treatment.[19]
- Use a follistatin supplement. Follistatin inhibits the production of myostatin. There are many follistatin-based supplements available that can lower your levels of myostatin. Most of these use fertile chicken egg yolk isolate, so if you have an egg allergy, you might not be able to use them. Consult directions for use before consuming follistatin supplements.[20]
- Generally, follistatin supplements come in powdered form. They are blended with water or milk, then consumed.
- There is no conclusive research indicating whether dietary adjustments can lower myostatin levels.[21]
- If you don't want to invest a ton of money into training equipment, or don't have much space in your home, consider getting a gym membership.
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Only Move One Eye Posted: 02 Aug 2017 01:00 AM PDT Moving one eye at a time makes it look like you have superhuman control, but with a little time and effort, pretty much anyone can learn this skill. Warm up your face muscles so you have the best shot of executing this maneuver. Crossing your eyes, especially, will be important for pulling this off. Techniques for crossing your eyes are included, as well as two popular exercises. EditLimbering up Your Lookers - Warm up your face. Although this might sound silly, warming up your face will prepare your facial muscles for action. Some of these muscles coordinate eye motion, so by warming them up, you'll stand a better chance of moving one eye.[1] To warm up:
- Massage your entire face lightly with your hands. Rub in small circles. Pay special attention to the tissue surrounding your eyes.
- Take a big, wide yawn. Open your eyes, mouth, and raise your eyebrows as much as you can. Now compress these features as small as possible.
- Warm up your eyes. Now that your face muscles are warmed up, you can do the same for your eyes. Roll your eyes around your eye sockets a few times. Holding your neck still while facing forward, look hard to the left. Switch to the right. Repeat this motion up and down.
- Crossing your eyes is another great eye warmup and is useful for training one eye to move at a time. If you've never mastered this skill, the tips in the next step should help.[2]
- Learn to cross your eyes, if necessary. Some of you may have crossed your eyes as part of your warmup, but don't worry if you haven't yet mastered this skill. With a little bit of time and effort, you can add this skill to your bag of neat eye-tricks.
- Practice crossing your eyes by looking at the tip of your nose with both eyes. Slowly slide your gaze upwards to the bridge of your nose while maintaining the inward direction of your gaze.
- Hold a pen at arm's length directly in between both eyes. Focus on the pen and slowly draw it to your face until it is 2 – 4 inches (5.1 – 10.2 cm) away. At this distance, your eyes should cross.
- These techniques can exercise infrequently used muscles, which may cause fatigue. When you get tired, take a break and try again. It may take you a little while, but you're sure to get it![3]
- Check your form in a mirror. It may be difficult to tell when you've finally mastered the eye-crossing technique. Strike a sweet pose while crossing your eyes in front of a mirror. How do your eyes look? If you have any doubts, ask the opinion of a friend or family member.
- When you don't have a mirror or another person available to help check your form, snap a selfie to evaluate your eye-crossing endeavors.
- Being able to cross your eyes will likely help you master moving one eye at a time much more quickly.
EditMoving One Eye into Crossed Position (a.k.a. Comet Falls to Earth) - Look hard to the left or right. Alright. You ready? You're going to do just fine. Look hard to the left or right. Either direction is OK. Whichever direction you choose, hold this position for a few seconds.
- Bring your outward looking eye into the crossed position. If you're looking right you'll be moving your right eye, if you're looking left you'll move your left. While holding your inward facing eye completely still, move the outward eye into the crossed-eyes position.[4]
- Give your moving eye a guide to follow. Hold your finger at arm's length off to the side and in front of your outward facing eye. Focus on the finger with that eye, then move it inward to the center of your nose.
- Return to your initial hard left (or right) position. You did it! Felt a little weird, didn't it? Well done, but you're not finished yet. The more practice you get, the easier this will become, so try to reverse this motion so the eye that moved returns to its starting position.[5]
- If you started looking hard to the left, you'll return to this position from the crossed position and vice versa. Practice one side a few times to get the feel for it before exercising the opposite eye.
- Exercise the opposite eye. You know the drill by now. Since you've got a feel for this maneuver, why not try it on the opposite side without a guide at first? If you have difficulty, use a finger guide in the same fashion as was previously described.
EditMoving One Eye out of Crossed Position (a.k.a. Moon Chases Comet) - Cross your eyes. This is the moment you've been training for, which means this is the moment your eye crossing training pays off. Go ahead and cross your eyes. Feel free to use a guide, like a pen held out in front of you. Once crossed, hold this position for a few seconds.
- This technique is a great way to train better precision control in your eyes. However, it may tire your eyes quickly. Take frequent breaks to prevent strain.[6]
- Lure one eye away with a finger. Keep your eyes crossed. Now, position the pointer finger of your same-side hand in front of an eye. Without moving the opposite-side eye, focus on the finger with the same-side eye. Slowly move the finger off to the side, following it with the same-side eye.[7]
- It may help if you position the finger so only the same-side crossed eye can see it. Try positioning the finger in front of the same-side eye and slightly farther off to the side.[8]
- Return to the crossed position and repeat. Just because you won the battle doesn't mean you've won the war. You did great, but now that you've got the hang of it, press your advantage. Reverse the luring motion to return the same-side eye to the crossed position.
- To ingrain this sensation and motion in your mind, you may want to repeat this motion with one eye before trying it on the opposite-side eye.[9]
- Practice to master this skill. The more you perform this exercise, the easier it will become. Try it with each eye. Alternate back and forth. Try to move eyes independently without a lure. It may help, when first attempting without the lure, to imagine that it's there.[10]
EditSources and Citations
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