Category Archives: Health

Health

The Pandemic’s Impact on Early Education

I doubt there is anyone that did not suffer from the horrible effects and impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Several parents from California did not want to return to learning remotely. But either way, they still did it. They had high hopes of getting back to campus at various points during the school year. 

But for young ones that were just starting school for the first time, the choice to commit to learning through remote means was quite difficult. 

Looking at the horrible rigors these beautiful young kids had to suffer from learning through the distance, lots of kindergarten parents have decided to keep their kids in preschool. This is a familiar and safe option that has allowed and let young kids enjoy the personal development that is needed by them. Affluent parents could have opted to send their kids to private schools. Most times, these have smaller class sizes and very big campuses. This makes the in-person lectures and all quite safer. Families that gain low or poor income could have forgotten about schooling because trust me, that mad pandemic was stressful. 

All through the advocates of early childhood, these all warn that some kids could struggle seriously when it is time for them to enter the first fall grade. 

For young kids, their first year is extremely essential. The learning they need to go through is one of the most important parts that would affect them all through their academic lives. From this age, the brains of these kids are burning with fire. A year of development at this age for us adults is like ten years. The reason is that when one becomes an adult, there are lots of things that serve as distractions which would reduce the rate at which we learn new things and develop. But as very young children, whatever we see, whatever we learn around us, we immediately pick it up and grow. As fast as possible. 

Now think about the horrible impact and effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on young kids trying to begin school for the first time. I even have the first-hand experience over this particular issue. Let me break it down.

What happened to my Baby Brother as a result of the COVID Pandemic 

My brother was just starting school. It was around his second year after kindergarten. Unlike us, in the house, he did not start talking early. He became five in January and till now he doesn’t talk as well as kids his age. We contribute to him not talking but the pandemic is to blame too. This is because if not for the pandemic, he would have mixed and merged with his friends properly, and before one knew it, he’s talking would have advanced and he would have been speaking English properly at this point. But because he was home all through 2020, he missed out on very important parts of his academic life. With time, he would catch up for sure. 

Family, Health

Landscaping Ideas for Your Home

During the process of acquiring your land, you might be blessed with a lot of trees, but not all of them would be useful for your home decoration. The process of getting your tree removed or pruned requires a big event. First, you would need to know the situation of the tree stump compared to before, then you would notice some wood chips around it. When removing a tree, there would be a lot of packing of woods. When a tree is cut down and you begin to pack them, they would run through a wood chipper which would later turn to wood chips.

A similar situation happens with a tree stumper which grinds the tree into smaller pieces. The use of wood chippers has proven to be convenient and reduces the cost of tree removal, pruning, or even stump grinding. In the process of grinding and chipping, you would still be left with what to do with the wood chips. 

Use wood chips as Mulch

The best idea in using wood chips is by applying them as organic mulch which would help in some of your plants or around some of your trees with a PTO wood chipper. With the proper application mulches can be used to reduce the growth of the weed, sustain water to the soil and maintain the soil temperature, as the mulch becomes thinner you would need to replenish it. 

Other creative things to do with wood chips

There are several creative things that you can do with wood chips other than using them as a mulch.

  • Play area: You can use the wood chips as a play area for your children, the use of these wood chips would prevent soil compaction. 
  • Apply to trees with pots: you can apply wood chips to any form of open soil or even potting soil. 
  • Informal path: wood chips can be used to prevent your soil from erosion or even compaction. 
  • Sheet Mulching: whenever you have a plan to convert your lawn area to a planting bed, you can cover some area of your lawn with cardboard and then cover the area with wood chips that would kill the grass beneath it and compost it. Whenever you decide to plant you can use a rake to pack the compost, then dig up a hole to plant whatever you want to plant. 

Landscaping ideas after tree removal

There are several reasons why trees are removed, there are some trees that how old and die, some get infested and some become an unnecessary nuisance. Sometimes trees might be a disturbance especially with buildings around, this would require you to remove the trees. The amazing news is that there is a couple of landscaping idea that can be used after a tree has been removed. 

Planting of grass

Before you begin to plant grasses you would need to make sure the soil ph level is balanced so that the plants would be healthy. After a tree has been removed the wood chips and roots would prevent plants from growing. You can remove the wood chips and then add some layer of nitrogen fertilizers, and some layer of compost, and topsoil, you can repeat the process. 

Building a stone path or water feature

This isn’t a project that you can do yourself, so you would need to consult a landscaping company to help use a stump location and convert it to a masterpiece. By building such a grand feature it would only cost you some money, because if it is done wrong then you would get to spend more and also have an unpleasant appearance.

Health

Healthiest Cereals with Whole Grains for Kids

The ingredients you need to be in the cereals for your kids needs to include a lot of Protein and Fiber.

Why do my kids Need Protein and Fiber?

They need these two because it is wonderful for the health of the digestive system of your kids. It also reduces the speed at which blood sugar increases. This also helps them remain full until they get their next meal. But there are lots of other different sources like milk too 

The kids used in testing these cereals were extremely happy. Who doesn’t want to be a kid that’s there to taste cereals?

List of Healthiest Cereals with Whole Grains for Kids 

Three Cinnamon Cereal Wishes 

This company has the focus of creating different twists on simple nice cereals. This is a new addition to the scene for cereals. These cereals have a higher amount of protein. It has a pack with 8g for a single serving. It has fiber too. It has a lot amount of sugar, unlike the other normal cereals. 

This cereal is loved by fans and it is the dream of a lot of different sufferers of allergies. It doesn’t have gluten, no soy, no dairy, no GMO, and no nuts. It has benefits to your health because of its reaction to blood sugar. 

A lot of people enjoy this cereal because it is crunchy. Some parents have stated that this is too strong for their kids but it would be a wonderful cereal for toddlers. Especially those that have issues chewing. 

Nature’s Organic Path Heritage Flakes 

This is a very nice flaky delicious cereal. It has an epic nutritional profile. It has just five grams of sugar per serving. Then five grams of protein and seven grams of fiber. It has whole grains including quinoa, oats, millet, barley, spelled too. All these ingredients are organic and some parents have stated that their kids enjoy this cereal. So this is one of the winners we’ve for today.

This is necessary for kids and parents that are health conscious too. Some parents have stated that their local grocery store doesn’t have this brand. You can purchase this from the internet. All you need to do is search for the name online especially as search engines and you would be able to purchase this. 

Organic Cascadia Coconut Cashew Granola 

This is known to be filled with Whole Grains and a lot of sugar and but there’s a Coconut Cashew type which doesn’t have this amount of sugar. It has no added sugar. It only has 8 grams of sugar like those from dates. This makes this cereal extremely healthy and nutritious. Your kids can consume this cereal especially when they are in a hurry to get to school or when they need to do things fast. It is also a great cereal to consume when you need to be active as soon as possible. This is an apt cereal when you think about it.

Blog, Family, Health

How To Succeed At Dieting During The Holidays

The amount of food that’s always available during the holiday makes dieting during this period a Herculean task. This is because the members of your family are most likely going to be present to add pressure and have you consume more food than you would have wanted.

In some cases, the person involved may lack self-discipline hence they crave/need to take in every available substance that’s at their disposal. That’s often because the favorite meals and snacks are always in abundance. In this article, we shall discuss the several steps that you can take at dieting during the holidays.

How Can I Diet Successfully During the Holiday

1.  Give Yourself Prompt Reminders

One of the ways that you can do it for yourself is to always give slight reminders to yourself when you feel like you’re slipping. To do this, you have to let yourself understand why you started the dieting procedures. Also, know that you shouldn’t consume everything that you see. Even if you do, ensure to take them in smaller quantities remember you need to lose some weight and keep fit.

2. Do Not Stay Hungry For Long

Allowing yourself to stay hungry for long means that you should get ready to go against the dieting plan that you’ve set for yourself. So what do you do? Eat your ideal food at home before showing up at ceremonies. The foods that you lay focus on should be able to help you control your appetite. These include consuming more high fiber meals, healthy fats, and lean protein. Also, stay away from sugary foods, and drink lots of water. Instead of sugar, try natural sweeteners like Better Stevia Organic Powder by NOW Foods.

3. Bring Your Appetizer

Appetizers are “easy-to-carry” options that one can rely on before big meals. You should opt for an appetizer or dessert that’s able to provide your body system with lots of needed nutrients. Tagging a desert along helps you to have control of the rate at which you consume other meals. You can ensure this by getting yourself ready beforehand. Assemble all the things you may need during this time, for example snacks, nuts, and protein bars – they are all forms of healthy appetizers.

4. Opt For Fruits And Vegetables

The importance of fruits and vegetables during dieting cannot be underestimated. Ensure you get enough of them, as they help to improve the level of nutrients in your body system. They have low calories, high fiber, and essential nutrients. This means there won’t be any room to add unhealthy body fats. Fruit salads, carrots, vegetable salads, and more are the means through which you can get this nutrition.

5. Ask For Encouragement

Your family should be a source of support during this time. Let them understand your goals and ask that they serve as a reminder at all times, as well as their maximum support.

Do not allow the holiday stress to sweep you off your feet. Have your body goals in mind and ensure to stay on track.

Cheers!

Health

The Latest News on Coronavirus and Higher Education

Coronavirus is a big blow to the world because it affects every part of humanity. How it diverged from China at the speed of light to every aspect of the world was record-breaking compared to other pandemics that have hit the world before it. It affected the economy of countries, considerably reduced social interactions, and slowed down educational systems. The pandemic disrupts higher education learning across the country, with most institutions canceling in-person classes and moving to online tutorials.

Apart from canceling classes within campuses, the coronavirus has also disrupted the admission process of colleges and universities and also altered the academic calendar of higher institutions. This may lead to the loss of an academic year as the pandemic ravages the world.

Challenges and Solutions

Online-Only Instruction

A school is a place where many students gather to receive formal instruction. The Coronavirus is highly transmissible, and a school is a place not just for learning but also for social contact. If in-person classes are held, it will increase the speed at which the virus would be spread within the school, which could be fatal. To avoid transmission among students, legislators have become preemptive of the situation by introducing online-only instructions. This will curb transmission and also protect the lives of students.

Even though solutions for continuous learning during the Coronavirus pandemic have been proffered, many students could not get access to the online classes, which means many students will be left out. Aside from that, another complication and drawback to online learning are the issues that could arise with network connections.

In-Person Instruction with Strict Guidelines

Because of the coronavirus, colleges and universities have been shut down. Plans to reopen have been considered, but for in-person instruction to occur within colleges and universities, health guidelines must be put in place to curb transmission.

Following the guidelines set by health institutions and WHO, many colleges and universities are preparing for in-person lectures with sufficient social distancing within the classes and campuses and with other health guidelines like wearing face masks and washing hands under running water for at least 20 seconds. Despite these guidelines, there are fears that these guidelines will not be followed effectively, which will further increase the transmission of the virus.

Financial Challenge

Many institutions have economic challenges, especially schools that are run by government allocation. Fumigation and decontamination is a prerequisite for the reopening of colleges and universities. With the teaching staff association of universities agitating and breathing threats to go on strike if the government doesn’t meet their demands, the government is saddled with a more difficult responsibility of providing the funds required to carry out all the necessary Coronavirus observations.

The fact that there’s no known cure for the Coronavirus yet is a challenge that must not be taken for granted. If schools must resume, then they’d best be done online because the chances that the rules and regulations will be followed is very low.

Health

Most Popular Vegetarian Recipe for Vegetarians at Thanksgiving

As a vegetarian who’s always attending gatherings and thanksgivings alike, you would notice that the meal plans are made with or always revolving around the turkey. As a vegetarian, this can be a hard nut to crack. Questions such as, “What am I to eat now?” and the likes start hover in your mind.

Generally, vegetarians have meals which are suitable for consumption, but, the thing is, not everyone knows what they are or how they can be prepared. Hence, we see the neglect at Thanksgivings. I guess all that is about to change now because in this article, we shall take you through the most popular vegetarian recipes for vegetarians at Thanksgiving.

1. Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are always roasted to a crispy point. Looking at it from the outside, you’d get worried and probably think that they are burnt. The point is that no, they aren’t. On the inside, Brussels sprouts tend to come off as delicious, and that isn’t bad news entirely. If you want to get the best out of this meal, you have to opt for dipping them inside a date molasses. These dates often possess a thick consistency and a very sweet taste.

2. Fancy Cranberry Sauce

Everyone wants a sauce that will be in slices and is fun to get out of a can. This sauce is going to possess a fruit-like flavor. The Fancy Cranberry Sauce is to be spiced with cardamom and bay leaves. You can dip this sauce in gelatin. This is one of the most enjoyable meals in every gathering, especially if it’s a family thanksgiving

3. Mashed Potatoes

A lot of vegetarians that I have met in the past would agree on how they love to eat mashed potatoes so much. When crispy crunchies are added, a vegetarian would be able to enjoy this meal to the maximum!  Also, roasting the mashed potatoes will help the flavor to settle.

4. Glazed Leeks

One thing about glazed leaks is that when made with Pine Nut Salsa, they tend to turn into something that you never imagined. When cooking, you have to pay close attention and only bring it down when it’s tender. You should ensure that the leeks are served when warm. However, you can cook it ahead of time and have it kept at room temperature.

5. Coconut Creamed Greens

You may get skeptical when it comes to creamed greens, but as soon as it has to do with creamed greens made with coconut, you can never go wrong. For a tasty coconut creamed green, ensure that you pair it with a hot chile, coconut milk, and spices. This helps to give the meal a pleasurable bittersweet taste that you would love as a vegetarian.

This list comprises some of the most popular vegetarian recipes for vegetarians at Thanksgiving. We hope you found this helpful.

Cheers!

Health

Advice for College Students Studying Abroad During the Coronavirus Crisis

The advent of Covid-19 brought about lots of changes to our individual lives. In the middle of the frights and scares that the pandemic brought, colleges became a place that’s hardly recognizable. This is owing to the fact that so many campuses are currently closed which has made it necessary to move the teachings/lessons online. As such, international students have to go through the hurdles of fitting into the required time zone alongside poor connections that accompanied the network.

Pending when colleges will finally make a decision to reopen, many colleges are currently implementing all measures to ensure that the international students gain maximum support. If you’re an international student, here are some tips that will help you to successfully scale through this period.

1. Maintain a Steady Communication

Ever since the pandemic, there’s been maximum panic in the mind of everyone; this is enough for international students to lose focus. If you are an international student, you may be feeling distressed. At this point, you should consider speaking to your college counselors about how you feel and have them relieve you of the mental stress.

2. Keep your Spendings in Check

Most times if not all the time, students who study abroad always have to spend more on college tuition fees. That is why they always need to depend on scholarships, loans, and other funding. There are other times when they have to apply for jobs and work as a part-timer.

Bearing this in mind, an international student is supposed to minimize the way he/she spends money on certain things. Try not to get entangled with friends that won’t help you implement this step.

3. Travel with Caution

As some states are beginning to allow international travel, students overseas are slowly planning their travel. If you are one of such students, this is the exact time to apply caution before, while, and after traveling. Re-read the Covid-19 rules, and ensure that you implement them. Also supplements such as Pure Encapsulations Buffered Ascorbic Acid is a perfect option for the protection of the immune system.

4. Be Focused

While colleges have quickly switched to virtual learning, this can be confusing at first, especially as an international student. When this happens with your college, you have to learn to hang in and stay focused at all times as too much worry can cause you to go below the required grades.

5. Stay Safe

The most important part of the whole COVID 19 crisis is that individuals should try to stay safe. Aside from adherence and carrying out the pandemic safety rules, you need to seek good housing that will accommodate you safely. For this, you have to consult with your college authorities or rent a private apartment.

Studying Abroad as an international student can be quite expensive, but with a little research on your part, you can find many helpful tips.

If you are a student in an international context, your health should become a priority at all times. This article shows how you can effectively do it, and you also can find a dietary supplement that will help strengthen your immune system here.

Family, Health

What to Know about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

There are 1,001-plus reasons why a baby could unexpectedly die. It’s something no parent ever wants to face. Some of these causes could be from natural illnesses or accidents. However, when a baby dies for no reason during sleep, it calls for really urgent attention. Imagine putting a seemingly healthy baby to sleep, only to come back and find out that the baby cannot wake up. The shock alone can throw you into a coma.

In this article, we will have an in-depth look at what Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is and how to prevent it.. Let’s take a look at a clear explanation of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

What is SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is an unexplainable loss of a newborn child. This type of death usually occurs during sleep and is sometimes referred to as crib death or crib syndrome, because the baby is found dead in the crib while sleeping.

There is no known cause of SIDS yet, but there are speculations that it could be due to some defects in an area of the baby’s brain. This assumption has not been proven, but it is the only relatable cause for the meantime.

Doctors and researchers have advised that to curb this horror, parents need to take some precautions when handling the baby. One of the most important precautions to take is to have babies lay on their backs to sleep. This advice isn’t only for SIDS; it is age-old advice that parents must obey for the well-being of their babies.

What Causes SIDS?

As mentioned earlier, there are no known causes of SIDS; however, the following factors can increase a baby’s vulnerability to the condition.

Age

Babies between the ages of one month and four months are more likely to develop SIDS.

Brain defects

It has not been proven to be accurate but researchers believe that a defect in a portion of the brain could be responsible for the syndrome.

Genetics and More

Unexplainably, these things that can make a baby more prone to SIDS:

●               Respiratory infection

●               Low birth weight

●               Sleeping on the stomach

●               Too much heat

●               Sharing cribs

●               Premature birth

●               Living with smokers

●               Heredity/bad genes

These are some of the things that can make your baby vulnerable to SIDS.

What is National SIDS Awareness Month?

National SIDS Awareness Month is a yearly observation concerning SIDS. It is held every October. During this month, young mothers would be advised on how to properly attend to their babies to avert situations that will lead to sudden and unexplainable death of the baby.

To share your experience or advice to new mothers, you can use the hashtag #SIDSAwarenessMonth when posting on social media. That way, you could be reaching out to thousands, if not millions, of young mothers.

Health

What Items are Still Hard to Find at the Grocery Store?

Have you ever gone to a grocery store and you just realized that some items are constantly unavailable? It just feels like the management or owner of the store doesn’t even think of adding those items. When you visit another grocery store, you still won’t find those same items, and it seems like they’ve all had a meeting and decided to never sell those items. That’s not the case, of course. It’s really all about supply and demand.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the items you’ll never find at the grocery store. Maybe in a few years later, you’ll begin to see some of these items more often in stock, but as it stands now, many of these items cannot be found unless you visit some really big supermarkets.

Items Hard to Find at the Grocery Store

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of grocery stores have sold out most of their stock, and as a result of the huge economic and financial setbacks, it has been difficult to restock. Most of these shop owners are only looking to stock their stores with items that they believe are the most important for survival.

If you’re thinking of preparing a special kind of recipe, you would have to visit a special kind of grocery store, because you’ll most definitely not find it in the small grocery store on your street.

Below are some of the items you’ll need to conduct a really thorough search to find. There’s a pretty high chance that you’ll not find what you’re looking for.

Meat

Okay, maybe you’ll find meat at the grocery store, but are you going to find the meat that you want? Some recipes you buy in a premade box may come with the type of meat you’re supposed to use in order for the meal to taste exactly how you want. However, fresh is best!

You may want pork meat, but the store owner thinks cow meat sells the most and stocks the store with only cow meat. That’s not helpful for people who don’t eat cows, or for people with strict dietary needs or who want to use certain recipes. If you can’t find what you’re looking for at your local grocery store, you may want to check out a meat subscription service.

Garlic

On a scale of 1 to 100, how many people actually use garlic in their meals? This is probably what the store owner asked the shopkeeper, and I’m sure you can guess what the answer would be. The store owner wants to keep the company’s finances stable, hence, the need to stock the store with items that can be bought immediately.

Paper Towels and Toilet Paper

You’ll almost not find these in every small grocery store. The need to have them in the store is very low and probably the same with the demand for it, especially considering the fact that it wasn’t in such high demand even when things were normal. Luckily, you can stock up on paper goods at big box stores like Sam’s Club, Costco, or online from various vendors.

Eggs

Just like with meat, you’ll have to stick with anything you’re given. You’re not allowed to make choices, because there’s hardly variety to choose from. The sizes are usually the same, so you’ll also mostly get chicken eggs, which may not be the exact thing you want.

These are just some of the items that are still hard to find at the grocery store. Stock up wisely, especially as the second wave of the coronavirus expands.

Health

How to Relax with ADHD

Relaxation is of paramount importance to every living being on earth; for people with ADHD, it is twice as important. Getting your mind to focus and concentrate on what you want to and not randomly wander off without control is a product of a relaxed mind.

ADHD is closely related to other mental issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression, which can be entirely curbed if you relax your mind well enough and take some essential oils. In this article, we’re going to look at some ways that you can relax your mind even if you have ADHD.

Stop exercising for a while

You would need to take a break from exercising. Generally, breaks help us relax. Taking a break from work, school, social gatherings, and other activities that may require you to put in a reasonable amount of thinking and mental work will help your body stay calm and healthy.

Exercises are stressful whether your fitness instructor admits to it or not. Stress helps you to burn fat and stay fit, and that’s why exercising is usually recommended. However, for people with ADHD, taking a break from exercising would do you more good than harm. As a matter of fact, if you’re eating correctly, you won’t need to work out for a long time. Ensure that you’re keeping yourself engaged in some other fun activities while doing this to help get your mind off exercising.

Practice journaling

Write down your thoughts, your feelings, your desires, your dreams. Just write down anything that you love or make you feel better in a journal. If you are an art lover, you can paint the fascinating ideas in your head. Who says you have to be Leonardo Davinci to create beautiful art? After all, it’s your perception that matters. If you love to write songs, you can attempt that as well. It will help you focus better.

Meditate

Meditation is a popularly known relaxation tool. You don’t even need to be an old Japanese monk or an award-winning yoga trainer. Meditation is an age-old activity that has several other benefits to your mind and body.

Meditation gives you some free time to yourself and keeps you far from activities that drain your energy. It keeps you from stressful activities. The best way to relax appropriately with meditation is to find a calm and safe spot, sit down comfortably, play some of the most peaceful songs possible (if you think music can help keep your mind from wandering), and keep your mind clean and free. To help you focus better, think of only one thing.

Breathe deeply

It’s natural for this one to come just after meditation. Breathing deeply during meditation is taking relaxation to another level. Breathe deeply, calm your nerves, stay away from too many activities, and find solace in the things that help you stay calm.

You can use essential oils by Plant Therapy or NOW Foods. Don’t worry about things that don’t matter. Stay away from people that disturb you and your peace of mind. Relaxing with ADHD will no longer be an issue once you master the techniques mentioned above.