Parenting Tips of Adults

parenting tipsof adults

Parenting Tips of Adults

Being physically active is important for your health. Adults who are physically active are less likely to develop some chronic diseases than adults who are inactive. Physical activity is any form of exercise or movement of the body that uses energy. People of all ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities can benefit from a physically active lifestyle.

In this blog Parenting Tips of adults are given in detail which all should adhere to for a healthy life.

Always consult your doctor or health care professional before beginning any exercise or diet program. The general information provided on this website is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your health care professional’s advice.

There are lots of ways for you to move more without having to take out an expensive gym membership. You can start by incorporating some of the simple below tips into your daily routine – we’re confident you will see a difference in no time! And speaking of time, if that’s something you don’t have much of, there are lots of things you can do in just regular 10-minute bursts.

  1. Start activities slowly and build up over time. If you are just starting physical activity, build up slowly. This will help to prevent injury. After a few weeks, increase how often and how long you are active.
  2. Get your heart pumping. For health benefits, do at least 2½ hours ( 30 minutes five times weekly ) each week of physical activity that requires moderate effort. A few examples include brisk walking, biking, swimming, and skating. Spread activities over the week, but do them at least 10 minutes at a time.
  3. Strength-train for healthy muscles and bones. Do strengthening activities twice a week. Activities that build strength include lifting weights, doing push-ups and sit-ups, working with resistance bands, or heavy gardening.
  4. Make active choices throughout the day. Every little bit of activity can add up and doing something is better than nothing. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a 10-minute walk on your lunch break, or park further away from work and walk.
  5. Be active your way. Mix it up — there are endless ways to be active. They include walking, biking, Yoga, Zumba, dancing, martial arts, Squash, gardening, and playing ball. Try out different activities to see what you like best and to add variety.
  6. Use the buddy system. Activities with friends or family are more enjoyable than doing them alone. Join a walking group, attend fitness classes at a gym, or play with the kids outside. Build a support network — your buddies will encourage you to keep being active.
  7. Set goals and track your progress. Plan your physical activity ahead of time and keep records. It’s a great way to meet your goals. Track your physical activities with a mobile app. Record what you enjoyed so you can build a plan that is right for you.
  8. Add on to your active time. Once you get used to regular physical activity, try to increase your weekly active time. The more time you spend being physically active, the more health benefits you will receive.
  9. Increase your effort. Add more intense activities once you have been moderately active for a while. You can do this by turning a brisk walk into jogging, swimming or biking faster, playing soccer, and participating in aerobic dance.
  10. Have fun! Physical activity shouldn’t be a chore. It can help you feel better about yourself and the way you live your life. Choose activities that you enjoy and that fit your lifestyle.
  11. Laugh a Lot. Unless we’re being held down and tickled, laughing happens when we’re happy or in a good mood. It instantaneously reduces stress levels, boosts endorphins, elevates mood, improves our immune system, and even burns calories! It has also been proven to increase our emotional positivity and a general sense of well being continuing well after the laughter has subsided.
  12. Release those Endorphins. Endorphins are proteins, originating from the brain and are responsible for elevating your mood, reducing pain, improve immune system functioning, and can sometimes create a  euphoric, opiate-like effect.  Take sex, for instance, the intense feelings you experience during sex are courtesy of your endorphins being released…and these same endorphins are released again during exercise and also eating chocolate.

Living healthy for young adults these days isn’t as easy as it used to be.  As our friends are becoming more computerized avatars than human beings that we see or touch, as our seas are becoming more and more contaminated, our soil becoming less and less fertile and as spending time with our cellphones and tablets has taken the place of spending time being active, many are becoming more sedentary and our food choices are becoming more lackadaisical than ever before.  Here are some tips on how to stay healthy in this new, advanced era we are in today…

Tips for reducing Sedentary work

  • Get up to change the channel on the TV instead of using the remote.
  • When tidying up, put things away in multiple small trips rather than one big haul.
  • Preset the timer on your TV to turn off after an hour to remind you to get up and move more. Walk around when talking on your mobile phone.
  • Stand up and move during your favorite TV shows.
  • Instead of sitting and reading, listen to recorded books while you walk, clean, or work in the garden.
  • Stand on public transport and get off one stop earlier than your destination.
  • Fast Occasionally since it stimulates cell turnover and rejuvenation. It also improves neurological function, working against age-related dysfunction and can act to ‘reset’ brains hungry and full signals, helping you avoid over-eating.

If you work in an office

  • Take your lunch break outside or in another location instead of sitting and eating at your desk.
  • Stand while you read at work.
  • Move your rubbish bin away from your desk so you have to get up to use it.
  • Use the speakerphone for conference calls, and walk around the room during the conference.
  • Ask your boss for a ‘walk and talk’ meeting rather than a sit-down meeting.

Active and Safe

  • If you are new to physical activity, have a health problem, or are concerned about the safety of being (more) active, speak with your doctor or health professional about the most suitable activities for you.
  • Protect yourself from the sun – you should wear sun-protective clothing, including a hat, and apply sunscreen regularly.

 Tips for parents of adults :

Once your child reaches young adulthood, they will want to exercise their independence and make some important decisions on their own. Letting go can be hard to do, but your child still needs to know that you’re there for them and can be relied upon for love and support.

When you think of adult health, you might think about various ways to stay healthy, such as cancer prevention, vaccines, and hand-washing. Good for you! The choices you make every day go a long way toward promoting adult health. And of course, regular physical exams and adult health screening tests are an important part of preventive adult health care. Know which screening tests you need and how often to have them done. Early detection can be the key to successful treatment.

Well-care visits. Encourage them to get a health-care visit once a year. This is a chance for them to talk to their health care team about their questions or health concerns, and make sure they are up to date on immunizations and tests.

On-line services. Remind them that they can manage their health care on-line. Starting at age 18, young adults can access on-line services.

Confidentiality. Remember that everything your young adult discusses with their health care team is private — including stress, depression, sex, birth control, and drug or alcohol issues.

Avoid Tobacco products. Not only can tobacco kill them, but it’s also expensive, it stains their teeth, and makes them smell bad. They need to take help for quitting.

Avoid Alcohol and Drugs. Using alcohol or drugs puts their life and health at risk. If they’d like to talk with someone about alcohol or drug use problems, they can make a confidential appointment.

Healthy relationships. Healthy relationships with family, friends, and other loved ones can be a great source of support, comfort, and love. Still, healthy relationships don’t necessarily happen by themselves. Often, healthy relationships require compromise and forgiveness. Sometimes, honest communication is all it takes to weather relationship crises and maintain healthy relationships.

Sleep. It can be tough to get a good night’s sleep. Work, household responsibilities. To improve your sleep, consider simple self-care tips — such as sticking to a sleep schedule and relaxing before bed.  Over-the-counter sleep aids can be effective for an occasional sleepless night, but they’re not meant for long-term use.

Eye care: Do you include eye care in your overall health care? If you’re seeing clearly, it’s easy to overlook routine eye care — but it’s still important. Regular eye exams can give your eye care specialist a chance to help you correct or adapt to vision changes, as well as to detect eye problems at the earliest stage.

Skincare: Proactive skin care can help keep your skin youthful and healthy. Start with skincare rule No. 1 — protect yourself from the sun. When you’re outdoors, wear protective clothing and use generous amounts of sunscreen. Then consider other skincare basics, such as avoiding strong soaps and managing stress. Whatever your skincare needs, count on reliable information to help your skin look its best.

Dental care. Regular dental care is an important part of oral health. Having healthy teeth and gums isn’t a given, though. Brush up on daily dental care tips, and know which signs and symptoms deserve a dentist’s attention. Dental care counts.

Mental Health. The line between normal and abnormal mental health is often blurred. Often, anger management is a key aspect of mental health. Expressed appropriately, anger can be healthy. In fact, anger itself isn’t the problem — it’s how you handle it. Mental health also includes issues such as self-esteem, relationships, and resilience.

In case if you find any one of the following signs take him/her to Doctor immediately:-

Signs of depression :  

  • Crying a lot or seeming hopeless or sad
  • Lack of energy and interest in friends or hobbies
  • Changes in sleeping or eating habits
  • Irritability or anger
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Low self-esteem
  • Loss of interest in sex
  • Regular complaints of headaches or stomachaches
  • Talking about hurting or killing themselves
  • Problems getting along with others: disruptive behavior at home, work
  • Recurring unpleasant thoughts

Being depressed can make you feel helpless. You’re not. Along with therapy and sometimes medication, there’s a lot you can do on your own to fight back. Changing your behavior — your physical activity, lifestyle, and even your way of thinking — are all natural depression treatments.

There is a range of ways to deal with depression, and often they are best used in conjunction with each other. The primary medical options are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), antidepressant medication, and in some severe cases, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). Education and coping strategies are also important when learning to manage your depression.

If you’ve taken self-help steps and made positive lifestyle changes and still find your depression getting worse, seek professional help. Needing additional help doesn’t mean you’re weak. Sometimes the negative thinking in depression can make you feel like you’re a lost cause, but depression can be treated and you can feel better!

Tips for training effectively : 

  1. Respect their experience
  2. Tell me and I ‘ll (just) listen
  3. Make it relevant
  4. Know the information yourself
  5. Pack a Punch
  6. Learn actively
  7. Ask to do some mind exercises
  8. Let them be pleased with their achievements
  9. Avoid high-risk sexual behavior
  10. Advice early if they feel depressed
  11. Avoid rewarding unhealthy food
  12. Ask to practice a random act of kindness
  13. Appreciate for their achievements
  14. Set a daily routine for them
  15. Solve their problems
  16. Allow choosing activity what they enjoy
  17. Plan some indulgences
  18. Avoid fad diets

MAKE YOUR MOVE – SIT LESS – BE ACTIVE FOR LIFE !!

Don’t rescue your child from a challenge. Teach them how to face it.

The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice

Don’t handicap your children by making their lives easy

Be who you needed when you were younger

A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for  anyone

Remember “It is easier to build up a child  than it is to repair an adult”

Teens Health-Related precautions

teens health related precautions

Teens Health-Related Precautions

Today’s blog will throw light on teens’ health-related precautions since it’s very important for today’s teens.

The teen years are a time of growth that involves experimentation and risk-taking. For some teens, the social pressures of trying to fit in can be too much. These years can be even more troubling for teens who are confronted with teenage substance abuse, violence, bullying, delinquency, suicide, depression, unintentional injuries, pregnancy, and school failure. Parents often walk a tightrope between allowing their teenagers to gain some independence and helping them to deal with their feelings during this difficult and challenging time in their lives.

Teenagers recognize that they are developmentally between childhood and adulthood. Emerging cognitive abilities and social experiences lead teens to question adult values and experiment with health risk behaviors. Some behaviors threaten current health, while other behaviors may have long-term health consequences. The changes in cognitive abilities offer an opportunity to help teenagers develop attitudes and lifestyles that can enhance their health and well-being. Teen disease prevention includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, preventing injuries, and screening annually for potential health conditions that could adversely affect teenage health.

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     Annual checkups for teenagers provide an opportunity for the following:

  • Promote healthy lifestyle choices that include nutrition and exercise. Many teens maintain a diet high in saturated fats and low in complex carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) and milk and other dairy products. Adolescents should have at least 60 minutes of vigorous exercise per day. Unfortunately, many teens experience less than this goal per week while utilizing social media (Internet, text messaging, Facebook, etc.) for greater than three hours per day.
  • Screen sexually active teenagers for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV. Many young people engage in sexual risk behaviors that can result in unintended health outcomes.
  • Assess whether a teen has an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or obesity. This assessment is reached by determining weight and stature and asking about body image and dieting patterns. The obesity epidemic is real since children between 2 to 19 years of age are overweight. This value has tripled since 1980. The flip side of this issue is the prevalence of eating disorders. More than one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives.
  • Discover if a teenager is experiencing emotional problems such as depression or anxiety. Several studies have determined that 3%-5% of teens will experience a bout of clinical depression. Warning signs include

(1) Low interest in pleasurable activities,

(2) Change in appetite — weight loss or weight gain,

(3) Insomnia or hyper-insomnia,

(4) Fatigue/loss of energy,

(5) A decrease in concentration skills which may be reflected academically, and

(6) Thoughts of death, suicide ideation, and/or attempts.

Ask a teenager if they have a history of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, as well as bullying. Bullying is one of the biggest challenges that teens are facing. Unfortunately, many teens are forced to deal with bullying while their parents and teachers are unaware of the specific nature and severity of the problem in their school. However, progressively more frequent cases of “cyberbullying” using social media are replacing the overt verbal threat and/or physical assault that is the more traditional experience in past years.

  • Discuss the health risks of smoking, alcohol abuse, and other drug abuse (including anabolic steroids). Teens smoke cigarettes with the huge majority are aware of the immediate and long-term associated health risks.
  • Ask teens about learning or school problems to determine if they need special counseling.
  • Screen teenagers who have a history of absences or declining school performance for dyslexia, learning disabilities, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
  • Identify signs and symptoms of a disease, illness, and health conditions. Most studies indicate that the majority of teens suffer from sleep deprivation. Specialists recommend the average teen requires eight hours of quality sleep per night. Many teen sleep patterns are disrupted by chronic and excessive caffeine (sodas, coffee, “energy drinks”). Couple this behavior with difficulty turning off electronic lifelines (cell phones and computers) and it is easy to understand that the first two hours of the high school day are often filled with “zoned out” pupils.
  • Screen for high blood pressure. Unlike adults who commonly have “primary” or “essential” hypertension, children and teens suffering from high blood pressure need a vigorous evaluation in an attempt to locate a primary cause.
  • Test teenager’s cholesterol level if their parents have a serum cholesterol level greater than 180 mg/dl. Study indicates that 14% of normal weight teens and 43% of overweight teens have elevated cholesterol levels.
  • Screen teenagers who have multiple risk factors for future cardiovascular disease (for example, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, excessive consumption of dietary saturated fats and cholesterol) for total serum cholesterol level.
  • Assess health risk factors for overweight teenagers to determine their risk for future cardiovascular disease.

Image result for images of health related pressure

Pressure Pressure 

While talking to any teen, one word that repeatedly comes up in the conversation is “pressure”. It could be pressure to do well in studies, the pressure to get into a good college, the pressure to dress appropriately, the pressure to fit into a group so on and so forth.

It’s little wonder that teens are grappling with a myriad of problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicide, and more – all of which arise due to their inability to handle such pressure.

Simply put, the pressure is the perceived force that pushes a teenager to act in a certain way, sometimes against his or her wishes. In most cases, this pressure comes from external factors and entities such as parents, society, the education system, and friends.

Teens have the following types of Pressures which can have an adverse effect on their health :

  1. Academic Pressure
  2. The pressure to be successful
  3. The pressure to be fit
  4. The pressure to have a perfect appearance
  5. Negative peer pressure
  6. Social Pressure
  7. High parental expectation
  8. Wearing ‘the right’ clothes
  9. The pressure to engage risk-taking behaviors
  10. Trying new things which aren’t positive.
  11. Knowledge of Technology.

Signs to look for in teens feeling under pressure :

As a parent, it’s important you stay on top of your teen’s behavior to notice any of these changes. Some signs to looks for include

  1. Loss of appetite or overeating
  2. Withdrawal from activities your child used to like
  3. Statements about wanting to give up
  4. Sudden changes in behavior
  5. Low moods, tearfulness, or feelings of hopelessness
  6. Sudden change in eating and sleeping habits
  7. Reduced social behavior
  8. Spending too much time in the digital world, as this could mean social isolation
  9. Increased absenteeism in school
  10. The sudden drop in grades and performance
  11. High levels of anger, violence, and irritability
  12. Request for unusually high amounts of money
  13. Over-reaction to everyday events and conversations
  14. Feel afraid of rejection

What parents can do:-

First and foremost, keep all communication channels open with your teens. Indicate to them in no uncertain terms that you are there for them whenever they want to discuss anything good, bad, ugly. And yes, never judge them for what they confide in you.

Lower your own anxiety level: Parents are often guilty of passing on second-hand stress to their teens. Don’t have undue expectations from your kids and accept the reality that not every child can be a topper or get into the best college.

Refrain from discussing grades or levels of exam preparation all the time. It’s important to understand both for parents and teens that there is more to life than grades or achievements.

If the child feels anxious, convey the message that if one door closes, many others open. Use some positive inspiring examples to put across your point. Teach your teens to accept failure, work on other alternatives, and move on.

Talk about your own failures in life and how you dealt with them.

Have open discussions with your teens about how things seen on social media is not always real. Let them know how it’s humanely impossible to be happy or enjoying life all the time. Instagram and Facebook updates don’t always reveal the real story.

Have fun discussing how makeup and Photoshop are used to make the actresses/ models look so unrealistically beautiful and how they actually look without makeup etc.

Be a good role model. Let the emphasis be on good health (again no over obsession with good health either) than looking good.

Again be a role model in showing teens “how to self-regulate device usage”

Plan occasional family outings and encourage your teens to bring friends home. This can help your child in providing a relaxing break from the mundane daily routine.

Encourage your teens to sleep enough. No gadgets in the bedrooms is a great rule for the entire family. Good sleep can help your teens cope with the relentless pressure that they are exposed to.

Be open to taking professional help if your teen is unable to handle pressure even with the above-mentioned interventions

Suggest ways to say ‘No’ Your child might need to have some face-saving ways to say no if he’s feeling influenced to do something he doesn’t want to do

Build up your child’s sense of self-esteem This can help him/her feel more confident to make own decisions and push back on peer influence.

The above measures will help reducing pressure on your teens and at the same time prepare them to cope with whatever life throws at them.

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Almost everyone has experienced peer pressure before, either positive or negative. Peer pressure is when your classmates, or other people your age, try to get you to do something. It is so easy to give in to peer pressure because everyone wants to fit in and be liked. Especially when it seems like “everyone is doing it”. Sometimes people give in to peer pressure because they do not want to hurt someone’s feelings or they do not know how to get out of the situation so they just say “yes”.

Teens health-related precautions are :

You can break down the concept of health into different categories. These could include physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health. There are things any teen can do to stay healthy in these areas. But as a teenager, there are some things you should pay special attention to.

Physical Health –

  • Exercise regularly. Teens should be physically active at least 60 minutes of every day.
  • Keep up with vaccinations. Get a flu shot every year. If you haven’t gotten the HPV vaccine, ask your parents and doctor about it. It can prevent you from getting HPV and some kinds of cancer, including cervical cancer.
  • Don’t listen to loud music. This can damage your hearing for the rest of your life.

Mental Health – 

  • Learn ways to manage stress. You can’t avoid stress, so you need to learn how to manage it. This will help you stay calm and be able to function in stressful situations.
  • Study and do your best in school. There is a strong link between health and academic success.
  • Try to maintain a good relationship with your parents. Remember that they want what is best for you. Try to see where they are coming from when they set rules.
  • Develop a good balance between school, work, and social life.
  • Don’t try to take on too much. Limit your activities to the most important ones and give that 100 %. Overextending yourself can lead to stress, frustration, or exhaustion.

Emotional health – 

  • Pay attention to your moods and feelings. Don’t assume your negative thoughts or feelings are just part of being a teenager. If you’re worried about something, ask for help.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. If you can’t talk to your parents, talk to a favorite teacher or counselor at school. Find an adult you can trust. If you’re feeling really sad or are thinking about harming yourself, get help right away.
  • Accept yourself. If you feel like you have low self-esteem or a poor body image, talk to someone about it. Even just talking to a friend can help.
  • Know the signs of mental illness

Behavioral Health –

  • Avoid substance use or abuse. This includes alcohol, street drugs, other people’s prescription drugs, and any type of tobacco product.
  • Avoid violence. Stay away from situations where violence or fighting may cause you to be physically injured.

  Teens should plan their daily routine  as shown below 

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Health Tips for Teens-Part 3

health tips for teens part 3

Health tips for teens part 3

Among all the homework, socializing, and learning you’re doing, it’s important to keep in mind a few healthy habits to start in high school. The longer you do something, the longer it sticks, so if you want to live a healthy lifestyle you should start now. You’ll need to make a few sacrifices here and there, but when you follow these healthy habits to start in high school you’ll feel and look better. Not just now, but for the rest of your life!

Teach your teen to use their Manners

When most parents think about teaching manners, they envision telling a preschooler to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ But, good manners go far beyond those words and it’s important to make sure you’re teaching your child good manners into the teen years.

Unfortunately, in the digital age, many teens aren’t learning basic social skills, like cellphone etiquette ( No Cell Phone at the dinner table, during family time, during homework, Etc,)

And there are many manners teens often forget even though they’ve learned them in the past.

Sometimes, teens go through phases where they want to look cool and manners go out the window. At other times, they get a little sloppy and forget to be polite.

But raising a kind and caring teen who uses good manners could be very beneficial to his future. Teens with good manners will command more respect, which could help them socially and academically.

Basic Manners Teens Should Know

Sometimes, teens need a little refresher in the basic manners department. It’s easy for them to develop a few bad habits when hanging out with their peers or they may get a little lazy from time to time.

Here are some basic manners you should ensure your teen uses on a regular basis:

  1. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’
  2. Apologize when he’s done something wrong.
  3. Having healthy food
  4. Wait for his turn to speak in a conversation.
  5. Keep his hands to himself and doesn’t grab things out of people’s hands.
  6. Reading inspiring books
  7. Developing Financial IQ
  8. Say ‘excuse me’ when he needs to interrupt or if he accidentally bumps into someone
  9. Ask permission to do things
  10. Abstaining from smoking, drinking, Etc.,
  11. Write thank-you notes to people who give her gifts
  12. Make eye contact in conversations
  13. Shake hands when greeting someone new
  14. Use proper table manners when eating
  15. Refrain from texting and using social media when talking to people face-to-face
  16. Don’t answer calls when he’s in the middle of a face-to-face conversation
  17. Use appropriate language and answer questions when asked
  18. Take care of basic hygiene, including coughing into her elbow and covering her mouth when she sneezes
  19. Helping Others
  20. Drink 2 glasses of water in the morning
  21. Practice affirmations
  22. Do visualization of your goals
  23. Do some exercise, or yoga or go running
  24. Memorize an inspirational poem or an inspiring quote daily
  25. Always wear clean clothes and polished shoes
  26. Keep your desk, cupboard, and room clean and organized
  27. Sleep early in the night so that you can get up early.

In our digital world, it’s easy for teens to lose sight of basic manners. But grunting when Grandma asks a question or texting when eating a meal is rude. So it’s important to teach your teen how to communicate, interact, and respond to others in a polite and kind manner.

How to Get Teens to Use Good Manners

You can get your teen to use their manners the same way you get them to do anything else:

  • Be clear about what you expect.
  • Talk about the benefits of having good manners.
  • Give your teen consequences when necessary.

Avoid lecturing your teen or embarrassing him in public when he makes a mistake. Instead, have private conversations about his manners when you see a problem.

The exception to the rule is disrespect. If your teen is disrespectful toward you, intervene right away.

Make it clear that you won’t tolerate being treated in an unkind manner. Remove your teen’s privileges and allow him to earn them back when he behaves politely.

Give your teen opportunities to practice good manners too.

Returning an item to the store, scheduling his own appointment, or asking wait staff for another drink in a restaurant serve as chances for him to practice his skills.

You can also talk about characters on TV or in movies and how they interact with others. Discuss how manners affect people’s lives.

When your teen is about to enter a new situation,  role play. For example, before he picks up a date for the prom, talk about how to greet her parents. Or before he goes to an appointment on his own, role-play how to check-in at the desk.

When you see your teen display good manners, point it out. Acknowledge when he’s doing a good job and he’ll be more likely to keep up the good work.

Your feedback can be a critical component of your teen’s ability to learn new manners and sharpen his skills.

Teenagers are more prone to follow bad eating habits, inappropriate sleep routines, adopt bad habits, and while away time online. Such habits affect teens’ health adversely. So, you need to inculcate good habits for teenagers.

Cultures mentioned below are important to inculcate NOW :

  1. Read!! Read books to engage your brain. The more you read, the more knowledgeable you become! Varied knowledge about various fields would be on your hand. A strong recommendation from me is “Watch less, read more!”
  2. Motivate!! Motivate your peers, friends, neighbors siblings anybody who does a good job. When you do it, you without you knowing pass the optimistic vibrations in your vicinity! The smiles, happy faces, gratitude, and positive words neutralize any existing negativity around you apparently!
  3. Learn!! Learn new things each and every day. Either science, technology, stock markets, or anything of your interest. This enhances the confidence in you. The same shimmers in all your senses. Your eyes radiate the power of knowledge. You would start loving yourself. You would be liked by the learned too! Eventually, you will be contented for what you are!
  4. Note!! Note all that you note in a day in a note since noting is the better way of notifying your brain on the noticeable events of the day. Maintain a note, be smart in noting the things once assigned. Usually, the most foolish decisions of mine could be prejudging “my mind remembers it”! To be honest, NO!! My mind remembers 7 out of 10 works. Hence, Note it, accomplish it, and gain appreciation!
  5. Be alone!! Sounding peculiar? But I mean it! Stay alone, that’s when your mind thinks about something that you ardently desire to achieve. I bet, you would find the best time ever when you are alone! Your mind works clear and clever.
  6. Innovate!! Find new ways of doing the pre-existing ideas. Think new and find the alternative! It is how the Entrepreneurial world evolved. Unleash the innovator in you.
  7. Plan!! Well planned is half done! Plan before you jump! Before beginning, just answer the following three questions: 1. Why am I doing it? 2. Will I be successful in the work I take up if done this way? 3. What the results could be?. Once you get satisfactory answers to these questions, involve in the work you are about to take up!
  8. Listen!! Listening is when you would get to know more about the mindset of the opposite party. Work out in mind, the ways to win the situation and the ideas to overcome the objections. Give your talk and demonstration finally and walk off with the pride of victory.
  9. Nourish!! Nourish your mind with one good thought every day! Make that thought, the path, and the oath of the day! This way, your brain automatically starts acting in resonance with that thought. It tries to associate the thought with your activity of the day. Thereby watering the rooted positivity of your mind every day.
  10. Win!! The ecstasy you get after the success is inexplicable! The nectar of success is gained if climbed through the thorny bark! Make winning, the habit! This way, you would always strive to give the best in whatever you do. Winning is divine!!!
  11. Follow the 80/20 rule!! This way of thinking helps keep your diet balanced, healthy, but still allows for occasional indulgences. Let’s break it down: 80% of the time, make food choices based on how they nourish and sustain your body.  20% of the time, you can indulge in “sometimes” foods – anything goes! You can enjoy the indulgence without guilt because you know that, for the majority of the time, you are fueling your body with the nutrients it needs.  If you eat 3 meals per day, that’s 21 meals per week. So for 17 meals (80%), you eat healthfully and for 4 meals (20%), you can have whatever you want.
  12. Eat Intuitively!! Mindful eating = eat when you are hungry, stopping when you are full.  Remember: healthy snacking is A-OK! When you get too hungry between meals, it can lead to overeating at mealtime.  Have fruits and veggies handy to snack on and balanced your snacks with a bit of protein or whole grains.
  13. Try a new fruit or vegetable each month !! Make your meals interesting and exciting by incorporating foods you’ve never tried before into meals. Variety is key to helping you get the greatest benefit from all the vitamins and minerals that produce has to offer. And be sure to cook it yourself if you decide to try something new! Studies show that when people try new food they have prepared themselves that they have a higher chance of liking the new food.
  14. Invest wisely !! Remember that practicing good nutrition is like putting money in a savings account or having good insurance – it will pay off in more ways than you realize in the long run! The choices we make as young people about what to put in our bodies and how we take care of our bodies will have an effect on our health, ability to do what we love, confidence, and body image as we grow older.  So pick a healthy habit and start your investment in yourself today.
  15. Offer to do grocery shopping !! There are so many benefits to doing this. Offer to go to the grocery store for your family once per week. Pay attention to what’s on sale, what’s in season (is usually on sale), foods you have never tried before, and how much things cost.  Becoming familiar with these factors of grocery shopping will make it easier for you to budget your food money and plan healthy meals to cook at home once you grow.
  16. Saving Money !! Saving money is an invaluable skill to have! Now is the time to start! It’s a great habit to start putting money aside from each paycheck or allowance, but it’s okay to start small at first. At first, the growth in your savings account will seem unbearably slow, but in the end, it’s sure to pay off.
  17. Cleaning your room !! Cleaning your room sounds like a drag, but it’s a great habit to start in high school! Some people love to clean and it gives them a sense of order and control. Others.. . not so much. To save yourself future shame, get into the habit of keeping your personal space spotless.
  18. Establish healthy eating routines!! Healthy eating isn’t limited to making healthy food choices. It also talks about eating timely and regularly. Instruct your teens to follow these healthy eating routines:
  • Have your meals and ample snacks on time throughout the day.
  • Have your meals on the table along with your family, rather than gulping down food in front of the TV.
  • Give yourself enough time to have your meals and avoid eating in a hurry.
  • Make sure your teen’s meal contains sufficient vegetables since they are rich in numerous nutrients and offer ample health benefits.

Important good manners to practice in daily life 

Health Tips for Teens Part 2

health tips for tens

Health Tips for Teens

The teenage years are a period of intense physical, emotional, mental, and intellectual growth. It’s also a time when your child develops habits that can last a lifetime. You can help your teenager reach optimal growth and development by instilling lifestyle habits that support a healthy and happy body.

Health is a state of physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is the key to living a productive and satisfying life. Our health tips for teens will help you in managing teens health

Teens don’t always have the easiest time taking care of themselves. After all, they have other concerns – like dating, playing games, Chatting, and schoolwork. But adopting a few good habits will help keep them healthy and happy not just now but as they grow into adulthood.

You can break down the concept of health into different categories. These could include physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health. There are things any person can do to stay healthy in these areas. But as a teenager, there are some things you should pay special attention to.

Wear Sunscreen:  Getting just one bad sunburn as a child or teenager increases your risk of getting skin cancer as an adult.

Don’t try to take on too much: Limit your activities to the most important ones and give that 100 %. Overextending yourself can lead to stress, frustration, or exhaustion.

Know the signs of mental illness which includes – 

  • anxiety
  • depression
  • excessive tiredness
  • loss of self-esteem
  • loss of interest in things you used to like
  • loss of appetite
  • weight gain or loss
  • out-of-character personality changes.

Pay attention to your moods and feelings: Don’t assume your negative thoughts or feelings are just part of being a teenager. If you’re worried about something, ask for help. If you can’t talk to your parents, talk to your favorite teacher or counselor at school. Find an adult you can trust. If you’re feeling really sad or are thinking about harming yourself, get help right away.

Don’t bully other people: And if you are being bullied, tell a parent, teacher, or other adults. This includes being bullied online or on your phone.

Avoid substance use or abuse: This includes alcohol, street drugs, other people’s prescription drugs, drinking habit, and any type of tobacco product.

Avoid Violence:  Stay away from situations where violence or fighting may cause you to be physically injured.

At my age, what should I especially be concerned about: The top killers of teenagers and young adults are car accidents, unintentional injury, homicide, and suicide. Cancer and heart disease are uncommon but can affect you at this age. Unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections can harm your health. They can also cause you social and personal problems.

Will the habits I have now really make a difference when I’m older: Yes; 65% of all deaths in adults are caused by heart disease, Cancer, and Stroke. In many cases, these diseases are preventable. Many of the behaviors that cause these diseases begin at a young age. For example, teens who use tobacco are more likely to have heart disease, cancer, or stroke in adulthood.

Realize that you control what goes into your body: It’s easy to blame others (hello, fast-food restaurants) for why we have an obesity problem. But the fact is that, even with lots of outside influences, you still have the choice of what you do or do not eat, drink, or smoke.

Realize that its never too late to start adopting healthy habits: You get a do-over. Even if you’ve spent your childhood on a diet of soda and chips, it’s not too late to make a change to get your body in a better place. It takes only two weeks to form a habit, so simple changes now will pay great dividends down the road. Start simple (try some raw veggies to get your crunch fix) and build up.

Walk 10,000 steps a day; They don’t have to be all at once (but heck, you probably do a chunk of it at school every day). Make it a point to be active and get your body moving. Setting a tangible goal (like 10,000 steps a day) is a great way to start if you’re not already active.

Have one buddy who shares your ideas about living a healthy lifestyle: Find a friend who you’re comfortable talking with about healthy habits. Social networks (the live and in-person ones!) are so important in helping you develop self-esteem and a value system. Find positive people around you who can support you and share some of your goals.

Related image

If you’re a typical teenager with parents who always nag you about what you eat, how you eat when you eat or don’t eat, and the amount of junk food you consume, these comments will sound familiar to you. Give your parents a break, they are just doing their job. They want you to eat properly so you’ll develop, be healthy, and keep your moods balanced.

Your body needs certain nutrients to feel well as you go through each day. The most important meal is breakfast, even though it’s probably the most difficult for many teenagers. Breakfast is even more important if you aren’t eating lunch on a regular basis, and are waiting until after school or until dinner to eat.

Avoid the major categories of unhealthy food: Stay away from saturated fats, trans fats, added sugar, added syrup, non-100 percent whole grains. Start looking at food labels and trying to ID these unhealthy foods and ingredients.

Eat cruciferous vegetables: Enjoy some cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress, and arugula three times a week. They’re disease-fighters, they’ll fill you up, and the crunch will help take the edge off about that math test tomorrow.

Take a multivitamin: Take a multivitamin every day and get your recommended daily amount of calcium through food or supplements as well as vitamin D and omega-3 fats.

Floss and brush your teeth at least two minutes twice a day: Not only do they play a major role in your appearance (you are eating broccoli now, right?), but they also help cut down the risk of diseases you’re going to be worrying about later in life.

Have your waist size equal or less than half of your height ( Inches ):  Try not to obsess over your weight (in fact, it’s better to have a healthy range of ideal weight, so you can account for natural body fluctuations). But the best number to determine whether you’re a healthy size is using that formula. So if you’re 66 inches tall, your waist should be under 33 inches.

Sleep 9 to  10 hours a night: Sleep nine to ten hours a night (in greater than 90-minute blocks). To create a better sleep environment, keep your room cool, don’t do any work on your bed, and limit the use of electronic equipment (especially your phone) so close to bedtime.

Exercise nearly every day: Do some kind of exercise nearly every day, including some form of resistance exercise and cardiovascular exercise. Stay active, be active, sweat a little. Choose activities that you have fun with – keeping activity fun is one of the best ways to maintain activity over a lifetime. Dodge ball, anyone?

Do one small ( or big ) form of Stress Management every day: Maybe it’s just sitting in peace and quiet for five minutes, maybe it’s some yoga or light stretching, maybe it’s listening to music by yourself. Find something that soothes you (other than ice cream) and helps clear your mind to tackle the tasks that await you.

Have your vaccination against major diseases up to date: You never know when sickness may hit, so it’s best to be prepared and protected. After all, schools are notorious danger zones for flu outbreaks.

Have a passion – and do it as often as you can ( safely ): Get excited about what you do – whether it’s a sport, hobby or other activity. Do it often – just make sure you also do it safely.

Protect your ears from noise louder than lawn mover: This also means keeping your personal device on less than 70 percent of max when you use earphones

Commit to not texting while driving: Keep your phone and other devices out of your hands while driving. Make a commitment and stick to it.

Eating healthy and being physically active are important parts of being healthy and feeling good. When you eat well your body gets the nutrients and energy you need to grow. Eating well helps you concentrate and perform better in activities that are important to you like school, sports, and hobbies. Being physically active helps you stay strong and fit.  It can improve your confidence and lower your stress.

You will grow quickly between 12 and 18 years of age. Focus on your eating habits, physical activity, and overall health rather than your body weight. Healthy bodies come in many shapes and sizes.
Follow the five steps to healthy eating and active living below.

Find a Mentor: It may or may not be your parents, but the important thing is to find an older person who can help you reach your goals, give you advice, and who really cares about your success. A teacher, coach, or another relative can be a great option.

Practice smart internet safety: Know that what you write or post can be saved forever. Be smart about who you communicate with. It might be fun to post a picture from Spring Break on your Facebook picture.

Eliminate processed Foods: Get rid of processed foods from your diet, and substitute 100 percent whole wheat flour for white flour where you can.

Eat five servings fruits and veggies daily: New government guidelines confirm that we should all be filling half our plates with fruits and veggies a day. Include a variety of colors and kinds in your diet.

Eat fruits but skip the juice ( unless you are trying to gain weight ): Eat fruit but not all juices are created equal. The fruit is totally healthy and contains plenty of vitamins that are good for you, but fruit juice often has a lot of unnecessary sugar. Try diluting juice with water to help reduce the calories.

Don’t squeeze Zits ( pimple ): When you do, you risk spreading the bacteria and causing more zits. Practice good skin hygiene, washing with a “basic” soap (as opposed to acidic). Simple pimples will go away soon enough; if you have serious acne problems, consider seeing a dermatologist who may be able to bring in prescription-strength reinforcements.

Wear a helmet: When you’re cycling, Rollerblading, skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, or rock climbing – wear a helmet. And wear a seat belt whenever you’re in a car to prevent concussions. Concussions at a young age can have lifelong negative effects on your health.

 

Health tips for teens part 1

Health tips for Teens Part 1

Health tips for a teens part I

“You need to eat your breakfast,” “please lose the junk food and eat some real food.”

Take Charge of your health:-

As you get older, you’re able to start making your own decisions about a lot of things that matter most to you. You may choose your own clothes, music, and friends. You also may be ready to make decisions about your body and health.

Making healthy decisions about what you eat and drink, how active you are, and how much sleep you get is a great place to start. Here you’ll learn

  • How your body works— How your body uses the food and drinks you consume and how being active may help your body “burn” calories

Your body needs the energy to function and grow. Calories from food and drinks give you that energy. Think of food as energy to charge up your battery for the day. Throughout the day, you use energy from the battery to think and move, so you need to eat and drink to stay powered up. Balancing the energy you take in through food and beverages with the energy you use for growth, activity, and daily living is called “energy balance.” Energy balance may help you stay a healthy weight.

  • How to choose healthy foods and drinks –
    • Healthy eating involves taking control of how much and what types of food you eat, as well as the beverages you drink. Try to replace foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat protein foods, and fat-free or low-fat dairy foods.
    • Fruits and Vegetables
      Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. Dark green, red, and orange vegetables have high levels of the nutrients you need, like vitamin C, calcium, and fiber. Adding tomato and spinach—or any other available greens that you like—to your sandwich is an easy way to get more veggies in your meal.
    • Grains
      Choose whole grains  like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, and whole-grain cereal, instead of refined-grain cereals, white bread, and white rice
    • Protein
      Power up with low fat or lean meats like turkey or chicken, and other protein-rich foods, such as seafood, egg whites, beans, nuts, and tofu.
    • Dairy
      Build strong bones with fat-free or low-fat milk products. If you can’t digest lactose—the sugar in milk that can cause stomach pain or gas—choose lactose-free milk or soy milk with added calcium. Fat-free or low-fat yogurt is also a good source of dairy food.
  • How to get moving and stay active –
    • Physical activity should be part of your daily life, whether you play sports, take physical education (PE) classes in school, do chores, or get around by biking or walking. Regular physical activity can help you manage your weight, have stronger muscles and bones, and be more flexible.
    • Aerobic versus Lifestyle Activities
      You should be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day. Most of the 60 minutes or more of activity a day should be either moderate or intense Aerobic or Zumba Physical Activity, and you should include intense physical activity at least 3 days a week. Examples of aerobic physical activity, or activity that makes you breathe harder and speeds up your heart rate, include jogging, biking, and dancing.

Fitness apps that you can download onto your computer, smartphone, or other mobile devices can help you keep track of how active you are each day.

  • How getting enough sleep is important to staying healthy –
    • Sometimes it’s hard to get enough sleep, especially if you have a job, help take care of younger brothers or sisters, or are busy with other activities after school. Like healthy eating and getting enough physical activity, getting enough sleep is important for staying healthy.
    • You need enough sleep to do well in school, work and drive safely, and fight off infection. Not getting enough sleep may make you moody and irritable. While more research is needed, some studies have shown that not getting enough sleep may also contribute to weight gain. If you’re between 13 and 18 years old, you should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.
  • How to ease into healthy habits and keep them up – 

Changing your habits can be hard. And developing new habits takes time. Use the tips below and the checklist under “Be a health champion” to stay motivated and meet your goals. You can do it! 

Make changes slowly. Don’t expect to change your eating, drinking, or activity habits overnight. Changing too much too fast may hurt your chances of success.

Figure out what’s holding you back. Are there unhealthy snack foods at home that are too tempting? Are the foods and drinks you’re choosing at your school cafeteria too high in fat and sugar? How can you change these habits?

Set a few realistic goals. If you’re a soda drinker, try replacing a couple of sodas with water. Once you are drinking less soda for a while, try cutting out all soda. Then set another goal, like getting more physical activity each day. Once you have reached one goal, add another.

Get a buddy at school or someone at home to support your new habits. Ask a friend, brother or sister, parent, or guardian to help you make changes and stick with your new habits.

  • How to plan healthy meals and physical activities that fit your lifestyle –

Being healthy sounds like it could be a lot of work, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. A free, online tool called the My Plate Daily Checklist can help you create a daily food plan. All you have to do is type in whether you are male or female, your weight, height, and how much physical activity you get each day. The checklist will tell you how many daily calories you should take in and what amounts of fruit, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy you should eat to stay within your calorie target.

Another tool, called the Super Tracker, can help you plan, analyze, and track both your eating patterns and physical activity. With Super Tracker, you can find out what and how much to eat, track your foods, physical activities, and weight, and set personal goals.

With Super Tracker’s  Food-A-Pedia, you can type in a food or beverage to find out how many calories it has, as well as how much sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. The tool has nutrition information for more than 8,000 foods. You can use Food-A-Pedia to plan meals like the ones below.

Breakfast: A banana, a slice of whole-grain bread with avocado or tomato, and fat-free or low-fat milk.
Lunch: A turkey sandwich with dark leafy lettuce, tomato, and red peppers on whole-wheat bread
Dinner: Two whole-grain taco shells with chicken or black beans, fat-free or low-fat cheese, and romaine lettuce.
Snack: an apple, banana, or air-popped popcorn.

Important Health tips for teens

As a teenager, your body is going through many physical changes – changes that need to be supported by a healthy, balanced diet.

By eating a varied and balanced diet, you should be able to get all the energy and nutrients you need from the food and drink you consume, allowing your body to grow and develop properly. Eating healthily doesn’t have to mean giving up your favorite foods. It simply means eating a variety of foods and cutting down on food and drinks high in fat and sugar, such as sugary fizzy drinks, crisps, cakes, and chocolate. These foods should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.

Healthy eating tips: Try to limit foods like cookies, candy, frozen desserts, chips, and fries, which often have a lot of sugar, unhealthy fat, and salt.

  • For a quick snack, try recharging with pear, apple, or banana; a small bag of baby carrots; or hummus with sliced veggies.
  • Don’t add sugar to your food and drinks.
  • Drink fat-free or low-fat milk and avoid sugary drinks. Soda, energy drinks, sweet tea, and some juices have added sugars, a source of extra calories.

Did You Know?

Many teens need more of these nutrients:

  • Calcium, to build strong bones and teeth. Good sources of calcium are fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese.
  • Vitamin D, to keep bones healthy. Good sources of vitamin D include orange juice, whole oranges, tuna, and fat-free or low-fat milk.
  • Potassium, to help lower blood pressure. Try a banana, or baked potato with the skin, for a potassium boost.
  • Fiber, to help you stay regular and feel full. Good sources of fiber include beans and celery.
  • Protein, to power you up and help you grow strong. Peanut butter; eggs; tofu; legumes, such as lentils and peas; and chicken, fish, and low-fat meats are all good sources of protein.
  • Iron, to help you grow. spinach, beans, peas, and iron-fortified cereals are sources of iron. You can help your body absorb the iron from these foods better when you also eat foods with vitamin C, like an orange.

Other Important points

  • Teens who eat breakfast may do better in school. By eating breakfast, you can increase your memory and stay focused during the school day.
  • Activities add up – Shoot hoops for 30 minutes as part of your 60 minutes of daily physical activity. For Example – how to fit 60 minutes of physical activity into your day:
  • 10 minutes – to walk or bike to a friend’s house
    +
    30 minutes – of playing basketball / Tennis / Squash / Badminton
    +
    10 minutes – of chasing the dog around the yard
    +
    10 minutes – to walk back home
  • Try to limit your screen time to less than 2 hours each day, not counting your homework:
  • Replace after-school TV and video-game time with physical activities at home, at school, or in your community.
  • Turn off your cellphone or other devices before you go to bed. Put them away from your nightstand or bed.

Just one super-sized, fast food meal may have more calories than you need in a whole day. And when people are served more food, they may eat or drink more—even if they don’t need it. This habit may lead to weight gain. When consuming fast food, choose small portions or healthier options, like a veggie wrap or salad instead of fries or fried chicken.

If you’re a typical teenager with parents who always nag you about what you eat, how you eat when you eat or don’t eat, and the amount of junk food you consume, these comments will sound familiar to you. Give your parents a break, they are just doing their job. They want you to eat properly so you’ll develop, be healthy, and keep your moods balanced.

Your body needs certain nutrients to feel well as you go through each day. The most important meal is breakfast, even though it’s probably the most difficult for many teenagers. Breakfast is even more important if you aren’t eating lunch on a regular basis, and are waiting until after school or until dinner to eat.

Be Media Smart :

Advertisements, TV shows, the internet, and social media may affect your food and beverage choices and how you choose to spend your time. Many ads try to get you to consume high-fat foods and sugary drinks. Be aware of some of the tricks ads use to influence you:

  • An ad may show a group of teens consuming food or drink, or using a product to make you think all teens are or should be doing the same. The ad may even use phrases like “all teens need” or “all teens are.”
  • Advertisers sometimes show famous people using or recommending a product because they think you will want to buy products that your favorite celebrities use.
  • Ads often use cartoon figures to make food, beverage, or activity look exciting and appealing to young people

Be a Health Champion :

Spending much of your day away from home can sometimes make it hard to consume healthy foods and drinks. By becoming a “health champion,” you can help yourself and family members, as well as your friends, get healthier by consuming healthier foods and drinks and becoming more active. Use this checklist to work healthy habits into your day, whether you’re at home or on the go:

  • Each night, pack a healthy lunch and snacks for the next day. Consume the lunch you packed. Try to avoid soda, chips, and candy from vending machines.
  • Go to bed at a regular time every night to recharge your body and mind. Turn off your phone, TV, and other devices when you go to bed. Try to get between 8 and 10 hours of sleep each night.
  • Eat a healthy breakfast.
  • Walk or bike to school if you live nearby and can do so safely. Invite friends to join you.
  • Between classes, stand up and walk around, even if your next subject is in the same room.
  • Participate in gym classes instead of sitting on the sidelines.
  • Get involved in choosing food and drinks at home. Help make dinner and share it with your family at the dinner table.

   Quotes for Teens

The starting point of all achievement is Desire

Make it your lifestyle and you will never look back

There is never going to be enough time. You have to make it

The Best way to predict the future is to create it

You should set goals beyond your reach so you always have something to live for

Wake up with Determination. Go to bed with satisfaction.

Stop saying I wish. Start saying I Will.

Create healthy habits, Not restrictions

Your Diet is your bank account. Good food choices are good investments.

 

Wellness Tips for Summer

wellness tips for summer

Wellness Tips for Summer

The lazy days of summer are here and for many, that means taking a long-awaited vacation filled with sun and fun. While travel offers a host of health benefits, like lowering your blood pressure and stress levels, it can also lead to unforeseen illnesses and pitfalls. Fortunately, a little planning and foresight can keep you healthy and safe while vacationing this summer.

We all know that winter is cold and flu season, but that’s no reason to stop the self-care and good hygiene as the weather warms up. There are all varieties of summer sickness (think summer rash and e-coli) that you need to know about in order to best protect yourself, your kids, and your pets. These illnesses range from the annoying to death so it’s important to be aware and take care to avoid exposure if at all possible.

You tick through your list. Icy water bottle? Check. Sunscreen with the highest SPF you can find? Check. Trusty, wide-brimmed hat? Check.

Not so fast. Did you know super-cold drinks can make your stomach cramp? Or that other thing, like how well you slept last night or what medicines you’re taking could affect how well your body adjusts to the heat? They also have a lot to do with whether you feel well or get sick in extreme temperatures.

If you’re an outdoor-type, you might believe you know how to prepare for the heat. But it actually takes more thought and planning than you might think,

Generally speaking, insects or contaminated water can spread summer sickness during activities that we only partake in during these warmer months. With that in mind, you can take steps to prevent summer sickness when you’re armed with knowledge and a little bit of know-how. Here are common summer illnesses you need to know about. Stay healthy and happy this Summer!!

When you spend too much time in the sun, your internal body temperature goes up. That can lead to heat rash or heat exhaustion. It happens when your body is so hot it can’t cool itself. You’re at even more risk if you don’t drink enough liquids or you’re pregnant, overweight, elderly, very young, or have heart disease.

In extreme cases, you can get exertional heatstroke. This can cause your central nervous system to shut down and your internal organs to fail. It can be fatal. But if you keep a cool head and use common sense when you’re out in super-hot summer weather, you should be fine.

Click here for Tips to help you stay well in the heat

Take Cover : A tank top and shorts might seem like the best choice, but many fabrics just trap warmth. Bare arms leave you open to sunburn and skin cancer. You’re better off in a light-colored airy blouse or long-sleeved shirt that lets air flow through. You can also find clothing with built-in UV protection.

Athletes have regular checkups to make sure they’ll be safe in the heat for long periods. But it’s actually a good idea for anyone.

Dump Heat to Cool your Core : This means taking frequent breaks to lower your temperature. You’ll reduce your chances of getting sick. Some people, like those with sickle cell (an inherited disorder that affects red blood cells ). trait, have a harder time keeping cool. That’s Extreme heat can make them even weaker and lead to muscle breakdown.

Pair Up :  If you’re going outdoors with someone else, they can get a sense if you are not acting right. They can tell if you have any of the early effects of heat sickness, like dizziness or confusion. You can remind each other to drink lots of water and take frequent breaks in the shade. Also, if there is trouble, someone can provide aid or seek help.

Watch your Intake: Liquids are a must in the super-hot summer heat. But avoid alcohol and drinks with caffeine or lots of sugar. They’ll cause you to lose more body fluids. Plain water is the best. Stay away from certain medications, too, especially those for thyroid and ADHD or anything that speeds up your metabolism. Diuretics and laxatives also dehydrate you, so avoid those as well.

Go To bed Early : Try and maintain a healthy sleep routine, even while on vacation.
You should be well-rested and hydrated before any outdoor adventure. When your energy is low, it weighs you down, and your odds of getting sick go way up.

Protect your Eyes : It’s important to protect your eyes when you’re out in the sun. Choose sunglasses that block at least 99 percent of ultraviolet A and B rays. If you’re swimming or playing sports, use protective eyewear.

Eat Breakfast : Many experts believe the first meal of the day is vitally important, so don’t skip it if you’re on summer vacation. Make sure your body has the fuel it needs to get through the day by eating a breakfast packed with protein and healthy carbs, like oatmeal and eggs. A healthy breakfast first thing in the morning actually jump-starts your metabolism.

Make hand washing a priority : Washing your hands with warm soapy water for about 30 seconds is at least as effective as using antibacterial products, experts note.

Limit Alcohol : Who doesn’t want to relax with a drink or two on vacation? If you’re going to drink, be sure to do so in moderation. That means skipping the shots. They will get you drunk faster, which can lead to serious dehydration if you forget to drink water.

Stay Out of the Sun : The peak hours when the sun is up during the day are from 11 am to 4 pm. These are the hours when the UV rays of the sun are at its strongest and most harmful to your skin. Schedule morning activities up until 11 am and afternoon ones from 4 pm onwards. If you do have to be out during the hottest hours of the day, wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher 20-30 minutes before you go outside of the house. Also, wear sunglasses and a hat you can carry an umbrella as well.

Be Mindful of the clothes you wear : Wearing the right kind of clothes during the hottest time of the year will keep your body in optimal shape. That means tight-fitting pieces like skinny jeans, muscle shirts, or any shirt or bottoms colored black are a no. Instead, go for clothes that are light-colored, lightweight, and lose clothes that make you feel comfortable despite the heat.  

Wipe your sweat immediately : The added humidity summer brings limits your body sweat from immediately evaporating. This isn’t good because a humid body temperature and environment attract pests like mosquitoes, leading to an even deadlier slew of sicknesses such as yellow and dengue fever.

Enteroviruses Nobody wants to think about how gross water can get, right? Swimming in the ocean, a stream or a lake, you and your kids will probably end up swallowing some, putting you at risk of exposure to enteroviruses—spread by fecal contamination in water. Once one family member has it, it can spread easily to the entire household. Symptoms range from common cold issues to an infection of the heart or brain. Enterovirus is usually not a big deal but if you’re pregnant or nursing and you may have been exposed, talk to your doctor right away.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease This is actually a form of enterovirus that’s highly contagious and causes blisters on the hands, feet, and mouth. It causes discomfort and an overall feeling of yuck but usually passes within 10 days and doesn’t require treatment.

E-coli Again with the dirty water? Found in sewage-contaminated water, e-coli causes incredible digestive upset that can lead to dehydration and coinciding complications. You’ll know if your store-bought foods are contaminated because it’s usually all over the news, but do we need to say it again? Don’t drink the water!

Whooping Cough We hate to say it but whooping cough is commonly spread at summer camp. However, that’s no reason to keep your child from going. Vaccination and good hygiene are excellent preventatives, so remind your kids to wash their hands often. And maybe have a general rule that there’s no kissing at camp? We think it’s brilliant. For multiple reasons.

Food Poisoning When food is left out in the heat for an extended period of time, bacteria grow. Food poisoning (foodborne illness) is more prevalent during the summer because the microorganisms that cause it grows most quickly when the temperature is between 90 and 100 degrees. It’s like they were made for summer picnics, right? Monitor the temperature of your food, put things away promptly, and when in doubt, toss it!

Norovirus: Norovirus (like salmonella and listeria ) is another super contagious stomach bug transmitted through contaminated water or food, from contact with an infected person, or through touching a contaminated surface. It leads to digestive upset and is most severe for the young and old. Prevent norovirus with great hygiene and lots of handwashing.

 

Click here for Summer Health Wellness Tips

Wellness Tips for Summer

Sunburn : Everyone knows the quickest way to go from pure relaxation to pure pain is to stay out in the sun too long without protection. And the pain isn’t even the worst part. You also put yourself at greater risk of developing skin cancer and age your skin.

That’s why using sunblock is a necessity. You should wear it every time you go out and reapply it every couple of hours. To avoid the harmful chemicals in some commercial brands, you can use coconut oil’s homemade mask.

If you do happen to get caught out in the sunshine without protection, there are a variety of things you can use to help heal a burn. Aloe Vera, lavender oil, and cooled chamomile tea are all known to be effective at helping to soothe and heal a burn. A cold shower can also help.

Swimmer’s Ear : Ear infections can be quite painful and can keep you out of the pool. They are usually caused by a little bit of water getting trapped in your ear after swimming. That water creates the perfect environment for bacteria to grow and you’re soon infected.

The best way to avoid a swimmer’s ear is to avoid immersing your head entirely in the water, or if you do, not going too deep. You can also try wearing earplugs and not using Q-tips or cotton swabs to clean your ears, which can make them vulnerable. If you do end up with an infection both garlic oil and Mullein oil can help heal it faster.

Motion Sickness : On a long, hot car ride up to the Office / long journey it’s easy to start feeling nauseous. But it doesn’t have to ruin your journey. The best way to prevent feeling ill is to use ginger. You can put in your water or simply chew on a piece.

If you do often get motion sickness, you should avoid sitting in the backseat, drink plenty of water, and eat a snack with some protein in it. If worst comes to worst, make sure to at least ask whoever is driving to pull over.

Heat Rash : On most humid days of summer, heat rash can be a very real concern. If you sweat enough, your sweat glands can actually get blocked, and the excess moisture can cause skin irritation, itching, and redness. The best way to prevent this from happening is by staying cool. Drink plenty of cool water, wear light clothing that breathes, and try to avoid staying in the sun for too long. You can use cooled chamomile tea for a cooling effect, or have a bath with a few drops of lavender oil and baking soda.

Headaches : Between the heat and the bright sunlight, people often get bad headaches more often during the summer. This can be caused by dehydration or by forgetting to eat. The heat has been known to slow down the hunger reflex. The best way to prevent these headaches is by eating and drinking regularly. If you do get a headache though, adding some feverfew (member of the daisy family, and its leaves are used to create the herb), peppermint, or chamomile to your water can all help relieve the pain. Stretching and taking some deep breaths can also help.

Summer Cold : Though we often think of the cold as something we can only catch when it’s cold outside, you can in fact pick up the virus at any time of the year. Travelling, in particular, can both stress your immune system and expose you to new viruses. The best way to prevent yourself from catching a summer cold is to eat a diet full of immune system boosting vegetables, such as garlic, onion, mushrooms, and greens.

Athlete’s Foot : The added heat and humidity during the summer creates the perfect environment for an athlete’s foot to grow. The fungus thrives in dark, moist conditions. As a result, you should try to keep your feet as dry as possible and wash them twice a day. Try wearing open shoes if you can. Washing your feet in a bath of Epsom salts or apple cider vinegar can also help to kill the fungus.

Eat Fresh :  One of the best things about summer is access to fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables. Better yet: many of summer’s fruits and vegetables are brimming with health benefits. Use this time to focus on eating your colors — Fresh corn has natural antioxidants and benefits for your eyes, tomatoes contain lycopene and may protect your skin from sunburn, the watermelon keeps you hydrated, and raspberries are a great source of fiber—some of it soluble in the form of pectin, which helps lower cholesterol.

Protect against bugs and poisonous Plants :  Gardening, camping, hiking, and many other outdoor activities are great ways to enjoy exercise and nature. However, poisonous plants, such as Poison Ivy, Oak, or Sumac, as well as ticks and other parasites, can put a damper on your outdoor adventures. Decrease your risk by using protective clothing, such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, as well as lotions, creams, and sprays that protect against bugs and poisonous plants.

Stay in shape : We’re often more conscious of what we eat in the summer since we’re more likely to squeeze into shorts, bathing suits, and sleeveless tops. Summertime is a great time to start healthy habits that can last all year, such as cutting back on high-fat meats and mayo-drenched salads, adding healthy grains to your diet instead of chips and snacks, and drinking lots of water. It’s also a great time to take advantage of longer days and start an exercise plan.

Catch Vitamin D Rays : Summer is a great time to get the necessary amounts of Vitamin D, which helps to boost your mood, immunity, and energy! While you can get small amounts from food, the best way to reach your needed Vitamin D levels is by sun exposure to the skin. Although sunscreen is important, it can unfortunately interfere with the absorption of Vitamin D. 15-30 minutes is adequate unprotected exposure for Vitamin D.

Stick to your regular wellness schedule : There’s no vacation when it comes to your health! Continue your normal wellness schedule throughout these months in order to stay on track and maintain good health and happiness. In fact, summer may be a great time to try something new to improve wellness like Yoga, Aerobics, Zumba, Reiki, or Massage Therapy. summer is a great time to explore wellness opportunities!

Nutritional Supplements : Can support you with a greater amount of physical energy, enhancing your summer activities. The B-complex vitamins are calming to the nervous system and helpful for cellular energy production, while vitamin C and the other antioxidants protect your body from stress, chemical pollutants, and the biochemical by-products of exercise.

 Take some Special Summer Time : with your family, kids, and friends who share the enjoyment of the outdoors. Plan a fun trip if you’re able and motivated for a day or longer — hiking in the wild, camping, playing at the river, or a few days resting at the ocean. Rekindling our Earth connection has benefits that last beyond this season, continuing to enrich the whole of your life.

Quotes for Wellness :

“Health is a state of the body. Wellness is a state of being”

“A healthy outside starts fro Inside”

“Wellness is the natural state of my body”

“If you think wellness is expensive, then try Illness”

“If you never try, you  will never know”

“There is no giant step that does it. Its a lot of little steps”

“Life is not merely being alive, but being well”

“The key to wellness is to accept personal responsibility for your health and wellness”

“If not now….. then when? “

“Yes You Can”

Healthy Tips for Kids

healthy tips for kids

Healthy Tips for Kids

Your choices as a parent begin before your child is even born. From what to feed them to how to discipline, parenting seems to be one choice after another. The choices you make regarding your child’s health will affect them throughout their life. These are decisions best made with plenty of thought and information. You can help your child develop healthy habits early in life that will bring lifelong benefits. As a parent, you can encourage your kids to evaluate their food choice and physical activity habits. It’s not always easy to encourage your children to eat a balanced diet.

Parents don’t need any degree in health care to keep kids away from several health ailments. To keep kids healthy and fit, all they need is lots of love, understanding, good food, and good hygiene practice. It is important to create healthy habits early on. These will help you make smart choices for your family. Children imitate their parents, so it’s important to set a good example.

Parenting has been called the ultimate long-term investment. It’s one of the most complex and challenging jobs you’ll face in your lifetime — and also the most rewarding. Calendars are a great way to remind children of healthy actions they can take each day to promote general wellness. Maintain a variety of calendars like Healthy habits and Healthy Activities that you can post in their room, ask children to follow individually or as part of a family project.

Here are important tips for helping them to develop healthy habits at a young age.

Oral Health is Must: Teach your kids to brush at least twice daily with good fluoride toothpaste to maintain oral health. Ask your child to avoid nibbling foods all day long and avoid intake of any food after brushing your teeth at bedtime.

“Active Play, Every Day”

Your Child Should Get Sunlight: Make sure your child gets enough sunlight in order to be healthy and fit. Sunlight is the natural way of fighting against germs. Enough sunlight will strengthen your child’s bones and prevent osteoporosis later in life. Sunlight can make your child happy, convert cholesterol into vitamin D, reduce body fat, and boost the immune system.

Give kids Choices: Parents should let their kids choose foods, fruits, vegetables, and snacks they like, within reason. Give them more room to choose as they get older. And never get into a power struggle with your kids about eating, food, or even healthy food. Make sure you are not over-controlling, over educating, or over-lecturing them, or they will rebel in the food arena.

Image result for images of healthy kids habits

Eat Breakfast: Eating breakfast, even if it’s just a banana and a glass of milk, kick-starts the body, and makes it easier to maintain lasting energy throughout the day. If you can get your kids to establish the habit of eating a good breakfast at a young age, it should stay with them as they get older.

Choose Healthier Snacks: It’s easy to reach for chips or biscuits when you and your children feel like nibbling on something, but these snacks tend to be low in nutrients and high in calories. Instead, try to keep your cupboards stocked with healthier snacks such as fruit, air-popped popcorn, unsalted nuts, and unsweetened yogurt.

Drink Water: Make water the drink of choice at mealtimes, and keep juice and sweet drinks as occasional treats. While juice has valuable nutrients and gives a concentrated energy boost for active, growing bodies, kids should go for water first when they are thirsty, not sugar-sweetened drinks.

Eat Together: It’s tempting to eat dinner in front of the television, to wolf down lunch at your desk, and to grab snacks on the run.  If you can encourage your children to eat regular meals with you at the table, it can not only reduce snacking, it can also teach valuable social skills.

Slow It Down: Eating slowly is great for weight control at any age. It’s a fantastic way to show kids that it takes about 20 minutes for the message that they are full to get from their stomachs to their brains. As much as we’d love our children to finish their meal in minutes, rather than hours, it’s much more important that they learn to slow down and chew their food properly.

Be Creative: All the vibrant colors in fruit and vegetables come from natural plant chemicals that have healthy effects on our bodies. Different colors have different effects, so it’s good to eat a variety of different colors each day. Offer your kids a colorful snack of different fruits and berries, or chop vegetables into interesting shapes to make them seem more fun and exciting.

“It’s Important to Teach Healthy Habits”

Learn When To Stop: Although children are born with the ability to stop eating when they are full, it can often be hard for parents to judge whether their kids have eaten the right foods and enough of them.

Teaching children to listen to their tummies and to ask themselves questions about quantity and quality, such as “Is my tummy full?” or “Will I feel sick if I eat those extra biscuits?” will give them the opportunity to develop their ability to sense fullness.

Don’t Give Up: Our research shows that most babies and young children need to try something new seven to ten times before they like it. So don’t be afraid to introduce children to new or more exotic tastes. A good tactic to get kids to eat a wide variety of foods is to tell them that tasting new things is a sign they’re growing up.

Stay Involved: Be an advocate for healthier children. Insist on good food choices at school. Make sure your children’s health care providers are monitoring cardiovascular indicators like BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Make your voice heard.

Teach Them To Wash Their Hands Often :  The fastest way for your child to fall ill is through eating without washing hands. When your child plays or touches something, the germs get transported through that something via the hands to the mouth. Hence, always instill the habit of washing hands regularly in your kids to keep them away from health problems. Plus teach them to never put their hands in their mouth or bite nails.

Exercise Is Essential As Well: Establish exercise habits in your kids as early as possible, say by the age of 5-6. The heavyweight training exercise is not advisable but daily 10-15 minutes of exercises like stretching or brisk walking should be instilled. Exercises like cycling, jumping ropes, or swimming should be encouraged in kids.

Don’t Force Your Kid: If your child isn’t hungry, then don’t force your child to eat more. Don’t even bribe him by giving him certain foods just to clear his plate. Instead, serve small portions and let your kid ask independently for more food if he wants.

Too Much Tv, Computer and Mobile aren’t Good: Encourage your child to participate and engage in activities other than sitting in front of the TV, PC or Mobile. Limit screen time so that your child is active and doesn’t bear the risk of increasing body fat. Apart from being fit, your child will also be protected from the harmful effects of the screen.

“Plenty of fresh air, and Early to Bed and Early to rising”

Set Good Sleep Habits: Making sure your child gets enough sleep is a crucial part of keeping her healthy. Sleep is important not only for a child’s physical and emotional health but it can play an important role in how well she does in school, too.

Be on the lookout for Anxiety / Stress in your child: Homework, tests, social pressures—kids can face a lot of stressful situations every day. Research shows that stress and anxiety can have a negative impact on kids’ health, just like it can on the health of adults. Find out how to spot the symptoms of stress in your child and find ways to manage his anxiety.

“Kids Have You Made Your Pledge “

I pledge to stay healthy and clean through exercise and good Hygiene.

I will eat a balanced meal every day to have more energy to learn and to play

Every night I will get a good rest to  be more ready to do my BEST 

If I work hard to be healthy and strong I’ll be happier my whole life long

 

 

Health Care Information

health care information

Health Care Information

Tips for raising Happy Healthy Kids

Run wild
Encourage free play.

It’s good because: It’s an excellent form of exercise and gives your child the opportunity to explore her environment, be creative, and to let her imagination run wild.

But will they do it? Childproof your home so that your child can play safely. Don’t fill your child’s day with structured activities, homework, and chores. Make sure there is ample time for free play.

Brush up on dental hygiene
Teeth should be brushed after breakfast and before bedtime.

It’s good because: Plaque can build up leading to tooth decay.

But will they do it? Clean your baby’s teeth with a damp cloth. Buy brushes with pictures of favorite characters for your toddler and experiment with a different flavored toothpaste. Make a star chart for your older child – one star for every time they brush.

Go potty, kid
Children of all ages should go to the toilet as soon as they feel the urge.

It’s good because: Incontinence could be a problem because the sphincter of a young child has not developed fully. Delaying going to the toilet could also lead to constipation.

But will they do it? Allow your potty-trained toddler to sleep with a nappy. Explain the reason for regular toilet visits to your older child and make sure that teachers allow children to go to the toilet when they need to. Take regular breaks when traveling long distances.

Bubbling bath time
Children should bathe once a day.

It’s good because: Bathing is necessary to get rid of germs, bacteria, and sweat, and to ensure personal hygiene.

But will they do it? Buy interesting bath toys, food coloring, and bubble bath to make bathing fun. Show your older child pictures of the nasty bacteria and germs that lurk on the skin. This should be enough to motivate him to bathe regularly! If this doesn’t work, use a star/reward chart. Always supervise young children.

Fun with friends
Encourage your child over the age of three to make friends.

It’s good because: Children learn important social skills.

But will they do it? Make sure that your child has opportunities to meet friends. Join a playgroup for pre-schoolers. Extra-curricular activities give your child the opportunity to interact with children with similar interests. Set an example – demonstrate good social skills such as empathy, consideration, communication, and sharing when you interact with people.

Private parts should stay private
Children should be educated about sexual abuse and how to protect themselves.

It’s good because: All children are vulnerable to abuse, not only by strangers but especially by people they know. 

What you should do: Teach your child that private parts should not be touched by anyone. Roleplay tricky situations. Make it safe for your child to speak to you and give them Childline’s number to keep.

Beware of water
Children under the age of five and all children who have not been trained in water safety should never be left unattended near water.

It’s good because: drowning accidents are common amongst children.

How to protect your child: Children should take swimming lessons from the age of four. Basic water safety can be taught at an earlier age but it is not a substitute for constant supervision. Swimming pools should be fenced off and young children should always be supervised near water – even a bucket of water poses a risk.

Bedtime at 8 
Children need at least nine hours of sleep a night and toddlers an extra hour during the daytime.

It’s good because: It’s important for the bones to grow. A tired child can be a grumpy one, and a lack of concentration can make it worse.

But will they do it? Batman must sleep too! Teach your child the “triggers” leading up to bedtime and stick to the routine: No more energetic activities after 6 pm; bathing, supper, brushing teeth, and a bedtime story followed by zzzzzzz…..

 

Importance of Health care information

Technology has a maximum impact on the healthcare industry. Healthcare information technology, then, refers to the use of technology systems that are used to manage health-related information.

More specifically, healthcare information technology involves the exchange of health-related data via electronic systems. The use of information technology has been proven to offer numerous benefits, including improved medical care, reduced medical errors, lower health care costs, and more affordable health care overall.

Enhanced knowledge and more informed decisions regarding health-related information that affects individual patients and the public at large. The use of information technology systems allows for easier access to explicit care guidelines, which prevents processing errors and thus, improves the quality of care.

The use of Information Technology in healthcare provides benefits like-

More accurate information
Customized care for patients
Improved communication between healthcare providers and patients
Enhanced medication management
Easier access to medical records for patients
Reduced costs

These are just some of the ways in which information technology has enhanced healthcare and improved the care that medical professionals provide and patients receive.