Finding the right Fridge for your Home

There are a number of factors to take into account when you are deciding to buy a new fridge, including efficiency, size, special features and style. Depending on how many people are in your household, as well as factors such as individual preferences and food purchasing habits, different models may be best suited to your home.

 

When it comes to size, the first thing you need to do is measure the space in your kitchen. One of the most common reasons why fridges are returned by customers is that they do not fit correctly.

 

A model with reversible doors may also be needed, depending on your kitchen’s layout. Once you know the exterior dimension restrictions, then you need to decide how much storage capacity you require. The great majority of fridges range in capacity from eighteen to twenty-five cubic feet, which is usually plenty for a family of four. Some models, however, can be as small as just fourteen cubic feet and others as big as thirty-two cubic feet.

Healthy Living

The Perks of being a Pescatarian

An increasing number of people are opting to become Pescatarian and becoming slim as a result. Pescatarians follow a regimen similar to that of vegetarians, albeit with the addition of fish and shellfish. It is essentially a largely fuss-free method of losing weight while building muscle and can even have a positive impact on your sex life. Celebrities who are in the know and conscious of their health, such as Common, Ben Stiller, David Duchovny and Olivia Wilde, have all become Pescatarian.

 

In order to make the most of your nutrient intake and to cut down on the intake of toxins that are contained in some fish, you should vary your seafood diet by eating the likes of squid and shrimp, which are high in cholesterol, only once a week; pile on smaller, cold-water fish; and avoid Atlantic or farmed salmon, which are very PCB heavy, altogether.

 

Preserved fish, including smoked trout, can also be a good main course with a salad, as well as a tasty and healthier alternative to sausage when it comes to hash.

 

Make your family healthier
With the obesity epidemic the way it is, there often seems to be a massive overload of fitness and health information, coupled with thousands of new diet fads that seem to be in circulation at any one time. The good news, however, is that you really need only a few simple tips in order to keep your family fit and healthy. The bottom line when it comes to food is to try your best to always eat your own unprocessed food and, if possible, to boil or steam said food. In both the short and the long term, your body will be very thankful indeed.

 

Another vital tip is to keep hydrated at all times. The correct consumption of water helps with absorption, circulation, the creation of saliva, digestion, the maintenance of body temperature and the transportation of nutrients, among other things. Other positive advantages of water are that it keeps the skin looking healthy, energizes muscles and flushes toxins out of the body.

 

Advice for frequent flyers
Many people who fly on planes have a tendency to regard them as being an incubator for disease. But this view is a fallacy, according to experts, as only a small portion of the air inside a plane is recycled, with most being fresh air that is sourced from outside the plane. Any air that is recycled also gets passed through filters that remove bacteria, dust and viruses.

Any other form of disease prevention for flyers is little different from the normal precautions that we take at home, such as frequently washing our hands. Having the right medication with you can also mean that any illnesses that do happen while traveling can be dealt with in a matter of just minutes rather than days. Before you travel, go to a drugstore and pick up a few things that you think you should take with you, such as antibiotics and Imodium.

 

Perhaps the greatest thing that you can take with you to prevent illness, however, is just simple common sense.

A Few Work Tips

Working from home

With employers embracing working from home and a greater number of jobs becoming freelance, the dreaded morning commute for many workers now consists of nothing more taxing than getting out of bed and turning on their computer. The only downside to this is that the lack of separation between home and work can make it hard to stay focused.

 

One good tip is to make sure you get dressed for work. You don’t need to wear a suit and tie like at the office, but just not staying in your pajamas all day will help you to be in a more professional state of mind. It is also a good idea to have a separate room for work – preferably one with a door that can be closed – for optimal focus.

 

Family and friends can also become an issue for home workers as they can often start behaving as though your time is totally flexible. Be sure that everyone around you is aware that you still have a job to do and are not available while you are doing it.

 

Workplace wisdom you didn’t pick up in school

In many ways, a person’s practical education doesn’t begin until his or her formal schooling ends. You’ll often find that college didn’t necessarily teach you all the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in the workplace. Whether you’re on your first job or your tenth, be aware of these “secret” tips:

 

• You can do things quicker than you think. Don’t let the law that says “work expands to fill the time you’re given to do it” rule your life. Being given a five-day deadline doesn’t mean you have to take the whole week to complete a project. Impress the people around you by beating your deadlines as often as you can.

 

• Giving up control can make you stronger. You’ll often be tempted to do things on your own because you don’t trust others to do it right. In the long run, though, you’ll burn yourself out and alienate the people whose help you need by trying to control every detail. Learn to collaborate and delegate instead of obsessing about every detail.

 

• You need to keep moving. You don’t necessarily have to change jobs every few years, but you should at least move within your organization to avoid career stagnation. Even a lateral move can bring you into contact with different people who can help you, and it will teach you more about your industry than you’d learn in one position once you’ve mastered it.

 

• You have to know your boss. Understanding your job may get you hired, but understanding your boss’s priorities is what gets you promoted. You don’t need to become a wizard at flattery and manipulation, but you should support your managers and their objectives. Do your best to help them achieve their goals, and they’ll be more inclined to help you with yours.

 

 

Don’t set your career to self-destruct

Some people seem to be their own worst enemies at work. They might be smart and skilled, but they lack the judgment and perspective to get ahead.

 

If you want to avoid sabotaging your career, avoid these self-inflicted wounds:

 

• Entitlement mentality. Remember that you have to earn respect, trust, recognition, promotions, raises, and all the other trappings of success. Concentrate on your contributions to the organization’s success. Expecting or demanding rewards will make you look childish and unprofessional.

 

• Perfectionism. You should always strive for excellence, but don’t drive yourself (and those around you) crazy trying to get every detail perfect. Remember that you’ll make mistakes—everyone does—and just concen­trate on doing your best and moving steadily forward.

 

• Resistance to change. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” makes sense in some situations, but in a career, change is something to embrace if you want to grow and advance. Stay on top of trends in your industry and develop­ments in your organization, and be ready to shift gears—and even lead the charge—when change is necessary.

 

• Following the wrong plan. You’re in charge of your own career. If you let other people dictate what you should do, you might succeed at something you don’t really value. Listen to advice from managers and mentors, but make your own decisions about what’s right for you.

 

 

Maintain a file marked ‘Me’

Your employers keep files on you for various purposes. Try keeping a file on yourself for your own benefit. Keep a record of all your major assignments, successful projects, and people you’ve worked with—clients as well as co-workers. Don’t include any proprietary or confidential information, but do highlight your career achievements as they occur. Over time, you’ll develop a document that describes your progress and your career, which you can use to reinforce your own motivation and demonstrate your expertise when you’re looking for advancement or other opportunities.

ADHD in childhood lingers into adulthood

Around a third of all children who are diagnosed with having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder continue to have it when they reach adulthood, with more than 50 percent also having some other form of psychiatric disorder, according to one of the biggest studies ever conducted on the subject.

 

Around 20 percent of children with ADHD continue to have the condition at the age of 27, claims the study, which was published in the April edition of Pediatrics. Around 57 percent of those diagnosed with the disorder during their childhood also have had a minimum of one other form of psychiatric disorder, in comparison with 35 percent in a group that did not suffer from ADHD as children.

The most common psychiatric problems in adults who were diagnosed with ADHD as children are alcohol abuse/dependence, antisocial personality disorders, some other form of substance abuse/dependence, anxiety disorders and serious depression.

Getting Kids to Remember What They Learn from School Over Summer

School’s Out for Summer – your kids aren’t thinking about homework or projects or classrooms. They’re thinking about long, hot days, swimming pools and all the fun that comes with three months of freedom. Chances are, a lot of what they have learned over the previous nine months is going to fly right out of their heads as they dash from the school on the last day. If this is a concern for you, here are a few tips to help you help your children retain what they learned and make the next year a little easier.

 

• Retaining Math Skills: This is probably one of the easiest skills to help your children stay sharp in over the summer. Incorporating math into games is the easiest way to go – especially board games. Depending on the age of your children, there are also board games that incorporate colors and counting into game play as well. Games like Monopoly are great for counting and using money as well.
• Science and Nature: Summer is a great time to teach children about science and nature. One of the simplest and perhaps the most fun ways is to build a butterfly garden with your children. Kits are available online or at your local gardening store or you can even do some research and make your own. Zoos, science centers and botanical garden locations also help instill what they may have learned the previous year or what they’ll be learning about in the next year.
• Reading:  If you’re like many parents, this is probably one of the most difficult things to get your kids to do in the summer. The weather is sunny and warm and there are lots of things to explore outside – the last thing your children are thinking about is staying inside and reading. Instead of insisting on just books, have your kids read the comics in the newspaper, the back of their cereal boxes, the signs you see on your daily errands or vacation. Save the books for rainy days and plan to spend some time reading with your child, too!

There are plenty of ways to keep your children learning without making them feel like it’s work. Use your imagination and enjoy your summer!

How to get rid of head lice

The very thought of you or one of your children having head lice can be deeply unsettling. The good news is that these creatures do not carry any diseases and can be gotten rid of, providing you use the correct form of treatment.

 

You can check whether your child has head lice by sitting the child underneath a bright light and then gently separating the hair into sections. Each section should be checked for eggs – often referred to as nits – which give off the appearance of tiny seeds that are attached to hair and, unlike dandruff, can be quite difficult to remove by hand.

 

If you or your child has head lice, then you should use a shampoo that has been specially formulated to kill the creatures. The shampoo should be lathered into the hair and then left on for several minutes prior to rinsing. After rinsing, comb the still-wet hair with the special comb that came with the shampoo. The product should be used again within the next seven to ten days.

Sunglasses and Eye Health

In the summertime, it’s second-nature to apply tons of sunscreen on our children to protect their skin from the harmful effects of the sun. But many times, as much attention as we give to their skin, we often overlook another area that can be damaged by the sun – their eyes.

 

We put sunglasses on to shield our eyes and our children should have the same protection. This protects them now and also helps to prevent them from developing common eye problems later on in life. Keep in mind that UV rays are radiation and radiation is damaging to the eyes just as much as it can damage anything else. Here is just a partial list of those common eye problems that you should be aware of:

 

• Over-exposure to the sun’s UV radiation can cause the cells of the eye – inside and out – to divide abnormally. This abnormal division can cause tumors – both malignant and benign.
• “Surfer’s Eye” is common in coastal regions and is caused by sun exposure. This affects the cornea which can affect your ability to focus clearly.
• Overexposure to the sun also effects the lens of the eye as well as the retina which can lead to macular degeneration and cataracts later on.

A good rule of thumb to help protect your children’s eyes is to put sunglasses on them if they are going to spend any extended amount of time in the sun. It’s never too early to start this practice. You’ll want to use standard tinted glasses not the colored lenses that are popular with kids.

 

If you have younger children who are having a hard time wearing the sunglasses, a large hat with a wide brim or visor is the next best thing. You can also try attaching an elastic band to the sunglasses to help hold them in place.

 

Sunglasses, sunscreen and your children should be a common routine in the summer!

REALITY BITES

"Children biting other children is at once the most common and the most difficult repercussion of group child care, especially with toddlers," wrote Jim Greenman in his article, "Reality Bites: Biting at the Center - Part 1" in the Exchange Essential: Children with Challenging Behavior - Part 2. 

"Group living is hard — people rub up against each other and children in child care need and want attention from adults, and (sadly) negative attention is more desirable than being ignored.  A bite is powerful and primal:  quick and effective, usually inspiring immediate and dramatic reactions.  Size and strength are not required, even a baby can inflict a very painful bite.  Once present, it is hard to get rid of quickly.  The child often bites again, another child imitates, and soon it's an epidemic.  Parents become very upset about biting, and the problem escalates.

"Biting is a horrifying stage some children go through and a major problem or crisis for the group while it is happening.  Yet at the same time, for the biting child, it's a natural phenomenon that has virtually no lasting developmental significance.  It derives its significance from the group care setting.  It is not something to blame on children or parents (or teachers).  A child who bites is not on a path towards being a discipline problem, a bad person, or a cannibal.  Yes, it is an anti-social act, but an act of an individual not yet equipped to be fully social, just beginning life as a citizen."