Tips for Clean Eating

Healthy eating is a crucial part of overall good health and there are some helpful nutrition tips for those people who would like to make it a priority to “eat clean.”

One good tip is to eat more vegetables. Green veggies in particular are low on calories but very high in fiber and vitamins. You should also make a point to consume less sugar by putting a limit on the amount of candy and sodas and other sweet items that you eat and drink. Even flavored yogurt and canned tomato sauce contains a surprising amount of sugar.

You should also cut down on your intake of refined grains, which are more processed than is the case with whole grains and do not have the fiber and nutritional benefits. Substitute brown rice, quinoa or whole wheat for white rice, pasta and bread.

Staying away from packaged food that comes with a long list of ingredients as many of them are lacking in basic nutrients and they also tend to be high in sodium.

Simple ways to encourage small kids to learn to swim

It seems that small children fall into one of two categories when it comes to being in the water. There are those toddlers and children that seem to immediately take to swimming and those that dread lessons and seem to fear going anywhere near the water.

As a parent you want your children to be able to swim for many different reasons. First and foremost is for their safety and your peace of mind, but there are many other reasons as well. Swimming is a great exercise option, helps to build confidence and coordination and also provides children with a real sense of personal achievement.

To get those kids that seem to be hesitant about being in the water excited about learning to swim there are a few things that you can do as parents. These include:

• Mom and Dad can talk about swimming, learning to swim and how much they enjoy swimming. Modeling the behavior by going swimming is also a key factor in making it appealing for the child.
• Take your child to a pool that has a wading area and a shallow end. Go into the wading area with them and just splash and have fun. Gradually move into deeper water but always stay close to the child and progress at his or her own pace.
• Invite a small group of parents and children and have a pool party. If a child sees other children in the water he or she will be less uncertain about the activity.
• Consider taking the child to a lake or beach where the child feels more in a comfortable element rather than in a pool. Allow the child to walk into the water, sit down and splash around.

The most important thing is to make each experience positive. Never force the child or trick the child into getting into deeper water as this can create more anxiety and a real lack of trust. 

Top 3 Ways to Keep your Child Learning over the Summer

Educational research shows that children that don’t have ongoing opportunities to continue to practice and learn subject matter over the summer actually lose some of their skills and knowledge. This varies by age, grade level and academic subject area with math and reading loss over the summer estimated to be approximately 2 to 2.6 months of grade-level equivalency.

Parents can help children to retain their learning and skills without taking all the fun out of the summer. Finding ways to incorporate little “mini lessons” or teachable moments throughout the summer is a great way to keep kids thinking and to also help children to understand the practical aspects of academic learning.

Some fun ways to keep your children engaged and active in learning include:

Have a daily reading time – this is a wonderful way for the whole family to appreciate how important reading is. For younger children parents can read out loud and the children can follow along. 

1.  Older children will enjoy reading a book while Mom and Dad also share this time in a reading activity. You can also choose a classic and the entire family can read the book together, discussing different aspects of the book in more of a book study format.
2. Math activities – there is always an option to have children practicing math basics such as counting, addition, subtraction and multiplication. Ask children to help you complete measurements, count change or even plan the budget for your vacation. On road trips you can have them calculate miles between cities or miles traveled; you will be surprised at how often math comes up.
3. Vacation study – if your family is planning a vacation, or even a stay-cation, older children can do a research project or find out facts about where you are going and visiting. They can do this online, at the library or even by talking to friends and family members to get a history of a particular location. This project can include writing skills, reading, current events and geography.

On rainy days you can also have a variety of computer games that focus on specific math, reading or other academic skills, just make sure to make it a fun learning experience for maximum benefits. 

How to make your Summer Memorable on a Budget

As busy working parents you know how difficult it is to plan those big budget vacations that you want your children to experience. Saving for one big vacation a year is a great plan, but that will leave a lot of weekends with a limited amount of money to spend on entertainment.

If you are in this position as a parent there are some great ways that you can make every weekend memorable for your child and still not break your budget. Being creative, taking advantage of different events going on in your community and looking for top ideas that don’t cost a lot is not as difficult as you may think.

When planning fun events for you and your children the internet can be a wonderful tool. Try searching by location, you can choose anything within set number of miles from your home, and then spend some time getting familiar with the various festivals, fairs, exhibits, shows and cultural events in the area.

If you just want to do things on your own here are some low cost options to consider:

• Plan a trip to a park, beach or nature area and bring a picnic lunch. Make it an “unconnected” outing where everyone stays turned off from phones, tablets or electronic devices. The kids can help pick the location, pack the lunch and even choose what to do.
• Visit a local museum, planetarium or cultural center. Typically these venues offer low cost family admission or, depending on the event, it may be free. Community events such as fairs or exhibitions or even family fun days are a great way to get to know your neighbors and have fun.
• Look in your local paper or online for discount coupons to theme parks and events around the city. Often these coupons can add up to significant savings. You can also check to see if you quality for discounts through your employer.
•  If you don’t have the budget to go away for a weekend and stay in a hotel consider renting or borrowing camping equipment and taking in one of the many beautiful campgrounds in your area. You don’t have to stay the whole weekend and just a night will give you and your kids something to remember for years to come. 

Excercising and Eating Right

Balancing work and life makes it even more difficult to achieve fitness goals and stay on top of your health. Joint and muscle soreness, inactivity and improper nutrition are extra challenges as well, but there are ways to overcome them and make sure you keep living an active and healthy lifestyle.

One good tip is to take a multivitamin every day and to make sure that you limit the consumption of packaged or processed foods by creating meals that last. Cooking three chicken breasts rather than one is a good idea; one can be added to a salad, another used in a wrap or a sandwich, and the third with a side of steamed vegetables.

It is also important to snack smartly. Choose items such as Greek yogurt, almonds, vegetables, hardboiled eggs, cottage cheese and seeds. Avoid 100 calorie packs and granola bars and instead go for prewashed, cut fruit and vegetables and a prepared bags of seeds and mixed nuts.

You should also choose exercises that maintain fitness while avoiding strain on your back or joints. 

Tech. Tips for Travelers

Travelling is rarely guaranteed to go smoothly, but there are at least a few travel headaches that can be kept at bay thanks to technology. If you know how to make use of it in the proper manner, technology can increase your likelihood of having a positive experience on your next vacation.

One good tip is to use tech to keep updated on your flight status. Flights are commonly disrupted due to one reason and another, and delays and cancellations et al can be tough to keep up with. Many airlines today however enable you to track your flight status via a website or app, so if you own a smartphone you can stay updated on what is happening with your flight no matter where you are. If an app is offered by your airline for this purpose, be sure to download it and ensure your smartphone has been fully charged before you set off to the airport.

Translation apps are another good idea if you are jetting off to foreign climes. Many translation apps on tablets and smartphones are free of charge, and also have voice recognition software, meaning that communicating with people who speak a different language has never been easier.

Protecting your Eyes from heavy Computer use

If you spend more than a couple of hours a day staring at the computer, you could be at risk for computer vision syndrome (sometimes called “Google eyes”). The result of prolonged computer use, symptoms usually include blurred vision, dry eyes, red, itchy, watery eyes, headaches, and even muscle spasms. Heed these tips for reducing eyestrain:

• Monitor placement. Experts recommend placing your computer monitor 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes. This cuts down the strain of looking too closely at a screen, which can result in blurred distance vision.

• Blinking. Research shows that people normally blink about 12 times per minute, but computer users blink only five times per minute. The longer you keep your eyes open, the more likely your corneas will dehydrate, burn, and ache. Blinking more ensures that you keep your eyes lubricated and clean of air particles.

• Lighting. Much of the eyestrain associated with computer use is caused by poor lighting and screen glare. To keep strain at bay, make sure your workspace is well lit. You can also use glare protectors over your monitor.

• Frequent breaks. Experts recommend that you take a break from computer work every 15 minutes. All it takes is a quick glance around the room to allow your eyes to focus on distant objects. Doing this will give the muscles in your eyes time to relax a bit.