Hi, it’s Wednesday! I’m so glad you stopped by today. This is an apartment in St. Petersburg, Russia with great Gothic architecture. It’s a shame I can’t blow the photo up. The original is not on my new computer. The apartment building sits next to the beautiful Kazan Cathedral.
In Health,
Melinda
We have all been there… you grab a quick coffee in the morning on the way to work, and in your hurried state you end up spilling it all over your car. Nightmare! Or, what about those of you with dogs? We all know what the car can look like once they have shed their hair everywhere. This is why it is so important to choose car seat covers with care.
This is something you should do from the moment you purchase your new vehicle! If you’re in this process, and you have an old motor to sell, you can look at car scrap prices. Use this money to kit out your new vehicle, and make sure seat covers are near the top of the list.
The best car seat covers for dog owners
If you are someone that likes to take your pet with you everywhere you go, you should definitely invest in car covers that have been specially designed to protect against pets. These covers will not only preserve the condition of your seats, but they will also keep your dog comfortable too.
The AmazonBasics Waterproof Dog Car Seat Cover is a good choice. It is a basic hammock seat cover for pets. It offers exceptional protection to the back seats of your car due to the waterproof material, meaning wet, muddy paws will be kept away from your upholstery. It is made from 100% polyester and secures in the back seat using two-seat anchors and four headrest loops.
Another option to consider is the Anself Dog Car Seat. This seat cover is made from waterproof, high-quality Oxford fabric. It features adjustable locking seat clasps for dismounting and easy
installation. Your pet will also be comfortable, as the seat protects them from falling into the back seat floor.
The best car mats to protect from dirty feet
Enovoe Kick Mats are great for protecting your car seats. These are waterproof, dual-layered mats, which is perfect for ensuring your car stays stylish forever. They attach to the back of front seats, making them ideal if you have children sitting in the back that like to kick into the back of the chairs! This means you can drive your car without worrying about dirt, mud, snow, or rain. These covers are long-lasting because they are made from the finest materials.
The best car mat to protect from spills and stains
Last but not least, we have the Premium Waterproof Car Seat Protector. This is the best option if you want to get protection from odors, sweat, dirt, and stains. You can also ensure that the vitality and novelty of your vehicle seats are protected once you have been to the gym, done any type of heavy workout, or been to the beach. Manufactured by Eclipse and made using high-quality neoprene, quality is guaranteed, as is comfort. This is because the covers blend perfectly with the contours of any type of car seat. If you choose this type of car seat protector, you can go anywhere with your kids and family and you won’t need to worry!
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
Why Rain & Clouds Are Stressful
It is the season to be gloomy. Gray clouds in the sky and puddles on the path! For a lot of people, autumnal and wintry weather can affect your mood dramatically. Did you know that rain and clouds could be a potent source of stress in your life?
This year, especially, creates new stressful events that affect all of us. Nobody can ignore how much the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for our mental health. Yet, the pandemic fear isn’t the only thing that can lead to stress during the last quarter of the year.
SAD symptoms get worse
You are probably familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder, especially if you’ve been consciously self-isolated this year. SAD, for short, is a type of depressive disorder that is linked to seasonal light exposures. Typically, it occurs when days get shorter and nights longer, as you receive less direct sunlight. As the summer has come to an end, you may find your mood sinking again. SAD can develop into severe depression, so it’s not a disorder you should ignore. Thankfully, a lot of individuals with SAD can experience significant improvements with light therapy. Did you know that something as simple as buying a lamp for SAD may help to create the feel-good serotonin that affects your brain’s needs?
Floodings everywhere
After the sunny summer comes the autumn rain. Unfortunately, some areas are more likely to get flooded during the colder months because the soil can’t absorb the rainwater. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, seasonal floods may be a frequent occurrence. Even if your home is safe from significant damages, you could still get affected when you drive on the road. It’s not uncommon to come across deep puddles in winter that could damage your engines. Ideally, countryside dwellers need vehicles that can survive heavy floods, such as the reliable high-chassis Land Rover Discovery – You may want to head to your local Land Rover dealerships to find a vehicle that can drive through deep water.
Only 2 months before Christmas
It is soon the season to be jolly! Except that Christmas can also drive your stress levels to the maximum. A lot of people are already experiencing pre-Christmas stress when they think of the cost of preparation, shopping for presents, and the pressure to deal with family expectations. With a little over 2 months to get ready, it’s likely that you may be feeling overwhelmed already. It’s been an odd sort of year, and time has seemed to fly away from us.
The feeling that the year has gone by too quickly
How can it already be October? The last time you checked, it was March and the news of a pandemic was just hitting the media. What happened to 2020? While everyone has had to put their lives on hold for the past 6 months, it’s hard to get to grips with the reality of the situation. It feels like a wasted year where you haven’t been able to enjoy much of it. For the time being, we have to learn patience to stay safe.
In conclusion, feeling stressed or depressed by the rainy season is the most natural thing in the world. Thankfully, there are more than one ways to handle the situation. Whether you need to consider light therapy or organize your Christmas events early, stress is a response to a problem. Yet, most problems can be solved once you’ve identified your triggers!
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
I was a child, six months old. You left me in the bathtub while you answered the door. Did you want me to drown?
I was a child, a baby, running a high fever in the middle of winter. You pushed my highchair in front of an open window to cool me down. Did your mother teach you that?
I was a child, a toddler, You dug your nails into my underarms so none would see the bruises. Granny didn’t understand why I cried so hard when you grabbed me by the arm.
I was a child, a teenager. You slapped me for the last time, I fought back. One swing and your husband punches me in the mouth with his fist. Were you glad he came to your rescue?
I was a child, a teenager. You told Child Protective Services I was mentally ill and you were trying to get me admitted to the state hospital. Crazy, who me?
I became an adult, no longer a child, and realized the manipulation and pain you caused and severed all ties. Why do you still send my Birthday and Christmas cards?
I was a child…..
Melinda
Things I’m Loving! Here are some of my favorite Health & Beauty subscription boxes. I don’t always do year-long subscriptions to some boxes but these are the must-haves. You can always count on them to deliver awesome quality that can be put to use right away or will make a great gift. Let’s not forget the holidays are right around the corner.
At Curateur there is a pop up for $25.00 off your first box and a free gift. There is a great offer from CauseBox and I’ll talk about them first.
From clean beauty standouts to sustainable swaps, the Fall Box has a little of everything: 4 options to customize, 6 sustainable, ethical, full-size products worth over $250, one beautifully illustrated box. Yep, all that for just $49.95.*
I’ve been an annual member of CauseBox for three years and can say without a doubt have never received a disappointing box. They are women-owned, YEAH, they are committed to helping other women get out of poverty by working with artisans from around the world. Each month quarter CauseBox will send you a box packed full of items you need, some you even get to customize and the value is over $250 for the quarterly price $49.95. CauseBox is one of the things I’m loving! One of the items I received in the Fall box was a comfy cotton waffle robe.
Laurel & Reed was created out of our founder’s journey to live a more organic and healthy lifestyle after she found out her father was battling cancer. Through his battle and into his remission, she chose to shift to a pure, clean, and all-natural lifestyle – knowing the harmful effects toxic beauty has on a women’s skin and health.*
Laurel Reed is clean beauty at it’s finest in a monthly subscription box for just $49.95. I can trust Laural & Reed to offer three to four full-size products of the highest quality at a fraction of the retail value. I don’t buy every month because they offer such great products that fit my need that I don’t need them every month. I’ve been a regular customer for three years and they always exceed my expectations.
CURATEUR delivers coveted name-brand fashion, beauty, and home essentials right to your door every season. Plus, it unlocks year-round access to our members-only Shoppe, and other exclusive benefits. All items are Rachel Zoe approved and offered at exclusive prices.* I have seen a pop up for $25.00 off your first box along with a free gift.
Curateur is the most luxurious quarterly subscription box I buy. It’s a fashion-oriented box with a splash of clean beauty and skincare. This is another great woman-owned business. I’m have received two boxes and WOW, you get so much luxury for only $99.99 per quarter. The Fall box is valued at over $700.00 retail. I am counting the days until my box ships. The Curator Fall box has a beautiful large Burgandy vegan tote bag, Eddie Burgo Supra Link Neck and matching Earings, two beauty, and skincare items, a marine collagen gel, and a highlighter. You had a choice of the matching earrings or a pair of Le Specs Neptune sunglasses, I chose the earrings. As you can tell, this is a subscription box at the top of my things I’m loving list.
Get up to $165 worth of clean, vegan & cruelty-free skincare, makeup, hair-care, and accessories, including at least two full-sized products. Vegan and cruelty-free makeup, skincare, hair-care, and accessories, curated with kindness and delivered to your door each month!*
Kinder Beauty is all things clean beauty for only $25 per month. I will likely renew at the end of the term. This past month received several items and fell in love with the silky face mask. They have great customer support and interesting weekly emails.
Remember to treat yourself once in a while, indulging in self-care products is good for your mental health. “Self-care is not selfish.” I work hard to remember that saying. You don’t have to buy a subscription box to indulge in self-care, just buying one item that takes you away from the daily stressors for a few minutes is good self-care.
Thank you for all the comments on my post last week, Things I’m Loving *Chronic Illness LIst #2. I’ve enjoyed hearing from you and exchanging ideas with you.
In Health,
Melinda
It’s the weekend, YEAH! I’m so glad you’ve joined me. Be Safe.
I need your help this weekend! I’ve upgraded my site and have a couple of concerns. Can you read this font? It looks very light for me. I installed Goggle Fonts and my site feels like it has slowed down. If you would, please comment and let me know how your loading time was I would really appreciate it.
The world has been tested to the limits by the COVID-19 virus and we all need to keep dreaming. There are better days ahead!
In Health,
Melinda
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Bella Grace Field Guide to Everyday Magic by Stampington
In Health,
Melinda
Hi Everyone, It’s Friday! So glad you stopped by today, I’m sending good karma your way for a great weekend.
Albert Einstein
In Health,
Melinda
—Robert Neubecker for Education Week
By Mandy Savitz-Romer, Heather Rowan-Kenyon, Tara Nicola, & Laura Hecht September 16, 2020
As the global pandemic threatens students’ academic progress, recent reports have also raised alarms about students’ mental health. Fear, loss, and the anxiety brought on by uncertainty are raising already-high levels of trauma and stress among young people.
It will be tempting for schools to direct resources and attention this fall to bolstering the instructional core, given well-founded fears of learning loss and the widening of academic inequities. But our research suggests that districts need to focus just as much on deploying staff and policies that promote students’ social and emotional development. School counselors have a critical but often overlooked role to play in meeting this urgent need.
According to our survey of nearly 1,000 school counselors from across the country, these professionals faced significant challenges last spring as they sought to support students’ social-emotional, academic, and postsecondary development in a remote learning environment. Schools should now make it a priority to understand what went wrong in the spring, so they don’t repeat the same mistakes this fall.
First, we found that school counselors were not able to spend as much time as usual counseling students about social-emotional issues, career development, or postsecondary plans. This is especially troubling for a profession that was already stretched thin to begin with: Last year, all but three states significantly exceeded the recommended ratio of students-to-counselors. In our survey, 43 percent of counselors reported spending less time providing individual counseling than in their work pre-COVID-19, despite the stress and trauma caused by the pandemic.”While navigating personal stressors brought on by the pandemic, school counselors faced unique professional challenges as well.”
Instead, a large majority of the counselors—who regularly worked well beyond their usual hours—reported spending their time tracking down students with low attendance in remote learning and delivering social-service and technology information to families. These are worthwhile efforts, of course, but they limited counselors’ ability to check in with students, assess their well-being, and intervene when necessary.
Second, our results suggested that a lack of direction and leadership from school and district leaders complicated this shift in responsibilities. Approximately 55 percent of counselors surveyed reported not receiving clear directions about their expected role in a remote environment. One midsize, urban school district’s updated memorandum of understanding with the teachers’ union never even mentioned school counselors.
While school counselors appreciated ongoing communication from administration and district staff, counselors were rarely involved in planning for remote schooling. Despite their unique skills in supporting students, only 35 percent of counselors say they were asked to provide input about school contingency plans or how to maintain counseling programming. Counselors also reported that training for counselor-specific remote work was not available to them. This problem was especially acute in rural communities, where 1 in 3 counselors reported receiving no training.
Third, like all educators, school counselors struggled to adjust to remote schooling. While navigating personal stressors brought on by the pandemic, school counselors faced unique professional challenges as well. In addition to losing the valuable opportunity to connect with students in informal settings such as hallways and lunchrooms, many counselors received instructions from school leaders not to meet one-on-one with students, provide group or classroom instruction, or even use videoconferencing software because of concerns about meeting confidentiality requirements remotely.
MORE OPINION
These findings highlight long-standing challenges facing the school counseling profession. For decades, school counselors have called on principals to provide better leadership to counseling programs. Such leadership is now essential. If schools are committed to healing students and supporting their engagement in academics amid a wave of national trauma, they must heed this call now more than ever. To support their efforts, we offer the following recommendations for school and district leaders:
1. Establish a clear plan for school counseling programming and communicate it widely. School and district leaders are often not familiar with counseling models or standards, so they need to take their lead from counselors. Strong administrators understand the assets and expertise of counselors and are careful not to misdirect their time toward tasks that don’t leverage their mental-health training. With counselors’ input, school and district leaders can prioritize the availability of counseling programs and services at the systems level. At a minimum, counselors can identify counseling-related policies and practices that transfer to a virtual or hybrid context. For example, school counselors can join morning meetings to connect with students, partner with teachers to integrate strategies for well-being into classes, and collaborate with other support staff to utilize screening tools to identify depression, trauma, and other signs of distress.
2. Build time for counseling into student schedules. Face-to-face time with students—either virtually or in person when it is safe to do so—is a precious commodity. School leaders will therefore need to be intentional about scheduling time for students to meet with counselors and for counselors to provide mental-health support to whole classes, grades, or schools. Consistent advisory blocks and office hours might offer structured times for students to reach out for additional support. School counselors around the country have set up Google Classrooms and Bitmoji offices to be added to district platforms.
3. Evenly distribute the responsibility of tracking down students. School leaders must avoid the temptation of assigning attendance and noncounseling duties to counselors simply because they are not responsible for a classroom of students. Pulling school counselors away from checking in with students, delivering resources for managing anxiety, and supporting postsecondary planning will leave some students vulnerable to further disengagement.
4. Ask counselors if and how they need support and training to use virtual platforms to provide counseling. In our survey, many school counselors reported having to use their personal phones to call students. Often, parents and students didn’t answer those calls, which appear as if they come from unknown numbers. Access to a school phone, Google Voice number, or other platforms to communicate with students will enable counselors to conduct confidential or sensitive conversations with students. School counselors also need different kinds of training from what is offered to teachers. Training on virtual platforms, strategies that support telecounseling, and legal and ethical considerations are especially in demand. As the college-admission process continues to evolve during the pandemic, school counselors will also benefit from training on policies and practices that have been updated during the pandemic.
While today’s educational context is defined by uncertainty, one thing is for certain: As students return to Zoom rooms or school buildings, they are hurting. We have professionals who are trained and ready to help them heal and develop the social and emotional skills to cope with their current reality. Let’s be sure to take counselors into account in our planning this semester. Our students and teachers are going to need them.
Mandy Savitz-Romer is the Nancy Pforzheimer Aronson Senior Lecturer in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Heather Rowan-Kenyon is an associate professor of education leadership and higher education at the Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development. Tara Nicola is a doctoral student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Laura Hecht is a research manager at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. They are the authors of the recently released report “Expanding Support Beyond the Virtual Classroom: Lessons and Recommendations From School Counselors During the COVID-19 Crisis.”
Follow the Education Week Opinion section on Twitter.
Sign up to get the latest Education Week Opinion in your email inbox.
Vol. 40, Issue 05, Page 24Published in Print: September 16, 2020, as How Ready Are We to Support Kids?RELATED STORIES
RELATED OPINION
As we round out Pain Awareness Month I wanted to share my thoughts on the global opioid crisis. I have been fortunate to have seen the good and not so good but nowhere near the worst side of the opioid crisis.
First and foremost DOCTORS are responsible for educating themselves on each medication they prescribe and the side effects. Every doctor needs to share this information with the PATIENT who is also responsible for reading the directions, following the directions, report any side effects, and to be honest with the doctor when discussing your pain levels.
The type of doctors who have created this crisis is the ones who recklessly overprescribed patients and did not have a responsible follow-up and withdrawal plan. I heard a story on television about a man who was in a car wreck who has prescribed over 20 pain pills a day. No-one is in that much pain, you can’t function on that level of medication and no responsible doctor would prescribe that amount.
Doctors are responsible for monitoring their patients, if a patient can’t make it till the end of the month before needing a refill, it’s time to have a face to face and reaccess the pain. I did this with my doctor for months before reaching the right dosage.
The not so good experience I had was making the mistake of thinking my general doctor could manage my pain effectively. I went along this way for several years until I maxed out the dosage on my medication and he didn’t know where to do from there. I eventually sought out a Pain Management doctor and had real success and real failure.
The great success lasted two years, he required me to see him every time a refill was needed. We would talk about how my pain was, any issues with the medication, any other treatment options he might have in mind, have a urine sample, and discuss my concerns. After that, he would call in my refill. I think this is the responsible management of a patient.
The great failure came when COVID hit the shores. The first two months I had Telehealth visits and my refills were called in no problems. The third month I call to get my prescription refilled and I’m told I have to come into the office. I stressed to the admin that I had a new immune disorder and to talk with the doctor to see if he would make an exception. She said no, I have to come in it’s the law. I know better and cussed at her. It’s not a DEA law that a patient must come in every three months for a urine test, it’s the doctor’s call. I offered to go to the local lab for a urine test and was told no. End of story. I only received two weeks’ worth of medication and throw away like wet trash.
I did file several complaints with the Medical Review Board but I don’t think he will suffer any consequences.
Doctors should be bound by their license to not dismiss a patient who is addicted to pain medication and expect them to find another doctor within two weeks, let alone during a pandemic. He had no withdrawal plan, a responsible doctor would have said I no longer want your business, you cussed at my employee and over the next 30-45 days you need to find another doctor and I will start a withdraw plan with you now.
Every DOCTOR and PATIENT has a responsibility when taking any type of medication, it doesn’t matter if it’s addictive or not. All medications including over the counter medications, including children’s medications have side effects. It’s the doctor who needs to share the most common and the “when to call or go to ER” symptoms. We also have to reach out by asking questions and seeking information on the internet if necessary in order to manage our medications.
I still have not scheduled an appointment with a new Pain Management doctor. I am lucky enough to have had enough pills to go thru some type of withdrawal and will wait until the virus numbers stop spiking in the state. My hands still shake and I still need the medication but I need the virus less. I’m blessed my pain has not spiked.
In Health,
Melinda
| In a couple of days, we will come together once again to commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month. However, this year is different and, in some ways, more critical than ever. Domestic violence was an epidemic before COVID-19, with nearly one in four women and one in seven men reporting that they experience violence from their spouse or partner in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, the virus has dramatically exacerbated the problem. While home was supposed to be a safe place to go in the lockdown, it was even more dangerous for victims of domestic violence to be isolated and alone with their abusers. Reports of abuse have skyrocketed in the U.S. and around the world. Even as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, the abuse will not simply end. That’s why we need your support more than ever this October. We can only end the epidemic of domestic abuse when we talk openly about it; remove the shame, blame and stigma; support survivors; hold abusers accountable; and engage everyone—women AND men—to help end the violence once and for all. Today we’re asking you to consider using your voice and your platforms during Domestic Violence Awareness Month to do just that—be part of the solution. Please take the NO MORE pledge, print out your NO MORE signs, talk to your kids about healthy relationships, engage your workplaces, and help raise critical funds to support our efforts to change the culture and stop the violence before it starts. Now is the right time to plan a Domestic Violence Awareness Month Facebook fundraiser for NO MORE. Set your own goal and share it with friends and family to achieve it. Tag us in your fundraising posts so we can send our thanks and give you a shout out. Check out our Ways To Give page for more ideas on how you can champion NO MORE’s efforts this coming month and beyond. Thank you in advance! Your contribution will go a long way not only to support survivors but also to prevent violence from starting in the first place. Stay tuned! We’ll be sharing more of our efforts and ways you can get involved throughout Domestic Violence Awareness Month. |
Mental health issues affect one in four people. This could range from stress, anxiety, and depression, to severe mental health issues such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or borderline personality disorder.
Often, it can be hard to understand the cause of these mental health problems. They may be triggered by something that has gone on in your life such as the loss of a loved one, or a big change such as moving to a new city, or a change in career. Whatever the cause, it is essential that you practice self-care.
But what can you do to treat your mental health problems?
Here are some of the steps you should take if you are experiencing any mental health difficulties in your life.
Speak To Your Doctor
If you are struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression in your life, then you should speak with your doctor at the earliest possible opportunity. Your doctor should talk you through what is happening in your life in order to understand whether you should be treated with self-care,
antidepressant medication, or whether you would be a suitable candidate for talking therapy such as cognitive behavior therapy.
Speak To A Counselor
If you are able to speak with a counselor, do so. You may be able to get referred to one by your doctor. If not, there are plenty of specialist counselors that will be able to take you on.
Different counselors and therapists will have their own approaches to dealing with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Make sure that you are happy with the counselor’s approach before you commit to a course of sessions with them.
Use CBD And Other Alternative Treatments
One of the areas that there is growing research into is the use of alternative treatments such as CBD. CBD comes from the same plant as cannabis except it doesn’t have any of the psychoactive ingredients as cannabis does. It just relaxes you and relieves symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Another alternative treatment option may be psychedelics. You can read more about this at psychedelicspotlight.com.
Eat Well
There is a lot that can be said about the way that you eat. By making sure that you are eating a balanced diet, you will be able to help to give yourself the energy that you need to keep going.
To fight off stress and depression with your diet you should look at getting your starch fix with whole grains and beans. You should be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Instead of eating red meats, you should eat fatty fish like salmon or tuna. Finally, add in healthy fats, such as raw nuts and olive oil.
Exercise
Exercising is a great way of clearing your head. It gives you endorphins which is a feel-good hormone that will balance out the stress hormones that your body will naturally be producing.
Start small. Even going for a short walk will be very helpful.
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
Analysis by Lisa Respers France, CNN
Friday, September 18th 2020, 9:05 AM
I’m not asking you to feel sorry for Kanye West.
The rapper/designer/provocateur may have earned as many critics over the course of his career as he has fans. But West’s mental health, which he has been open about, should be observed with sensitivity.
His recent interview with Forbes, concerning tweets and a press conference in which he made inaccurate statements about Harriet Tubman have raised alarms about his current well-being.
His wife, Kim Kardashian West, appealed to the better nature of the public last week with a plea for compassion for her husband, who she acknowledged has bipolar disorder.
“Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand,” she wrote in a note posted on her Instagram stories. “I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy when it comes to his health. But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health.”
In terms of the spectacle of it all, we have been here before with Ye. But he’s not the only celebrity who has confronted such challenges in the fishbowl that is the entertainment industry:
Jenifer Lewis: In a 2018 interview with CNN, the “Black-ish” star spoke about West’s much-reported meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Lewis acknowledged knowing full well what living with bipolar disorder can feel like in the public glare.
She was first diagnosed with it in the 1990s and wrote about her struggles with mental illness in her memoir, “The Mother of Black Hollywood.”
Lewis wept with concern for West at the time.
“Part of the disorder is not wanting to tame the mania,” she told me. “The high is so high and it feels great, but it’s dangerous. It’s so dangerous.”
She and I discussed the need to remove stigma surrounding mental illness — especially in the Black community.
“I cannot say enough how dangerous this disease is,” Lewis said. “And it is a disease. People need to start treating it like a disease like they do cancer, not as something to point at and laugh.”
Britney Spears: West has indeed been treated as a joke by many. Much like another celebrity whose mental health has been back in the headlines.
Britney Spears’ younger sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, weighed in last week after singer Halsey posted a series of tweets about mental illness.
“No jokes right now. I have dedicated my career to offering education and insight about bipolar disorder and I’m so disturbed by what I’m seeing,” Halsey wrote. “Personal opinions about someone aside, a manic episode isnt a joke. If you can’t offer understanding or sympathy, offer your silence.”
Jamie Lynn Spears offered her perspective.
“If you deal with mental illness or care for someone dealing with mental illness, then you know how important it is to respect the situation with privacy for the person, and the family trying to protect their loved ones, no matter how it may appear to the public, and as the public we must learn to do the same,” Spears reportedly wrote on Instagram in a since-deleted post.
She went on to defend her older sister after a commenter implored her to “clarify assumptions” about Britney Spears’ mental state.
“I would never speak our just to clarify things to the public, when the person it pertains to does not want that to happen,” Spears wrote. “I’d rather take all the hate, [than] speak about someone else’s personal matter, that they want to be kept private.”
Britney Spears has been subjected to tabloid fodder about her health since 2007, when she was hospitalized for mental health treatment and her father was granted conservatorship over her affairs.
The #FreeBritney hashtag gained traction from those who want that conservatorship to end.
Spears posted on Instagram last year to let her followers know, “All is well.”
Still, the #FreeBritney campaign has continued — and this month intensified due to a pending legal matter regarding the conservatorship — as her health gets picked apart by the public.
Tamar Braxton: As was the case when Braxton, who stars on the reality series “Braxton Family Values,” was reportedly hospitalized last week.
“This is an extremely difficult time for Tamar and her family as she navigates professional and personal struggles including her battle with depression,” Braxton’s boyfriend, David Adefeso, said in a statement to People.
“Tamar is currently receiving the best available medical attention to address those struggles and strengthen her mental health, and her family and I will remain by her side throughout her treatment,” he went on to say in the statement. “Mental health is a common issue, affecting 1 in 5 Americans.”
During this time of the pandemic, those numbers could increase with so many of us stressed, anxious and worried for the future.
Those in the public eye who are challenged with mental health issues should evoke our empathy and serve as a reminder to reach out for help if needed.
CNN has contacted reps for all three celebs for comment but has not yet received responses.
Read here for some of the best ways to take care of your mental health during the Covid crisis.
Hi, it’s Wednesday! I’m so glad you stopped by today, I appreciate you being here. This week I’m taking you to the state of Alabama. I love the photo and how it captures all the different shades of red.
In health,
Melinda
Staying independent as you age doesn’t have to be a stroke of luck, or hit or miss. You can ensure you remain independent as you age by taking some important steps as regularly as you can. Now, although the earlier you start the better, it’s never too late to start looking after yourself. Below, you’ll find some pointers that will allow you to master independence, whatever age you are:
The first and one of the most important things is to make sure you’re exercising regularly. You don’t need to work out like an athlete or do crazy workouts that you don’t feel ready to do, but you should find a type of exercise that you enjoy and believe you can do in the long run and stick to it. In fact, mixing up the types of exercise you do is a great idea, as this will ensure you have all of your bases covered, whatever happens. For example:
When many think of being independent, they think of being hyper independent. This usually means not asking for help from anybody and doing things completely alone. However, humans are social creatures, and we do need some interaction from time to time. Not only that, we can’t always do things along. Fostering independence is great, but don’t become so independent that you can’t ask for help if you do need it. In fact, many elderly people opt for a senior care service so that they can continue to enjoy life in-home as they age.
A balanced diet will work in harmony with your exercise routine to keep you healthy and happy. You don’t need to eat ‘clean’, but you certainly shouldn’t be eating a load of processed foods each day. Here are some pointers:
Make sure you make a note of when your health appointments are due and keep up with them. Sticking to them will ensure you can catch anything early on and give you peace of mind. There may be nothing wrong with you at all, but visiting the doctor, dentist, and optician regularly is the only way to confirm this.
Yes, technology can cause problems. However, it’s here to stay. Getting used to using it will only be a good thing for you. Don’t call yourself a ‘technophobe’ as you have no reason to learn to use it this way. With good technology, you can make living at home easier and staying in touch with your loved ones a breeze.
Keep your mind alert by doing puzzles, reading, and learning new things. Make sure you take care of your mental health, too!
Don’t stop learning just because you’re aging. Look for new hobbies and challenges and show yourself what you can do. It’s never too late to try something that you’ve always wanted to try.
Independence, as you age, is achievable for all – start now and you’ll see.
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
Spending time in the garden makes a massive difference in your overall wellbeing and longevity according to research by the Royal Horticultural Society – a UK-based based charity. Investigators studied more than 8,000 people between 2009 and 2016 following their daily gardening habits. They found that those who spent more time in the garden had better overall psychological and physical wellbeing.
The findings were dramatic. The research indicates that the difference in health outcomes between the people who spent the most time in their gardens compared to the least was the same size as the difference of living in a wealthy area compared to a poor one.
The findings suggest, therefore, that we should all be looking for ways to open up our gardens and spend more time in them. We should view our outdoor spaces as both beautiful places to spend time and tools for improving our mental health. Like exercise, the areas around our homes are places that can potentially alter our neurochemistry and change the way that we feel.
People With Access To Private Gardens More Likely To Report Psychological Wellbeing
The study also found that even people with access to private gardens were much more likely to be in good psychological health. Those who could have a yard or private space to themselves reported feeling much happier to the researchers.
What’s more, the evidence suggests that merely having a garden is often sufficient to confer the benefits, not the process of gardening itself. Thus, people with an outdoor space beside their home were much more likely to experience the health and wellbeing benefits compared to those who didn’t.
The lead researcher on the project suggested that the findings were indicative of the fact that people need to feel close to nature to have a sense of contentment. Gardens might have a crucial role to play in issues of public health she said.
How To Spend More Time In The Garden
So, while this research is interesting, it doesn’t answer the practical question of how to spend more time in the garden. We’d all like to be outside as much as possible, but often, it’s not possible. So what can we do?
Let’s take a look.
Purchase A Laptop
If you can work from home, purchasing a laptop can be one of the best things you do to increase the amount of time that you spend in the garden. You can connect to the internet, take it out to the garden, and then spend all day among the flowers and the birds, weather permitting.
Install Decking
Getting deck builders to install decking is another way to make your garden spaces more practical. Having somewhere off the grass to place garden furniture can encourage you to use your garden as an entertainment space.
Build A Garden Room
A garden room is simply a room in your home that connects the garden to your indoor space, encouraging you to use both.
Most modern garden rooms have sliding doors that act as a kind of interface between your indoor and outdoor spaces. But you can do it in other ways, such as bi-folding doors.
Install A Summer House
In certain parts of the world, it’s not warm enough to spend time outdoors year-round. Spending time on your patio isn’t fun when it’s freezing cold.
The obvious solution to this problem is a summer house – a strange name for something you’ll use in the colder months of the year. And because it provides shelter, you can place indoor furniture inside, making sitting in it more comfortable.
Get A Vegetable Patch
Vegetable patches offer two advantages. First, they let you grow tasty organic food. And secondly, they force you to get out into the garden and take care of them.
Your onions and leeks can become a real source of focus that takes your mind off other things. When you’re digging up soil and planting bulbs, you’re not thinking about all the things that affect your wellbeing. It’s a healthy physical activity that takes your mind off things and allows you to thrive.
Subscribe To A Gardening Magazine
Finally, subscribing to a gardening magazine is something that can inspire you to get out into the garden and create something beautiful. Editors introduce you to essential concepts, such as when you should plant bulbs and how you should arrange your beds. You’ll also learn practical things, such as how to weed and the tools you’ll need to keep your yard looking good all year long.
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
If your furry friend is struggling with digestive problems, bad breath, dry skin, and more, your first port of call is to reach out to your vet to get him checked out, right?
We all want what’s best for our animals to keep them happy and healthy, but some pet parents are concerned with resorting to ‘Western medicine’ when it comes to their care. One of the reasons pet owners express concern in this area is the overuse of medicines to deal with some issues. Are some of the most common side effects worth it in the long run.
Some pet owners have since looked into the use of alternative medicine for the treatment of some common animal complaints. Before considering the use of alternative treatments for your pets, it is important to speak to a registered veterinarian who will advise you on the best treatments for your pet.
Here are some of the alternative treatments you can use to treat your animals, and some of the things you need to know about them.
Acupuncture
The treatment that involves inserting small needles in certain parts of the body to balance the energy flow, thus treating pain and chronic ailments, acupuncture is a popular choice for pet owners to use on their animals, too. It is pain relief without the excessive use of chemicals from western medicine.
Food
Every animal has to eat, and a good way of sneaking medication into a pet is through their food as their favorite wet food will disguise the taste of nasty medicines. However, some companies such as petness.com provide animals with tasty hemp-based products for dogs that not only have a huge range of health benefits such as easing pet anxiety and sleeping issues, but they’re tasty, too!
Supplements
Where there are perhaps some nutritional shortfalls in the diet, nutritional supplements can benefit pets by supplying additional vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and vital fatty acids to encourage optimal health
Massage
Another popular treatment for humans. Pets can also enjoy the benefits of massage from lowering the stress hormones in the body, pain relief, increased circulation, and a boosted immune system. Once pet owners have the correct training, this could also be done at home saving a lot of time and money!
What Do Vets Think About the Use of Alternative Therapy?
While alternative therapy is increasing in popularity among pet owners, many vets do not like to encourage the use of alternative therapies. This is mainly due to the fact that, unlike western veterinary treatment and medicine, many of these therapies have not been scientifically proven to work for the treatment of various illnesses or complaints.
This doesn’t mean that these treatments are always ineffective, however- it just means that highly funded case studies have yet to be completed meaning that these alternative treatments haven’t been put to the test.
Some vets are incredibly open to the idea of the use of alternative medicine, with some schools even offering training in the area to go alongside western treatments.
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
Sep 16, 2020
Lady Gaga’s personal trauma influenced the book she is penning with her mother.
The ‘Rain On Me’ hitmaker and her mum, Cynthia Germanotta, have worked together on ‘Channel Kindness’ – which is a collection of 51 stories of kindness from young people across the world – and the pair revealed the idea for the book stemmed from the singer’s experience with mental health problems at school.
Gaga told PEOPLE magazine: “I didn’t know how to stand up for myself without feeling embarrassed.”
Cynthia admitted she feels “horrible” that she wasn’t able to support her daughter, and blames generational differences for her lack of communication at the time.
She explained: “There was a shame of sharing some of this with me. And I feel horrible about that.
“I was raised differently, where you just have to be tough and not talk about your emotions. I didn’t always understand the difference between normal biological teenage development and a real problem.”
Gaga hopes that the book can encourage “resilience” in younger people suffering mental health problems and help develop an understanding, just as she has with her mother.
The 34-year-old singer – whose real name is Stefani Germanotta – said: “There are things that create highways from heart to heart, where we can hold compassion and empathy, where we can celebrate everybody’s resilience.
“When I was younger and had mental issues, my mom didn’t know how to communicate with me about it. We’ve found a way to channel kindness into our lives in a way that’s also healed our relationship.”
Gaga added: “I’m just really grateful that my mom holds space for me to be able to talk about how I feel. And because of that, we have a very healthy relationship that is beautiful.”
HUFFPOST
09/04/2020 11:31am EDT
Spend at least five minutes a day, every single day, hanging out with them and doing whatever they want.
Kids might find it more difficult to cope with the pandemic. Here’s how parents can help them.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit this past spring, billions of children around the globe were abruptly sent home from school — an anchor in so many ways. Kids have been cut off from friends and loved ones, and yanked away from daily activities and passions. Many have watched their loved ones get sick or have come down with the virus themselves. It has been … a lot.
Now, as another unprecedented academic year swings into high gear, children are facing more of the same “new normal” that no one asked for.
“We don’t know how long we’re going to be living in this very strange period. For some kids, that mean that they’ve adjusted and things are a little bit easier to manage,” said Kimberly Canter, a child psychologist at Nemours Children’s Health System. “For other kids, that just means this gets harder and harder every day.”
HuffPost Parents spoke to several experts about simple, concrete ways we can help support our children during this upcoming school year. Here’s what they had to say:
Talking to your child about what they know (or believe they know) about the pandemic is a crucial first step to understanding where they’re at emotionally, said Canter, who developed an online intervention to help kids struggling with COVID-19 stress. (The intervention is currently available to Nemours patients only, but she shared some of the broader concepts below.)
You’re looking to understand their specific concerns, she said.
“Are there things they are hearing that are frightening them that are not true?” she asked. “Are there things they are hearing that are frightening them that are true? And how can we address that?”
If your child brings up something you don’t have an answer to, or there’s no answer to, be honest. Tell them you’ll seek out accurate information together, and reassure them that they’re not facing this alone.
Parents should also pay attention to any physical, emotional or social changes they notice in their children, said Ron Stolberg, a licensed child psychologist and professor at Alliant International University.
“Typical things to look for are significant weight gain or weight loss not related to normal development, rejecting long-standing friends, major social withdrawal, and with teens, we also add unaccounted-for spending,” Stolberg said.
Your check-ins can be brief, but they should be consistent. Parents may have done this more at the start of the pandemic, when everything was strange and new. Don’t let up now.
Emotional intelligence is a learned skill that is rooted in a person’s ability to identify what they are feeling. Parents can help their children do that, Canter said. It’s really about noticing their feelings and learning how to name them.
This can start even if kids are young. Simple mood meters — red for angry, blue for sad, green for calm and yellow for happy — can help young kiddos track where they are and give voice to those feelings.
If your child brings up something you don’t have an answer to, or there’s no answer to, be honest. Tell them you’ll seek out accurate information together, and reassure them that they’re not facing this alone.
Parents should also pay attention to any physical, emotional or social changes they notice in their children, said Ron Stolberg, a licensed child psychologist and professor at Alliant International University.
“Typical things to look for are significant weight gain or weight loss not related to normal development, rejecting long-standing friends, major social withdrawal, and with teens, we also add unaccounted-for spending,” Stolberg said.
Your check-ins can be brief, but they should be consistent. Parents may have done this more at the start of the pandemic, when everything was strange and new. Don’t let up now.
Your check-ins can be brief, but they should be consistent. Parents may have done this more at the start of the pandemic, when everything was strange and new. Don’t let up now.
Even if you live in an area where your child is in the classroom five days a week, this is an academic year like no other. One simple way to emotionally support your child — and your child’s teacher — is to help them feel “safe and connected to their school communities,” said Jeanne Huybrechts, chief academic officer at Stratford School, a network of private schools in California. That is true whether classes are in person, hybrid or starting the year off remotely.
“Reach out to your child’s teacher and introduce yourself and your family,” Huybrechts said. “Share family stories, values, your family’s living situation this fall, your child’s feelings about the return to school.”
More than ever this year, open communication with your child’s teachers is essential.
Parents sometimes hate to hear this tip because at the end of a long, exhausting day, many parents just (understandably) want to collapse, said Jill Ehrenreich-May, a psychologist and director of the Child and Adolescent Mood and Anxiety Program at the University of Miami.
But she recommends taking at least five minutes a day, every day, to just hang out together with the kids.
“Do something — not on screens — that your child wants to do with you,” Ehrenreich-May said. Follow their lead, and really try to connect through joy. They need it.
Many children are struggling under the weight of so many unknowns. We don’t know when school will be “normal” again. We don’t know when they’ll be able to freely hug grandparents or friends. We don’t know if they’ll get sick, or if we will get sick — and how serious it might be. That’s difficult for anyone to deal with, particularly kids.
Parents can help by focusing them on what they can control right now.
“You might not be able to control if there’s a vaccine, but you can control things like washing your hands and wearing a mask,” Canter said. Similarly, kids may not be able to control when, say, soccer starts up again, but they can schedule Zoom hangouts with their teammates. And so on.
And here is something parents can control, to a certain extent: They can model the type of resiliency and self-care they hope to see in their children. That means parents need to find ways to take care of themselves.
“If I expect them to be calm and handle this really not normal situation, well, I probably need to express my own emotions appropriately,” Ehrenreich-May said.
Stolberg agreed, suggesting that parents follow a healthy sleep routine, eat nutritious food, avoid caffeine and alcohol, exercise outside if it’s safe to do so and stay connected to people, even if it’s digitally. He also recommended mindfulness exercises, such as breathing, meditation and yoga.
“You cannot be your best parent if you are not healthy and mentally prepared for the job,” he said.
At the end of the day, it’s not about pretending everything is totally OK. It’s about modeling emotional intelligence yourself and trying to show your kiddo how to live with uncertainty, while also trying to make the best of this unprecedented time.
It’s the weekend, YEAH! I’m so glad you’ve joined me. Be Safe. The words to Dream Baby Dream are more relevant than ever. The world has been tested to the limits by the COVID-19 virus and we all need to keep dreaming. There are better days ahead!
Melinda
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share; the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the ‘Weekend Music Share‘ banner in your post, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Hi Everyone, It’s Friday! So glad you stopped by today. Please be safe this weekend by wearing a mask.
In Health,
Melinda
Gardening is such a therapeutic hobby to take up. In fact, it’s been shown to help a great deal with your mental health during the pandemic. You can spend so many hours in your garden tending to your plants and making everything look perfect. Things don’t always go your way, as there are lots of common garden issues to face. If you’re a garden novice, the advice below can help you deal with some of the most frequent problems in your back garden:
Plants need sunlight to grow big and strong. They take the energy from the sun and use it to grow and carry out other plant functions. You may have a lack of sunlight in your garden that’s not caused by the climate. It could be sunny as hell, but your plants are stuck in the shade due to big obstacles.
Combatting this can be both easy and hard – depending on what the obstacles are. If it’s something you can move with ease, then the problem is solved in minutes. However, trees tend to be the biggest culprits. So, you may have to have yours chopped down or trimmed. Don’t attempt this yourself; companies like the Sydney Tree Company can do it for you. It’s never a good idea to attempt to cut something big down as you have no idea where it can fall!
This is a problem for lots of gardeners during the summer months. The sun comes out, the rain dries up, so your garden is left with no water at all. In some areas, this can go on for a good few months. While your plants need sunlight, too much of it and too little water will cause them to burn up and die.
As such, you need to be strict with your watering schedule. You’ll have to be out there at least once or twice a day giving your whole garden a little shower. Personally, I think sprinkler systems work the best as you can turn them on and do something else while they water your garden. Plus, there’s no danger of overwatering the plants as the sprinkles distribute the water evenly.
Yes, you can have too much water! As you can probably tell, gardening requires a fine balance of sunlight and water. When the rain clouds come out to say hello, you may be inclined to rejoice. However, if it pours with rain and waterlogs in your garden, your plants will not be happy. Too much water will basically drown the plants and turn them a strange yellow color.
To rectify this problem, you need a good drainage system for your plants. Some people like to hang theirs in plant pots, while others install a proper irrigation system in their lawn. The choice is yours, just be sure there’s a place for the water to run down when it rains.
On that note, you’ve come to the end of today’s tips. I hope they will help any aspiring gardeners deal with some of the most common and annoying issues. Now, you can start gardening with more confidence and fewer problems.
This is a collaborative post.
In health,
Melinda
Buying gifts is always a challenge, but one way to find the ideal gift for a special person in your life is to focus on a niche that you know is of interest to them. So if you know someone who loves gardening, you’ll be glad to learn there are lots of gifts that are ideally suited to people who love to garden. We’re going to look at the best of the bunch today, so keep reading to find out all about them.
An Attractively Designed Bird Bath
The great thing about birdbaths is that they’re not just about adding something functional to the garden. They also act as great ornamental pieces, so if you’re looking for something to give that brings a visual impact, an attractively designed birdbath could be exactly what you’re looking for. There’s no shortage of designs and options out there to choose from these days either.
Gardening Gloves
If you want to make the process of gardening a little more comfortable for a special person in your life, a pair of high-quality garden gloves can make the perfect gift. Again, there are lots of styles and designs out there, just make sure you choose a pair that fits well. It’s a good and affordable gift option so it should definitely be considered.
A Seed Subscription
Right now, subscription services are all the rage. There’s a subscription service for just about everything, so you might not be surprised to learn that there’s also a subscription available for seeds. That means you can get different seeds sent to your door each month, so this could be a great gift idea. You could pay for their seed subscription for a year, for example.
The Latest Top Books
There’s a range of great gardening books released each and every year. They might be guide books, general advice, or even photo books. There’s something for just about every garden lover on the shelves of your local book store, so it’s an avenue you should definitely explore. This article is A Review Of The Best Gardening Books in 2020, so it might give you some interesting ideas for which you might want to buy.
Solar-Powered Outdoor Lanterns
You don’t have to choose something that’s focused on the task of gardening; it might be a good idea to choose a gift that adds something new and fun to the garden and has a social dimension. Some solar-powered outdoor lanterns allow you to light up the garden at night and carry on the party into the evening. It’s a good gift idea and they’re also eco-friendly as the battery can charge up during the night and be put to use during the day.
If you’re looking for gifts for the gardener in your life, the ideas above should provide you with the inspiration you need. Find a gift they’re guaranteed to love and help them get even more out of their love of gardening with the kinds of gift options we’ve discussed here.
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
There are certain characteristics inherent to resiliency.
I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value.” ~ Hermann Hesse
The way in which you deal with the stresses and our ‘new norm’ bestowed on us by the pandemic, could be an indication of how resilient you really are. Resilienceis defined as the ability to withstand or recover from difficult situations. It’s the ability to ‘spring back,’ in spite of all odds. It’s how you’re able to restore equilibrium in your life during or following upheaval. In recent months many of us have encountered many new challenges, personal, economic, psychological and/or emotional, and it’s certainly a good test of resilience.
Even under normal conditions, we all have a certain amount of adversities in our lives. Much of how we deal with an adversary basically has to do with our attitude. We don’t have to look too far away from our circle of friends and family to see the different reactions to the challenges presented by the pandemic. Positive self-talk can do wonders in dealing with scary or unknown situations, and negative thoughts can easily activate the brains’ fear center. Chances are that those who have coped well are flexible, and generally have the ability to cultivate happiness in their lives through balance and wisdom.
Those who are resilient have a certain sense of empowerment or are able to easily shift their perspective. This means that during stressful or challenging times, they are able to reframe their situation. In addition to maintaining a sense of optimism, they are most likely able to regulate their emotions. Some studies have shows that resilience might be inherited, but it’s not all nature—early childhood experiences and environments play a role in how resilient we become. Many of those who have had severe childhood traumaor those who moved a lot, such as military families, tend to be more resilient.
The Resilience Theory states that it’s not the nature of the adversity or challenging situation that is most important, it’s how you deal with it that is important. This is the same philosophy used when teaching memoir. It’s not about telling your story, but it’s about how you reacted to your story and how it transformed you. Positive psychology is connected to resilience theory because they’re both about formulation a beneficial way to foster our health and well-being. In fact, it’s been suggested that those who’ve had exposure to various degrees of lifelong adversity had better mental health and well-being outcomes than those who have had little or no adversity.
Further, there are those who are more open to new experiences and there are those who get strength from adversity as this is their way of coping with a potential threat. According to Tennen and Affleck (1999), in their study, “Finding Benefits in Adversity,” “The individual who is more open to experience—imaginative, emotionally responsive, and intellectually curious—might be particularly likely to meet the challenge of adversity through a philosophical reorientation and a new direction in life plans.” (p. 286).
In general, most people have a large capacity for adaptation and to overcome threatening events and experiences. While some individuals might be innately more resilient, there’s no doubt that resilience can be practiced and developed, and like the old adage saying, ‘from all bad comes good,’ and that when one door closes, another door opens.
References
Fletcher, D. and M. Sartar. (2013) Psychological Resilience: A review and critique of definitions, concepts and theory.” European Psychologist. Vol 18. pp. 12-23.
Moore, C. (2020). “Resilience Theory: What Research articles in psychology teach us.” Positive Psychology.com.
Seery, M.D., Holman, A.E. & Silver, R.S. (2010). “Whatever does not kills us: Cumulative lifetime adversity, vulnerability and resilience.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99, pp. 1025-1041.More
Hi, it’s Wednesday! I’m so glad you stopped by today. This week I’m taking you to beautiful Gulf Shores, Alabama. This area was recently hit by a hurricane and there was extensive damage across the shoreline. You can see an Oil Rig in the distant sunset. This photo was taken from the balcony of the condo we stayed in.
In health,
Melinda
Last updated: 23 Aug 2020
Tuning into our feelings, thoughts, and physical sensations is the foundation of caring well for ourselves. We have to know what’s going on in order to take healthy, nourishing action and just better understand ourselves.
But the way we do these check-ins really depends on our personality and preferences. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The key is to incorporate a check-in into your day, regardless of what shape or form it takes. Make it as habitual as brushing your teeth. In fact, one way to check in with yourself is to ask how you’re feeling while you are brushing your teeth in the morning and at night.
Here are additional ideas for checking in:
When you’re checking in with yourself, remember to allow whatever arises. It’s so hard, but our jobs are not to censor, judge, or criticize. Our jobs are to witness what’s going on internally, taking on the perspective of an unbiased observer.
I liken it to writing: It’s not helpful to edit while we write our first draft, because then we might miss something important. We want to write first, to spill our hearts and message onto the page. After everything has poured out, we can start to make sense of that message and refine as needed.
Pick a check-in practice that resonates with you and, again, incorporate it into your day (or, of course, come up with a practice that feels like a better fit). To make it easier, add it to something you do all the time: check in while you sip your water. Check in during your morning coffee. Check in right before you ask your kids how they’re doing.
Either way, prioritize your daily check-in—and you’ll likely find that even if you don’t respond to your needs, simply listening helps you feel well taken care of. Because as I’ve written before, listening is a beautiful, powerful gift we can give to ourselves and others.
Margarita is an associate editor at PsychCentral.com. She writes about everything from taking compassionate care of yourself at any weight, shape, and size, to coping healthfully with difficult emotions. Her goal is to give readers practical, empowering tips to better their lives, and to remind you that whatever you’re struggling with, you’re never, ever alone.
Home gardening is on the rise since COVID-19, says Rose Hayden-Smith, Emeritus advisor at the University of California. But activists from food justice organizations argue that home gardening has the potential to promote emotional wellness, especially for Black women and other marginalized communities.
Home vegetable gardening can not only increase produce consumption and physical activity—it is also associated with improved emotional wellbeing, according to a recent study from Princeton University. The report finds that out of 15 daily leisure activities, such as walking and biking, vegetable gardening is one of the most beneficial activities for mental and emotional health.
“Gardening combines so many things that are positive for mental health—being outdoors around plants and nature, physical exercise,” Diana Martin, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Rodale Institute, tells Food Tank. “Something about growing food, connecting with the earth, and sharing the bounty with your neighbors and community can help you feel rooted, connected, and grateful.”
In response to the influx of home gardeners during COVID-19, the Rodale Institute offers a free Victory Gardens Starter Kit complete with an Organic Gardening 101 webinar, composting tips, and lesson plans to involve children.
Home gardening may also address some effects of long-standing social inequalities. Women, especially women of color, have disproportionately shouldered social care work during the pandemic, according to a recent study in the Journal of Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. And this work may contribute to poor mental health in those responsible for it, according to a report from the Swiss School of Public Health.
“From an equity perspective, supporting household gardening would provide more benefits for women and low-income gardeners,” Dr. Ramaswami, co-author of the Princeton University study, tells Food Tank. She explains that home gardening was the only activity studied that had a greater impact on emotional wellbeing for women and people with low income, compared to men and people with medium-and high incomes.
Jasmine Jefferson, founder of Black Girls With Gardens, also believes that gardening can be a tool for self-care. An online platform, Black Girls With Gardens provides education, support, inspiration, and community for women of color interested in gardening.
Jefferson noticed that her website has gained popularity since COVID-19, as more Black women began home gardening.
“Gardening is an act of self-preservation for Black women,” Jefferson tells Food Tank. “We are able to release our rage in the soil and still not be judged by nature.
Despite the benefits of home gardening, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities have been systematically disenfranchised from growing their own food, Jefferson says. She argues that food deserts, lack of access to quality soil and compost, and white-dominated gardening groups with expensive membership dues all work to keep women of color out of gardening.
“We are resisting systematic racist policies and procedures…when we make the space to grow our own food,” Jefferson tells Food Tank. “Black women deal with very stressful environments, high anxiety, and trauma on [a] daily basis. Gardening can be the escape black women need from that harsh reality of the world.”
Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Benjamin CombsTweetShareShare
Katell Ané (she/her) studies International Relations at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on the global politics of food. Her interests in food insecurity in her hometown led her to volunteer with FairShare CSA Coalition, a nonprofit working to create a more sustainable food system in Wisconsin by promoting the Community Supported Agriculture model. Since working with FairShare, Katell has been passionate about changing food systems to address broader questions of racial and migrant justice, health disparities, and Native sovereignty. She spends her free time hiking, dancing, and marveling at heirloom vegetable varieties.PREVIOUS ARTICLE
NEXT ARTICLE
Activated charcoal is something you will see in most health stores. While most people now go straight towards something like CBD oil for all their ailments, there’s a lot to be said for activated charcoal. For those that don’t know, it is a black powder that stops toxins from being absorbed into the stomach by binding itself to them. It is something used in hospitals if somebody suffers from alcohol poisoning. As the body cannot absorb charcoal, the toxins in your body bind to the charcoal, which will then leave your body in the form of feces. But what else can we use this underestimated supplement for?
Benefits Teeth Whitening and Oral Health
Many people struggle to find affordable dentists these days that will give good advice on brushing teeth. Many people look to making their teeth whiter. And there are many teeth whitening products out there that contain activated charcoal. It’s believed that oral health products with activated charcoal may be detoxifying, antibacterial, and antiviral.
Reduces Intestinal Gas and Diarrhea
Studies have shown that people that had excessive gas in their intestines reduced this by taking activated charcoal and had improved symptoms. And because it is used as an adsorbent in cases of poisoning and overdoses, activated charcoal might prevent diarrhea by absorbing the toxins from bacteria and drugs that can cause diarrhea.
It Can Help Kidney Function
It may be able to help kidney function by filtering out and digested toxins. Activated charcoal needs more research but it appears to be very effective at removing toxins derived from urea. While more research is needed studies have shown that activated charcoal might help reduce gastrointestinal damage and improve kidney function for those who have chronic kidney disease.
It Can Be a Deodorant
It is an ingredient in deodorant. As charcoal might absorb smells and harmful gases it becomes an ideal underarm deodorant. As it can absorb excess moisture and supposedly control humidity in small ways, it may prove very beneficial to those who have issues with body odor.
It Can Help With Skin Infection
Various traditional medicine practitioners use activated charcoal to treat tissue conditions like skin infections. Activated charcoal can absorb the harmful microbes from wounds which has an antibacterial effect.
Can Help With Food Intolerances
For people who have food intolerances like gluten, taking activated charcoal after consuming foods they have a reaction to can minimize the absorption of toxins. While this is not beneficial to those who have extreme reactions such as celiac disease, for those that have a low-level intolerance to foods like gluten, they will feel the benefits upon taking activated charcoal soon after food.
While activated charcoal can yield many benefits, it’s important to not overdo it. For example, if you take medication, having activated charcoal within 2 hours of consuming it may render the medication ineffective. Activated charcoal can certainly help in small doses of toxicity, especially after eating foods, but it’s important to use sparingly and always follow the instructions on the packet. Use it right and it may help you in many areas of your life.
This is a collaborative post.
In Health,
Melinda
Looking for the Light 