LA DIRECT Archives - YourLifeAssist

LA Direct: Parenting your children to success

Parenting can be wonderful and rewarding, but it can also be difficult and unpleasant. Most parents experience moments of feeling overwhelmed. There’s a lot of information out there about what we “should” do to raise “good” children.

In reality, there are no guaranteed methods for ensuring our children will be happy, healthy and successful in life. There is, however, plenty of research showing that parents can make a significant, positive difference through a number of simple approaches.

Research findings assert that the most overwhelming key to a child’s success in life is the positive involvement of parents and that the parents of successful children have some interesting factors in common.

Parents of successful children

Parents are the ultimate role models for their children. Their every word, movement and action has either a negative or a positive effect on their children’s future success in life. Having established that basic fact, scientific research has, however, also uncovered some other interesting facts about what helps children become happy, successful adults and how their parents have helped!

Ten steps to helping your child become successful

According to research results, the parents of happy, successful children have at an early age fostered certain values and skills in their children and have exposed them to some of the following:

A good basic education in good schools and an early love of learning contribute to a child’s success.
Researchers point out that mastery of early math skills predicts not only future math achievement but also future reading achievement.
A growing body of research has found that musical training makes children smarter and gives them learning advantages in the classroom.
No skill shapes a child’s future success in school or in life more than the ability to read. Experts advise parents to read “with” their children not just “to” their children. This entails actively engaging them in the process by calling attention to words and phrases instead of allowing them to just stare at the pictures.
Being in good shape increases children’s ability to learn. Parents must encourage their children to exercise and do sport. Do not allow them to equate being athletic and sporty with being a dumb jock.
Sleep deprivation makes children underachieve, so parents must insist that children get their eight plus hours of sleep every night.
“IQ isn’t worth much without self-discipline as self-discipline has a bigger effect on academic performance than intellectual talent”, proclaim some researchers. Parents must teach their children self-discipline regarding money, chores, homework and time management. Let them experience the natural consequences of lack of self-discipline instead of always running to “rescue” them when they make the wrong choices.
Smart children respect their parents and family from a young age and later also respect others, the symbols of faith, the culture and patriotic beliefs of others, property and authority. Rebels without a cause don’t go far in life!
It’s sometimes necessary to teach very young children not to back chat and that your “no” means “no”. However, teaching children how to communicate and negotiate with a parent in a respectful way without having to throw a tantrum is better. When children know that a parent will listen patiently and when they are earnest and make a really good point that the parent may give in, it not only teaches them how to argue their case but also how to control their emotions.
Every word, facial expression, gesture or action on the part of a parent gives the child some message about self-worth. Smart, happy children have a healthy self-image because they have been nurtured to have a feeling of self-worth. Parents must show their children that they believe in them, that they like and love them. Even when children make a mistake, parents must show that the effort is valued over avoiding failure and that they keep on believing in their children.

“The day the child realises that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise” (Alden Nowlan).

Sources

Barker, E. 2014. How to make your kids smarter: ten steps backed by science. Retrieved from: http://time.com/12086/how-to-make-your-kids-smarter-10-steps-backed-by-science/
How to be a better parent: three counterintuitive lessons from science. 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/01/how-to-be-a-better-parent/
Morin, A. 2016 Life skills taught by effective discipline strategies. Retrieved from: https://www.verywell.com/life-skills-your-discipline-should-teach-your-kids-1095032
Quotes about successful children. Retrieved from: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/child.html

2021-03-10T12:50:40+00:00

LA Direct: Connect to nature and beat the blues

Not everyone feels upbeat now that spring is here. Some of us have become so used to our winter routine – eating heavy carbo-rich food and whiling away long evenings on the couch in front of the TV – that it is hard to break free of this pattern. Getting out in nature together with friends or family may be just what you need, especially if you suffer from a bout of depression. However, should your depression continue or become worse, it’s best to see a professional.

It’s time to turn off your computer and connect with nature, friends and family! This is your daily healing dose.

Friends and families seem to have less and less time to connect to each other because of their busy lives. Children spend very little time outdoors, spending it instead in front of screens at home and at school.

As our economy and our culture become more and more global, so does our need for connection to nature and to each other. Grab your children, grandchildren, friends and neighbours and go outside on an adventure together.

Studies reveal that children are healthier, happier and perhaps even smarter and more creative when they’ve a connection to nature. Nature has positive effects on children with attention deficit disorder, asthma, depression and obesity, and being in nature relieves stress and improves physical health. Adults who work in spaces incorporating nature are more productive, healthy and creative; hospital patients with a view of nature from their window heal faster; and exposure to the natural environment leads people to nurture close relationships with fellow human beings, value community and be more generous with money. Connecting to nature also improves your memory, helps you recuperate and even sharpens your sense of smell!

Find small openings for nature every day – it may be a little piece of moss in a crack on the pavement or a tree you’ve never noticed before. Take children fishing and hiking, build a bird feeder or go bird watching, walk in the park, ride a bike, set up a community garden, have a picnic, or exercise outdoors.

Cloud-watching clears the mind and brings calm to all your senses. Try it in the evening when sunset paints the clouds with pink and orange, on sunny days with a buzzing soundtrack of insects, or on a stormy day when you can watch 10 shades of grey roll past in just a few minutes.

By spending time with the dog, gardening, camping, beach combing, making nature themed art, smelling the rain; learning the names of plants, tracking the phases of the moon or learning bird calls, screens and cell phones will be turned off and your friends and family will naturally form a connection to the nature that surrounds them. They’ll talk to each other and form deeper personal connections based on uninterrupted interactions of genuine attention. They may go back to their busy lives and nearly constant screens, but they’ll have a shared memory of their time together; their mood will have improved, their anxiety will have been soothed and their minds will have been hushed.

Sources

Louv, Richard. Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder. 2008
www.childrenandnature.org.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/13/10-reasons-why-we-need-more-contact-with-nature

2021-03-10T12:48:17+00:00

LA Direct: Always hungry? Listen to your body

Are you eating out of physical or emotional hunger? Many of us have a tumultuous love affair with food. There are times we are in control, but then we break down and indulge in behaviour that we know is not good for us. On and off, up and down. And so the affair continues…

The solution lies in understanding the difference between emotional and physical hunger and the reasons behind food cravings. Awareness of the hunger’s cause is the first step, to be followed by actions that promote healthy eating and a healthy body image. The Internet provides a plethora of information on this topic but the nutritionists, counsellors and psychologists of wellness programmes will be able to assist you on your journey to a healthy relationship with food.

Feeling hungry at certain points of the day is a natural feeling that sends our brains the signal to look for food that can give us the energy we need to perform the tasks we need to do. However, if you’re feeling hungry all day long, you need to take a closer look.

It’s important to learn to differentiate between physical hunger and hunger brought on by other triggers such as smell. Here are five scenarios you may recognise that could lead you to feel hungry throughout the day.

You haven’t had any breakfast and it’s already a good few hours into the day

You are most likely feeling physical hunger. This manifests as a slight grumble in your stomach at first and is often accompanied by thoughts of food. If you don’t eat at this point, you may start feeling a little tired or dizzy, less focused or even irritable. It’s important to eat well-balanced snacks and meals at regular intervals throughout the day to ensure you are getting the energy you need from food, so even starting your day with an apple or a handful of nuts is better than skipping breakfast completely.

You exercise until you are ravenous

Exercising is good for your health, but exercising to the point that you are so hungry that you want to eat everything you can get your hands on afterwards, means you will most likely overeat. You need energy to exercise and we also need energy to recover, so try a few scenarios in which you either eat something a few hours or a few minutes before exercising, and have something filling and satisfying available at home already that you can eat when you are done – this will prevent the urge to stop for a fast-food takeaway on your way home. With optimal energy levels, you will be able to exercise better and recover well.

Habitual eating

Do you feel hungry every day at midday regardless of what and when you have eaten during the morning? In a work routine, it’s very easy to fall into the habit of always eating at the same time and so you may be eating even if you are not physically hungry. If you had breakfast a few hours ago then yes, you will be hungry by midday, but if you had a slice of cake for a colleague’s birthday at 11:00 am, chances are you won’t be physically hungry by 12 pm. However, if this is the only hour you get for lunch, rather have a smaller portion than usual and save some of your lunch for an afternoon snack.

Hunger triggered by smell or sight

When you walk past a bakery and smell the warm baked goods, the sweet cinnamon, or just see the muffins in the shop window, you may feel immediately hungry and be tempted to go in and buy something to eat there and then, but it is worth remembering that the smell or sight of food can trigger feelings of hunger that then fade away after a minute or so if you are not physically hungry. Again, stop and ask yourself when you last ate something and whether you are physically hungry or not. If you are, make a healthy choice for something satisfying to eat. If not, keep going or buy something from the bakery which you can eat later when you really are hungry.

Emotional eating

Much the same as the smell or sight trigger, emotions can trigger us to eat even if we are not hungry. If you find that you are wanting to constantly snack on something, even after a well-balanced meal, check what you may be feeling: celebratory, sad, angry, frustrated, bored… All of these are emotions which can make us want to eat comfort foods, which usually end up being foods high in sugar or fat. Try to take the time to figure out what is actually causing the particular emotion and deal with it appropriately. For example, if you are feeling bored, go for a quick walk outside or listen to an interesting podcast for 10 minutes – this is a much better option that ordering those fries which are going to give you excess kilojoules that you don’t need.

Healthy choices

As important as it is to learn what physical hunger is, it’s good to know when you are full so that you don’t overeat. A meal or snack should leave you feeling energised and satisfied. Make sure your choices are well-balanced, that they contain ingredients you enjoy eating and make the time to eat slowly and savour your meal. At the end of the day, healthy eating should be enjoyable and flavourful.

Sources

Financial Mail, 22 October 2014
Sound Bites Nutrition course material and Virgin Active SA blog

2021-03-10T12:46:02+00:00

LA Direct: Beat skin cancer with early detection and prevention

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in South Africa with about 20 000 reported cases every year and 700 deaths. South Africa has the second highest incidence of skin cancer in the world. The good news is that skin cancer can be prevented by respecting the sun and by doing regular checks for early detection.

Skin cancer know how

Any abnormal growth of skin cells, especially when the cells start growing beyond the normal boundaries of their design, should be checked out by a doctor as it may be the start of skin cancer.

There are three main types of skin cancer, namely basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (the most common, less aggressive and least lethal form of skin cancer), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (a malignant type of cancer) and melanoma (the most dangerous type of malignant skin cancer and the one that is often fatal).

Spotting the tell-tale symptoms of any of these cancers may mean the difference between life, when detected early, and death.

Tell-tale signs and symptoms of skin cancer

Any and all abnormal skin growths, spots or patches should be treated with suspicion, watched and checked out by a doctor. This includes any moles, freckles or spots that seem different from the others. It may be a false alarm but being safe is always better than being sorry, especially in the case of skin cancer.

Basal cell carcinomas often have symptoms such as open sores, red patches, shiny bumps or scars that may bleed and scab or crust over.

Squamous cell carcinomas may appear as wart-like growths or scaly red patches and have a very characteristic elevated growth with a central hole; the so-called ” rat-bite” tumour. They can also bleed and scab or crust over.

Melanomas are skin patches or bumps that look like moles and are usually black or brown or even blue, pink, red, white or skin-coloured.

Your DIY skin cancer checklist

It isn’t always easy to diagnose skin cancer but it is possible. The following is a checklist drawn up by specialists in the field to help you recognise skin cancer early. They suggest that you perform regular head-to-toe skin checks, paying special attention to the following five tell-tale signs that trouble is brewing.

Asymmetry. A mole or skin lesion that is asymmetrical or lop-sided, in other words the two halves are not equally round, may be malignant (cancerous) and should be seen to immediately.
Borders. Non-malignant tumours (lumps, swellings or growths) typically have a smooth, regular border while potentially malignant melanomas (cancerous growths and tumours) will generally have jagged or uneven borders.
Colour. Melanomas are renowned for the variety of colours (shades of black, brown, tan, blue, red and other colours) that they appear in. A single colour tumour is usually a good sign.
Diameter. Non-malignant skin cancers are usually smaller than melanomas. Anything that is large and growing should be checked out.
Evolving. Any changes in colour, elevation, size or shape spell trouble and should be checked out immediately. The same goes for any new symptoms such as tenderness, itching, pain or sensitivity bleeding, crusting, itching, etc.

Most cancer-related deaths are caused by metastases (growth of secondary tumours) and should be prevented and stopped as soon as possible. You are in a supreme position to do just that. It is up to you to check out any suspect skin lesions, to know what to look for and to see a doctor immediately if you suspect skin cancer.

Sources

Axe, J. Top five skin cancer symptoms and four natural treatments. Retrieved from: http://draxe.com/top-5-skin-cancer-symptoms-natural-treatments/
Medical breakthrough: Israeli researcher predicts where cancer will spread. 2015. Retrieved from: http://nocamels.com/2015/10/israeli-researcher-predicts-spread-cancer/
Simon, S. 2014. Cancer symptoms you shouldn’t ignore. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/news/features/cancer-symptoms-you-shouldnt-ignore

2021-03-10T12:43:57+00:00

LA Direct: Knowledge is one of the best weapons against STDs

Are you at the start of a new relationship but you have recently discovered that you have an STD and don’t know how to proceed?
Experts all agree on the following:

Tell your partner ASAP
Avoid sexual contact until you get the all clear from your doctor or clinic
Only state the facts when you tell your new partner – too much information is not a good idea
Give your new partner time to process the information.

As knowledge is one of the best weapons against STDs, always make sure you are on top of the latest information.

These ten questions and answers about STIs could help keep your sex life fun, exciting and safer – “safer” being the preferred term, as no sex is completely safe from STIs, apart from total abstinence.

1. What’s an STI?

An STI is a sexually transmissible infection. Any touching of the genitals, including oral, vaginal and anal sex, puts you at risk of getting an STI.

2. What if an STD goes undetected?

Many untreated STDs can cause very severe complications. For example, gonorrhoea can spread to your joints, skin, and even the retina of your eyes. Girls with chlamydia or gonorrhoea may be unable to have children. Untreated syphilis can affect your heart, brain and other organs. Women and men with STIs can pass them on to other people and women with untreated STIs can pass them on to their new-born babies who can develop mental retardation, blindness, infections in their joints or even die. It’s estimated that half of the sexually active South Africans have an STI like HPV (human papillomavirus virus). If left untreated, it can lead to cervical cancer in women and some forms of penile cancer in men. Common STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, trichomoniasis, HPV, syphilis, genital warts and hepatitis A, B and C. It’s very important that an STI is treated as early as possible.

3. Who’s at risk of getting an STI?

Anyone who has unprotected sex can contract an STI during vaginal, anal or oral sex. When starting a sexual relationship, use either male condoms or female condoms and dental dams (square piece of thin latex used for protection against vaginal and anal secretions) for at least three months. These devices are available at most pharmacies.

4. How can I catch an STI?

STIs are caused by bacteria and viruses that are found in vaginal fluids, pre-ejaculation, semen, breast milk and blood. Apart from having unprotected sex, you can get an STI by direct contact with infected blood, needle-stick injuries or from mother to child during birth or breastfeeding.

5. How do I know if I’ve an STI?

While most STIs have no symptoms, get tested immediately if you’ve:

Unusual genital and/or anal discharge
Genital sores, growths or lumps
Pain when passing urine
Painful sex or bleeding after sex (when it’s not your first time)
Pain in the lower abdomen
Genital pain
Irregular bleeding in between periods.

6. What tests are done for STIs?

Tests for STIs include a blood test, urine analysis, Pap smear or discharge swab from the penis. You can get tested at your doctor’s office or your local public health clinic. Results for certain STIs can either be done while you wait or your sample may have to be sent to the lab for analysis.

7. How are STIs treated?

Some STIs, such as gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydia and trichomoniasis, are treated with a course of antibiotics while others, such as herpes and HIV, require ongoing treatment with antiviral medication. You must finish the course of antibiotics even when feeling better and if you take your antivirals exactly as directed, it’s possible to lower your virus count to nearly undetectable levels.

8. What if my symptoms recur?

Watch carefully for returning STI symptoms and always attend any follow-up appointments that your nurse or doctor scheduled. Once you’ve contracted one STI, you’re more vulnerable to others, so be on the safe side and get tested every six months.

9. Who’s more at risk of becoming infected with an STI – men or women?

If exposed to STIs, women are more likely to become infected than men due to biological factors. Women have a greater area of exposure (the cervix and the vagina) than men, and small tears may occur in the vaginal tissue during sex, making an easy pathway for infection.

10. My new partner and I want to stop using condoms because we’re going to use the pill instead. I’ve never had sex before but my partner has had sex with several people before me. How can we make sure we’re safe?

Your partner might have contracted an STI from a previous partner, which puts you at risk of an STI too. Until you’ve both been tested, continue using condoms with a water-based lubricant. The highest risk for contracting HIV is having unprotected sex with someone who thinks he/she is HIV-negative, but is in fact seroconverting (becoming HIV positive) because that’s when the viral load is at its highest.

Sources

www.familyplanning.org.nz/news/2016
www.fphandbook.org
www.mariestopes.org.za
www.mayoclinic.org
www.teensource.org

2021-03-10T12:41:38+00:00

LA Direct: Going green at the office

We must make better choices in what we consume and how we produce and use energy. What may be surprising is that saving the planet doesn’t necessarily mean giving up the things you love; both you and the planet can benefit!

“Going green” is becoming a way of life. Your office doesn’t need to be an exception.

Fortunately, it’s easy to integrate some simple routines into your workday that will help lessen your impact on the earth. The bonus is that with most of them you will end up saving money too.

Green ideas for office supplies and furniture

Buy green products such as pens that can be refilled repeatedly.
Cut down on products for which there are no green alternatives, such as rubber bands.
Recycle your old equipment and furniture instead of throwing them away.
Some paper use can’t be avoided, so use recycled paper and envelopes that have been processed and coloured using eco-friendly methods.

Green Ideas for printers

Install timers on printers to ensure that they shut down during out-of-office hours.
Save paper by not printing, whenever possible. Put a prominent sign up in the office to remind users to print only when necessary.
Use your printer’s eco-mode if it has one.
Recycle your used ink and toner cartridges.
Reduce paper waste by going digital. When you do print, print double-sided on 100% recycled paper and provide multitude recycle bins around the office so employees aren’t tempted to dump paper in trash cans.
Set up a printer-friendly reminder for staff email signatures, for example, “Please consider the environment before printing this email.”

Green ideas for computers

The greenest paper is no paper at all, so keep things digital. The more you do online, the less you need paper. Keep files on computers instead of in file cabinets.
Review documents onscreen rather than printing them out.
Send emails instead of paper letters.
Turn off your computer when not in use.
Check computer settings for standby mode. If computers are unused for periods of time, they should be set to go into standby mode.
Upgrade your hardware components instead of getting completely new computers.
Invest in automatic power shut down software or plugs to switch off IT equipment during out of office hours.

Green ideas for lighting

Turn the lights off in rooms when not in use.
Replace standard incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LED bulbs wherever possible. These use 75% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs while delivering the same light output.
Do not leave your office lights on overnight.
Use light wall colours. Light paint colours and higher gloss sheens reflect daylight, meaning your space will need less overhead lighting.
Use daylight − instead of the office lights − whenever you can.

Green ideas for washrooms and kitchenettes

Buy natural products for the bathrooms and kitchen.
Always turn off taps completely, ensuring that they don’t drip. A tap leaking at a rate of only one drop per second can waste more than 25 litres of water a day – that’s about 10 000 litres a year.
Get continually running toilets fixed. They’re huge water wasters and it could be just a simple fix.
Buy in bulk so that shipping and packaging waste are reduced, and reuse the shipping boxes.
Use non-disposable kitchen supplies, such as coffee mugs and glasses, instead of plastic or paper ones.

General green ideas for the office

Place a recycling centre in a prominent location in your office.
Compost coffee grounds if possible.
Make sure your office has at least one large plant in it. They’re not only green and pretty but great for recycling the air.
Use whiteboards and/or overhead projectors to display meeting agendas rather than printing and distributing them.
Encourage staff to use scrap paper for internal notes by giving each staff member a scrap paper box in their desk
Bringing lunch to work in reusable containers is likely the greenest (and healthiest) way to eat at work.
Encourage cycling to work by providing subsidies for staff who use bikes and facilities (lockers, bike racks, showers) for cyclists,
Implement a car pool scheme for staff.

Sources

http://www.treehugger.com/htgg/how-to-go-green-at-work.html

25 Go Green Ideas for the Office that will Rock Your World

21 simple Earth Day ideas for the office

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/11-really-simple-ways-to-go-green-at-your-office-and-save-money-too-2010-4?r=US&IR=T#now-dont-miss-12

Go Green At The Office With These 7 Tips

2021-03-10T12:24:08+00:00

LA Direct: Always tired? Combat chronic fatigue syndrome

Do you feel like you’re always tired? Are you having trouble staying awake during prime time TV programmes? Fatigue is an unexplained, persistent and relapsing exhaustion. When suffering from chronic fatigue you may wake up in the morning feeling as though you’ve not slept, or you may be unable to function well at work or be productive at home. In most cases, there’s a reason for the fatigue. Your medical doctor can help you find out what it is.

Science has shattered the myth that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is “just in your head”.

Many people, including medical experts, think that chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or systemic exertion intolerance disease) is a psychological or even imagined illness. However, scientific research is steadily proving this thinking to be false.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM), a non-profit organization that forms part of the US National Academy of Sciences, issued a report in 2015 stating that “Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a real, physical disorder with a particular set of diagnostic criteria”. Ellen Wright Clayton of Vanderbilt University added, “We are to put to rest, once and for all, the idea that this is just psychosomatic, that people are making this up or that they are just lazy”.

According to the report, up to 2.5 million Americans suffer from CFS. However, the figure may be even higher as it’s often misdiagnosed as depression or another psychological illness. “That’s not surprising”, say the authors of the report, “as less than half of medical textbooks include any reference to the condition, suggesting that most doctors may not recognize it when they see it”.

Additional physical evidence that proves that CFS is a biological illness and not a psychological illness is provided by researchers at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health who identified biomarkers (indicators of a particular disease) in the gut bacteria and inflammatory microbial agents in the blood of people diagnosed with CFS. In other words, people with symptoms of the debilitating condition have specific chemical changes in their blood, possibly due to a “leaky gut” from intestinal problems that allow bacteria to enter the blood.

“We now have evidence confirming what millions of people with this disease already know, that CFS isn’t psychological,” states lead author, Mady Hornig, MD, director of translational research at the Center for Infection and Immunity and associate professor of Epidemiology at Columbia’s Mailman School. “Our results should accelerate the process of establishing the diagnosis after individuals first fall ill as well as discovery of new treatment strategies focusing on these early blood markers.”

In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, lead researcher Robert Naviaux says that CFS is similar to when animals slow their metabolism to hibernate. He adds that in CFS, the body may get stuck in this state, leading to chronic pain and disability.

As CFS symptoms vary and are common to many other diseases, currently people may spend years trying to get a correct diagnosis. Naviaux hopes that his work will lead to new treatments and a quicker diagnosis.

Sources

Chronic fatigue syndrome is not in your head, it’s in your gut. Neuroscience News. June 27, 2016.
http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3763433. (29 August 2016)
http://www.mayoclinic.org

2021-03-10T12:22:27+00:00

LA Direct: Stressed? Retreat to nature

Our environment can increase or reduce our stress, which in turn impacts our bodies. What we are seeing, hearing, experiencing at any moment changes not only our mood, but how our nervous, endocrine and immune systems are working.

Most people find nature pleasing and choose a natural setting to retreat to when stressed. With a little planning we can also fit nature into our everyday activities.

Spending time in nature not only increases your physical activity levels, but can be great for your mind too. How come?

Research shows that regularly spending time in the green outdoors can reduce your anxiety, lift your spirits and help clear your head.

Getting outdoors can easily fit into your schedule – whether you go for a walk in a nearby park during your lunch break, or get out and about in the afternoons or weekends, soaking up the sun. If you are wondering what to do while you are outside, here are some suggestions to get you started and add some extra interest or challenge:

Sign up at your local environmental volunteering agency and get involved in beach clean-ups, tree planting or rhino babysitting.
Explore places you perhaps wouldn’t otherwise have known existed by signing up for hobbies, such as Geocaching.
Participate in physical outdoor activities such as rock climbing, water sports, cycling and hiking.
Expand your knowledge of different hobbies, such as bird watching, identifying rocks, landscape photography and meteorology.
Join a group activity such as a walking/running club or sign up for beach volleyball or beach cricket.
Make use of “pick your own” offers from local orchards which is a fun (and cheap) way to get fresh produce.
Relax and soak up the scenery by having a picnic or even camping overnight if you are feeling more adventurous.

Getting children to appreciate the outdoors can be easy when organising fun activities for them. For example:

Organise a treasure hunt as part of a birthday party celebration at one of our beautiful picnic spots.
Teach them to identify things in nature, such as birds, bugs and trees. A trip to the zoo can spark their interest in our wonderful fauna and flora.
Give them new tools to try out in nature, such as a spade, bug box and magnifying glass.
Start a collection of findings, such as rocks, shells and feathers and help them to organise their findings.
Get their help in starting a vegetable garden or build something in the garden, such as a flower box or bird feeder.
Take them on an overnight walking or camping trip and share experiences such as gathering around the campfire and stargazing.

Sources

www.healthyplace.com
www.childmind.org

2021-03-10T12:19:50+00:00

LA Direct: Positive attitudes influence wellness

The primary reason to let go of negative thoughts is to help you enjoy life, both mentally and physically. This includes greater confidence, a higher self-esteem, more energy and satisfying social interactions, among other things.

Yes, you can…

Negative thinking can have a strong and sometimes devastating impact on all aspects of your life.

Negative thoughts not only affect you mentally, but physically as well. For example, in 2013, researchers at the Florida State University College of Medicine found that teenagers whose weight was normal but who thought that they were overweight were more likely to become obese later in life.

Are you guilty of negative “self-talk”?

Do you:

Frequently blame yourself when something bad happens?
Automatically anticipate the worst in a situation?
See things only as good or bad (nothing in between)? For example, you feel that you have to be perfect otherwise you’re a total failure.
Automatically expect the worst?
Magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all the positive ones?
Constantly fret about your health deteriorating, your relationship going downhill, your car breaking down or your career being ruined – although nothing has happened yet?
Focus on your weaknesses and imaginary flaws and extend this constant criticism to others?
Dwell on past mistakes without learning from them and moving on?
Obsess over everything that you “need” to make you happy?

This kind of repeated negative-thinking has an immediate, destructive impact on your life because the moment you’ve a negative thought, it could’ve already:

Clouded your vision,
Led to low self-esteem
Affected the way you interact with the world – and yourself
Hindered you from achieving something you want
Made you feel frustrated, anxious, sad, jealous, depressed or angry.

Low self-esteem can make you both verbally and physically aggressive towards others. Negative thinking can make you feel helpless when faced with stressful situations and prevent you from coping with stress in general, thus creating more stress. Negative thinking has also been shown to cause high blood pressure and even cancer.

Practise positive “self-talk”

Recognise negative thought patterns and put a positive spin on them. For example, laughing and making light of a negative situation will help change your perspective.
Become a curious observer of those unspoken words inside your head. As an impartial witness, you won’t take your negative thoughts too seriously.
Adopt a better lifestyle. Start eating healthier and exercising at least three times a week.
Surround yourself with people who are positive and supportive.
Become aware of your present environment. Don’t get into a mental dialogue about what you see, just be aware of what you’re experiencing at the moment. If you’re walking, be aware of the swishing of your clothes or the feel of the floor under your feet, if you’re eating, be aware of the flavours and textures of your food. While functioning in the present, the past and future have no power over you.
Periodically stop and evaluate what you’re thinking and choose to think constructively instead of destructively.

With a little practise, you can break free from negativity and cultivate inner peace and happiness.

Sources

http://elitedaily.com
https://mrsmindfulness.com
https://www.huffingtonpost.com
https://www.psychologytoday.com

2021-03-10T12:18:14+00:00