What 7 most distressful situations to kids that divorced parents should avoid? Learn them to spare your kids from the painful consequences.
1. Carrying Message Between Parents
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A child doesn't like the feeling that he or she must act as a messenger between hostile parents or carry one adult's secrets or accusations about another. Children want parents to talk with each other so that the messages are communicated the right way and so that children don't feel like they are going to mess up.
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Parents must take the responsibility to talk directly with each other, especially if the topic is likely to anger the other parent. It is unfair to make your child carry messages to your "ex" because you find it too awkward or aggravating to do so yourself. It is also poor parenting to show by example to your child that you can resolve a problem with another person by not communicating or to suggest to a child that the other parent is such a monster that you cannot speak or be civil with each other.
Wherever possible, communicate directly with the other parent about matters relevant to the children, such as scheduling, visitation, health habits, or school problems.
2. Getting Involve With Money Issues
Avoid arguing and discussing child support issues in front of the children. How would you feel if you are that child hearing mom and dad arguing about your financial support? Most children upon hearing these things feel that their existence is some kind of parent's burden.
Who will pay for what and how available money should be spent are adult issues that the parents must discuss directly. Do not put your children in the middle of your child support disputes.
3. Hearing Criticisms Of The Other Parent
It hurts a child very much to hear one loved parent criticize the other loved parent. Children see themselves as half of each parent. When children hear bad things about one parent, they hear bad things about half of themselves. If they hear bad things about both their parents, they feel that both halves of them must be of little worth.
Even if you are sure you're right, try to avoid criticizing the other parent around the kids, and try to find good things to say, or don't say anything at all.
The following is a list of destructive remarks that you should not make to your child. If you find yourself saying words like these, stop and think about their impact on your child.
* You're lazy/stubborn/bad tempered, just like your mother/father.
* Your mother/father put you up to saying that.
* Your dad/mom doesn't love any of us or he/she wouldn't have left us.
* You can't trust her/him.
* He/she was just no good.
* If she/he loved you, she/he would send your support checks on time.
* Someday you'll leave me too, just like your father/mother.
All of these remarks raise fear and anxiety in children.
4. Quizzing Children About The Other Parent
Do not make your children a spy in the other parent's home. It is very difficult for a child of divorced parents to cope with feeling "caught in the middle". If they want to tell you about time spent with their other parent (and they usually don't), listen closely and politely, and then stop. If they don't volunteer any information, try simply, "Have a good time? Good."
Encourage your children to love both parents. They must not be burdened with having to align with one parent's anger against the other.
5. Taking Sides
Your child wants to love both of his or her parents. Asking your child to take your side in any situation regarding your ex-spouse can create a tremendous amount of stress for your child.
Avoid putting children in the position of having to take sides. Allow your children to continue to love both parents without being made to feel guilty or disloyal.
6. Dealing With Parent's Feeling
Complaining to your child about how lonely you are after the separation makes a child feel guilty and sad and want to "parent" you. It's not healthy for them to be consumed with worry for their parents' ability to survive.
Let your child be a child. They need the freedom to be children. It's easy, but wrong, to make your adolescent child, or even your adult child, a confidant in dealing with your recovery, your dating life, or your fears. Even if children seem capable of handling these concerns without ill effects, they rarely are.
7. Threatening To Cut Off Contact With The Children If The Other Parent Doesn't Do Or Stop Doing Something
The kids hear these threats and fear more loss in their lives. Such conduct hurts your kids and must not be continued.
Recognize that for your child to have the best chance of growing up to be a functional human male or female, he/she will need both parents as role models and nurturers. This means that there should be some pathway of getting through to the child whatever good that parent has to offer.
Anything that puts a child in the middle of dispute is unhealthy, and causes the most problems for divorcing families. If parents don't work issues through, those issues have a huge effect on their kids.
It can be hard to do, but parents can improve a situation by recognizing their divorce is from each other, not the children. Kids need to see that even though their parents might not love each other, they are committed to staying connected because of their responsibilities as parents. At time, this may seem absolutely impossible, because the parents can't tolerate the idea of being connected. Yet the child needs both of them, psychologically if not in reality.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
If you have recently found yourself fretting over your child’s waistline, you are not alone. The youth of today are fatter than ever before, and parents are starting to panic. Why are our kids so big, and what should we do about it?
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Childhood obesity has been described as an epidemic. It puts our children’s health at risk, making them more susceptible to problems involving their cardiovascular systems, endocrine systems, and even their mental health. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression, and low self-esteem are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems looming over the heads of our overweight children.
It is ironic that both the problem and the solution to this heavy problem boil down to one simple equation. Energy In vs. Energy Out. When more energy is consumed than is utilized, the result is fat storage. In short, our kids eat too much and do too little.
Energy In
The Problem: Parents today are busier than ever before, navigating through hectic schedules with convenient fast food restaurants lurking on every corner. Our kids are eating more fried, processed, and sugary foods than we did as children due mainly to the convenience factor. These foods are laden with excessive calories that result in weight gain.
The Solution: Take time to evaluate your children’s diet. Do they eat three balanced meals a day? Do they eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day? Are they limited in their servings of fried, processed, and sugary foods? Avoid buying sugar-filled snacks while grocery shopping, fill your cart with fresh, healthy snacks instead. Make time to plan family meals so that you don’t find yourself in another drive thru.
Energy Out
The Problem: Computers, video games, and satellite T.V. are our children’s latest and greatest toys. Who has time to play outside when you are about to beat the hardest level, or your favorite show is about to start? Our kids participate in less physical activity and are more sedentary than any generation before.
The Solution: Limit the time your children spend on sedentary activities, such as T.V and video games. Sign your kids up on a local sports team so that they can run and be active with other kids. Take the whole family to the park on a weekend instead of gathering in front of the T.V.
As a parent, it is your unique responsibility to teach your children the healthy habits that lead to good health. Children who are obese have a greater chance of remaining obese into adulthood, thus greatly increasing the likelihood of serious health problems. Talk to your children about their eating habits, and activity levels, informing them of good choices versus bad choices. Make it a family effort to start eating healthier and increase physical activities, and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results!
washington dc ob gyn -
Childhood obesity has been described as an epidemic. It puts our children’s health at risk, making them more susceptible to problems involving their cardiovascular systems, endocrine systems, and even their mental health. Type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression, and low self-esteem are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the problems looming over the heads of our overweight children.
It is ironic that both the problem and the solution to this heavy problem boil down to one simple equation. Energy In vs. Energy Out. When more energy is consumed than is utilized, the result is fat storage. In short, our kids eat too much and do too little.
Energy In
The Problem: Parents today are busier than ever before, navigating through hectic schedules with convenient fast food restaurants lurking on every corner. Our kids are eating more fried, processed, and sugary foods than we did as children due mainly to the convenience factor. These foods are laden with excessive calories that result in weight gain.
The Solution: Take time to evaluate your children’s diet. Do they eat three balanced meals a day? Do they eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day? Are they limited in their servings of fried, processed, and sugary foods? Avoid buying sugar-filled snacks while grocery shopping, fill your cart with fresh, healthy snacks instead. Make time to plan family meals so that you don’t find yourself in another drive thru.
Energy Out
The Problem: Computers, video games, and satellite T.V. are our children’s latest and greatest toys. Who has time to play outside when you are about to beat the hardest level, or your favorite show is about to start? Our kids participate in less physical activity and are more sedentary than any generation before.
The Solution: Limit the time your children spend on sedentary activities, such as T.V and video games. Sign your kids up on a local sports team so that they can run and be active with other kids. Take the whole family to the park on a weekend instead of gathering in front of the T.V.
As a parent, it is your unique responsibility to teach your children the healthy habits that lead to good health. Children who are obese have a greater chance of remaining obese into adulthood, thus greatly increasing the likelihood of serious health problems. Talk to your children about their eating habits, and activity levels, informing them of good choices versus bad choices. Make it a family effort to start eating healthier and increase physical activities, and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results!
Bleeding gums? Have you been noticing that your breath has that fruity smell? Well, then, you may just have gum disease.
Most people consider this as a minimal medical concern. We tend to act upon the signs and symptoms only when they start distorting us physically, or when the pain begins to annoy and disrupt our activities. It is said to be a sneaky disease, because we might already have it, but are not aware at all.
At the same time, we unknowingly disregard some household remedies commonly found in our cupboard. These items can either interrupt the progression of the disease or ultimately deliver us from the agony. Check them out; you might just thank them later for saving your precious pearly whites.
The Condimental Heroes
The little village of toxin producing pathological microorganisms is almost done with their bell tower somewhere on your molar. Your tooth is aching. Run to the kitchen and whip up a mixture of Epsom Salt and a glass of warm water, then gargle. If they start to hammer on your good old gums, this humble blend helps getting rid of that discomfort.
Guess what? The friendly and indispensable Vitamin C is part of the line-up against this nasty disease. Aside from gearing-up our immune system to its optimal level, it also provides some protection for your gums. Studies have shown that Vitamin C intake is relative to an individual's gum health. People established to be deficient with this particular vitamin have the higher risk of suffering gum problems, rather than those who take supplements or consume food rich with this amazing vitamin.
When you finish brushing your teeth and notice that your gums are bleeding, baking soda is the answer. Dilute a portion of baking soda in a glass of water, and then gently massage the blend on your gums for a few minutes, or as long as it usually takes you to brush your teeth. Continue this procedure every day, for a couple of months, and you'll say your good byes to gingivitis.
Know and You Shall Find
Of course, we are too familiar with how social bearing is jeopardized if one has that wretched bad breath. This fact has frequently overshadowed the substantial damage periodontal disease can cause on our physical health.
It begins with bacterial colonization, which equates to the build-up of plaque and tartar. The latter irritates the gums, which, in turn, decreases their integrity. This is the cause of bleeding. They become red and swollen.
The next phase begins when the infection initiates the breakdown of the ligaments responsible for supporting the teeth. The gums will start to pull away from the tooth, which is known as the receding of the gum lines. In the end, majority of the teeth would have fallen, if not all of them. Sadly, it has been shown in studies that the infection highly initiates serious heart maladies.
Prevention is quite simple. Just remember some of the lines they kept badgering on us back then as kids. (1) Brush your teeth. Do this at least twice a day using toothpaste containing Fluoride. (2) Floss after eating. (3)Don't smoke or chew tobacco. (4) Inspect the insides of your mouth regularly for stubborn sores, observe for redness, and other unusual changes. (5)Try to see how your dentist is doing, so he could also do his job.
If you begin to notice and experience some irregularities, the first independent action is to avoid sweets. It makes the bad guys in your mouth hasten the dirty job. Start loading your system up with Calcium-rich food, too.
Most people consider this as a minimal medical concern. We tend to act upon the signs and symptoms only when they start distorting us physically, or when the pain begins to annoy and disrupt our activities. It is said to be a sneaky disease, because we might already have it, but are not aware at all.
At the same time, we unknowingly disregard some household remedies commonly found in our cupboard. These items can either interrupt the progression of the disease or ultimately deliver us from the agony. Check them out; you might just thank them later for saving your precious pearly whites.
The Condimental Heroes
The little village of toxin producing pathological microorganisms is almost done with their bell tower somewhere on your molar. Your tooth is aching. Run to the kitchen and whip up a mixture of Epsom Salt and a glass of warm water, then gargle. If they start to hammer on your good old gums, this humble blend helps getting rid of that discomfort.
Guess what? The friendly and indispensable Vitamin C is part of the line-up against this nasty disease. Aside from gearing-up our immune system to its optimal level, it also provides some protection for your gums. Studies have shown that Vitamin C intake is relative to an individual's gum health. People established to be deficient with this particular vitamin have the higher risk of suffering gum problems, rather than those who take supplements or consume food rich with this amazing vitamin.
When you finish brushing your teeth and notice that your gums are bleeding, baking soda is the answer. Dilute a portion of baking soda in a glass of water, and then gently massage the blend on your gums for a few minutes, or as long as it usually takes you to brush your teeth. Continue this procedure every day, for a couple of months, and you'll say your good byes to gingivitis.
Know and You Shall Find
Of course, we are too familiar with how social bearing is jeopardized if one has that wretched bad breath. This fact has frequently overshadowed the substantial damage periodontal disease can cause on our physical health.
It begins with bacterial colonization, which equates to the build-up of plaque and tartar. The latter irritates the gums, which, in turn, decreases their integrity. This is the cause of bleeding. They become red and swollen.
The next phase begins when the infection initiates the breakdown of the ligaments responsible for supporting the teeth. The gums will start to pull away from the tooth, which is known as the receding of the gum lines. In the end, majority of the teeth would have fallen, if not all of them. Sadly, it has been shown in studies that the infection highly initiates serious heart maladies.
Prevention is quite simple. Just remember some of the lines they kept badgering on us back then as kids. (1) Brush your teeth. Do this at least twice a day using toothpaste containing Fluoride. (2) Floss after eating. (3)Don't smoke or chew tobacco. (4) Inspect the insides of your mouth regularly for stubborn sores, observe for redness, and other unusual changes. (5)Try to see how your dentist is doing, so he could also do his job.
If you begin to notice and experience some irregularities, the first independent action is to avoid sweets. It makes the bad guys in your mouth hasten the dirty job. Start loading your system up with Calcium-rich food, too.
How quickly do you eat? Good chewing is the first step to healthy digestion. Many of us would benefit from bringing more awareness to the simple art of chewing. Nutritional experts say common digestive problems can be reduced or eliminated through better chewing.
How does dinner proceed at your house? A stampede and mad gobble? In front of the TV? I grew up in a household where dinner was eaten in less than a quarter of the time it took to prepare it. Plates were scraped clean in ten minutes flat. We could possibly blame my Dad’s deprived wartime childhood, but whatever the root of my parents speed-eating habits, us kids followed the hasty lead with enthusiasm.
Eating too fast also encourages you to over-eat, because your brain has not got the message of fullness yet. We always had seconds at home. This did not help waistlines or hypoglycemia problems; overeating causes a spike in blood sugar levels. Now my dad suffers from esophageal reflux and sometimes has to throw up his dinner. He’s been forced to eat more slowly. While there is no proof, my sense is the digestive process and production of enzymes were damaged by speed eating.
Dr Gillian McKeith, the internationally acclaimed British nutritionist suggests in a that the following could all be signs of inadequate chewing: burping, farting, bloating, indigestion, irritable bowel, stomach aches, heartburn, cramping.
Paul Pitchford, Author of the reputable wholefood reference book, ‘Healing with Wholefoods’, states that the first restorative action for any case of parasites, from Candida to larger wriggling varieties, is improved chewing.
All food is more available to the digestive process in smaller pieces, however carbohydrates require more chewing more than proteins and fats. Carbohydrates begin the digestive process in the mouth, using the enzyme amylase, distributed evenly to the mouthful by saliva and chewing. Protein is mainly digested in the stomach, (using strong acids), and fat in the small intestine. Hence the ability of dogs to wolf down a few big chunks of meat with little ill-effect.
We humans tend to eat plenty of grains and carbohydrate dominated vegetables, and would do be doing ourselves a favour to cultivate a longer chew. Because our proteins, fats and grains are sometimes combined in less than optimal combinations there is even more reason to chew: this gives the body ample time to sort out the mixture.
Naturally the other major benefit of increased chewing is that we tend to eat less because we become aware of the level of contented satiation before reaching overload. Remember, we’re not talking about extremist 100 chews per mouthful behaviour, merely a conscious choice to appreciate the food and masticate more thoroughly.
Anna’s four B’s - tips on how to develop better chewing habits for healthier digestion
1) BREATHE
Before beginning, breath in and out three times and truly ‘arrive’ at the table. This is a helpful transition from the pace of prior activities.
2) BREAK
Put down your implements between mouthfuls. This may seem challenging to begin with if the shovel instinct is ingrained, but I found this to be a very helpful practise, cultivated on many meditation retreats, where slowing down in everything is encouraged.
3) BITE SIZE
Try chopsticks for smaller mouthfuls and a more elegant style.
4) BEGIN AGAIN
If you suddenly find you’ve reached the glazed motifs of an empty plate and forgotten your good intentions, begin again next meal time. It can take two to four weeks to create a new positive habit in the body/mind. Start with the intention to chew just the first mouthful well. Anything more is a bonus!
Copyright Anna Wilde and Wild Health
Anna Wilde works with people who want to improve their health naturally. Get the recipes and straight forward advice to stay motivated, eat well and be healthy.
How does dinner proceed at your house? A stampede and mad gobble? In front of the TV? I grew up in a household where dinner was eaten in less than a quarter of the time it took to prepare it. Plates were scraped clean in ten minutes flat. We could possibly blame my Dad’s deprived wartime childhood, but whatever the root of my parents speed-eating habits, us kids followed the hasty lead with enthusiasm.
Eating too fast also encourages you to over-eat, because your brain has not got the message of fullness yet. We always had seconds at home. This did not help waistlines or hypoglycemia problems; overeating causes a spike in blood sugar levels. Now my dad suffers from esophageal reflux and sometimes has to throw up his dinner. He’s been forced to eat more slowly. While there is no proof, my sense is the digestive process and production of enzymes were damaged by speed eating.
Dr Gillian McKeith, the internationally acclaimed British nutritionist suggests in a that the following could all be signs of inadequate chewing: burping, farting, bloating, indigestion, irritable bowel, stomach aches, heartburn, cramping.
Paul Pitchford, Author of the reputable wholefood reference book, ‘Healing with Wholefoods’, states that the first restorative action for any case of parasites, from Candida to larger wriggling varieties, is improved chewing.
All food is more available to the digestive process in smaller pieces, however carbohydrates require more chewing more than proteins and fats. Carbohydrates begin the digestive process in the mouth, using the enzyme amylase, distributed evenly to the mouthful by saliva and chewing. Protein is mainly digested in the stomach, (using strong acids), and fat in the small intestine. Hence the ability of dogs to wolf down a few big chunks of meat with little ill-effect.
We humans tend to eat plenty of grains and carbohydrate dominated vegetables, and would do be doing ourselves a favour to cultivate a longer chew. Because our proteins, fats and grains are sometimes combined in less than optimal combinations there is even more reason to chew: this gives the body ample time to sort out the mixture.
Naturally the other major benefit of increased chewing is that we tend to eat less because we become aware of the level of contented satiation before reaching overload. Remember, we’re not talking about extremist 100 chews per mouthful behaviour, merely a conscious choice to appreciate the food and masticate more thoroughly.
Anna’s four B’s - tips on how to develop better chewing habits for healthier digestion
1) BREATHE
Before beginning, breath in and out three times and truly ‘arrive’ at the table. This is a helpful transition from the pace of prior activities.
2) BREAK
Put down your implements between mouthfuls. This may seem challenging to begin with if the shovel instinct is ingrained, but I found this to be a very helpful practise, cultivated on many meditation retreats, where slowing down in everything is encouraged.
3) BITE SIZE
Try chopsticks for smaller mouthfuls and a more elegant style.
4) BEGIN AGAIN
If you suddenly find you’ve reached the glazed motifs of an empty plate and forgotten your good intentions, begin again next meal time. It can take two to four weeks to create a new positive habit in the body/mind. Start with the intention to chew just the first mouthful well. Anything more is a bonus!
Copyright Anna Wilde and Wild Health
Anna Wilde works with people who want to improve their health naturally. Get the recipes and straight forward advice to stay motivated, eat well and be healthy.
There may really be a real monster under your kid’s bed!
Seriously, they could actually be there!
If you are a parent you have heard about monsters under the bed
and in the closet. There was even a movie about Monsters coming
into kid’s bedrooms through the closet. They were collecting screams,
or some such.
There are many unknown underlying problems that can keep a child
from wanting to go to bed.
* Mommy and Daddy were sharing cross words just before bed time
* Brother Johnny told them they were adopted
* Sister Sally told the child about her best friend disappearing one
night
All these things can coagulate into monsters.
You could probably write a book about the different monsters your
kids have described.
Bedtime problems are probably right behind “potty training†as a
worry factor in your child’s upbringing. Probably as much time is
spent by parents on cajoling kids to sleep as any other part of
parenting.
And some parents cajole so well. Some do it by fighting with the
monster.
There is actually a monster-proofing spray you can make for your kids.
It contains:
One ounce of peppermint oil [health food store]
16 ounces of water
One hair of a dog or cat [check your living room rug] – this is optional
Mix together in a spray bottle. If the monster is bothering your child,
shake the bottle [monster antidotes tend to settle in the mixture] and
spray under the bed. And maybe some in the closet too [for good
measure].
It works very well for the average monster.
But what about the super monsters, the real monsters?
Think about this:
* There is usually stuff under the bed. Things like old socks, dust,
half eaten sandwiches.
* Mold grows on stuff.
* Mold produces spores and chemicals
* Spores are breathed in by the sleeping child
* The chemicals are breathed, too.
* Kid cannot sleep because some of these chemicals are neuro-
excitatory. These chemicals disturb sleep, cause hallucinations, cause
body aches, and can even contribute to ADHD symptoms.
* Kid’s imagination invents monster to explain these feelings.
* Plus these molds can actually cause allergies, sinus infections, lung
infections, ear aches and dandruff [oh no, not dandruff]
Now I don’t know about you, but that sounds like the definition of a
monster to me.
The solution?
Make two monster sprays. Exchange Tea Tree Oil for the Peppermint
oil in the first formula. This second formula will help hold off on
mold growth, I mean Monsters, under the bed.
Oh, and maybe cleaning under the bed might help too.
Seriously, they could actually be there!
If you are a parent you have heard about monsters under the bed
and in the closet. There was even a movie about Monsters coming
into kid’s bedrooms through the closet. They were collecting screams,
or some such.
There are many unknown underlying problems that can keep a child
from wanting to go to bed.
* Mommy and Daddy were sharing cross words just before bed time
* Brother Johnny told them they were adopted
* Sister Sally told the child about her best friend disappearing one
night
All these things can coagulate into monsters.
You could probably write a book about the different monsters your
kids have described.
Bedtime problems are probably right behind “potty training†as a
worry factor in your child’s upbringing. Probably as much time is
spent by parents on cajoling kids to sleep as any other part of
parenting.
And some parents cajole so well. Some do it by fighting with the
monster.
There is actually a monster-proofing spray you can make for your kids.
It contains:
One ounce of peppermint oil [health food store]
16 ounces of water
One hair of a dog or cat [check your living room rug] – this is optional
Mix together in a spray bottle. If the monster is bothering your child,
shake the bottle [monster antidotes tend to settle in the mixture] and
spray under the bed. And maybe some in the closet too [for good
measure].
It works very well for the average monster.
But what about the super monsters, the real monsters?
Think about this:
* There is usually stuff under the bed. Things like old socks, dust,
half eaten sandwiches.
* Mold grows on stuff.
* Mold produces spores and chemicals
* Spores are breathed in by the sleeping child
* The chemicals are breathed, too.
* Kid cannot sleep because some of these chemicals are neuro-
excitatory. These chemicals disturb sleep, cause hallucinations, cause
body aches, and can even contribute to ADHD symptoms.
* Kid’s imagination invents monster to explain these feelings.
* Plus these molds can actually cause allergies, sinus infections, lung
infections, ear aches and dandruff [oh no, not dandruff]
Now I don’t know about you, but that sounds like the definition of a
monster to me.
The solution?
Make two monster sprays. Exchange Tea Tree Oil for the Peppermint
oil in the first formula. This second formula will help hold off on
mold growth, I mean Monsters, under the bed.
Oh, and maybe cleaning under the bed might help too.
I recently had a reader send me this comment:
"As a full-time dad I have to deal with just about every minor illness my two children pickup, everything from a bump on the head to chicken pox. I found the Highway to Health ebook very useful and it's one of the first things I reach for when something goes wrong!"
Mr John Bradbury United Kingdom
It got me thinking - although the Highway to Health does cover headaches, perhaps going into a little more detail about 'bumps on the head' would be useful. So here we go...
There are two main types of head injury - concussion and compression.
*Concussion* is the commonest:
# It's when your brain gets 'shaken' inside your head. Like anything, it gets a little bruising. Like any bruise it heals with time.
# It can be caused by all sorts of things:
* Kids banging heads, perhaps playing sport.
* A child recently ran in to a coffee table and got concussion.
* Falling off things, running into things, tripping over...
# It's common and not too serious.
# You might feel a bit shaken up at first, might even pass out for a few moments, but not for long.
# You could feel dizzy or confused as well.
# You'll have a headache - but you knew that, right?
# You'll probably get a bruise or bump on the outside too.
# You might feel or be sick, but this will pass.
# Your vision might get blurred, but this passes.
Sit down and take it easy.
Put a cold compress (e.g. wet sponge) on the bump.
Try not to worry - or if it's a child, try to reassure and comfort them.
Five to ten minutes later, you should be feeling a whole lot better. The headache won't have gone yet, but it will settle. You might still feel sick, but everything else should have cleared.
Now you can take whatever pain relief you'd usually have for the headache (and see http://www.thehighwaytohealth.com/ for a whole chapter on relieving headaches).
Take it easy for the next three days.
Keep a watch out for the signs & symptoms below (and have someone else watch out for you too).
You'll soon be wondering what the fuss was about!
*Compression* is the other type of head injury:
* Just like anything that gets injured, your brain can swell.
* This is bad news - it's trapped inside your skull and has nowhere to swell to.
* So you get a build-up of pressure on your brain, which causes problems.
* It is usually caused by something a bit more severe than a bump on the head
o more like a bat over the head, or a bigger fall, or a traffic accident.
* This often starts out like concussion, but doesn't get better in a few minutes.
* That feeling of sickness gets worse, and you start to be sick a lot more often.
* The headache just gets worse, even when you've treated it.
* The dizziness or confusion will get worse, and you might pass out for a lot longer. You might have a fit or convulsion.
* Your vision might blur and keep getting worse.
You need the hospital - and quickly! Anyone who has these symptoms goes straight to hospital. Even if it started out as concussion, this can take up to 72 hours to develop (It's commonest within the first four hours).
"As a full-time dad I have to deal with just about every minor illness my two children pickup, everything from a bump on the head to chicken pox. I found the Highway to Health ebook very useful and it's one of the first things I reach for when something goes wrong!"
Mr John Bradbury United Kingdom
It got me thinking - although the Highway to Health does cover headaches, perhaps going into a little more detail about 'bumps on the head' would be useful. So here we go...
There are two main types of head injury - concussion and compression.
*Concussion* is the commonest:
# It's when your brain gets 'shaken' inside your head. Like anything, it gets a little bruising. Like any bruise it heals with time.
# It can be caused by all sorts of things:
* Kids banging heads, perhaps playing sport.
* A child recently ran in to a coffee table and got concussion.
* Falling off things, running into things, tripping over...
# It's common and not too serious.
# You might feel a bit shaken up at first, might even pass out for a few moments, but not for long.
# You could feel dizzy or confused as well.
# You'll have a headache - but you knew that, right?
# You'll probably get a bruise or bump on the outside too.
# You might feel or be sick, but this will pass.
# Your vision might get blurred, but this passes.
Sit down and take it easy.
Put a cold compress (e.g. wet sponge) on the bump.
Try not to worry - or if it's a child, try to reassure and comfort them.
Five to ten minutes later, you should be feeling a whole lot better. The headache won't have gone yet, but it will settle. You might still feel sick, but everything else should have cleared.
Now you can take whatever pain relief you'd usually have for the headache (and see http://www.thehighwaytohealth.com/ for a whole chapter on relieving headaches).
Take it easy for the next three days.
Keep a watch out for the signs & symptoms below (and have someone else watch out for you too).
You'll soon be wondering what the fuss was about!
*Compression* is the other type of head injury:
* Just like anything that gets injured, your brain can swell.
* This is bad news - it's trapped inside your skull and has nowhere to swell to.
* So you get a build-up of pressure on your brain, which causes problems.
* It is usually caused by something a bit more severe than a bump on the head
o more like a bat over the head, or a bigger fall, or a traffic accident.
* This often starts out like concussion, but doesn't get better in a few minutes.
* That feeling of sickness gets worse, and you start to be sick a lot more often.
* The headache just gets worse, even when you've treated it.
* The dizziness or confusion will get worse, and you might pass out for a lot longer. You might have a fit or convulsion.
* Your vision might blur and keep getting worse.
You need the hospital - and quickly! Anyone who has these symptoms goes straight to hospital. Even if it started out as concussion, this can take up to 72 hours to develop (It's commonest within the first four hours).
The pomegranate is an ancient fruit native of Persia, Pakistan and Afghanistan that was cultivated and naturalized in Georgia, Armenia and over the whole Mediterranean region and northern India since ancient times.
It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, and the ancient city of Granada in Spain was renamed after the fruit during the Moorish period. The pomegranate shrub was introduced to California by Spanish settlers in the early 18th Century, and is now widely cultivated in that state as well as in Arizona.
With a rich history in myth, symbolism and art, the pomegranate was even thought by some scholars to be the forbidden fruit, which tempted Eve, and not the apple. Because of the intense ruby color of its edible seeds, the pomegranate was an inspiration to many artists of the region, including the Georgian filmmaker Paradjanov, whose masterpiece film was titled 'The Colour of Pomegranates'.
The pomegranate is used for medicinal purposes in Persia, Georgia and India, and has always been an important part of the Middle Eastern diet. In its long history, the pomegranate has been linked to health, fertility and rebirth.
Because of its astringent, anti-parasites properties, the pomegranates' root bark is used to treat intestinal parasites. The bark contains alkaloids that sedate intestinal parasites making them lose their grip on the intestinal walls, and therefore easier to expel.
In our times of nutritional enlightenment pomegranate has become the super- food "par excellence", mainly because of its antioxidant properties. Research has shown that the pomegranate fruit and its juice may help with heart disease, as it reduces blood clots and contains the damage done to the arteries by cholesterol.
Other than being an excellent heart tonic, the pomegranate also helps with other problems associated with ageing due to the fact that it is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, potassium, folic acid and iron.
Pomegranate fruit extracts can block enzymes that contribute to osteoarthritis, according to a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine' study, published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
"Pomegranate -in particular- has been found to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that have potential therapeutic benefits in a variety of diseases. The Case University study demonstrated for the first time the ability of pomegranate fruit extracts to slow the deterioration of human cartilage."
Preparations of different parts of the plant flower, fruit, juice and bark have been used for an array of conditions including gastroenterological ailments like diarrhea, dysentery and stomach ulcers.
Dioscorides an Greek physician and pharmacologist in antiquity has recorded the following:
"The juice of the kernells prest out, being sod and mixed with Hony, are good for the ulcers that are in ye mouth and in ye Genitals and in the seate, as also for the Pterygia in digitis and for the Nomae and ye excrescencies in ulcers, and for ye paines of ye eares, and for the griefs in ye nosthrills"
It's truly amazing how this recipe resisted the passage of time. My own Turkish grandmother used to spread pomegranate syrup (available in good natural health stores) on my cold sores when I was a kid. Not only did it do the trick, but also I loved the taste!
Nowadays, pomegranate juice is available on most supermarkets shelves. Pomegranate syrup or molasses (sour variety) is often used in Middle Eastern and Persian dishes. The sweet variety is used in desserts or in cocktails as Grenadine. Pomegranate Juice tends to be quite expensive. However, if you live in places where it's widely available, you can make the juice yourself. Pomegranate seeds are delicious sprinkled on your salad, or just eat a bowl of seeds lightly sprinkled with sugar and orange blossom essence, yummy!
Tip to extract pomegranate seeds
Slice the crown end off and gently cut the rind vertically from top to bottom in quarters. Place the pomegranate in a bowl of water. Carefully break the sections apart, (pomegranate juice stains!) prying the seeds from the membrane with your fingers. Remove the thin membranes that separate the clusters of seeds. The seeds will sink and the rind and membranes will float. Gather up the seeds in a colander.
Pomegranate Guacamole Recipe:
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 large onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 fresh chiles, serranos, seeded
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
1 freshly squeezed lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Finely chop the onion, garlic, chilies serranos, and coriander leaves. Place in bowl and add lime juice and salt, set aside. Peel and pit the avocados and place in a bowl. Mash with fork slowly adding the tablespoon of pomegranate juice. Add onion and garlic mixture and fold together to make a coarse pulp. Gently fold in pomegranate seeds. Serve with warm tortillas, tostadas, or corn chips.
FYI: One medium size pomegranate will yield about 3/4 cup of seeds or 1/2 cup of juice
Keep in mind that most of the fiber you get from eating pomegranates comes from the seed. So to keep up with a healthy dose of daily fiber, crunch on!l
It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, and the ancient city of Granada in Spain was renamed after the fruit during the Moorish period. The pomegranate shrub was introduced to California by Spanish settlers in the early 18th Century, and is now widely cultivated in that state as well as in Arizona.
With a rich history in myth, symbolism and art, the pomegranate was even thought by some scholars to be the forbidden fruit, which tempted Eve, and not the apple. Because of the intense ruby color of its edible seeds, the pomegranate was an inspiration to many artists of the region, including the Georgian filmmaker Paradjanov, whose masterpiece film was titled 'The Colour of Pomegranates'.
The pomegranate is used for medicinal purposes in Persia, Georgia and India, and has always been an important part of the Middle Eastern diet. In its long history, the pomegranate has been linked to health, fertility and rebirth.
Because of its astringent, anti-parasites properties, the pomegranates' root bark is used to treat intestinal parasites. The bark contains alkaloids that sedate intestinal parasites making them lose their grip on the intestinal walls, and therefore easier to expel.
In our times of nutritional enlightenment pomegranate has become the super- food "par excellence", mainly because of its antioxidant properties. Research has shown that the pomegranate fruit and its juice may help with heart disease, as it reduces blood clots and contains the damage done to the arteries by cholesterol.
Other than being an excellent heart tonic, the pomegranate also helps with other problems associated with ageing due to the fact that it is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, potassium, folic acid and iron.
Pomegranate fruit extracts can block enzymes that contribute to osteoarthritis, according to a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine' study, published in the September 2005 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
"Pomegranate -in particular- has been found to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that have potential therapeutic benefits in a variety of diseases. The Case University study demonstrated for the first time the ability of pomegranate fruit extracts to slow the deterioration of human cartilage."
Preparations of different parts of the plant flower, fruit, juice and bark have been used for an array of conditions including gastroenterological ailments like diarrhea, dysentery and stomach ulcers.
Dioscorides an Greek physician and pharmacologist in antiquity has recorded the following:
"The juice of the kernells prest out, being sod and mixed with Hony, are good for the ulcers that are in ye mouth and in ye Genitals and in the seate, as also for the Pterygia in digitis and for the Nomae and ye excrescencies in ulcers, and for ye paines of ye eares, and for the griefs in ye nosthrills"
It's truly amazing how this recipe resisted the passage of time. My own Turkish grandmother used to spread pomegranate syrup (available in good natural health stores) on my cold sores when I was a kid. Not only did it do the trick, but also I loved the taste!
Nowadays, pomegranate juice is available on most supermarkets shelves. Pomegranate syrup or molasses (sour variety) is often used in Middle Eastern and Persian dishes. The sweet variety is used in desserts or in cocktails as Grenadine. Pomegranate Juice tends to be quite expensive. However, if you live in places where it's widely available, you can make the juice yourself. Pomegranate seeds are delicious sprinkled on your salad, or just eat a bowl of seeds lightly sprinkled with sugar and orange blossom essence, yummy!
Tip to extract pomegranate seeds
Slice the crown end off and gently cut the rind vertically from top to bottom in quarters. Place the pomegranate in a bowl of water. Carefully break the sections apart, (pomegranate juice stains!) prying the seeds from the membrane with your fingers. Remove the thin membranes that separate the clusters of seeds. The seeds will sink and the rind and membranes will float. Gather up the seeds in a colander.
Pomegranate Guacamole Recipe:
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 large onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 fresh chiles, serranos, seeded
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
1 freshly squeezed lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Finely chop the onion, garlic, chilies serranos, and coriander leaves. Place in bowl and add lime juice and salt, set aside. Peel and pit the avocados and place in a bowl. Mash with fork slowly adding the tablespoon of pomegranate juice. Add onion and garlic mixture and fold together to make a coarse pulp. Gently fold in pomegranate seeds. Serve with warm tortillas, tostadas, or corn chips.
FYI: One medium size pomegranate will yield about 3/4 cup of seeds or 1/2 cup of juice
Keep in mind that most of the fiber you get from eating pomegranates comes from the seed. So to keep up with a healthy dose of daily fiber, crunch on!l
Weight loss can be a touchy subject to bring up with adults let alone children. If you have kids or are the guardian of children that are obese and you are worried about their health, do not hesitate to take action. It is difficult to sit back and watch their health deteriorate and you should not do it under any circumstances. Obesity rates are sky rocketing and people are growing up obese to leave less than optimal lives--it's a simple fact. Obesity can lead to all sorts of health complications in the future. Diabetes, heart trouble and more are all very common in obese people. Some children even become diabetic at a very young age due to their weight.
If you think you should ignore your child's weight problem and ignore their obesity you are very clearly in the wrong. Experts agree that child obesity is a terrible dilemna and it needs to be addressed. There are no shortcuts to weight loss and it will likely not be very easy, but it is imperative that it is addressed. If you do not feel you are up to the challenge try to enlist the help of a friend or relative to help you motivate your child and help them along. Weight loss is imperative to a happy and healthy life, do not cheat your child of this. Child obesity is a serious issue and it can be resolved by implementing a healthier diet and exercise. Gradually easing these things into your child's life is the best way to do this. You cannot just jump into a weight loss regiment and expect it to work. Slow and steady wins the race!
You can get great tips online and use great programs to help get started. If you are interested in one of these methods, do a bit of research.
If you think you should ignore your child's weight problem and ignore their obesity you are very clearly in the wrong. Experts agree that child obesity is a terrible dilemna and it needs to be addressed. There are no shortcuts to weight loss and it will likely not be very easy, but it is imperative that it is addressed. If you do not feel you are up to the challenge try to enlist the help of a friend or relative to help you motivate your child and help them along. Weight loss is imperative to a happy and healthy life, do not cheat your child of this. Child obesity is a serious issue and it can be resolved by implementing a healthier diet and exercise. Gradually easing these things into your child's life is the best way to do this. You cannot just jump into a weight loss regiment and expect it to work. Slow and steady wins the race!
You can get great tips online and use great programs to help get started. If you are interested in one of these methods, do a bit of research.
Could drumming really improve your health? According to the University of Gloucestershire, which developed the world's first drumming physiology laboratory it does and now they are currently working with drummer Clem Burke (from Blondie) on a new research project investigating the potential health and mental benefits of playing drumming-based interactive computer games.
Not surprisingly there is a computer game company collaborating on the project with them and they are going to focus on certain groups of people. Now from personal experience I know that drumming does provide a good workout and an avenue for stress release so it wouldn't seem much of a stretch to show that it can provide health benefits to people who play regularly (and with a bit of attitude).
Whether they are being played for the health benefits or not, interactive video games continue to grow in popularity as sales continue to grow despite the current global recession. These types of studies are also becoming more popular as health problems like child obesity, adult obesity, autism and stress in the workplace continue to increase in prevalence and scientists and others try to find new ways to get people active.
Many leading scientists even believe that "learning these motor skills in such an entertaining manner may well enhance cognitive flexibility and facilitate recovery..." for patients with poor brain function from various illnesses.
I guess we really should have seen this coming. The new generation of Nascar drivers has grown up learning the different tracks while playing racing video games, so perhaps the next generation of drummers and guitarists will come from the ranks of kids playing games like rock band and guitar hero.
Not surprisingly there is a computer game company collaborating on the project with them and they are going to focus on certain groups of people. Now from personal experience I know that drumming does provide a good workout and an avenue for stress release so it wouldn't seem much of a stretch to show that it can provide health benefits to people who play regularly (and with a bit of attitude).
Whether they are being played for the health benefits or not, interactive video games continue to grow in popularity as sales continue to grow despite the current global recession. These types of studies are also becoming more popular as health problems like child obesity, adult obesity, autism and stress in the workplace continue to increase in prevalence and scientists and others try to find new ways to get people active.
Many leading scientists even believe that "learning these motor skills in such an entertaining manner may well enhance cognitive flexibility and facilitate recovery..." for patients with poor brain function from various illnesses.
I guess we really should have seen this coming. The new generation of Nascar drivers has grown up learning the different tracks while playing racing video games, so perhaps the next generation of drummers and guitarists will come from the ranks of kids playing games like rock band and guitar hero.
Healthy Kids recipes should always include foods that are rich in vitamins and nutrients. Vitamin C is especially important for children. The good thing about Vitamin C is that it is present in a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Children need a daily intake of Vitamin C because it is important for maintaining a healthy immune system. Among the many benefits of Vitamin C for children is that it acts as a powerful anti-oxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory agent that prevents oxygen-based damage to the cells
Children can get their daily dose of Vitamin C by consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables. Fruit is a delicious food with wonderful colors and textures that appeal to children. Fruit is one of the easiest healthy foods to get kids to eat.
Fruits as well as vegetables are vital for the health and well being of children. Raw fruits are preferred because of their high fiber and water content. But frozen fruits and vegetables are still a viable source of Vitamin C that can be an alternative to fresh vegetables.
Vitamin C has to be consumed daily because the body does not store Vitamin C. Pediatricians recommend that children should consume at least 30 - 45 mg. of vitamin C per day. This is the minimum requirement. Parents should check with their own Pediatrician to confirm the requirement or special needs for their children. Children with asthma or other health problems may require a higher consumption of Vitamin C.
Some nutritionist recommends a daily intake of up to 200 mg./day of Vitamin C. If a child consumes the recommended daily allowance of five servings of fresh fruit or vegetables per day, they would be in this recommended target range.
The bad news is that less than 20% of children or adults consume the recommended daily allowance of fruits or vegetables. Meeting the minimum RDA can be as simple as increasing the kinds of fruits and vegetables consumed each day.
Citrus fruits like strawberries, lemons and oranges are delicious sources of Vitamin C. Fresh squeezed orange juice, or a homemade strawberry milkshake are favorites with kids. Fresh squeezed lemonade on a hot summer day will provide a healthy thirst quencher.
Try this Strawberry Fluff Recipe
Ingredients:
*16 oz. strawberries fresh or frozen
*1 pkg. colored marshmallows
*1 large tub of Cool Whip
*1/4-cup sugar
Instructions:
1. Cut up the strawberries
2. Mix with Cool Whip
3. Add sugar
4. Mix well
5. Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 package marshmallows
6. Refrigerate
There are other vegetables and fruits that contain high volumes of Vitamin C. An unlikely source of Vitamin C is broccoli and cauliflower. These nutrient rich vegetables provide over 45 mg. of Vitamin C in a ½ cup serving. Exotic but delicious fruits like papaya, mango or kiwi have high Vitamin C content. A slice of tomato provides 25 mg. of vitamin C.
The RDA recommendation provides the basic amount of Vitamin C that is needed to avoid a deficiency disease. But children have unique requirements for Vitamin C as they develop. A diet rich in Vitamin C offers a lot of health benefits for both children and adults.
Children need a daily intake of Vitamin C because it is important for maintaining a healthy immune system. Among the many benefits of Vitamin C for children is that it acts as a powerful anti-oxidant as well as an anti-inflammatory agent that prevents oxygen-based damage to the cells
Children can get their daily dose of Vitamin C by consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables. Fruit is a delicious food with wonderful colors and textures that appeal to children. Fruit is one of the easiest healthy foods to get kids to eat.
Fruits as well as vegetables are vital for the health and well being of children. Raw fruits are preferred because of their high fiber and water content. But frozen fruits and vegetables are still a viable source of Vitamin C that can be an alternative to fresh vegetables.
Vitamin C has to be consumed daily because the body does not store Vitamin C. Pediatricians recommend that children should consume at least 30 - 45 mg. of vitamin C per day. This is the minimum requirement. Parents should check with their own Pediatrician to confirm the requirement or special needs for their children. Children with asthma or other health problems may require a higher consumption of Vitamin C.
Some nutritionist recommends a daily intake of up to 200 mg./day of Vitamin C. If a child consumes the recommended daily allowance of five servings of fresh fruit or vegetables per day, they would be in this recommended target range.
The bad news is that less than 20% of children or adults consume the recommended daily allowance of fruits or vegetables. Meeting the minimum RDA can be as simple as increasing the kinds of fruits and vegetables consumed each day.
Citrus fruits like strawberries, lemons and oranges are delicious sources of Vitamin C. Fresh squeezed orange juice, or a homemade strawberry milkshake are favorites with kids. Fresh squeezed lemonade on a hot summer day will provide a healthy thirst quencher.
Try this Strawberry Fluff Recipe
Ingredients:
*16 oz. strawberries fresh or frozen
*1 pkg. colored marshmallows
*1 large tub of Cool Whip
*1/4-cup sugar
Instructions:
1. Cut up the strawberries
2. Mix with Cool Whip
3. Add sugar
4. Mix well
5. Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 package marshmallows
6. Refrigerate
There are other vegetables and fruits that contain high volumes of Vitamin C. An unlikely source of Vitamin C is broccoli and cauliflower. These nutrient rich vegetables provide over 45 mg. of Vitamin C in a ½ cup serving. Exotic but delicious fruits like papaya, mango or kiwi have high Vitamin C content. A slice of tomato provides 25 mg. of vitamin C.
The RDA recommendation provides the basic amount of Vitamin C that is needed to avoid a deficiency disease. But children have unique requirements for Vitamin C as they develop. A diet rich in Vitamin C offers a lot of health benefits for both children and adults.
I remember as a kid, whenever I would get a sore throat, the first thing my mother would do would be to boil up some water and throw in a little lemon juice and a heaping tablespoon of honey. I didn't ask her why, but I do know that 9 out of 10 times after I'd finish that yummy mixture, my sore throat was gone. Later on in life, as I started to study the health benefits of many foods, I discovered just what it was in the mixture that got rid of my sore throat.
Honey is probably one of natures most wonderful foods. Naturally, this also depends on the quality of the honey itself. Not all honeys are alike so you really have to do your due diligence when buying honey.
The biggest problem with finding a really good honey is that the process by which the bees make honey greatly depends on the flowers from which the pollen is collected. Some plants are better than others and so naturally, some honey is going to be better than others.
Raw honey, in its purest form, which means not adulterated by additives that some companies feel they have to put in, is a powerful anti bacterial and anti fungal substance. Honey is a great energy source and a terrific substitute for processed sugar, which is just plain bad for your health.
But here's something about honey that few people know. Honey is actually great for applying topically and healing wounds. Honey has been used to treat ulcers and burns for many years in a number of areas around the world. The United States, which unfortunately has become a "go to your doctor" society, is totally oblivious to the wound healing properties of honey.
The reason that honey is such a great healer is because it is composed mostly of glucose and fructose. These two sugars strongly attract water. So what happens is that honey absorbs the water out of the wound, thus drying it up. It is so simple how it works, yet so incredibly effective.
But the most effective use of honey is internally. Just taking one spoon of honey a day will be enough to eliminate most of the free radicals in your body. The reason for this is because honey raises the levels of antioxidant compounds in your body. Many controlled studies have been done to show that people on a daily regiment of honey, when given blood tests at the end of the study, showed higher levels of antioxidants.
And if all this isn't enough, honey is absolutely delicious. Like I said, not all honey is the same and you really have to shop around. You want to look for a honey that is as natural as possible. Your best bet is with your local health food store, though even there you have to be careful.
The health benefits of honey are numerous. And it tastes great too.
It's almost like heaven on Earth.
To YOUR Health!
Honey is probably one of natures most wonderful foods. Naturally, this also depends on the quality of the honey itself. Not all honeys are alike so you really have to do your due diligence when buying honey.
The biggest problem with finding a really good honey is that the process by which the bees make honey greatly depends on the flowers from which the pollen is collected. Some plants are better than others and so naturally, some honey is going to be better than others.
Raw honey, in its purest form, which means not adulterated by additives that some companies feel they have to put in, is a powerful anti bacterial and anti fungal substance. Honey is a great energy source and a terrific substitute for processed sugar, which is just plain bad for your health.
But here's something about honey that few people know. Honey is actually great for applying topically and healing wounds. Honey has been used to treat ulcers and burns for many years in a number of areas around the world. The United States, which unfortunately has become a "go to your doctor" society, is totally oblivious to the wound healing properties of honey.
The reason that honey is such a great healer is because it is composed mostly of glucose and fructose. These two sugars strongly attract water. So what happens is that honey absorbs the water out of the wound, thus drying it up. It is so simple how it works, yet so incredibly effective.
But the most effective use of honey is internally. Just taking one spoon of honey a day will be enough to eliminate most of the free radicals in your body. The reason for this is because honey raises the levels of antioxidant compounds in your body. Many controlled studies have been done to show that people on a daily regiment of honey, when given blood tests at the end of the study, showed higher levels of antioxidants.
And if all this isn't enough, honey is absolutely delicious. Like I said, not all honey is the same and you really have to shop around. You want to look for a honey that is as natural as possible. Your best bet is with your local health food store, though even there you have to be careful.
The health benefits of honey are numerous. And it tastes great too.
It's almost like heaven on Earth.
To YOUR Health!
Haven’t you been able to have kids even after trying for a long time? It has been years since you got married and there are still no kids? This is one of the worst scenarios a man can think about, because it would mean that you are suffering from a fertility sperm problem. Infertility is the inability to get pregnant after having sex regularly after twelve months without using birth control devices.
But what causes male infertility? The most usual factor that makes men experience this problem is a sexual health condition called varicocele. This happen when the veins in the scrotum are dilated or enlarged on one or both sides causing the inside of the scrotum to heat affecting the sperm production. Other causes of male infertility are: low sperm count, sperm that don’t move correctly, undescended testicle or other underlying medical problem.
Treatment and solution
Fortunately, more than half of cases of male infertility can be corrected. Some proper natural treatments can help a couple get pregnant through having sex normally. But, if you can not get pregnant in this way you do not need to spend a lot of money in expensive fertility enhancement treatments to achieve it, or looking for extreme procedures like surgery. Most doctors now recommend their male patients who suffer from infertility problems to use natural products based on maca, and the most recommended one in most cases is Maca Enhancer.
This is a nutritional supplement that works as a male sexual enhancer, it has been shown to grow the penis and improve sexual potency, increase libido, enhance your energy and endurance level, reduce stress, regulate hormone balancing and, most important, it is the best male infertility treatment because it stimulates and enhances fertility.
Maca Enhancer has been used for centuries by traditional healers to treat infertility. Researchers in Peru validated the fertility effects in 1961. Maca can increase the male seminal volume by 225% and also acts as an affordable infertility treatment for both men and women. Maca Enhancer can provide the nutrients needed to create quality, thick sperm with good mobility and life. This increases your chances of achieving a successful pregnancy so you could be able to have the kids you have always wanted, making your dream come true.
But what causes male infertility? The most usual factor that makes men experience this problem is a sexual health condition called varicocele. This happen when the veins in the scrotum are dilated or enlarged on one or both sides causing the inside of the scrotum to heat affecting the sperm production. Other causes of male infertility are: low sperm count, sperm that don’t move correctly, undescended testicle or other underlying medical problem.
Treatment and solution
Fortunately, more than half of cases of male infertility can be corrected. Some proper natural treatments can help a couple get pregnant through having sex normally. But, if you can not get pregnant in this way you do not need to spend a lot of money in expensive fertility enhancement treatments to achieve it, or looking for extreme procedures like surgery. Most doctors now recommend their male patients who suffer from infertility problems to use natural products based on maca, and the most recommended one in most cases is Maca Enhancer.
This is a nutritional supplement that works as a male sexual enhancer, it has been shown to grow the penis and improve sexual potency, increase libido, enhance your energy and endurance level, reduce stress, regulate hormone balancing and, most important, it is the best male infertility treatment because it stimulates and enhances fertility.
Maca Enhancer has been used for centuries by traditional healers to treat infertility. Researchers in Peru validated the fertility effects in 1961. Maca can increase the male seminal volume by 225% and also acts as an affordable infertility treatment for both men and women. Maca Enhancer can provide the nutrients needed to create quality, thick sperm with good mobility and life. This increases your chances of achieving a successful pregnancy so you could be able to have the kids you have always wanted, making your dream come true.
Q: My 3-year-old has been watching his 9 and 11-year-old brothers play video games, and he wants to start playing games too. I know that there are games out there for kids his age, but is 3 too young for him to start?
A: There are many video games available for three-year-olds, including one by Fisher Price that has tots pedal a miniature stationary bike to work the game. But I would advise delaying having your son play video games for at least another year. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children under three shouldn't spend any time in front of the "screen" (TV or video games), although that may be a bit unrealistic. A recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that half of all four to six-year-olds play video games, and about 25% play several times a week.
As with all children, the real question is: How much time playing video and computer games are we talking about? Beginning at four, children might find some video games entertaining and educational, but they should really be spending their time in more active and imaginative play. Time spent playing video games becomes much more of a problem beginning at five or six, when there is a significant push to get kids on Internet sites like WebKinz, and many more commercial games are available for the various video consoles. And things don't get better. In the 'tween years, many kids add instant messaging and social networking sites to their repertoire of time-consuming sedentary interests.
An article in the NY Times, "Moving Beyond Joysticks, and Off the Couch," by Tara Parker-Pope, asks a new question: Are active video games like the WII system better for kids than traditional sit-on-the- couch games? The articles quotes several studies suggesting that active games that require kids to dance or use body movements to control the action on the screen may burn as many calories as walking on a treadmill.
But while games that require kids to get off their bottoms are probably better than sedentary games, this is only a slight improvement. Clearly, being outside on a bike or skiing or playing tennis in the fresh air, with real people, is preferable than doing these activities in a virtual world.
As with so many issues in child-rearing, the best answer involves appropriate use of the "L" word. No, I'm not talking about love; the "L" word I'm referring to is limits.
Parents need to determine a limit for their children to be in front of the screen (TV, video games, computers) for each child, and don't exceed it. My recommendations would be: one-half hour or less a day for children ages 3-5, one hour a day or less for children ages 6-12, two hours a day for teens (which hopefully would include using the computer for educational purposes). Of course setting limits is one thing, and getting kids to do things like chores, reading, or sports is another. Responsible parents need to work at both limiting questionable habits and supporting habits which lead to physical and mental health. When it comes to video games other gadgets and gizmos, the sooner you teach good technology habits, the better.
Lawrence E. Shapiro, PH.D. is an internationally recognized child psychologist and parenting expert. He has written over two-dozen books, including most recently, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Brain Games."
A: There are many video games available for three-year-olds, including one by Fisher Price that has tots pedal a miniature stationary bike to work the game. But I would advise delaying having your son play video games for at least another year. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children under three shouldn't spend any time in front of the "screen" (TV or video games), although that may be a bit unrealistic. A recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that half of all four to six-year-olds play video games, and about 25% play several times a week.
As with all children, the real question is: How much time playing video and computer games are we talking about? Beginning at four, children might find some video games entertaining and educational, but they should really be spending their time in more active and imaginative play. Time spent playing video games becomes much more of a problem beginning at five or six, when there is a significant push to get kids on Internet sites like WebKinz, and many more commercial games are available for the various video consoles. And things don't get better. In the 'tween years, many kids add instant messaging and social networking sites to their repertoire of time-consuming sedentary interests.
An article in the NY Times, "Moving Beyond Joysticks, and Off the Couch," by Tara Parker-Pope, asks a new question: Are active video games like the WII system better for kids than traditional sit-on-the- couch games? The articles quotes several studies suggesting that active games that require kids to dance or use body movements to control the action on the screen may burn as many calories as walking on a treadmill.
But while games that require kids to get off their bottoms are probably better than sedentary games, this is only a slight improvement. Clearly, being outside on a bike or skiing or playing tennis in the fresh air, with real people, is preferable than doing these activities in a virtual world.
As with so many issues in child-rearing, the best answer involves appropriate use of the "L" word. No, I'm not talking about love; the "L" word I'm referring to is limits.
Parents need to determine a limit for their children to be in front of the screen (TV, video games, computers) for each child, and don't exceed it. My recommendations would be: one-half hour or less a day for children ages 3-5, one hour a day or less for children ages 6-12, two hours a day for teens (which hopefully would include using the computer for educational purposes). Of course setting limits is one thing, and getting kids to do things like chores, reading, or sports is another. Responsible parents need to work at both limiting questionable habits and supporting habits which lead to physical and mental health. When it comes to video games other gadgets and gizmos, the sooner you teach good technology habits, the better.
Lawrence E. Shapiro, PH.D. is an internationally recognized child psychologist and parenting expert. He has written over two-dozen books, including most recently, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baby Brain Games."
Every body wants to do the best for their kids, and with media coverage of overweight and hyperactive kids and problems with hair loss and social problems, sometimes it is a minefield of information to plough through.
Kids today are under a lot of subtle pressures, and I think that the more we can simplify their lives, and involve them in in social responsibility at home, the more they feel valued in the family and outside.
I am not a child care specialist, I am a loving grandmother, and I would love to share a couple of thoughts with you.
Hair care is important. Children can actually be exposed to quite a heavy chemical load, and I believe that some of the hair loss suffered by children could be reduced by using more natural means. Take head lice for instance; the chemicals in some treatments can be quite fearsome, and there are natural alternatives. Add the glitter, bright colors for special occasions or dress-up, and you have some hefty chemicals.
Check the ingredients on your bubble bath shampoo and conditioners. Don't accept that childrens shampoo is safe, do your research; if Sodium Laurel sulphate [SLS] is in them, find an alternative.
Chemists and even supermarkets are beginning to stock personal care items free of this chemical.
Do an Internet search and find out just how damaging these can be. Change their toothpaste to one without the SLS. Behavior can be greatly influenced by chemical exposure.
How much water do your children get in a day? Are they to busy at play at school to have adequate fluids? Start the day with lots of fluids if you think that is happening, fruit has sneaky fluids, and kids love fruit smoothies, a real treat for breakfast.
After school is also a good time for fruit and salad snacks, and grapes frozen are just like tasty little icy poles. Omega 3's are important for children. If you are having problems including them on a daily basis, try a tasty treat; mash banana and honey, add some ground Linseed, ground or chopped sunflower seeds, and chop up a variety of nuts; cashews, almonds, Brazil, macadamia, walnuts, mix cocoa and coconut until mix is firm, press into balls, and roll the balls in extra coconut.
These taste special, not like a health food at all!
Increase the variety of fruits and vegetables, add them to meatloaf and bolognaise, make a baked pasta and vegetable loaf with eggs, cottage cheese, and grated cheese on top and watch it disappear!
Change your recipes a little each time, so they get subtle changes of flavor in their favorite dishes.
Reduce the amount of nitrates in their food; preservatives can be so harmful. Most kid love hot dogs and sausages, but try to reduce these, or buy ones with reduced preservatives. Chemical free meats are not much more expensive than supermarkets, especially when you watch for the specials, and so much better.
There are many ways to reduce the amount of chemicals we use in our homes, when you look at the variety of cleaners, disinfectants, liquid soaps, detergents we use in our homes, they cost a fortune when you add it all up, and they cost us our health as well.
There is a mountain of information on the web about increasing our immunity by using fresh natural foods, if we reduce the harmful substances in our homes as well we will feel better, look better, and be happier!
Kids today are under a lot of subtle pressures, and I think that the more we can simplify their lives, and involve them in in social responsibility at home, the more they feel valued in the family and outside.
I am not a child care specialist, I am a loving grandmother, and I would love to share a couple of thoughts with you.
Hair care is important. Children can actually be exposed to quite a heavy chemical load, and I believe that some of the hair loss suffered by children could be reduced by using more natural means. Take head lice for instance; the chemicals in some treatments can be quite fearsome, and there are natural alternatives. Add the glitter, bright colors for special occasions or dress-up, and you have some hefty chemicals.
Check the ingredients on your bubble bath shampoo and conditioners. Don't accept that childrens shampoo is safe, do your research; if Sodium Laurel sulphate [SLS] is in them, find an alternative.
Chemists and even supermarkets are beginning to stock personal care items free of this chemical.
Do an Internet search and find out just how damaging these can be. Change their toothpaste to one without the SLS. Behavior can be greatly influenced by chemical exposure.
How much water do your children get in a day? Are they to busy at play at school to have adequate fluids? Start the day with lots of fluids if you think that is happening, fruit has sneaky fluids, and kids love fruit smoothies, a real treat for breakfast.
After school is also a good time for fruit and salad snacks, and grapes frozen are just like tasty little icy poles. Omega 3's are important for children. If you are having problems including them on a daily basis, try a tasty treat; mash banana and honey, add some ground Linseed, ground or chopped sunflower seeds, and chop up a variety of nuts; cashews, almonds, Brazil, macadamia, walnuts, mix cocoa and coconut until mix is firm, press into balls, and roll the balls in extra coconut.
These taste special, not like a health food at all!
Increase the variety of fruits and vegetables, add them to meatloaf and bolognaise, make a baked pasta and vegetable loaf with eggs, cottage cheese, and grated cheese on top and watch it disappear!
Change your recipes a little each time, so they get subtle changes of flavor in their favorite dishes.
Reduce the amount of nitrates in their food; preservatives can be so harmful. Most kid love hot dogs and sausages, but try to reduce these, or buy ones with reduced preservatives. Chemical free meats are not much more expensive than supermarkets, especially when you watch for the specials, and so much better.
There are many ways to reduce the amount of chemicals we use in our homes, when you look at the variety of cleaners, disinfectants, liquid soaps, detergents we use in our homes, they cost a fortune when you add it all up, and they cost us our health as well.
There is a mountain of information on the web about increasing our immunity by using fresh natural foods, if we reduce the harmful substances in our homes as well we will feel better, look better, and be happier!
As we get older and become mature adults, we become more aware of our surroundings and their effects on ourselves and our well-being. Most of us wake up to the fact that there are a lot of factors in the present day that can potentially put our health at risk. Although keeping in top shape can help us avoid falling into illness like eating the right food or taking vitamins, there will always be instances where we would get sick forcing us to rest our weary bodies and shell out some cash to be able to treat whatever it is ailing us. This causes us more headaches and problems afterward with all the budget cuts we would have to do to make up for the loss of money as, of course these sorts of incidents are totally unexpected.
For the smart man though, it is best to be prepared for such incidents to occur in our lifetime not only to us but also to our loved ones. Acquiring health insurance is the best route to go to provide maximum medical care for us in case we have illnesses. It is basically a contract between an individual and a company which will allow a person to avail or enjoy multiple medical related benefits in exchange for monthly payments of a fixed rate for a given period of time. This helps in creating more stability for people as insurance companies will cover liabilities for medical expenses freeing an individual from the hassles of paying for medical bills with hard earned money all at one time. This is the purpose of paying monthly premiums to insurance companies as surely the policy holder in the long run would benefit from the method.
There are many other advantages of holding health insurance. For aging people, some plans even include nursing care and disability which extremely benefits the policy holder in case such needs should arise. Putting in your children as dependents also makes having health plans really advantageous due to the nature of kids to be susceptible to acquiring illnesses or getting injured thus creating the need for medical assistance. This is also true for sports fanatics and athletes, as more often than not, unforeseen injuries occur that could temporarily stop or at the worst even cripple an athlete's career. Finally, those in poor health need not always worry about paying bills up front once they get sick as insurance companies should be able to cover for their medical care.
It is undeniable that acquiring health insurance especially in today's environment is a need for all of us. Whether we have our own family or not, it is important to always take care of our health for us to be able move on with our daily lives and do our daily routines to the best of our abilities. In the end all we have is our health that could ultimately make our lives better if we decide to take care of it by acquiring the best health insurance policy suited for us and our line of work.
For the smart man though, it is best to be prepared for such incidents to occur in our lifetime not only to us but also to our loved ones. Acquiring health insurance is the best route to go to provide maximum medical care for us in case we have illnesses. It is basically a contract between an individual and a company which will allow a person to avail or enjoy multiple medical related benefits in exchange for monthly payments of a fixed rate for a given period of time. This helps in creating more stability for people as insurance companies will cover liabilities for medical expenses freeing an individual from the hassles of paying for medical bills with hard earned money all at one time. This is the purpose of paying monthly premiums to insurance companies as surely the policy holder in the long run would benefit from the method.
There are many other advantages of holding health insurance. For aging people, some plans even include nursing care and disability which extremely benefits the policy holder in case such needs should arise. Putting in your children as dependents also makes having health plans really advantageous due to the nature of kids to be susceptible to acquiring illnesses or getting injured thus creating the need for medical assistance. This is also true for sports fanatics and athletes, as more often than not, unforeseen injuries occur that could temporarily stop or at the worst even cripple an athlete's career. Finally, those in poor health need not always worry about paying bills up front once they get sick as insurance companies should be able to cover for their medical care.
It is undeniable that acquiring health insurance especially in today's environment is a need for all of us. Whether we have our own family or not, it is important to always take care of our health for us to be able move on with our daily lives and do our daily routines to the best of our abilities. In the end all we have is our health that could ultimately make our lives better if we decide to take care of it by acquiring the best health insurance policy suited for us and our line of work.
We all take our health for granted until we get sick. People who claim they don't have time for proper exercise and self-care find themselves hospitalized or in bed sick and out of commission for weeks or months. When our bodies force us, we have to make time for illness. Suddenly our health becomes much more valuable to us after we lose it.
But why wait until this happens? Take a moment and think about your future and all that you hope to do in all areas of your life. Isn't your good health an essential component for the achievement of those goals? Does it make good sense to you that unless you take care of your health, you cannot take care of business, family and other interests?
A proper exercise program is absolutely necessary to ensure good health but exercising seems to remain a low priority for many. If you have difficulty finding time for your exercise program, you are not alone as a perceived lack of time is the most common reason people fail to stick with an exercise program.
Too often we get caught up in the short term demands, the little things that have to be done somehow do get done, but the larger, really important issues like our health can get put on indefinite hold. Ask yourself, if you are too busy now to make exercise and your health a priority, when in the near future will you be less busy? Will it be weeks, months, or years? Will it be when the kids leave home, when you retire, or some other obscure reason (excuse)?
If you are waiting for a better time to make exercise a priority, you may wait too long, and it may be too late to regain health once it has been taken away from you.
Many busy people manage to find the time to exercise regularly. It would be fair to say someone who is busier than you is exercising right now!
But how do they do it? The answer to this is they make their health and fitness a high priority goal. They focus on the multitude of benefits they receive from their commitment to their exercise program. Although exercise helps prevent chronic disease and disability, it also helps control body weight, slows the aging process, boosts energy, keeps us mentally healthy and helps manage daily stress levels.
People who exercise regularly make it a habit and part of their daily and weekly routine; it is totally programmed into the day. The day would not be complete without it.
Early in the morning is the most popular time. If you want to exercise consistently and long term (like the rest of your life), exercise in the morning, before the rest of the world tries to derail you. The odds will be greatly in your favor as over 90% of people who exercise 'consistently', do so first thing in the morning.
People ask how can I be healthy and avoid all of these diseases without actually having to exercise? Is there a way that I can get the benefits of this activity without having to move my body? And the answer to that is simply, no, you have to actually do it if you want to get the benefits from it.
No one can do it for you, no prescription drugs, no surgical procedure can give you the same health benefits that your body would create on its own when you engage in a proper exercise program. Become your own personal trainer and get yourself going so you can experience the positive health results proper exercise offers.
With the extra energy and vitality that 'being strong and fit' provides, you will become a more productive person, not just at work, but in all areas of your life. When you are more energetic and feel great, you make better decisions, and find more creative solutions to problems. You will be much more fun to be with, and you will have more to give to those you care about.
But why wait until this happens? Take a moment and think about your future and all that you hope to do in all areas of your life. Isn't your good health an essential component for the achievement of those goals? Does it make good sense to you that unless you take care of your health, you cannot take care of business, family and other interests?
A proper exercise program is absolutely necessary to ensure good health but exercising seems to remain a low priority for many. If you have difficulty finding time for your exercise program, you are not alone as a perceived lack of time is the most common reason people fail to stick with an exercise program.
Too often we get caught up in the short term demands, the little things that have to be done somehow do get done, but the larger, really important issues like our health can get put on indefinite hold. Ask yourself, if you are too busy now to make exercise and your health a priority, when in the near future will you be less busy? Will it be weeks, months, or years? Will it be when the kids leave home, when you retire, or some other obscure reason (excuse)?
If you are waiting for a better time to make exercise a priority, you may wait too long, and it may be too late to regain health once it has been taken away from you.
Many busy people manage to find the time to exercise regularly. It would be fair to say someone who is busier than you is exercising right now!
But how do they do it? The answer to this is they make their health and fitness a high priority goal. They focus on the multitude of benefits they receive from their commitment to their exercise program. Although exercise helps prevent chronic disease and disability, it also helps control body weight, slows the aging process, boosts energy, keeps us mentally healthy and helps manage daily stress levels.
People who exercise regularly make it a habit and part of their daily and weekly routine; it is totally programmed into the day. The day would not be complete without it.
Early in the morning is the most popular time. If you want to exercise consistently and long term (like the rest of your life), exercise in the morning, before the rest of the world tries to derail you. The odds will be greatly in your favor as over 90% of people who exercise 'consistently', do so first thing in the morning.
People ask how can I be healthy and avoid all of these diseases without actually having to exercise? Is there a way that I can get the benefits of this activity without having to move my body? And the answer to that is simply, no, you have to actually do it if you want to get the benefits from it.
No one can do it for you, no prescription drugs, no surgical procedure can give you the same health benefits that your body would create on its own when you engage in a proper exercise program. Become your own personal trainer and get yourself going so you can experience the positive health results proper exercise offers.
With the extra energy and vitality that 'being strong and fit' provides, you will become a more productive person, not just at work, but in all areas of your life. When you are more energetic and feel great, you make better decisions, and find more creative solutions to problems. You will be much more fun to be with, and you will have more to give to those you care about.
In today's mental health system there is a pattern of fraud and coercion that takes way the freedoms and dignity of children and their families. Children are receiving stigmatizing labels and being prescribed psychotropic drugs with many untoward effects. Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, MD made the comment that if an individual hit us with a blackjack and robbed us of our dignity we would call them thugs, yet psychiatrists label and drug children and rob them of their dignity and nothing is said. All in the name of profit. Rarely, if never are the families given informed consent. Szasz has also stated, "From a sociological point of view, psychiatry is a secular institution to regulate domestic relations. From my point of view, it is child abuse." Families are provided with literature that appears so matter of fact but is funded by the pharmaceutical companies and tainted with their bias. According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, the 'support' or should it be said front group for Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder received substantial funds from the pharmaceutical companies: "CHADD received $315,000 from drug companies in the year ending June 2000, about 12 percent of its budget."
Children are being beaten, improperly restrained, physically and sexually abused, and emotionally scarred in residential treatment programs. Juvenile probation officials are failing to understand the emotional distress of our children, they are submitting to this "psychiatric Gestapo". Educators rather than finding new methods of shaping our children's learning are falling into the trap of psychiatric 'solutions' as well. Never could it be that a school has simply failed to help a child learn, rather it is always the child denigrated and labeled as 'disordered'. There are loving and concerned parents, and there are others who lack love and compassion towards their children. There are loving and concerned parents who become duped by the 'professionals'. Below are some actual stories of experiences in my work as a therapist with children as well as one story submitted to me by a concerned and struggling parent. I share them to give some perspective as to what is occurring.
I share this scenario because sadly it is becoming a frightening reality: A child is considered overly active and has behavioral issues at school. The school staff may recommend psychiatric intervention and even go as far as to say that medication is necessary, even designating which one. The child sees the psychiatrist for a brief session- it is never examined if the child has any physical conditions, allergies, etc. Immediately the child is labeled and given a dose of psychostimulant. The child develops side effects such as weight loss, insomnia, and possible tics. In order to counteract the insomnia, a new drug such as Klonidine is added. The child develops emotional lability and has crying episodes and manic behaviors. The psychiatrist is seen again for a brief time, and on this visit its determined that 'bipolar is emerging'. The child is then given Depakote or some other mood stablizer. The child now must receive regular blood tests to insure that liver toxicity does not arise. The child is not overly active, he is quite docile, so it is reported that improvement has occurred. However, with the combination of drugs, he develops some psychotic like symptoms where he feels something is crawling on him and has some hallucinations. The psychiatrist is consulted again, and its determined that bipolar with psychotic features exists or maybe even the possibility of childhood schizophrenia. The child is then given Risperdal or another neuroleptic. Strangely, the child begins developing unusual jaw movements and muscle rigidity. The parents are concerned and ask the psychiatrist if this is medication related and if the child is overmedicated. The psychiatrist brushes off the question and prescribes Cogentin (used for Parkinson's) to alleviate the neurological problems but fails to remove the offending agent. The child's behavior becomes more unusual and bizarre leading to hospitalization where medications are raised and adjusted and new ones added. Then the recommendation comes from the psychiatrist that it would be better for the child to be moved to a residential treatment facility. While in the residential facility, the child is frequently restrained and is injured, he is placed with other children with serious emotional and behaviorla distress. he is discharged home having absorbed alot of new negative behaviors from peers, lacking knowledge of the outside world, and with few skills. So, once the child nears adulthood, it is recommended that he live in a group home where he can be cared for and the psychiatric regiment can be maintained. The child has been 'treated.'
Names have been changed to preserve confidentiality:
I worked with a teen who had experienced sexual trauma by a relative. The relative was arrested and sentenced. The teen was asked to attend the setencing hearing and prior began acting out at school. She had an incident where she left the classroom to de-escalate after an argument with a teacher. She was restrained by a rather obese school staff. The teen explained to me that sher was frustrated with the school because a number of boys were exposing themselves to her and knew about her sexual trauma and that school staff did not respond. She was charged with disorderly conduct and had to appear before a juvenile judge. The judge was made aware of her sexual trauma and her need to be at the sentencing hearing. He locked her in juvenile detention for 10 days and said, 'we will transport her from detention to the hearing." The teen ahd no previous juvenile arrests. In this situation, Attorney Jana Markus was also became involved and after consulting with the District Attorney's office was able to secure her release and to encourage that she be recommended for homebound education. The school district has agreed not without some contention, particularly trying to continue to charge the teen with truancy for the time between her leaving the school and obtaining the recommendation of homebound education.
I received a call from a mother who had a very young child who was displaying some aggressive behaviors which caused the day care to have the child removed until therapeutic services could be provided. The mother took the child to one agency and was told, "you better medicate this child before he tries to kill someone." The mother was appalled. I later spoke to this mother by phone and explained my therapeutic approach. She told me her situation and the response she had received. As I spoke with her at length, she said, "You really care about children." I appreciated this comment but at the same time was saddened as I thought, shouldn't this be said about every person in the mental health profession? What has gone wrong?
A client who is a physician and his wife related that they sought assistance with their child diagnosed with autism and wanted assistance in aiding him with communication skills. They saw a psychiatrist who visited with them fr less than 10 minutes and began writing a script for antipsychotic medication. When the parents noted that they were not there for medications, the psychiatrist became belligerent and asked, 'then what do you want and why are you here?"
A staff of a agency working with mentally challenged adults related to me that the supervisors insisted that a client in the residential program was non-verbal and unable to communicate. This client was left frequently to sit and watch television for hours and privided with no real attention or work on skills development. The staff stated that she sought to engage the client in dialogue and found that he was far from non-verbal and after some work was able to write his name and other words.
In visiting an agency working with mentally challenged youth, I discovered that many of these youth's needs were completely ignored. I recall two incidents of seeing a young girl seated in a chair, the staff gave her paper and markers, and she would sit in the same chair for hours. Every visit she would be seated in the same spout with no one providing attention. Staff would walk past her and she would try to reach for them or hug them. I always made sure to stop and hug her and comment on her drawings. In addition, a young boy would pace incessantly around the building, once again being provided no attention, and no real work being done to aid this child in skill development.
I was presented with a child who was having some serious behavioral issues at school. I began to examine the situation and my assessment was that this child was in conflict with his teacher and this was the only cause for the behavioral issues. This child had been previously placed on Ritalin which was actually cpurt ordered. The child had a very adverse reaction and fortunatelt was removed. As I have mentioned about the fraud of ADHD, this child I was convinced had no brain disorder as the biological psychiatrists would like us to think. This child was actually quite bright and was on the borderline for qualifying for MENSA. I began to look at the dynamics at school, as it was only here that he posed a problem. I learned as well that this child was witness to abuse and trauma. So, as I thought further I saw that the teacher was only aggravating this by his actions. The teacher showed hostility to this child and made him a target, even writing in a journal that the child was 'fat and ignorant." Was it any wonder that the child exhibited behavioral issues in a classroom where he was treated with no dignity? As I suspected, this child was moved to a different school environment where he excelled. The "ADHD" symptoms all disappeared, so much for theories about a brain disorder.
I received a call from a mother who explained to me that her child was in a residential facility and only recently was determined to have a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder after years of being labeled with 20 assorted diagnoses. She was given Risperdal as well as Ritalin. The mother reported that the child has tardive dyskinesia and was experiencing tremors. The response was to eliminate Risperdal and replace it with a different neuroleptic. This child is now permanently disfigured, and will probably never fully recover from the damage done in the name of 'help'.
I was doing an observation of one of my clients in a school setting when I took note of another child who began a conversation with me and in the process was showing facial grimaces and constant repetitive blinking. I pulled the teacher aside and asked her to examine the child for a minute and tell me if she witnessed anything out of the ordinary. "Well, he keeps making faces and twitching." I asked her, "Why may that be?" "Well, um, I do not know!". I asked her to see what medication the child was taking and if it might be a 'blue pill'. She asked the child and indeed he was taking Adderall, the cause of all his grimaces and contortion. What a price to pay to get a child to 'function' in class!
I was presented with a child who the teacher insisted was ADHD. The school guidance counselor was called in and told the mother, "without a doubt, he is ADHD and could benefit from Ritalin. It helps with academic improvement." I asked the school guidance counselor if he had actually met the child or was going on reports. "No, I have yet to meet him." I then asked him if he could name a study that proved that academic performance could be enhanced and how he was so sure of the ADHD diagnosis." He responded that he knew of no such study and that such diagnosis was based on teacher reports. Where is the science in that? I explained further that studies have actuallt shown that short term improvement in rote learning does occur, but that no long term improvement has ever been shown. The family sought a second opinion from a different psychologist who stated he saw nothing and sent the boy on his way. In this situation, I saw that the child was bright and that he learned in a way that the teacher just plainly was not providing. This idea was reinforced when the following year with a different teacher his academic performance dramatically increased with no intervention.
I worked with a delightful 5 year old child. Prior to him being referred to me, he had been on Risperdal. He had convulsions in the classroom and was taken to the emergency room. I happened to read the hospital report and it was deemed that these convulsions were a direct effect of the Risperdal. The mother was unfortunately an unconcerned parent, and there were frequent calls made to Child protective Services regarding abuse by herself and her paramour. I found it immensely difficult to work in the home with this mother, and after seeing the child with brusing, I too called the Child Protective Services but each time they found the cases unfounded. I would take the child into the community for my sessions. The mother had described him as a 'little brat', a 'monster', and a kid 'who didnt deserve sh-t'. She described all these negative behaviors in the home and yet I never saw one of them in his time with me. Occassionally he would have some difficulty in the classroom, but with some guidance and redirection, problems were always averted. It broke my heart to see that within 5 minutes of me dropping him off at home he would be in tears. The mother requested me to leave this case, and I reluctantly agreed and transferred it to a colleague and friend. My colleague informed me that the paramour was caught sexually abusing the child, and the child was taken to foster care. I feel that foster care should certainly be a last option, but here it was a blessing. I recommended that at least one member of the therapeutic staff he was familiar with continue to work with him in the new setting and I offered to go and visit him to help with his adjustment. Though it will take some time for him to adjust, I think it will be a fresh new start, as he is in a place where maybe for once he will receive love and compassion.
I was presented with a very difficult child who had received multiple psychiatric diagnoses and who had been in residential mental health treatment for the majority of his life. This child had been heavily medicated and was exhibiting slurred speech, poor motor coordination, inner feelings of agitation, and unusual jaw motions and tics. The family was told of the possibility of tardive dyskinesia. This also became a concern of a psychologist who observed him. Unfortunately, the parents stated they were never given informed consent about potential side effects and had never heard of the term 'tardive dyskinesia'. This neurological problem is a significant problem affecting individuals taking neuroleptic medications.
It is challenging to speak the truth in a corrupt system motivated frequently by greed. I have heard that "if you challenge psychiatry, the doctors will not refer to us anymore'. Or, as just as is done with patients, if you see a behavior or idea that you disagree with, label them and suppress them. Among the labels are "weird ideas", "non-mainstream", "un-orthodox", 'radical", or "Scientologist." The Church of Scientology has been active in tackling psychiatric abuse, so it is assumed that anyone who would dare speak out must be affiliated with the Church of Scientology. It is very easy to try to look at the problem as a "Scientology issue' rather than for what it is. For me, it would not matter if Hasidic Jews, Muslims, or any other group were speaking out on the corrupt mental health system. The issue should be whether there is validity to what is being said and there most certainly is.
Many are unwilling to take any stand or confront anything because it is more to their advantage to sit behind a desk, make money, and pretend they are helping.
First, we must stop looking through the eyes of a medical model, where we see children as broken and disordered and attempts are made to attributing their behaviors and emotions solely to a malfunctioning brain. There is no evidence supporting the psychopathology of a number of disorders. The linkage between the pharmaceutical companies and psychiatry needs to be evaluated as well as the information that is disseminated via the research and materials provided by pharmaceutical company money. The goal should be to examine the underlying factors of a child's behavior, looking at the child with dignity and respect, and seeing the child as one in conflict rather than a person who is disordered. Such stigmatization remains indefinitely, and labels can often become a self fulfilling prophecy and will follow our children for years to come and shape the way that they view themselves and also the way others view them, particularly the educational system. We cannot look to solely the most cost effective solution when our children's lives are at stake. Indeed, providing a prescription may control aspects of behavior and be though to have a 'therapeutic effect' but never gets to the root cause, and whereas it is far less expensive to medicate than to provide ongoing psychotherapy, it is appropriate and compassionate counsel that will make the difference. Second, the realm of psychotherapy must return to its orginal roots. The word psychotherapy literally means the healing of the soul. We must return the soul to therapy, encouraging therapists to instill within themselves the principles of compassion and empathy that are crucial for any therapeutic relationship to blossom forth. Therapists need to be compassionate and creative, and willing to give additional time and effort to see that a child's needs are met and to also provide community linkages and ongoing support within their environment and to encourage the least restrictive setting for our children. The coercion of parents and families into forced 'treatments' needs to be eliminated. Third, the educational system must be willing to accomodate to meet the various learning styles of children and not seek to place them in a box of rote learning or limit them to one particulat style. Some children may falter in a visual setting and need a hands on approach, whereas others may need other methods of encouraging their effective learning. We must return time, attention, and individuality to the classroom. Fourth, parents need to continue to take an active role in the lives of their children, providing ongoing guidance, validating emotions and not taking a dismissive, disapproving, or hands off approach. Rather, parents must be involved in helping the children develop their own sense of being, and being able to assess themselves. Parents need to avoid nagging their children and becoming entrapped in the propaganda that their children are disordered and need drugs to function. Fifth, our society must change in it attitudes. We are a society where we try to find our answers to ailments within a simple pill. We are a society that has unfortunately lost sight for the welfare of our children. We are a societry where we are prosperous, yet greed often blinds us. Such disorders such as ADHD can be looked upon as a social construct. 90% of Ritalin sales are in the US. This tells us that there is something to be examined within our society that needs correction. Somewhere along the line we have failed our children. We need to rely less on psychiatry and its devices to solve our problems and more on what we can do within ourselves- to take a holistic approach, to understand the child as a whole person- physical, emotional, and spiritual, and to examine in each of these areas where there may be difficulties that can be alleviated. We need to rely less on others dictating the course of our own and our children's lives and develop workable plan within our own family structure. Nothing will ever be perfect, but even in the most serious disturbances, love and compassion can heal much. We must realize that in some situations within society and within our own lives, we may never be able to evoke complete change. This is the cause of much distress, not problems themselves but how we respond to them. To battle those things beyond our control can lead us to emotional distress, but if we seek live as principled individuals, we can make a difference.
Children are being beaten, improperly restrained, physically and sexually abused, and emotionally scarred in residential treatment programs. Juvenile probation officials are failing to understand the emotional distress of our children, they are submitting to this "psychiatric Gestapo". Educators rather than finding new methods of shaping our children's learning are falling into the trap of psychiatric 'solutions' as well. Never could it be that a school has simply failed to help a child learn, rather it is always the child denigrated and labeled as 'disordered'. There are loving and concerned parents, and there are others who lack love and compassion towards their children. There are loving and concerned parents who become duped by the 'professionals'. Below are some actual stories of experiences in my work as a therapist with children as well as one story submitted to me by a concerned and struggling parent. I share them to give some perspective as to what is occurring.
I share this scenario because sadly it is becoming a frightening reality: A child is considered overly active and has behavioral issues at school. The school staff may recommend psychiatric intervention and even go as far as to say that medication is necessary, even designating which one. The child sees the psychiatrist for a brief session- it is never examined if the child has any physical conditions, allergies, etc. Immediately the child is labeled and given a dose of psychostimulant. The child develops side effects such as weight loss, insomnia, and possible tics. In order to counteract the insomnia, a new drug such as Klonidine is added. The child develops emotional lability and has crying episodes and manic behaviors. The psychiatrist is seen again for a brief time, and on this visit its determined that 'bipolar is emerging'. The child is then given Depakote or some other mood stablizer. The child now must receive regular blood tests to insure that liver toxicity does not arise. The child is not overly active, he is quite docile, so it is reported that improvement has occurred. However, with the combination of drugs, he develops some psychotic like symptoms where he feels something is crawling on him and has some hallucinations. The psychiatrist is consulted again, and its determined that bipolar with psychotic features exists or maybe even the possibility of childhood schizophrenia. The child is then given Risperdal or another neuroleptic. Strangely, the child begins developing unusual jaw movements and muscle rigidity. The parents are concerned and ask the psychiatrist if this is medication related and if the child is overmedicated. The psychiatrist brushes off the question and prescribes Cogentin (used for Parkinson's) to alleviate the neurological problems but fails to remove the offending agent. The child's behavior becomes more unusual and bizarre leading to hospitalization where medications are raised and adjusted and new ones added. Then the recommendation comes from the psychiatrist that it would be better for the child to be moved to a residential treatment facility. While in the residential facility, the child is frequently restrained and is injured, he is placed with other children with serious emotional and behaviorla distress. he is discharged home having absorbed alot of new negative behaviors from peers, lacking knowledge of the outside world, and with few skills. So, once the child nears adulthood, it is recommended that he live in a group home where he can be cared for and the psychiatric regiment can be maintained. The child has been 'treated.'
Names have been changed to preserve confidentiality:
I worked with a teen who had experienced sexual trauma by a relative. The relative was arrested and sentenced. The teen was asked to attend the setencing hearing and prior began acting out at school. She had an incident where she left the classroom to de-escalate after an argument with a teacher. She was restrained by a rather obese school staff. The teen explained to me that sher was frustrated with the school because a number of boys were exposing themselves to her and knew about her sexual trauma and that school staff did not respond. She was charged with disorderly conduct and had to appear before a juvenile judge. The judge was made aware of her sexual trauma and her need to be at the sentencing hearing. He locked her in juvenile detention for 10 days and said, 'we will transport her from detention to the hearing." The teen ahd no previous juvenile arrests. In this situation, Attorney Jana Markus was also became involved and after consulting with the District Attorney's office was able to secure her release and to encourage that she be recommended for homebound education. The school district has agreed not without some contention, particularly trying to continue to charge the teen with truancy for the time between her leaving the school and obtaining the recommendation of homebound education.
I received a call from a mother who had a very young child who was displaying some aggressive behaviors which caused the day care to have the child removed until therapeutic services could be provided. The mother took the child to one agency and was told, "you better medicate this child before he tries to kill someone." The mother was appalled. I later spoke to this mother by phone and explained my therapeutic approach. She told me her situation and the response she had received. As I spoke with her at length, she said, "You really care about children." I appreciated this comment but at the same time was saddened as I thought, shouldn't this be said about every person in the mental health profession? What has gone wrong?
A client who is a physician and his wife related that they sought assistance with their child diagnosed with autism and wanted assistance in aiding him with communication skills. They saw a psychiatrist who visited with them fr less than 10 minutes and began writing a script for antipsychotic medication. When the parents noted that they were not there for medications, the psychiatrist became belligerent and asked, 'then what do you want and why are you here?"
A staff of a agency working with mentally challenged adults related to me that the supervisors insisted that a client in the residential program was non-verbal and unable to communicate. This client was left frequently to sit and watch television for hours and privided with no real attention or work on skills development. The staff stated that she sought to engage the client in dialogue and found that he was far from non-verbal and after some work was able to write his name and other words.
In visiting an agency working with mentally challenged youth, I discovered that many of these youth's needs were completely ignored. I recall two incidents of seeing a young girl seated in a chair, the staff gave her paper and markers, and she would sit in the same chair for hours. Every visit she would be seated in the same spout with no one providing attention. Staff would walk past her and she would try to reach for them or hug them. I always made sure to stop and hug her and comment on her drawings. In addition, a young boy would pace incessantly around the building, once again being provided no attention, and no real work being done to aid this child in skill development.
I was presented with a child who was having some serious behavioral issues at school. I began to examine the situation and my assessment was that this child was in conflict with his teacher and this was the only cause for the behavioral issues. This child had been previously placed on Ritalin which was actually cpurt ordered. The child had a very adverse reaction and fortunatelt was removed. As I have mentioned about the fraud of ADHD, this child I was convinced had no brain disorder as the biological psychiatrists would like us to think. This child was actually quite bright and was on the borderline for qualifying for MENSA. I began to look at the dynamics at school, as it was only here that he posed a problem. I learned as well that this child was witness to abuse and trauma. So, as I thought further I saw that the teacher was only aggravating this by his actions. The teacher showed hostility to this child and made him a target, even writing in a journal that the child was 'fat and ignorant." Was it any wonder that the child exhibited behavioral issues in a classroom where he was treated with no dignity? As I suspected, this child was moved to a different school environment where he excelled. The "ADHD" symptoms all disappeared, so much for theories about a brain disorder.
I received a call from a mother who explained to me that her child was in a residential facility and only recently was determined to have a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder after years of being labeled with 20 assorted diagnoses. She was given Risperdal as well as Ritalin. The mother reported that the child has tardive dyskinesia and was experiencing tremors. The response was to eliminate Risperdal and replace it with a different neuroleptic. This child is now permanently disfigured, and will probably never fully recover from the damage done in the name of 'help'.
I was doing an observation of one of my clients in a school setting when I took note of another child who began a conversation with me and in the process was showing facial grimaces and constant repetitive blinking. I pulled the teacher aside and asked her to examine the child for a minute and tell me if she witnessed anything out of the ordinary. "Well, he keeps making faces and twitching." I asked her, "Why may that be?" "Well, um, I do not know!". I asked her to see what medication the child was taking and if it might be a 'blue pill'. She asked the child and indeed he was taking Adderall, the cause of all his grimaces and contortion. What a price to pay to get a child to 'function' in class!
I was presented with a child who the teacher insisted was ADHD. The school guidance counselor was called in and told the mother, "without a doubt, he is ADHD and could benefit from Ritalin. It helps with academic improvement." I asked the school guidance counselor if he had actually met the child or was going on reports. "No, I have yet to meet him." I then asked him if he could name a study that proved that academic performance could be enhanced and how he was so sure of the ADHD diagnosis." He responded that he knew of no such study and that such diagnosis was based on teacher reports. Where is the science in that? I explained further that studies have actuallt shown that short term improvement in rote learning does occur, but that no long term improvement has ever been shown. The family sought a second opinion from a different psychologist who stated he saw nothing and sent the boy on his way. In this situation, I saw that the child was bright and that he learned in a way that the teacher just plainly was not providing. This idea was reinforced when the following year with a different teacher his academic performance dramatically increased with no intervention.
I worked with a delightful 5 year old child. Prior to him being referred to me, he had been on Risperdal. He had convulsions in the classroom and was taken to the emergency room. I happened to read the hospital report and it was deemed that these convulsions were a direct effect of the Risperdal. The mother was unfortunately an unconcerned parent, and there were frequent calls made to Child protective Services regarding abuse by herself and her paramour. I found it immensely difficult to work in the home with this mother, and after seeing the child with brusing, I too called the Child Protective Services but each time they found the cases unfounded. I would take the child into the community for my sessions. The mother had described him as a 'little brat', a 'monster', and a kid 'who didnt deserve sh-t'. She described all these negative behaviors in the home and yet I never saw one of them in his time with me. Occassionally he would have some difficulty in the classroom, but with some guidance and redirection, problems were always averted. It broke my heart to see that within 5 minutes of me dropping him off at home he would be in tears. The mother requested me to leave this case, and I reluctantly agreed and transferred it to a colleague and friend. My colleague informed me that the paramour was caught sexually abusing the child, and the child was taken to foster care. I feel that foster care should certainly be a last option, but here it was a blessing. I recommended that at least one member of the therapeutic staff he was familiar with continue to work with him in the new setting and I offered to go and visit him to help with his adjustment. Though it will take some time for him to adjust, I think it will be a fresh new start, as he is in a place where maybe for once he will receive love and compassion.
I was presented with a very difficult child who had received multiple psychiatric diagnoses and who had been in residential mental health treatment for the majority of his life. This child had been heavily medicated and was exhibiting slurred speech, poor motor coordination, inner feelings of agitation, and unusual jaw motions and tics. The family was told of the possibility of tardive dyskinesia. This also became a concern of a psychologist who observed him. Unfortunately, the parents stated they were never given informed consent about potential side effects and had never heard of the term 'tardive dyskinesia'. This neurological problem is a significant problem affecting individuals taking neuroleptic medications.
It is challenging to speak the truth in a corrupt system motivated frequently by greed. I have heard that "if you challenge psychiatry, the doctors will not refer to us anymore'. Or, as just as is done with patients, if you see a behavior or idea that you disagree with, label them and suppress them. Among the labels are "weird ideas", "non-mainstream", "un-orthodox", 'radical", or "Scientologist." The Church of Scientology has been active in tackling psychiatric abuse, so it is assumed that anyone who would dare speak out must be affiliated with the Church of Scientology. It is very easy to try to look at the problem as a "Scientology issue' rather than for what it is. For me, it would not matter if Hasidic Jews, Muslims, or any other group were speaking out on the corrupt mental health system. The issue should be whether there is validity to what is being said and there most certainly is.
Many are unwilling to take any stand or confront anything because it is more to their advantage to sit behind a desk, make money, and pretend they are helping.
First, we must stop looking through the eyes of a medical model, where we see children as broken and disordered and attempts are made to attributing their behaviors and emotions solely to a malfunctioning brain. There is no evidence supporting the psychopathology of a number of disorders. The linkage between the pharmaceutical companies and psychiatry needs to be evaluated as well as the information that is disseminated via the research and materials provided by pharmaceutical company money. The goal should be to examine the underlying factors of a child's behavior, looking at the child with dignity and respect, and seeing the child as one in conflict rather than a person who is disordered. Such stigmatization remains indefinitely, and labels can often become a self fulfilling prophecy and will follow our children for years to come and shape the way that they view themselves and also the way others view them, particularly the educational system. We cannot look to solely the most cost effective solution when our children's lives are at stake. Indeed, providing a prescription may control aspects of behavior and be though to have a 'therapeutic effect' but never gets to the root cause, and whereas it is far less expensive to medicate than to provide ongoing psychotherapy, it is appropriate and compassionate counsel that will make the difference. Second, the realm of psychotherapy must return to its orginal roots. The word psychotherapy literally means the healing of the soul. We must return the soul to therapy, encouraging therapists to instill within themselves the principles of compassion and empathy that are crucial for any therapeutic relationship to blossom forth. Therapists need to be compassionate and creative, and willing to give additional time and effort to see that a child's needs are met and to also provide community linkages and ongoing support within their environment and to encourage the least restrictive setting for our children. The coercion of parents and families into forced 'treatments' needs to be eliminated. Third, the educational system must be willing to accomodate to meet the various learning styles of children and not seek to place them in a box of rote learning or limit them to one particulat style. Some children may falter in a visual setting and need a hands on approach, whereas others may need other methods of encouraging their effective learning. We must return time, attention, and individuality to the classroom. Fourth, parents need to continue to take an active role in the lives of their children, providing ongoing guidance, validating emotions and not taking a dismissive, disapproving, or hands off approach. Rather, parents must be involved in helping the children develop their own sense of being, and being able to assess themselves. Parents need to avoid nagging their children and becoming entrapped in the propaganda that their children are disordered and need drugs to function. Fifth, our society must change in it attitudes. We are a society where we try to find our answers to ailments within a simple pill. We are a society that has unfortunately lost sight for the welfare of our children. We are a societry where we are prosperous, yet greed often blinds us. Such disorders such as ADHD can be looked upon as a social construct. 90% of Ritalin sales are in the US. This tells us that there is something to be examined within our society that needs correction. Somewhere along the line we have failed our children. We need to rely less on psychiatry and its devices to solve our problems and more on what we can do within ourselves- to take a holistic approach, to understand the child as a whole person- physical, emotional, and spiritual, and to examine in each of these areas where there may be difficulties that can be alleviated. We need to rely less on others dictating the course of our own and our children's lives and develop workable plan within our own family structure. Nothing will ever be perfect, but even in the most serious disturbances, love and compassion can heal much. We must realize that in some situations within society and within our own lives, we may never be able to evoke complete change. This is the cause of much distress, not problems themselves but how we respond to them. To battle those things beyond our control can lead us to emotional distress, but if we seek live as principled individuals, we can make a difference.
Maria Pascucci, president of Campus Calm, had the opportunity to talk with Richard Kadison, M.D., about why high schools and colleges are seeing a rise in the number of stressed-out students battling mental health problems. Kadison is the chief of the Mental Health Service at Harvard University Health Services and author of College of the Overwhelmed: The Campus Mental Health Crisis and What to Do About It. Kadison has specialized in campus mental health and student mental health treatment throughout his career.
Campus Calm: Why are college campuses seeing a rise in the number of students with mental health issues?
Kadison: There are lots of reasons we're seeing a rise in the number of students with mental health issues. We're seeing more students who get diagnosed with serious problems in high school and they're functioning well enough to get to college. That's one group. I think there is the millennial group of students with what are described as helicopter parents who hover over them, and basically make decisions for them. You know the old metaphor about teaching people to fish instead of getting them fish. I think there's a lot of handing out of fish that goes on in high school. Kids are also being shuttled from one activity to another, kind of building their college resume and not having much down time and not really feeling passionate about things.
Campus Calm: How big of a part does the lack of sleep, eating right and exercising play in students being stressed out?
Kadison: The lack of sleep, I think, is a huge issue. College students are sleeping an average of 6 1/2 hours each night and they definitely experience symptoms of sleep deprivation, which screws up their immune systems, impairs their academic functioning and makes them more susceptible to depression and bipolar disorder.
Exercise is another huge issue. There's good evidence for milder forms of depression, four days of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise works as well as antidepressant medication. A lot of students get busy, stop exercising and eating healthy, get more depressed, have more difficulty getting their work done, then start stressing out and have more difficulty sleeping. They get into this vicious cycle.
Campus Calm: How much of a part does perfectionism play in the lives of stressed-out students? How does Harvard's counseling center deal with academic perfectionism amongst students?
Kadison: That's certainly a big issue here and I would say, most elite schools. I talked to the directors of the other ivies. There are two major thrusts. I would say one is trying to create some balance in students' lives. They need to take care of themselves. Working all the time is not the best way to live. Having conversations with them about excellence versus perfection and working hard and trying to focus. But no one test, no one course, no one situation is going to make or break your life. Lives take twists and turns that none of us expect.
Number one: you need to learn how to be resilient. Number two: learn some techniques and skills to manage stress because what you have in high school and college isn't going to change once you get out into the real world.
Campus Calm: Whom do you see more of: overachieving guys or girls? Is it true that women seek help more than young men? Why or why not?
Kadison: In terms of more women seeking care, I think probably that's because women are more tuned into their emotions. There's less stigma. I don't think the numbers are different -- it's just that men aren't always wise enough to come in to talk to some one about it.
Campus Calm: How do you work to help students find meaningful ways to base their identities beyond grades & awards?
Kadison: That's exactly the challenge. It's people figuring out who they are -- we all have faults, we all make mistakes and we all do things we wish we hadn't done. The key is really to get to know yourself, figure out how to accept yourself and do the best that you can. Getting students outwardly focused, again in balance, so that they're engaged in their community. There’s growing evidence that the more students are doing something to help their community, like working with high school kids, or volunteering somewhere, those students have much more satisfactory experiences in college than students who are completely self-focused. It's creating an environment where that's really encouraged and rewarded.
Campus Calm: Do you think that our current academic culture allows kids to learn how to make mistakes and fail safely?
Kadison: Well, I think part of the process is really the education of the whole community. It's not just the students. We try to do outreach activities and provide consultations to faculty, staff and residential staff. The reality is though, if the culture in the lab is that the professor is in the lab until 3 a.m., and expects everyone else to be there until 3 a.m., that's not a healthy message for students.
I think mental health advocacy groups are a good idea because students listen to other students more than other professional adults. Having advocacy groups so students can hear that getting depressed in college is nothing to be ashamed of and it's very treatable if you come and talk to someone about it.
Campus Calm: Is an Ivy League education always the best way to reach success?
Kadison: I think that students can get a great education at any school. There's students who come here to Harvard and don't get a great education because it's a bad fit for them. Being around other bright people who are totally focused on their academics doesn't help them learn how to create any kind of balance in their lives. That leads to a disappointment.
Campus Calm: So many students see straight A's and other academic achievements as stepping stones that will lead them to a good college, which will lead them to a good graduate school, then to a good job and, ultimately, a happy life. Does our society put too much emphasis on this one path to happiness and prosperity?
Kadison: As far as students seeing grades as stepping-stones, I think that's true. There's some reality in there and it's also a problem. I think to some degree this is up to the college admissions folks, that leading a balanced life and being engaged in your community is just as important as being successful academically. Doing other things that you feel passionate about.
Campus Calm: Why are college campuses seeing a rise in the number of students with mental health issues?
Kadison: There are lots of reasons we're seeing a rise in the number of students with mental health issues. We're seeing more students who get diagnosed with serious problems in high school and they're functioning well enough to get to college. That's one group. I think there is the millennial group of students with what are described as helicopter parents who hover over them, and basically make decisions for them. You know the old metaphor about teaching people to fish instead of getting them fish. I think there's a lot of handing out of fish that goes on in high school. Kids are also being shuttled from one activity to another, kind of building their college resume and not having much down time and not really feeling passionate about things.
Campus Calm: How big of a part does the lack of sleep, eating right and exercising play in students being stressed out?
Kadison: The lack of sleep, I think, is a huge issue. College students are sleeping an average of 6 1/2 hours each night and they definitely experience symptoms of sleep deprivation, which screws up their immune systems, impairs their academic functioning and makes them more susceptible to depression and bipolar disorder.
Exercise is another huge issue. There's good evidence for milder forms of depression, four days of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise works as well as antidepressant medication. A lot of students get busy, stop exercising and eating healthy, get more depressed, have more difficulty getting their work done, then start stressing out and have more difficulty sleeping. They get into this vicious cycle.
Campus Calm: How much of a part does perfectionism play in the lives of stressed-out students? How does Harvard's counseling center deal with academic perfectionism amongst students?
Kadison: That's certainly a big issue here and I would say, most elite schools. I talked to the directors of the other ivies. There are two major thrusts. I would say one is trying to create some balance in students' lives. They need to take care of themselves. Working all the time is not the best way to live. Having conversations with them about excellence versus perfection and working hard and trying to focus. But no one test, no one course, no one situation is going to make or break your life. Lives take twists and turns that none of us expect.
Number one: you need to learn how to be resilient. Number two: learn some techniques and skills to manage stress because what you have in high school and college isn't going to change once you get out into the real world.
Campus Calm: Whom do you see more of: overachieving guys or girls? Is it true that women seek help more than young men? Why or why not?
Kadison: In terms of more women seeking care, I think probably that's because women are more tuned into their emotions. There's less stigma. I don't think the numbers are different -- it's just that men aren't always wise enough to come in to talk to some one about it.
Campus Calm: How do you work to help students find meaningful ways to base their identities beyond grades & awards?
Kadison: That's exactly the challenge. It's people figuring out who they are -- we all have faults, we all make mistakes and we all do things we wish we hadn't done. The key is really to get to know yourself, figure out how to accept yourself and do the best that you can. Getting students outwardly focused, again in balance, so that they're engaged in their community. There’s growing evidence that the more students are doing something to help their community, like working with high school kids, or volunteering somewhere, those students have much more satisfactory experiences in college than students who are completely self-focused. It's creating an environment where that's really encouraged and rewarded.
Campus Calm: Do you think that our current academic culture allows kids to learn how to make mistakes and fail safely?
Kadison: Well, I think part of the process is really the education of the whole community. It's not just the students. We try to do outreach activities and provide consultations to faculty, staff and residential staff. The reality is though, if the culture in the lab is that the professor is in the lab until 3 a.m., and expects everyone else to be there until 3 a.m., that's not a healthy message for students.
I think mental health advocacy groups are a good idea because students listen to other students more than other professional adults. Having advocacy groups so students can hear that getting depressed in college is nothing to be ashamed of and it's very treatable if you come and talk to someone about it.
Campus Calm: Is an Ivy League education always the best way to reach success?
Kadison: I think that students can get a great education at any school. There's students who come here to Harvard and don't get a great education because it's a bad fit for them. Being around other bright people who are totally focused on their academics doesn't help them learn how to create any kind of balance in their lives. That leads to a disappointment.
Campus Calm: So many students see straight A's and other academic achievements as stepping stones that will lead them to a good college, which will lead them to a good graduate school, then to a good job and, ultimately, a happy life. Does our society put too much emphasis on this one path to happiness and prosperity?
Kadison: As far as students seeing grades as stepping-stones, I think that's true. There's some reality in there and it's also a problem. I think to some degree this is up to the college admissions folks, that leading a balanced life and being engaged in your community is just as important as being successful academically. Doing other things that you feel passionate about.
have no problem. They start school and instantly have a gang - a best friend, birthday party invitations, play dates, sleep-overs. For other children, the social aspects of school can be difficult. Sometimes this is because the child has a diagnosis of Asperger's Disorder, Autism, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and sometimes the child is just shy. As a therapist with years of experience working in schools, I've seen how tough the school day can be if a child has not figured out how to make and keep friends. I know there are simple steps that you as a parent can take to help make friendship easier for your child.
1. Talk about it
The first step is to talk to your child and make sure there really is a problem. Some kids are more introverted than others and they need a lot of alone time. Not every child wants to be the class president or most popular student. But every kid needs to learn how to get along with peers, work in a group and have satisfying social interactions. Try to discuss friendship with your child and set a realistic goal, such as a couple of friends, an occasional play date or someone to eat lunch with.
2. Get to know the other parents
Other parents are your best resource. A friendly parent can help pave the way for your own child, introducing him to the gang, inviting her for play dates. Also, parents may not be comfortable extending or accepting invitations to kids when they don't know the parents. Usually, parents of small children will be waiting together at school as it gets out. For even the most introverted parent, this can be a low key, easy place to meet people and a great opportunity to allow a little after school free play. Try to show up a bit early, smile and be sociable, and let your child have some free time with classmates. For older kids, see if you can volunteer at the school and meet the other parents there.
3. Try to join groups
Find a group that your child can be a part of, whether it's scouts, drama, an after school class, or a sports team. This new setting may allow your child's special skills to shine in a way they don't in the classroom. It's also a new opportunity for you to meet other parents. A bonus is that often the entire team is invited to a pizza party or a camping trip. Of course, if the family is invited, you should make every attempt to attend also, even if your own introverted nature makes this tough.
4. Work on social skills
This brings us to the next point, social skills. When your child is playing after school or at the pizza party, you have the perfect opportunity to watch her interact. Is your child being bossy, clingy, whiny or difficult in other ways? Public places are not ideal for discussing the problems you see. Wait until you get home and then talk to your child, pulling in the friendship goals you've already set. If you see major problems with social skills, you may want to address this further in a social skills group.
5. Pay attention to appearance
Your child may care nothing about his appearance, and maybe you admire his independent spirit. Unfortunately the other kids may not be as open-minded. If friendships are being impacted, some degree of conformity may be a compromise you're willing to make. Take a look at the other kids at school. Does your child stand out from the rest of the class? You don't have to bow to fashion and buy the most stylish and expensive clothes, but maybe a simple move away from the too-short-pants and bright over-sized sweatshirt will help your child be one of the gang. Pay attention to hygiene and personal habits too. Behavior that's OK in kindergarten can be a social death knell in middle school.
6. Beware of being too different
Your child may be brilliant, unique and know everything about comets, and you can see how delightful he is, but the truth is, the other kids may just think he's weird. Don't think your child has to give up his special interests and talents. Aim instead to supplement these areas with something more universally accepted. Sit down as a family and watch the popular TV shows or go to a blockbuster movie. School is similar to your office, where everyone is discussing the Super Bowl or the presidential primary. At school, your child will have an easier time if she has been to the school carnival or seen the latest episode of Hannah Montana.
7. Take the plunge - Invite someone over
For more reserved parents, the idea of a child's play-dates can be a bit daunting. But, it's an important step, because it helps move the friendship outside of the realm of just "school friends." If your child has not had play-dates before, relax. You don't need to structure activities or entertain the children. Discuss in advance what activities your child might enjoy doing with a friend and then try to step out of the picture. As a backup, set up a few simple projects in case things are not running smoothly, such as an easy craft project or a movie to watch on TV. You might want to set up a private signal to use with your child if you need to correct your child's behavior.
8. One special friend
Sometimes, all it takes is one special friend. If your child can make just one friend, that eases the way throughout the school day. He'll have a partner for projects and someone to eat lunch with. Bullies will usually choose a solo target rather than a pair. For many kids, one friend is enough.
9. Encourage more than one friend
That said, one friend can be a problem. Depending on the situation, your child may be demanding too much from his solitary friend. Watch for signals that the best friend is feeling overwhelmed. This may take the form of complaints from your child that the best friend invited someone else for a sleep-over, or would not eat lunch together as usual. This should not mean the end of the friendship. It just signals to your child that he should move out a bit and socialize with a few other kids.
10. If all else fails
If these simple steps are not helping, don't despair! There are many other options. The teacher may be able to step in and assist your child. Many teachers will deliberately set up table and work groups to help shyer kids socialize. Find a social skills group by talking to the principal, or searching online. Therapists and other mental health professionals can work on the basics with you and your child.
Finally, progress takes time. Your child does not have to get there all at once and things may get easier as your child matures. The group dynamics of every class will be different. Middle school may provide more kids to choose from, so your child can find a group where he fits. Just keep making an effort and trying new things.
1. Talk about it
The first step is to talk to your child and make sure there really is a problem. Some kids are more introverted than others and they need a lot of alone time. Not every child wants to be the class president or most popular student. But every kid needs to learn how to get along with peers, work in a group and have satisfying social interactions. Try to discuss friendship with your child and set a realistic goal, such as a couple of friends, an occasional play date or someone to eat lunch with.
2. Get to know the other parents
Other parents are your best resource. A friendly parent can help pave the way for your own child, introducing him to the gang, inviting her for play dates. Also, parents may not be comfortable extending or accepting invitations to kids when they don't know the parents. Usually, parents of small children will be waiting together at school as it gets out. For even the most introverted parent, this can be a low key, easy place to meet people and a great opportunity to allow a little after school free play. Try to show up a bit early, smile and be sociable, and let your child have some free time with classmates. For older kids, see if you can volunteer at the school and meet the other parents there.
3. Try to join groups
Find a group that your child can be a part of, whether it's scouts, drama, an after school class, or a sports team. This new setting may allow your child's special skills to shine in a way they don't in the classroom. It's also a new opportunity for you to meet other parents. A bonus is that often the entire team is invited to a pizza party or a camping trip. Of course, if the family is invited, you should make every attempt to attend also, even if your own introverted nature makes this tough.
4. Work on social skills
This brings us to the next point, social skills. When your child is playing after school or at the pizza party, you have the perfect opportunity to watch her interact. Is your child being bossy, clingy, whiny or difficult in other ways? Public places are not ideal for discussing the problems you see. Wait until you get home and then talk to your child, pulling in the friendship goals you've already set. If you see major problems with social skills, you may want to address this further in a social skills group.
5. Pay attention to appearance
Your child may care nothing about his appearance, and maybe you admire his independent spirit. Unfortunately the other kids may not be as open-minded. If friendships are being impacted, some degree of conformity may be a compromise you're willing to make. Take a look at the other kids at school. Does your child stand out from the rest of the class? You don't have to bow to fashion and buy the most stylish and expensive clothes, but maybe a simple move away from the too-short-pants and bright over-sized sweatshirt will help your child be one of the gang. Pay attention to hygiene and personal habits too. Behavior that's OK in kindergarten can be a social death knell in middle school.
6. Beware of being too different
Your child may be brilliant, unique and know everything about comets, and you can see how delightful he is, but the truth is, the other kids may just think he's weird. Don't think your child has to give up his special interests and talents. Aim instead to supplement these areas with something more universally accepted. Sit down as a family and watch the popular TV shows or go to a blockbuster movie. School is similar to your office, where everyone is discussing the Super Bowl or the presidential primary. At school, your child will have an easier time if she has been to the school carnival or seen the latest episode of Hannah Montana.
7. Take the plunge - Invite someone over
For more reserved parents, the idea of a child's play-dates can be a bit daunting. But, it's an important step, because it helps move the friendship outside of the realm of just "school friends." If your child has not had play-dates before, relax. You don't need to structure activities or entertain the children. Discuss in advance what activities your child might enjoy doing with a friend and then try to step out of the picture. As a backup, set up a few simple projects in case things are not running smoothly, such as an easy craft project or a movie to watch on TV. You might want to set up a private signal to use with your child if you need to correct your child's behavior.
8. One special friend
Sometimes, all it takes is one special friend. If your child can make just one friend, that eases the way throughout the school day. He'll have a partner for projects and someone to eat lunch with. Bullies will usually choose a solo target rather than a pair. For many kids, one friend is enough.
9. Encourage more than one friend
That said, one friend can be a problem. Depending on the situation, your child may be demanding too much from his solitary friend. Watch for signals that the best friend is feeling overwhelmed. This may take the form of complaints from your child that the best friend invited someone else for a sleep-over, or would not eat lunch together as usual. This should not mean the end of the friendship. It just signals to your child that he should move out a bit and socialize with a few other kids.
10. If all else fails
If these simple steps are not helping, don't despair! There are many other options. The teacher may be able to step in and assist your child. Many teachers will deliberately set up table and work groups to help shyer kids socialize. Find a social skills group by talking to the principal, or searching online. Therapists and other mental health professionals can work on the basics with you and your child.
Finally, progress takes time. Your child does not have to get there all at once and things may get easier as your child matures. The group dynamics of every class will be different. Middle school may provide more kids to choose from, so your child can find a group where he fits. Just keep making an effort and trying new things.
Are you a California resident who is currently uninsured, health wise? If you are, are you interested in getting health insurance coverage? Even if you are not, you will want to look into doing so. Although you likely already know the importance of having health insurance, there are some individuals who just need to be reminded again.
If you are a single person, looking to get insurance for you and you alone, you will want to look into getting a California individual health insurance plan. These plans are designed for people just like you, people who don’t have any dependants that also need medical insurance. Perhaps, the greatest benefit of getting California individual health insurance is that it is cheaper than purchasing health insurance for the whole family. Speaking of family, there are many uninsured individual who believe that they don’t need to have insurance, as long as their kids, if they have any, do. While it is easy to explain this way of thinking, you need to remember that your life and health is just as important as a child’s.
Speaking of your health, it is one of the many reasons why you should have California individual health insurance coverage. When it comes to seeing the doctor, there are a large number of patients who only schedule a physician’s visit when they think that something is wrong. Yes, this may be okay for some people, but as more and more illnesses and diseases are starting to appear, it is often advised that you visit your doctor at least once a year, for an annual checkup. An annual checkup may alert you and your physician to any health problems that may need treating. Although annual checkups are important, those without insurance are less likely to get one, due to the cost of an appointment. Not getting an annual checkup, due to not having any insurance, could not only be putting your health at risk, but it may also be putting off getting the needed treatment.
Another reason why you should get California individual health insurance coverage is because it is easy to do. There are a number of reputable and well-known health insurance providers in the state of California, including Blue Cross Blue Shield. All of these companies tend to have a number of California individual health insurance coverage plans to choose from. In addition to having different features or offering different amounts of coverage, these plans are also available for different prices. What does that mean for you, it means that with a little bit of comparison, you should easily be able to find an affordable California individual health insurance plan. With the ability to use the internet or speak with helpful insurance company representatives, you can easy request quotes or get more information in a matter of minutes, an hour at the most. How nice is that?
The above mentioned reasons as to why you should get California individual health insurance coverage for yourself are just a few of the many that exist. Yes, you may be able to put off seeking medical treatment for now, but there may come a time when you will need it. When that time comes, do you really want to be uninsured?
If you are a single person, looking to get insurance for you and you alone, you will want to look into getting a California individual health insurance plan. These plans are designed for people just like you, people who don’t have any dependants that also need medical insurance. Perhaps, the greatest benefit of getting California individual health insurance is that it is cheaper than purchasing health insurance for the whole family. Speaking of family, there are many uninsured individual who believe that they don’t need to have insurance, as long as their kids, if they have any, do. While it is easy to explain this way of thinking, you need to remember that your life and health is just as important as a child’s.
Speaking of your health, it is one of the many reasons why you should have California individual health insurance coverage. When it comes to seeing the doctor, there are a large number of patients who only schedule a physician’s visit when they think that something is wrong. Yes, this may be okay for some people, but as more and more illnesses and diseases are starting to appear, it is often advised that you visit your doctor at least once a year, for an annual checkup. An annual checkup may alert you and your physician to any health problems that may need treating. Although annual checkups are important, those without insurance are less likely to get one, due to the cost of an appointment. Not getting an annual checkup, due to not having any insurance, could not only be putting your health at risk, but it may also be putting off getting the needed treatment.
Another reason why you should get California individual health insurance coverage is because it is easy to do. There are a number of reputable and well-known health insurance providers in the state of California, including Blue Cross Blue Shield. All of these companies tend to have a number of California individual health insurance coverage plans to choose from. In addition to having different features or offering different amounts of coverage, these plans are also available for different prices. What does that mean for you, it means that with a little bit of comparison, you should easily be able to find an affordable California individual health insurance plan. With the ability to use the internet or speak with helpful insurance company representatives, you can easy request quotes or get more information in a matter of minutes, an hour at the most. How nice is that?
The above mentioned reasons as to why you should get California individual health insurance coverage for yourself are just a few of the many that exist. Yes, you may be able to put off seeking medical treatment for now, but there may come a time when you will need it. When that time comes, do you really want to be uninsured?
Women are getting more and more health conscious by the day. They want ready answers to all their problems and how to overcome them. The market is full of health magazines for women and it is common to see a woman spending hours with a health magazine. The fact is that it's not possible to run to a doctor every time you experience a problem or discuss it with someone. Today every magazine for women designates a certain section to health problems and how to deal with them. It may be a simple home remedy or a child related problem bothering a mother. But wait a minute, don't you recollect reading about that in one of the magazines as recently as a month ago. So all you do is get it out of the store and go through it to refresh your memory.
Simple Home Remedies
Some of the theories and solutions related to health problems concern simple home remedies such as sipping hot water, or applying ice on burns and cuts to using homemade packs. You will be surprised how much there is to depend on from what is available in your kitchen. You may not have to step out of your home for the ingredients mentioned.
Complicated Problems
There is a wealth of knowledge that you can find in that health magazine you just collected from the library. You can subscribe to it so that it is available to you regularly. It deals with problems that you may never have even heard about. It also covers problems on breast cancer and how to self-test. Many women write their stories and you can learn a lot from these articles and take necessary precautions or consult your doctor on time.
Bringing up Your Child
Magazines for women deal at length on how to bring up children, be it their food, their behavior, school related problems, emotional and psychological problems. There's much to learn from the behavioral problems of other children. Many a time the child has a thumb sucking problem or a tantrum problem and you are unable to tackle it. You'll find your answers in these magazines.
On Being a Good Cook
Every evening your kids come home looking forward to a good snack and if you are a housewife and have the time, you might like to give them at least one new snack-surprise once in a while.
Your House needs a change in Decor
You feel bored of that same old look in the interiors of your house and know it needs change. All you need to do is browse through your magazine and get ideas on how to redo the place.
You'll soon get addicted to such magazines and find them worth subscribing to.
Simple Home Remedies
Some of the theories and solutions related to health problems concern simple home remedies such as sipping hot water, or applying ice on burns and cuts to using homemade packs. You will be surprised how much there is to depend on from what is available in your kitchen. You may not have to step out of your home for the ingredients mentioned.
Complicated Problems
There is a wealth of knowledge that you can find in that health magazine you just collected from the library. You can subscribe to it so that it is available to you regularly. It deals with problems that you may never have even heard about. It also covers problems on breast cancer and how to self-test. Many women write their stories and you can learn a lot from these articles and take necessary precautions or consult your doctor on time.
Bringing up Your Child
Magazines for women deal at length on how to bring up children, be it their food, their behavior, school related problems, emotional and psychological problems. There's much to learn from the behavioral problems of other children. Many a time the child has a thumb sucking problem or a tantrum problem and you are unable to tackle it. You'll find your answers in these magazines.
On Being a Good Cook
Every evening your kids come home looking forward to a good snack and if you are a housewife and have the time, you might like to give them at least one new snack-surprise once in a while.
Your House needs a change in Decor
You feel bored of that same old look in the interiors of your house and know it needs change. All you need to do is browse through your magazine and get ideas on how to redo the place.
You'll soon get addicted to such magazines and find them worth subscribing to.
One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is health insurance coverage. It is also the single most costly expense for self-employed entrepreneurs. So what can you do to reduce ever increasing costs of health care coverage? Here are a few tips.
1. If a medical bill seems excessive, try negotiating
Your doctor or the office manager who handles billing will probably be flexible, provided you make a valid case. When one woman in Texas was charged $900 for surgery and “consultation,” she explained that she had visited the hospital just once, for surgery; her bill was promptly cut by $370.
2.. Contact a medical bill “auditor”
Several services have a medical bill “auditing” system that evaluates your medical bills to determine if errors occurred in the billing process. Considering that 97 percent of hospital medical bills contain errors, it’s no wonder why out-of-pocket medical expenses are on the rise for consumers. Because the typical hospital bill is extremely complicated, often containing several hundred line-item charges, there is ample opportunity for computer mistakes and accidental human error. Do a Google search for medical bill auditors to find companies offering this service.
3. You may get a tax break on your medical bills
Keep all your medical bills together and add them up at tax time. If they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you may deduct the excess. Please note that these items also may be included in the total: the cost of eye glasses, contact lenses, physical therapy, x-rays, hearing aids, psychiatric care, insurance and transportation to the hospital or doctor’s office (at 30 cents a mile). There are phase-outs in some cases based on adjusted gross income. Check with your professional tax adviser.
4. Deduct 100% of your healthcare costs from your taxes
The IRS allows all self-employed to deduct 100% of health care costs from their taxes by using Section 105 of the Internal Revenue Code. To receive this deduction, you must do the following:
a) Hire your spouse as an employee of your business.
b) Have your spouse receive health insurance in his or her name, and include the family on the policy.
c) Pay your spouse a salary that will cover the costs of the insurance.
d) Talk to your tax professional about planning for Section 105 on your taxes.
We all know your spouse is active in your business. Now, you can equally recognize their contribution he or she makes – and get Uncle Sam to give you a tax break.
5. Help for families with kids -- CHIP
All states have established new programs that help lower income families with children to pay for health insurance for their kids. Financed partly by the federal government, the Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) operate either as an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program or a subsidy for basic private health insurance. Eligible families may be able to access coverage for their children at greatly reduced premiums which will vary depending upon family income. Contact your state Department of Health or Insurance for more information.
6. Shop around
Hospital costs vary widely, especially between urban and rural facilities. If your doctor has admitting privileges at more than one hospital, find out if you can be admitted to the one that’s less expensive. Keep in mind that hospitals operated by non-profit foundations are usually less expensive than investor-owned, for profit hospitals. To find out how much your local hospitals charge, ask your doctor. Many states have Health Services Cost Review Commissions, which compile such data.
7. Check for free clinics in your community
You and your entire family can save hundreds of dollars by taking advantage of the many free screenings, immunizations, and other health clinics offered by your local community or a town near you. Numerous community hospitals and social services can provide blood pressure checks, shots for your children, free contraceptives and/or advice, and other preventative health care at little to no cost.
8. Get a second opinion out of town
Believe it or not, your chance of undergoing an expensive surgery or preventative procedure may depend solely on where you happen to live. Statistics show that the frequency in which certain medical procedures are performed varies widely from location to location. For example, residents of New Haven, Conn., are twice as likely to undergo a coronary bypass operation as residents of Boston, Mass. What’s the reason for this discrepancy? One Dartmouth Medical School expert, John E. Wennberg, M.D., M.H.P., explains that certain operations are simply more fashionable in some parts of the United States than others. So, if you plan to get a second opinion prior to surgery, consider going to a specialist in another city. In addition, try to find out what the surgery rates for your procedure are in different cities. HealthAllies.com also offers this service online at www.healthallies.com. To get the names of second-opinion doctors in your region, call the U.S. government’s toll-free second-opinion hotline at 1-800-638-6833.
9. Don’t pay double for a second opinion
As you make arrangements for a second opinion, ask your doctor to send copies of your medical records, x-rays, and lab tests to the second-opinion doctor. These tests don’t need duplication; your second doctor will have the information he or she needs – and you don’t pay double.
10. Emotional stability
Your mental health is equally important as your physical health. Do you have blue days once in awhile, or struggle with gray winters? St. John’s Wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, has been proven to increase positive moods. Before rushing to your family physician for medication to make you feel better, try supplements with a combination of expressing your feelings with friends and a healthy lifestyle. Mood stabilizers are some of the most costly medications on the market today. However, you should be aware of the signs of stress or even depression. Give yourself a simple screening test:
* Do you have feelings of sadness and/or irritability?
* Has there been a loss of interest in pleasure activities you once enjoyed?
* Have there been changes in your weight or appetite?
* Have you noticed changes in your sleeping pattern?
* Are you feeling guilty?
* Do you have the inability to concentrate, remember things or make decisions?
* Are you fatigued or have a loss of energy?
* Do you experience restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others?
* Do you have feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness?
* Do you have thoughts of suicide or death?
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, consider consulting your family physician. If they recommend mental health treatment, it is more cost-effective to have your family physician prescribe mood stabilizers instead of seeing a psychiatrist. However, follow your doctor’s instructions on counseling and referrals to mental health professionals.
11. Order your prescription drugs by phone, web or mail
There are many discount prescription drug benefits available for a modest cost. Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed offers a free prescription card through PCS. This program saves its members up to 40 percent at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. On average, CA members save $9.39 per prescription order. You can enroll free on their Web site at www.selfemployedcountry.org.
12. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugs
Medicine marketed under its scientific name is usually 50 percent cheaper and just as effective as brand-name versions. In addition, look for generic drugs in the medicine you purchase over the counter. For example, 100 generic aspirin may cost $1.79; the same ingredients packaged under a well-known brand name can cost more than $5 for 100 tablets. Consider, also, just how important the new easy-to-swallow products are to your comfort. The lesser price of some medicines may be comparably easier to swallow when thinking about your budget.
13. Get enrolled in a group plan
For self employed people including those involved in small businesses, individual health insurance can be extremely costly – sometimes as much as 30 percent of your take home pay. By joining associations like National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org), you have the opportunity to enroll in a group insurance plan with unique built-in cost controls.
14. Choose a higher deductible
Often for the healthy family, the number of visits to the doctor totals less than $250 a year, a normally low deductible rate. This low deduction rate, however, can end up costing you more in the form of higher premiums. If your family has enjoyed good health for a number of years, you may want to switch to a higher deductible of $500 or $1000. You’ll notice greatly reduced premiums.
15. Pay premiums annually
You avoid the service fee and may also receive a discount from your insurance carrier. Check with your insurance agent about how much money you can save if you pay your premium one time during the year.
16. Make sure there’s a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnesses
About half of individual policyholders lack this important provision, according to insurance experts, who recommend a major medical policy with a stop-loss clause limiting policyholder payout to $2,000 or $3,000.
17. Get educated about your health
Invest in your health by becoming information-rich. Read publications about health care. Pay special attention to free wellness publications like Inside Mayo Clinic at www.mayo.edu/healthinfo/public.html or have on hand a book on medical self-care, like The AAFP Family Health and Medical Guide and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. A wealth of information is also available on the Internet.
18. Take advantage of free health advice
For free information booklets from the U.S. government about nearly every health care topic you can imagine, simply write to the Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The government offers several dozen booklets on topics ranging from nutrition, medical problems, mental health, to drugs, exercise and weight control. To receive a catalog explaining these booklets, write to:
Consumer Information Center
PO Box 100
Pueblo, CO 81009
www.pueblo.gsa.gov (you can download booklets from this site)
Once again the U.S. Government comes through by providing a number of toll free health care information phone services. Topics are numerous, including hearing aids, cancer information, Alzheimer’s disease, drugs and pregnancy issues. For information on the health topics and phone numbers, call the National Health Information Center at 1-800-336-4797.
19. Brush up on first-aid skills and become CPR certified.
Proper treatment of various accidents may reduce the number of visits to the doctor, and can save lives in an emergency. It’s important to always keep an updated medical kit in your home or office.
Here are the basics for your first-aid kit:
* bandage supplies, including a roll of 3 inch wide gauze, individually packaged 4 inch sterile gauze pads, a roll of 1 inch bandage tape, butterfly bandage tape, and scissors
* elastic bandages
* cotton swabs
* sterile dressings or towels
* pain reliever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen)
* anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen)
* ipecac syrup (for use on advice of medical professional to induce vomiting)
* tweezers
* hydrogen peroxide
* skin creams, including hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion and antibiotic creams
* an antihistamine (diphenhydramine for allergic reactions)
* flashlight
* eye patch
* arm sling
* tongue depressors (to be used as a finger splint)
* ice pack
* re-hydration fluids (such as Pedialyte or Infalyte)
20. Take a lifestyle approach to wellness – every day
Take charge of your health by making simple changes in your lifestyle. By following these seven basic rules of good health, you’ll improve your chances of living a long, healthy, active life.
* Get eight hours of sleep per night.
* Eat breakfast every morning.
* Cut down on snacks between meals.
* Keep within 10 pounds of your recommended weight range. If you’re unsure what your weight range should be check with your doctor.
* Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes three times per week.
* Don’t smoke.
* Don’t drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day.
* Take recommended dosages of vitamins and supplements.
Copyright 2004, Monikah Ogando, Ogando Associates, Inc.
1. If a medical bill seems excessive, try negotiating
Your doctor or the office manager who handles billing will probably be flexible, provided you make a valid case. When one woman in Texas was charged $900 for surgery and “consultation,” she explained that she had visited the hospital just once, for surgery; her bill was promptly cut by $370.
2.. Contact a medical bill “auditor”
Several services have a medical bill “auditing” system that evaluates your medical bills to determine if errors occurred in the billing process. Considering that 97 percent of hospital medical bills contain errors, it’s no wonder why out-of-pocket medical expenses are on the rise for consumers. Because the typical hospital bill is extremely complicated, often containing several hundred line-item charges, there is ample opportunity for computer mistakes and accidental human error. Do a Google search for medical bill auditors to find companies offering this service.
3. You may get a tax break on your medical bills
Keep all your medical bills together and add them up at tax time. If they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you may deduct the excess. Please note that these items also may be included in the total: the cost of eye glasses, contact lenses, physical therapy, x-rays, hearing aids, psychiatric care, insurance and transportation to the hospital or doctor’s office (at 30 cents a mile). There are phase-outs in some cases based on adjusted gross income. Check with your professional tax adviser.
4. Deduct 100% of your healthcare costs from your taxes
The IRS allows all self-employed to deduct 100% of health care costs from their taxes by using Section 105 of the Internal Revenue Code. To receive this deduction, you must do the following:
a) Hire your spouse as an employee of your business.
b) Have your spouse receive health insurance in his or her name, and include the family on the policy.
c) Pay your spouse a salary that will cover the costs of the insurance.
d) Talk to your tax professional about planning for Section 105 on your taxes.
We all know your spouse is active in your business. Now, you can equally recognize their contribution he or she makes – and get Uncle Sam to give you a tax break.
5. Help for families with kids -- CHIP
All states have established new programs that help lower income families with children to pay for health insurance for their kids. Financed partly by the federal government, the Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) operate either as an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program or a subsidy for basic private health insurance. Eligible families may be able to access coverage for their children at greatly reduced premiums which will vary depending upon family income. Contact your state Department of Health or Insurance for more information.
6. Shop around
Hospital costs vary widely, especially between urban and rural facilities. If your doctor has admitting privileges at more than one hospital, find out if you can be admitted to the one that’s less expensive. Keep in mind that hospitals operated by non-profit foundations are usually less expensive than investor-owned, for profit hospitals. To find out how much your local hospitals charge, ask your doctor. Many states have Health Services Cost Review Commissions, which compile such data.
7. Check for free clinics in your community
You and your entire family can save hundreds of dollars by taking advantage of the many free screenings, immunizations, and other health clinics offered by your local community or a town near you. Numerous community hospitals and social services can provide blood pressure checks, shots for your children, free contraceptives and/or advice, and other preventative health care at little to no cost.
8. Get a second opinion out of town
Believe it or not, your chance of undergoing an expensive surgery or preventative procedure may depend solely on where you happen to live. Statistics show that the frequency in which certain medical procedures are performed varies widely from location to location. For example, residents of New Haven, Conn., are twice as likely to undergo a coronary bypass operation as residents of Boston, Mass. What’s the reason for this discrepancy? One Dartmouth Medical School expert, John E. Wennberg, M.D., M.H.P., explains that certain operations are simply more fashionable in some parts of the United States than others. So, if you plan to get a second opinion prior to surgery, consider going to a specialist in another city. In addition, try to find out what the surgery rates for your procedure are in different cities. HealthAllies.com also offers this service online at www.healthallies.com. To get the names of second-opinion doctors in your region, call the U.S. government’s toll-free second-opinion hotline at 1-800-638-6833.
9. Don’t pay double for a second opinion
As you make arrangements for a second opinion, ask your doctor to send copies of your medical records, x-rays, and lab tests to the second-opinion doctor. These tests don’t need duplication; your second doctor will have the information he or she needs – and you don’t pay double.
10. Emotional stability
Your mental health is equally important as your physical health. Do you have blue days once in awhile, or struggle with gray winters? St. John’s Wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, has been proven to increase positive moods. Before rushing to your family physician for medication to make you feel better, try supplements with a combination of expressing your feelings with friends and a healthy lifestyle. Mood stabilizers are some of the most costly medications on the market today. However, you should be aware of the signs of stress or even depression. Give yourself a simple screening test:
* Do you have feelings of sadness and/or irritability?
* Has there been a loss of interest in pleasure activities you once enjoyed?
* Have there been changes in your weight or appetite?
* Have you noticed changes in your sleeping pattern?
* Are you feeling guilty?
* Do you have the inability to concentrate, remember things or make decisions?
* Are you fatigued or have a loss of energy?
* Do you experience restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others?
* Do you have feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness?
* Do you have thoughts of suicide or death?
If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, consider consulting your family physician. If they recommend mental health treatment, it is more cost-effective to have your family physician prescribe mood stabilizers instead of seeing a psychiatrist. However, follow your doctor’s instructions on counseling and referrals to mental health professionals.
11. Order your prescription drugs by phone, web or mail
There are many discount prescription drug benefits available for a modest cost. Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed offers a free prescription card through PCS. This program saves its members up to 40 percent at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. On average, CA members save $9.39 per prescription order. You can enroll free on their Web site at www.selfemployedcountry.org.
12. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugs
Medicine marketed under its scientific name is usually 50 percent cheaper and just as effective as brand-name versions. In addition, look for generic drugs in the medicine you purchase over the counter. For example, 100 generic aspirin may cost $1.79; the same ingredients packaged under a well-known brand name can cost more than $5 for 100 tablets. Consider, also, just how important the new easy-to-swallow products are to your comfort. The lesser price of some medicines may be comparably easier to swallow when thinking about your budget.
13. Get enrolled in a group plan
For self employed people including those involved in small businesses, individual health insurance can be extremely costly – sometimes as much as 30 percent of your take home pay. By joining associations like National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org), you have the opportunity to enroll in a group insurance plan with unique built-in cost controls.
14. Choose a higher deductible
Often for the healthy family, the number of visits to the doctor totals less than $250 a year, a normally low deductible rate. This low deduction rate, however, can end up costing you more in the form of higher premiums. If your family has enjoyed good health for a number of years, you may want to switch to a higher deductible of $500 or $1000. You’ll notice greatly reduced premiums.
15. Pay premiums annually
You avoid the service fee and may also receive a discount from your insurance carrier. Check with your insurance agent about how much money you can save if you pay your premium one time during the year.
16. Make sure there’s a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnesses
About half of individual policyholders lack this important provision, according to insurance experts, who recommend a major medical policy with a stop-loss clause limiting policyholder payout to $2,000 or $3,000.
17. Get educated about your health
Invest in your health by becoming information-rich. Read publications about health care. Pay special attention to free wellness publications like Inside Mayo Clinic at www.mayo.edu/healthinfo/public.html or have on hand a book on medical self-care, like The AAFP Family Health and Medical Guide and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. A wealth of information is also available on the Internet.
18. Take advantage of free health advice
For free information booklets from the U.S. government about nearly every health care topic you can imagine, simply write to the Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. The government offers several dozen booklets on topics ranging from nutrition, medical problems, mental health, to drugs, exercise and weight control. To receive a catalog explaining these booklets, write to:
Consumer Information Center
PO Box 100
Pueblo, CO 81009
www.pueblo.gsa.gov (you can download booklets from this site)
Once again the U.S. Government comes through by providing a number of toll free health care information phone services. Topics are numerous, including hearing aids, cancer information, Alzheimer’s disease, drugs and pregnancy issues. For information on the health topics and phone numbers, call the National Health Information Center at 1-800-336-4797.
19. Brush up on first-aid skills and become CPR certified.
Proper treatment of various accidents may reduce the number of visits to the doctor, and can save lives in an emergency. It’s important to always keep an updated medical kit in your home or office.
Here are the basics for your first-aid kit:
* bandage supplies, including a roll of 3 inch wide gauze, individually packaged 4 inch sterile gauze pads, a roll of 1 inch bandage tape, butterfly bandage tape, and scissors
* elastic bandages
* cotton swabs
* sterile dressings or towels
* pain reliever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen)
* anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen)
* ipecac syrup (for use on advice of medical professional to induce vomiting)
* tweezers
* hydrogen peroxide
* skin creams, including hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion and antibiotic creams
* an antihistamine (diphenhydramine for allergic reactions)
* flashlight
* eye patch
* arm sling
* tongue depressors (to be used as a finger splint)
* ice pack
* re-hydration fluids (such as Pedialyte or Infalyte)
20. Take a lifestyle approach to wellness – every day
Take charge of your health by making simple changes in your lifestyle. By following these seven basic rules of good health, you’ll improve your chances of living a long, healthy, active life.
* Get eight hours of sleep per night.
* Eat breakfast every morning.
* Cut down on snacks between meals.
* Keep within 10 pounds of your recommended weight range. If you’re unsure what your weight range should be check with your doctor.
* Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes three times per week.
* Don’t smoke.
* Don’t drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day.
* Take recommended dosages of vitamins and supplements.
Copyright 2004, Monikah Ogando, Ogando Associates, Inc.
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