Author: Don Silva

 

Coaxing a young picky eater to eat vegetables is always a struggle for most parents. You can try to entertain, bribe, or even beg the little one to consume the colorful pieces on their plate, but they’ll still stand their ground. Once you run out of tricks, though, that’s when you may lose your patience and silently hope that your anger will make them eat. (You know it won’t.)

There are a couple of problems apparent here. The first one is that the child only knew hotdogs, fries, and other fried foods since birth. Hence, asking them to let go of such delicious stuff and have broccoli or carrots instead won’t honestly go well.

The second issue is that vegetables are unfamiliar objects for the kids. They probably have no clue how to eat them; that’s why their mind tells them not to have any of it. Aside from that, you, as the parent, may need to explain more regarding the importance of a healthy diet in a way that children below ten years old can understand.

“Whether picky eaters or not, kids don’t always want what’s healthy for them—especially fruit and vegetables. But there are ways to make them more enticing,” said Jeanne Segal Ph.D. and Lawrence Robinson.

Keep on reading if you want to see other reasons why kids should learn about proper nutrition now.

Natural Products Seem Extra Palatable

A child tends to develop a liking towards new food choices the more they know about it. Dina Rose Ph.D. said, “Begin by setting aside the goal of getting kids to eat new foods. Instead, think of exploring new foods as a science experiment.” You can discuss why fruits and vegetables come in different colors or offer them a hands-on experience when preparing the goods. It will ideally squelch their anxiety and make them eat the natural products.

The Kids Know What To And Not To Eat

Children, even the ones who are still yet to learn how to use their words, can understand and remember everything you always tell or show them. By making it a habit to teach kids why or why not they shouldn’t consume various foods tooo often, they’ll more likely keep that in mind. “So modeling good eating behavior is important at home”, according to Vanessa LoBue Ph.D.

You’ll Take Fewer Trips To Fast-Food Chains

Giving the youngsters a few ideas about what junk food does to the body can also mean that you won’t have to stop at the drive-through multiple times a week. Not only does it let you save on gas and physical energy; you can share a home-cooked meal regularly too.

Health Problems Will Stay At Bay

The thing about diseases is that they quickly come when you always fill your body with unhealthy foods. It is particularly true with the kiddos since they still don’t have an established immune system. But if they welcome a balanced diet from a young age, you may never have to worry about obesity, heart-related illnesses, diabetes, etc.

Nothing Can Hinder Your Children’s Growth

Of course, all parents wish for their offspring to develop well emotionally, physically, and mentally. While a child who only eats and drinks sugary stuff may lack in one or two areas, someone who gets the essential nutrients from natural products can fare better regarding personal growth.

Teaching kids about proper nutrition should begin even before they can walk or speak. From the time the pediatrician says you can start introducing real food to a child at around six months, you may get their palates accustomed to the taste of veggies and fruits too. That will lessen your chances of raising a picky eater.

Cheers!

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Being in a relationship can be fun and exciting, especially if you are too much in love with your partner. It may seem that everything in your life is turning out to be fantastic and near to perfection. Because of this, you probably want to share with the whole world how amazing your relationship is. However, this can be a big problem if someone close to you is in a different situation. Whether you like it or not, you will still feel stressed out the moment you find out that your best friend has a broken heart.

Of course, a big part of you will become interested in finding a way to assist her in this challenging period of her life. Just because you are in a fruitful and growing relationship does not mean that you can just leave your old friend behind. For this reason, it is ideal if you will continue reading the rest of the post so that you will learn more about the top strategies that you can use to help a broken-hearted friend.

Be A Shoulder To Cry On

Shirley Vandersteen, PhD, shares, “With words and touch you have to tell your friend that you care.” One of the things that you must do is to offer your shoulders whenever your friend wants to cry. Avoid being a judgmental person who will keep on forcing her to move on from the broken relationship. You have to understand the fact that her situation is far different from yours. As such, you do not need to keep on forcing her to get over about the breakup immediately. As such, be available whenever she needs someone to talk to.

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Be A Good Listener

Another thing that you must always keep in mind is to develop the habit of being a good listener. Whenever your friend starts to open up about her breakup, be sure that you will lend your ears. Avoid saying unnecessary comments that will make her sadder. Instead, make an effort to think twice before you will open your mouth. Failure to do this can make your friend hurt even more. Sometimes, all she needs is someone to discuss her frustrations with. Avoid saying comments or feedbacks about her previous lover.

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Go On A Vacation Together

Shainna Ali PhD, LMHC, notes, “In a healthy friendship, you look forward to sharing quality time.” If you are too close with the person who recently got her heartbroken, be sure to consider going on a vacation together. Runaway with your close friend and help her heal her broken heart. Take note that going to a new place together can mean a unique environment for her. She can become exposed to new factors or circumstances that will encourage her to be better. At the same time, it will also provide an opportunity for both of you to realize that the world is a beautiful place to live in. You must know how to find the sources of your happiness, as well as how to keep them all in one place.

Be the best kind of friend that can help a broken-hearted individual become better and feel lesser pain. As what Suzanne Degges-White, PhD, adds, “Friends are the jewels that help us make it through the daily grind of life – the gold among the dross and the wheat from the chaff, to borrow a couple of timeworn similes.” Follow all the things we mentioned in this post.

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There are many things that you have to remember when it comes to dating. As a woman, you have to be mindful of the little things that you do while you are out with someone. Make sure that you have the right presence of mind while you spend quality time with someone, especially if you are not so familiar with the said person. In this modern time, dating apps have become prevalent. As such, many people end up meeting in these applications until they eventually decide to see in person. “As such, many people end up meeting in these applications until they eventually decide to see in person,” quoted Jeremy Nicholson M.S.W., Ph.D.

If the person that you are about to meet is someone that has introduced himself to you through the said dating apps, then be sure to read this article. For today’s post, we are going to discuss some of the essential dating techniques to remember. Take note that meeting someone in person for the first time can be excruciating. A big part of you will feel embarrassed since you have no idea how to act well. Below are the top things to remember:

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Meet In Public

As much as possible, think of your safety at all times. “Always meet a new potential dating partner in a public place where there are other people and witnesses, and be sure to end the date quickly if you feel uncomfortable in any way in which your boundaries are not being respected,” says Andrea Schneider, MSW, LCSW.  Therefore, if you have decided to go out on a date with a person that you are not familiar with, the right thing to do is to choose a public place for the meet-up. Be smart enough to choose a location that will expose you to different kinds of people. This way, you can somehow get a guarantee that nothing wrong will ever happen to you. Avoid being too trusting immediately to save yourself from potential harm.

Ask The Right Questions

“Curiosity: the one trait in a date that leads to a lasting mate,” quoted psychiatrist Paul Dobransky M.D. When you are conversing with your date, do not forget to make an effort to keep things interested. Do not place the entire burden on him. You have to take note that you must also learn how to ask the correct questions or sustain your topics. Avoid being a wallflower because it will only make your date boring. At the same time, there is a good chance that your meet-up will not end nicely. Be sure to think twice before you open your mouth. Be sensitive with what the other person might feel.

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Be Comfortable At All Times

Another thing that you must remember is the importance of acting comfortable and relaxed while bonding with your date. Do not overthink about his reactions to your words or actions. Otherwise, you will only end up being paranoid. If this continues to happen for a long time, there is a good chance that you will compromise the dating scene between the two of you. Be confident about who you are as a person. Stop pretending to be someone that you are not. Keep in mind that the best part about dating is getting to know the other person well. Aside from this, also find a way to encourage the other person to feel comfort or easiness whenever he is by your side.

Dating can be exciting and enjoyable as long as you know how to handle everything. Do not forget to follow the tips and tricks mentioned above.

Nothing is wrong with getting hooked on social media.  It’s the kind of messages you engage with that sometimes make it so.  Maybe, it’s about time to be mindful of your responses, the things you share, posts you like, as those describe very much who you are.

Continue reading “Mindfulness: The Ugly Truth About The Content We Consume (Social Media Engagement)”

Are you the type of person who has a hectic schedule to the point that you are starting to miss out on important events or occasions? Do you find it hard to spend time with your loved ones because of your work or business? Is it a struggle to take a day off from everything that keeps you busy? According to psychologists, busy people are productive and efficient in everything they do. However, we cannot deny the fact that their schedule may classify them as top performing individual, but at the same time, it can also be the primary cause of stress and anxiety.

Unfortunately, many people still choose to work too hard even though they are already exhausted or has run out of energy. Because of this, they end up getting sick, and some people also decide to take their own lives. For example, in Japan, the number of stress-related suicide has risen over the past few years. Many Japanese nationals spend most of their times at work even if it means not eating on time or not getting enough sleep at night. Some of these nationals die peacefully in their sleep because of over fatigue while others could no longer take it, which is why they resort to suicide.

In this article, we want to show to everyone that it is still possible to achieve genuine happiness despite your busy or hectic schedule. The primary purpose of this write-up is to encourage all the readers to keep going. We want to remind everyone that you still have a choice on what to feel and how to handle your emotions or thoughts. Make sure to remember these if you want to continue feeling happy even if you have become too busy:

 

Familiarize Your Schedule

Do not get overwhelmed with all the things that you have to do or the events that you need to attend. “Always consider the final result when beginning a task. Have a clear target to hit,” said James Davidson, Ph.D. Take note that you always can control everything that happens in your life. All you must do is to be smart enough in familiarizing your schedule so that it will be easier on your part to become the master of time management. Once you know your day-to-day schedule, you can start to adjust the entries on your calendar. Once this happens, you will begin to become stress-free.

Take A Break If Necessary

Another thing that you must learn how to consider is taking a break from everything that keeps you busy. Find the courage within yourself to take a step back and allow yourself to rest. Take note that just because you have decided to break for a little while does not mean that you are weak. No one should be faulted for wanting to rest for days. Nonetheless, it is crucial on your part to arrange everything at work or in your business before taking off for a quick vacation. As much as possible, conduct a proper turnover of the documents and tasks to avoid any problems while you are gone.

Reward Yourself

There are many entries in your calendar, which is probably the primary reason why you always feel stressed or anxious. By merely looking at these entries, you would probably feel dizzy and want everything to be done. As such, it is best if you will find time to reward yourself whenever you have accomplished something great from your daily schedule. Take note that you deserve to smile and have fun. Reward yourself by going on a shopping spree or getting a makeover. Remember that you deserve good things.

 

Be Physically Active

Regardless of your workload, be sure to find time to exercise or perform fitness activities. “Make exercise an essential part of your routine,” as stated by neuroscientist Alex Korb Ph.D. Always keep in mind that living a healthy lifestyle can do wonders in your mental health. According to science, the human body is capable of releasing dopamine or “happy hormones” once it exercises or engaged in physical activity. For this reason, you will feel happier and become kinder to everyone around you. Do not worry about taking time from your budgeted schedule for the day. All you need is at least thirty minutes to exercise at the gym or the convenience of your own home.

According to Jennice Vilhauer Ph.D., “The reason most people find happiness to be elusive is that they don’t do the things that they need to in order to experience mental wellness.” Do not allow your schedule to cause stress in your life. Instead, use it as a motivator to keep you going.

Moringa oleifera is not something that a therapist typically recommends to people who come to them for psychological assistance. Nevertheless, it provides some benefits that may prevent individuals from dealing with physical conditions that tend to cause depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.

“Depression is a disorder that develops from environmental and biological issues that are unique to each person. Only one out of four individuals [with depression] seeks treatment. The reason more don’t go for psychotherapy or medication is stigma,” says Deborah Serani PsyD.

“Anxiety can become unhealthy if it starts to overwhelm and harasses you with a myriad of thoughts that leave you feeling crippled, intensely fearful, or concerned for your health,” says Alicia H. Clark Psy.D.

“Chronic stress is thought to be a risk factor for conditions as diverse as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression, autoimmune disorders, and even the common cold. The link between chronic stress and opioid addiction may be a contributor to the nation’s opioid crisis,” says Mithu Storoni MD, Ph.D.

Some of the things mentioned above are mental health disorders that need immediate attention and treatment.

Introduction

Moringa oleifera is a tropical tree from the Moringaceae family that can grow without specific cultivation requirements. Its origin can be rooted back to the Himalayan region of India, which remains to be the biggest producer of the plant’s fresh products all over the world.

Moringa germinates from either the limb cuttings or the seeds. The farmers only have to wait for 12 days to see the early stages of its development. It can live off of rainwater and sunlight, but it will wither if planted in a cold place. The flowers start to show after six months, and the fruits can be harvested soon after.

Uses

It is called the “miracle tree” because every part of the Moringa oleifera has a culinary or medicinal use. They are commonly found in South and Southeast Asian dishes and treated as vegetables. For instance, in Thailand, there is a favorite curry recipe that mixes fish with green pods. Indonesians, on the other hand, add the leaves to the soup to make it healthier.

The crushed leaves are also used as a cleaning agent in some countries. The oil that it generates can be wetted before washing your hands so that it can work as a soap. The inhabitants of Nigeria have utilized it as well for dishwashing and for scrubbing down walls.

Moringa oleifera is an excellent source of dark pigment. African nations obtain blue dye from its bark. The gum of the tree has been employed in the past for calico printing, tanning leather, and making condiment.

Its roots have medicinal properties. They have been known to serve as an antibiotic for people who suffer from gout, arthritis, and sexually transmitted diseases. The pulverized roots are combined with salt before applying to the affected area. Mixing its juice with milk, on the one hand, turns it into medicine for coughs, swollen liver, and lumbago.

The animal growers feed Moringa leaves to their pigs, cattle and goat, among others. The plant contains enough nutrients that the animals to grow. It also allows the producers to raise them organically. In the Philippines, all the foods that breastfeeding mothers consume are incorporated with the leaves, because the folks believe that Moringa oleifera helps in generating more milk for the babies.

Leaf juice gets drank as is or made into a concoction by those who have gonorrhea, diabetes, diarrhea, and high blood pressure.

The pulp of the bark is not wasted either, as it can be used to create rope or paper.

Benefits

Moringa oleifera, particularly its leaves, are full of antioxidants that may regulate your blood sugar levels. It has isothiocyanates and chlorogenic acid, which are compounds that reduce the body’s sugar absorption. The benefit that diabetics will get from this is that the leaves can be fused with any food; thus, they may keep the disease at bay.
It is considered a superfood in a lot of countries, for the reason that it comprises of various minerals, protein, and vitamins that people need in their healthy diet. The vitamins A and C strengthen a person’s immune system, while vitamin E can shield you from pollutants, eye cataracts, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Moringa oleifera is a powerful antiseptic that can eliminate fungal and bacterial infections, as well as diminish skin damage, on humans. A 2014 study has assessed the effectivity of a cream, which has the plant’s leaf extract as the main ingredient, in terms of facial skin regeneration. They have found out that aside from it being useful as a skin revitalizer, it also has the potential of decreasing the signs of aging.

The polyphenols that are in the Moringa oleifera have the capability of defending you from liver-related illnesses. Those who excessively drink alcoholic beverages are more at risk of having this organ damaged. Eating or drinking a Moringa product, however, can lower your chances of acquiring oxidative stress, which will eventually evolve into a rather severe liver problem if left untreated.

Moringa oleifera can shrink inflammation that has been caused by enduring illnesses. One research has shown as well that it has anticoagulating properties because of the possible attendance of plasmin- and thrombin-like enzymes in the plant. It entails that the blood in your open wound can clot more easily and stimulate healing.

In Conclusion

Moringa oleifera deserves to be known around the globe as the tree that gives life. It has saved millions of men, women, and children in the impoverished places from famine, as well as a few diseases. The leaves, fruits, flowers, roots, and barks of the plant have their essential uses for both humans and animals. Moringa contains a substantial number of vitamins, antioxidants, protein, minerals, and other chemical compounds that have a considerable probability of curing various illnesses and increasing vitality provided that the scientists can find a way to introduce them to the nations. There is no doubt, therefore, that it is a miracle tree.

When it comes to wellness, you probably know a lot of things. Maybe your friend once told you some tips on how to stay mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy. Perhaps you read articles and watch videos on how to stay focused and goal-oriented. Or maybe your therapist gave you some pieces of advice on how to maintain a good lifestyle for a better living. Whatever your reasons are, for sure the information gets flooded in your head that sometimes makes it impossible for you to work and follow even just one. So before you think about the bombardment of details for wellness and all that, I’ll share some uncomplicated and best ways to achieve overall wellness.

Continue reading “Best Ways To Wellness”

The availability of the services of a counselor has proven to be convenient and practical for several people. Because of the wisdom and treatment provided by counseling sessions, many individuals end up solving their problems and issues. This fact can be considered as good news for people like you who need someone to talk to or a professional who can help you process your thoughts.

Take note that each counselor has a variety of skills. Therefore, you cannot expect all of them to possess the same level of comprehension and understanding of the proper techniques for counseling sessions. Because of this, it becomes more challenging to search for the best counselor who can help you with what you are going through at the moment.

Do not worry because we are going to provide you with a list of the top five qualities every counselor must possess:

Effective Communication

Look for a counselor who can communicate well to all her clients. Keep in mind that the foundation of a good relationship with the said professional is your connection with one another. Take note that opening up to another person can be difficult. A good counselor must know the proper ways on how to make things easier. Keep in mind that between the two of you, he must be the one who shall make an effort in improving the communication lines between the two of you.

“Counselors need to have a natural ability to listen and be able clearly explain their ideas and thoughts to others,” said Ashley Miller, a licensed social worker and psychotherapist.

 

Empathy

Another thing to look for in a counselor is his ability to connect with you. It is crucial for you to feel that he understands what you are going through. Remember that an excellent counselor is someone who looks at you with respect and humility. He must learn how to protect your secrets so that you can have a stronger relationship with him. As such, make sure to observe the way you feel whenever you are face-to-face with the counselor. The way he talks and acts says a lot about his ability to connect with his clients.

“An effective counselor can identify negative thinking patterns that may be feeding feelings of sadness, depression or anxiety,” according to psychiatrist Lynn Ponton, MD.

Acceptance

If there is one vital thing that you must accept at this point in your life, it is the fact that several people will always have something to say to you. What is important is the need to ignore the naysayers and show them otherwise. Because of this, it is imperative on your part to make an effort to avoid people who keep on judging you for your choices and decisions. It is the primary reason why you need to find a counselor who nicely treats you. He must accept who you are and must never make any negative comment about what you are going through. Always remind yourself that there are several counselors out there who can accept everything about their clients.

Honesty

 

Find a counselor whom you can trust with your life. Do not go for a professional who is willing to lie to your face for the sole purpose of making you feel good. What you need is someone who will tell you what is absolutely true, without any color of dishonesty. It must be noted that a dishonest counselor will do more harm than good in your life. For this reason, you have to continue working hard to be able to afford an honest counselor who can assist you in every step of the way. If you have difficulties in accepting certain realities, do not hesitate to talk to your counselor about it.

Conclusion

Searching for the right counselor can be a struggle, especially if you are doing it for the first time. The best thing that you can do is to take your time in looking for the best counselor. According to Susan Lager, LICSW, a psychotherapist and relationship coach in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, “therapy is an interactive process. Express your needs, ask questions, read books, and do the “homework assignments,” she said. Remember that it is better to spend a lot of time for the search than to engage someone who will only increase the stress and anxiety in your life.

Feel free to ask for recommendations or referrals from the people you know so that you can have several options. It is also suggested to book a preliminary appointment with a counselor first before deciding to retain his services for an extended period. Do not be afraid to test the waters. Eventually, all your efforts will be worth it. Be sure to use the checklist mentioned in this article.