Tuesday, November 29, 2016

10 High Vitamin B12 Foods You Can Eat and Simple Recipes To Follow!

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Vitamin B12 is the most complex vitamin that is currently known. It is a water soluble vitamin that helps to maintain the health of the brain and nerves, and it also creates your body’s red blood cells.

It is a very important vitamin, but most people don’t eat enough of it; studies have found that around 40% of Americans have a vitamin B12 deficiency. A deficiency can cause fatigue, depression, anemia, constipation, asthma, low sperm count and mania, and a long-term vitamin B12 deficiency can permanently damage the brain and nervous system. This is because a deficiency can cause the body to produce immature red blood cells that can’t carry oxygen.

Thankfully it is easy to include more vitamin B12 rich foods in your diet. This will help to boost your energy and reduce sugar cravings, as well as reducing depression. It will also lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, protect your body against cancer and reduce your chances of brain degeneration.

But which foods contain vitamin B12? The vitamin is manufactured by bacteria and it is only found in natural animal products, such as meat, milk and eggs. However, synthetic food options are now available, such as cereals and tofu. Although you only need 2.4 mcg of vitamin B12 a day, eating too much won’t cause a problem; the excess is either excreted or stored by the body for later use. These stores can last for up to a year!

If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency and you want to reduce your symptoms, try these foods.

10 Foods That You Should Eat If You Have A Vitamin B12 Deficiency

1. Beef Liver

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 83.1μg (1386% DV)

Per cup: 70.7μg (1178% DV)

Per Serving: 67.3μg (1122% DV)

Beef liver also contains vitamin A, and traces of minerals including zinc, copper and phosphorous. Click here to read the recipe for beef liver with caramelized onions.

2. Clams

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 98.9μg (1648% DV)

Per cup: 84.1μg (1401% DV)

Per serving: 187.9μg (3132% DV)

Clams also contain lots of potassium; three ounces of clams contains 15% of your daily recommended allowance! Click here to read the recipe for garlic clams.

3. Mackerel

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 19.0μg (317% DV)

Per cup: 16.2μg (269% DV)

Per serving: 16.7μg (279% DV)

Mackerel is a good source of vitamin B12, vitamin D and selenium. Click here to read the recipe for grilled mackerel with lime and ginger.

4. Beef

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 6.0μg (100% DV)

Per cup: 5.1μg (85% DV)

Per serving: 2.0μg (34% DV)

Beef is a great source of protein and zinc, as well as vitamin B12. Click here to read the recipe for beef goulash.

5. Silken Tofu

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 2.4μg (40% DV)

Per cup: 2.0μg (34% DV)

Per serving: 2.2μg (37% DV)

Tofu contains all eight essential amino acids, as well as lots of protein. Click here to read the recipe for tofu chocolate pie.

6. Skimmed Milk

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 0.5μg (8% DV)

Per cup: 1.2μg (21% DV)

Per serving: 4.9μg (82% DV)

Skimmed milk is a great source of vitamin B12, and it is also filled with calcium and vitamin D. Click here to read the recipe for skimmed milk chocolate pudding.

7. Eggs

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 2.0μg (33% DV)

Per cup: 0.3μg (6% DV)

Per serving: 0.36μg (6% DV)

Much like milk, eggs are also a great source of vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Click here to read the recipe for Spanish omelettes.

8. Crab

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 11.5μg (192% DV)

Per cup: 9.8μg (163% DV)

Per serving: 15.4μg (257% DV)

Crab contains vitamins B12, A, B and C, as well as zinc and magnesium. Click here to read the recipe for curried crab with chilli and coconut.

9. Swiss Cheese

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 3.1μg (51% DV)

Per cup: 0.86μg (14% DV

Per serving: 3.3μg (55% DV)

Swiss cheese is a great source of vitamin b12, calcium and protein. Click here to read the recipe for Swiss cheese meatloaf.

10. Bran Cereal

Vitamin B12 per 100g: 20.0μg (333% DV)

Per cup: 18.0μg (300% DV)

Per serving: 6.0μg (100% DV)

Bran cereal is rich in both vitamin B12 and fibre: in fact, there are 5 grams of fibre in one serving! Click here to read the recipe for All Bran muffins.

You should consult your doctor if your symptoms persist after introducing more vitamin B12 to your diet.

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Struggle with High-Blood Pressure? Try this "DASH" High-Blood Pressure Diet Plan!

High blood pressure diet

If your blood pressure is constantly 140/90, or higher, that means you have hypertension, or high blood pressure. Since it mostly does not display any symptoms, the only way to know for sure if you have high blood pressure is to measure it regularly and visit the doctor to confirm the diagnosis.

High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” for a reason – you don’t feel any symptoms, but it can do a lot of damage to your body. It puts additional pressure on your heart and blood vessels, and may lead to several serious complications such as:

  • Aneurysm
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Stroke
  • Kidney disease

Having a high blood pressure requires changes in your lifestyle, with the diet being one of the aspects that can greatly influence this condition.

How food influences your blood pressure

Some types of foods can aggravate your blood pressure. You should stay away from foods that contain a lot of salt. You should reduce the daily intake of sodium to 1,500 mg. Furthermore, stay away from sugar, as it leads to obesity which in return increases the blood pressure. The American Heart Association advises limiting  the intake of alcohol to one or two drinks per day as this also causes the increase in blood pressure.

Foods that are high in potassium, magnesium and fiber should be a part of your high blood pressure diet as they can be natural remedies that help you normalize the blood pressure. There is a vast range of fruits and vegetables rich in those nutrients, thus you can easily incorporate them into your dietary plan.

Foods that increase your blood pressure Foods that help normalize blood pressure
Canned soups Bananas
Pickled vegetables Apricots
Deli meat Potatoes
Frozen pizza Spinach
Sweets Green beans
Canned tomato products Beets
Red meat Oatmeal

Regulate your blood pressure with DASH diet

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a dietary plan that aims to reduce the foods that can spike up your blood pressure and it introduces various types of food that contain nutrients that can bring benefits to people suffering from high blood pressure. It was designed by the USA National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with the aim to reduce blood pressure but it was found helpful with weight loss, reducing cholesterol and controlling diabetes, and for six years in a row it has been proclaimed as the best diet by US News and World Report.

The DASH diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy, whole grains, lean meat, fish and poultry, nuts and beans. It follows recommendations on the sodium intake and the consumption of healthy nutrients. It has been evaluated by numerous researches.

The DASH plan includes:

Type of food Number of servings for 1600 – 3100 Calorie diets Servings on a 2000 Calorie diet
Grains and grain products
(include at least 3 whole grain foods each day)
6 – 12 7 – 8
Fruits 4 – 6 4 – 5
Vegetables 4 – 6 4 – 5
Low fat or non fat dairy foods 2 – 4 2 – 3
Lean meats, fish, poultry 1.5 – 2.5 2 or less
Nuts, seeds, and legumes 3 – 6 per week 4 – 5 per week
Fats and sweets 2 – 4 limited

High blood pressure diet plan

With many available recipes, it is easy to incorporate DASH plan and to have a diversified high blood pressure diet that suits your taste.

Breakfast

Applesauce French Toast

What you need:

  • 4 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/4 cup non-sweet applesauce
  • 6 slices of whole wheat bread

How to prepare:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and soak the bread slices, then cook them over a lightly greased skillet until they become golden brown. Serve it with some light yogurt.

Lunch

Pizza in a Pita

What you need:

  • 2 pieces of whole wheat pita bread
  • 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella cheese low on sodium
  • 1/4 cup of tomato sauce
  • Vegetables of your choosing

How to prepare:

Preheat the oven at 3500F (or 1800C). Split the bread into two pieces and put the tomato sauce, cheese and vegetables. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake it in the oven for 7-10 minutes. Serve it with some nonfat milk, and treat yourself with some cantaloupe afterwards.

Snack

Blueberry muffins

What you need:

  • 1 – 1/2 cups of flour
  • 1/2 cup of raw oatmeal
  • 1/3 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1/2 cup of dry milk
  • 1/4 cup of oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup of frozen blueberries

How to prepare:

Preheat the oven at 3500F (or 1800C). Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in two separate bowls. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix a little, then add the blueberries and mix again. Put the mixture into a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.

Dinner

Brown rice burgers

What you need:

  • 2 cups of cooked brown rice
  • ½ cup of chopped parsley
  • 1 cup of finely grated carrot
  • ½ cup of finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove of minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 beaten eggs
  • ½ cup of whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

How to prepare:

Mix all ingredients, except the vegetable oil, in one bowl, and divide the mixture into 12 patties. Put the vegetable oil into a skillet and heat it. Cook the patties for 4-5 minutes on each side. You can serve the burgers with side dishes such as baked potato, or a salad, such as a tomato spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Treat yourself with some delicious fruit afterwards.

Before taking any actions in treating your high blood pressure, you should consult a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and get some helpful medical advice.

Featured photo credit: https://unsplash.com/ via unsplash.com

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Is Your Swollen Stomach Belly Fat Or Bloating? 4 Questions To Find The Answer

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For those of you who have ever suffered from a swollen stomach, you will be aware that this can be an uncomfortable and emotionally distressing experience. What you may not know is the root cause of this. While many believe that it occurs as the result of excess belly fat, it may actually be the manifestation of bloating.

It is important to distinguish between these two issues, as both have entirely different triggers and are indicative of potentially diverse health problems. A lack of knowledge and understanding may also cause you to use the wrong approach to deal with the problem, which could exacerbate the issue and the symptoms you are forced to manage.

How Can you Tell the Difference Between Belly Fat and Bloating?

When presented with a swollen stomach, the first step is to monitor your symptoms to determine what is the most likely cause. This can enable you to make an informed decision on how you deal with the problem, ensuring that you pursue suitable courses of treatment that deliver the desired result.

With this in mind, here are four important considerations when attempting to distinguish between belly fat and bloating:

1. Is the Swelling Localized or Widespread?

To begin with, examine your stomach visually. Is the swelling localised, or can you identify bulges in other places on your body? If you answer yes to the former, you are most likely suffering from bloating that has targeted the stomach and the abdominal regions. If you notice additional bulges elsewhere and particularly on the thighs, hips and buttocks, however, you are probably carrying excess fat.

2. Is Your Swollen Stomach Firm or Spongy?

At this point, take the time to press your stomach and focus specifically on the most pronounced areas of swelling. As a general rule, stomach fat will feel spongy and malleable when pressure is applied, whereas bloating usually makes your abdomen appear tight and noticeably firm. As a result of this, anyone who can grasp more than an inch of your stomach, it is probably carrying excess fat.

3. Is the Swelling Constant or Intermittent?

The duration of your swelling is also a key indicator of the root cause, as fat cells build up over time and are likely to remain constantly. In contrast, bloating occurs in intermittent periods, meaning that the shape of your stomach may fluctuate throughout the course of each day.

4. Is the Swelling Painful?

On a final note, it is important to check whether or not the swelling is accompanied by pain. After all, bloating is almost always a painful experience to some degree or another, whereas excess fat is not known to cause any physical discomfort. The presence of excess gas is also a symptom of bloating, particularly if it coincides with the expansion of your stomach.

How Can you Deal with a Bloated Stomach?

Establishing your precise symptoms should offer a clear indication into the root cause of your swollen stomach, and at this stage, you can begin to plot a clear course of action. This is crucial, as the failure to distinguish between fat and a bloated stomach causes many to categorise swelling as a trivial and unimportant problem that only impacts on their physical appearance.

This is a significant oversight, as a bloated stomach may also be indicative of a serious health concern known as dysbiosis. This refers to an imbalance that exists between good and bad bacteria within your stomach, where unhealthy and unnatural organisms such as yeast and protozoa become prominent in the intestines and alter the bodies fundamental nutrition patterns.

This imbalance, which hinders the growth of the 400 organisms that are naturally found in the stomach, can cause a multitude of health complaints in addition to bloating (including indigestion, diarrhoea, nausea, iron deficiency, stomach infestations, fatigue and even skin conditions).

So if you have determined that your stomach is bloated rather than covered in excess fat, here are some initial steps you can take to manage this problem:

1. Stay Hydrated At All Times

Let’s start with the basics, as when you are not drinking enough fluids, your body automatically retains water to prevent dehydration. So, by maximising your fluid intake and drinking at least six, eight-ounce glasses of liquid each day, you can remain hydrated and prevent the retention of water. Just be selective about the drinks that you consume, with the best bet being to focus on water and avoid sugary or artificially flavoured drinks.

2. Consume Largely High-Protein Meals

Similarly, high-protein meals can also reduce water retention and alleviate the symptoms of bloating. This is because such diets promote the elimination of fluids through urine, helping tissues to dry out over time. This is particularly effective for women, who are most likely to suffer from water retention and subsequent bloating.

3. Reduce your Carbohydrate Intake

In case you weren’t aware, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) remains the most common digestive disorder in the world, affecting an estimated 14% of the global population (most of whom are undiagnosed). Bloating is a common symptom of this ailment, but even if you are not suffering from IBS, this conditions may offer an insight into the root cause of your problem.

More specifically, indigestible carbohydrates known as FODMAPS are known to drastically increase stomach bloating and exacerbate the symptoms of IBS, so reducing or at least modifying your carb intake can lead to a dramatic improvement in your condition over time.

What if You are Suffering from Belly Fat?

For those of you who find that they are simply carrying excess belly fat, here are some tips and techniques that can help you to trim this and restore a healthier physical form:

1. Avoid Refined Sugar and Simple Carbs

Interestingly, those carrying excess belly fat should also look to manage their carbohydrate intake carefully. Avoiding ‘simple’ carbs that are loaded with fat is a good starting point, as it eliminating the type of refined sugar found in chocolate, sweets and so-called energy drinks.

2. Create a Protein and Fibre Rich Body

The cultivation of a protein and fibre rich body can also help to reduce stomach fat over time. Protein is known to reduce unhealthy food cravings by 60%, for example, while also boosting metabolism by between 80 and 100 calories. A diet containing soluble and viscous fibres also triggers a slower and more effective digestion process, making you feel fuller for longer and maintaining a reduced, natural appetite.

Just remember that fibres are similar to carbohydrates in terms of their complexity, so you will need to determine which ingredients are the most conducive to fat and weight loss.

3. Combine Diet with Exercise

When looking to trim body fat, exercise is a key consideration. This should be aligned with diet to achieve the optimal results, although it is important to strike the ideal balance between cardiovascular and muscle work-outs. Performing abdominal exercises alone is not enough to reduce belly fat, as you must engage in high-intensity activity to burn the fat and reduce the circumference of your weight.

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How To Sleep With A stuffy Nose? A Complete Sleeping Routine To Save Your Night!

how to sleep with a stuffy nose

Sometimes it can feel like it is impossible to have a good night’s sleep when you have a stuffy nose. This can affect your body and your mind, causing you to feel fatigued and irritated.

But why does this happen? A stuffy nose is normally caused by sinusitis, which is often referred to as a sinus infection. Sinusitis causes headaches and pain around your eyes and nose, as well as a stuffy nose and even tooth pain. These symptoms can be even worse if you also suffer from allergies.

If you’re fed up of not being able to sleep, don’t worry. There are lots of tips and tricks that you can use to make it easier to sleep with a blocked nose.

Here’s everything that you need to know about how to sleep with a stuffy nose.

How To Sleep With A Stuffy Nose: A Complete Routine From Day To Night

1. During The Day

Don’t drink caffeine after 2PM. Caffeine is a stimulant that can keep you awake until the early hours, and it’s also dehydrating which will make a stuffy nose and sinus pain even worse. Stop drinking caffeine at 2PM so that your body has the chance to rehydrate and relax before you go to sleep.

Use a nasal spray. An over-the-counter nasal saline spray will keep your nasal passages moist, which will be less irritating for your nostrils than dry air. You can also use a humidifier to keep the air moist in your room so that your nose is less likely to be irritated.

2. In The Evening

Drink chicken soup. Studies have found that chicken soup contains a compound that helps to reduce nasal swelling. Chicken soup is also easy to digest and it is very nutritious, so it can help to increase your body’s natural defense against the microbes that are causing your stuffy nose.

Take a hot shower. Steam is a great way to clear your nasal passage, throat and lungs, so taking a shower before bed should help to reduce your symptoms before you try to sleep. You can also use a boiling pot of water to clear your passages; simply put your head over the pot and put a towel over your head to trap the steam. A few minutes of breathing like this should quickly clear up any mucus in your nose.

Drink peppermint tea. Peppermint tea will soothe a sore throat and loosen mucus in the throat. If you buy fresh peppermint you can also soak the stem in boiling water for another hot drink that will help to relive a stuffy nose.

3. Before Bed

Make sure that your bedroom is cool and dark. If you are struggling to sleep, light and noise will make it even harder. Make your room cool and dark so that you can focus on falling asleep without any distractions.

Prop up your head with pillows. One of the best ways to get rid of a stuffy nose is to sleep with your head elevated by a few pillows. If your head is above your heart it will decrease the amount of blood pooling in the nose, which helps to reduce any nasal swelling. Lying flat will also cause mucus to build up in your nose which makes breathing even more difficult.

These tips are ideal for most people who are struggling to sleep due to a stuffy nose, but some people will need to speak to a doctor about their nasal problems. If you have had severe sinus and nasal pain for more than a week alongside a fever you should speak with an ear, nose and throat specialist about treatment.

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6 Commonly Ignored Tips Essentially Important When Caring For Older People

elderly

Living and caring for an aging parent is a challenge that concerns the whole family. Elderly people are like children, they need attention, love, patience, and to be respected and valued so that they can live a happy life. However, that does not mean that we should make them feel inferior.

Most people and agencies who take care of the elderly agree that taking care of an old person is a moral duty that should not be avoided.

Here are 6 usually ignored tips that will come in handy and help you get alongside them if you have an aging parent or loved one at home or in a health care aid agency that will help them stay alive.

1. Treat Them Nicely

Elderly people get easily upset when we treat them with disdain and this affects their entire well-being. Always watch your actions, inaction, and reactions. Old people get upset when we treat them as children – just because they are forgetful, it should not mean that we should use that weakness against them. Do not remind them of how weak and slow they are, it is disrespectful.

Avoid reproaches, criticism and scolding. Treating them badly will only frustrate, embarrass and make their condition worse.

2. Engage Them In Very Light Exercise

Try to get your age parent to have some light physical activity like taking a very short walk, once in a while. Physical exertion must be performed at their convenience during the day, so as to stimulate blood circulation.

Provide physical and cognitive stimulation to the elderly. Don’t allow them to stay all day in bed or seating in their chair. Therefore, caregivers should engage and encourage and assist elderly people to take a walk, and exercise lightly like swinging arms only as much as his or her body system can tolerate.

3. Eliminate Idleness

Idleness breeds illness, try to engage elderly people and motivate them with some daily task. Research has proven that if older and elderly people are engaged in activities, this will give them an extra motivation to live. As a caregiver, search for a project you can do alongside them once in a while or every day – this will help keep their brain active.

Spend a bit of one-on-one time with them like looking at a photo together, talk about their past, knit a scarf, watch a movie, listen to music.

4. Perfect Home Lighting System

Older people easily get moody, but the right lighting system at home will go a long way in affecting their mood. Use lights that are not too bright but not too dim either. Ensure you use a lighting system that will encourage them and not make them depressed. If the elderly person is concerned about the expense of light, ensure you reduce the light and keep the entire house bright.

When it’s dark, always keep it bright until they need to sleep. Keep the lighting switch at their reach close to their bed so they could use it at will.

5. Show Concern Over Their Health

It is common for an older adult to consume several kinds of pills, which can get them confused on their dose. Also, there is usually a tendency towards self-medication, this is very dangerous. Thus, it is necessary for you, as a family member or caregiver to take control of all medication-related situations.

It is recommended that you keep a routine check on each medication. This way, you are showing concern about their health, and let everyone know the schedule of each medicine and how to administer them.

Talk to them about how they feel over particular treatment and ensure you keep a profile of what they tell you as this will assist the doctors to help them get better.

6. Talk with Them

Older people are usually ignored because they oftentimes lack the ability to keep a conversation alive. Talking will help keep their minds awake and active while greatly improving their quality of life. If you are visiting, try talking to them and watching the TV. Older people have a lot of experience to offer in a conversion even though they are always repeating the same stories or the same complaints. A poll by Emmanuel O. Victor, on the effect of listening in a relationship, showed that listening is love.

Finally, several types of research by psychologists and experts point out that elderly people feel happy and safe if they are respected and cared for by their own family or home health aide agencies. Also, provide a safe environment by removing objects that could cause injuries or obstructions. Install railings in the bathroom to assist them while bathing.

As caregivers, if we treat elderly people right irrespective of their health challenges, we are in actuality giving them a reason to smile and live for another day.

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Hoarding: A Classified Mental Health Disorder, Do You Need Help?

clutter

I once knew someone very close to me who suffered from what we now know as the Hoarding Disorder. Had we known at the time that what he suffered from was well beyond his control, we might have been able to give him the help he needed. Sadly, we just thought he was being stubborn and eccentric.

Knowledge of hoarding was very minimal at one point, and was not considered a disorder of its own until the New DSM-V (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition) came out.

If someone you care about is showing signs of hoarding, let them know you understand. Embarrassment can play a key role in Hoarding Disorder, and feeling the need to hide from their family or loved ones will further increase symptoms.

Hoarding Warning Signs

From my experience, hoarding doesn’t happen over night. Subtle signs will start showing, and it’s these signs that need attention before the situation becomes larger and more impossible to control.

  •  An unnatural attachment to items
  • Great discomfort in letting others handle or touch the items
  • Uncontrollable and helpless against collecting more and more items
  • Extreme uneasiness, reluctance and refusal to discard anything
  • Unorganized, incapable of knowing where to put their possessions
  • Embarrassment over their living situation
  • Secluding themselves from friends and family
  • Depression and feelings of helplessness
  • Eventually takes over their lives

Hoarding, Causes, and Consequences

Hoarding is a mental illness, and was categorized within the OCD spectrum. However, with the new DSM-V, hoarding has been classified in a spectrum of its own, and acknowledged as a disorder that requires treatment. Often, a childhood traumatic event is the stressor that contributes to hoarding. This, in a way, is therapeutic, as their possessions provide a feeling of safety. However, it simultaneously increases conflicted feelings. The disorder itself causes anxiety and depression.

Other Disorders

Hoarding is very closely associated with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. Psychologists say the behavior is a coping mechanism.

Quality of Life

As you can imagine, this disorder can control one’s life, in the same manner as addiction. Their fix may provide momentary relief, yet creates a much greater problem in the long run. In time, the items they have accumulated become far larger themselves. The piles become higher, the pathways from one room to another become more narrow, and eventually, the clutter is in a way, swallowing them alive. The kitchen and bathrooms can become unstable due to the hoarding. Items collected can range from several old toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, used ziplock bags, old store coupons, newspapers and endless recycling to broken furniture, and everything in between. The individual is unable to organize their possessions. Piles will accumulate, and health becomes extremely compromised within the living conditions.

Chinese modern artist Song Dong came up with an amazing solution for his mother’s lifetime collection of possessions. He displayed all his childhood homes’ items that his mother had collected from shoes to cans and from broken kitchen utensils to a surplus of clothing hangers. This art installation is called ‘Waste Not’ and was displayed at The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His mother Zhao Xiangyuan (1938–2009) was pleased to see her collection displayed with pride. Her hoarding was triggered by the death of her husband.

Criteria for Diagnosis

  • Extreme difficulty discarding items
  • Severe anxiety in the idea of discarding items
  • Discarding of items contributes to feelings of major loss and mourning
  • Extreme anxiety with the thought of something accidentally landing in the trash
  • Regularly going through the trash to check
  • Severely interferes with regular life functions such as work, relationships, health
  • Very possessive of their possessions
  • The hoarding is not a result of another mental illness

There Is Help

With a new social understanding of the Hoarding Disorder, there are specialists that can help. They have seen it all, and understand the disorder, they can help those suffering under the weight of their possessions. There are organizations that can help remove the items for donation to others that would get good use from them. As well, there are organizations that can get the individual’s home back to a place where they can live, and not just exist. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been found to be successful in maintaining a clutter free mental state. And one very important factor to remember is that no one with this disorder is alone!

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4 Bulletproof Strategies That Are Key to Achieving Your Lifelong Entrepreneurial Goals

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The most successful entrepreneurs are driven, highly motivated and goal-oriented individuals. They always have a clear vision of what their end-goal is, whether it’s being the most dominant player in the industry or offering a unique service that others have shied away from. Merely starting a company is not enough to have a successful career. You need to be able to sustain it. Sadly, 90% of startups fail within the first 5 years, and only 10% are able to find success. At times, failure comes due to poor planning, at times due to sheer bad luck.

While the new government is said to be planning to change some rules regarding businesses, the basic formula for success remains the same. Without much ado, let’s have a look at what you need to find success in this the business world.

1. Clearly List Short and Long-term Goals

Setting goals is one thing, but do you plan to track them with the passage of time? Do you have any systems in place to keep you on track?

So you’ve listed down your goals. That’s great! You now need to break them up in increments, setting up short-term goals that will act as a platform for achieving long-term goals.

Write down what goals you’re accomplishing this year. Take a step back and think… is there anything in particular you should be doing this month in order to meet that goal? Think again – what should you be doing this week that will take you a step closer to your monthly goal?

A number of entrepreneurs tend to fail when it comes to achieving goals because their thought process or strategies are flawed. They may be setting goals, but it doesn’t quite inspire them to aim high or set unusually high expectations. Don’t fall for that. Be practical and set attainable goals, and continue to track those goals.

2. Set Deadline-oriented Milestones

So you have clearly articulated goals but it doesn’t end there – you’re not just in the business of setting goals but achieving major milestones. Pick a realistic timeframe and estimate by what date you’ll be achieving a particular milestone.

In addition, set intermediate milestone periods to act as reference points along your entrepreneurial journey. For example, if you plan to gain about 20% market share in the first quarter, the goals revolving around that will take you to your very first milestone. Done! Cross it off your list and move on to the next one. Keep your chief milestone in mind all the while.

Remember, there’s no such thing as unachievable goals, only unachievable deadlines. Give yourself time, stick to that timeframe and deliver the goods.

3. Don’t Run Away From Change

Every year holds promise – new technology and trends, legislation, ever-changing needs of consumer groups and industries, etc.

New innovations in the market might completely change consumer behavior.

If you’re far-sighted enough to realize that change is inevitable and you’ll need to embrace it, you are in the black. For example, what are your customers talking about? What do they desire the most? Are there any real benefits you can add to the marketplace?

Try to be on top of these things and you’ll achieve one of your greatest lifelong goals as an entrepreneur: continuing to generate revenues and having people approach you as “the go-to guy”.

4. Come to Terms With Your Purpose

It doesn’t matter if you’re a solo entrepreneur or an entire corporation – this one is absolutely critical for long-term success.

Aside from the generating revenue bit, you really need to know why you’re in this. And this sense of purpose and vision needs to be shared all across your team.

Sit down with a cup of coffee, find a nice view to gaze at and think about how you want to bring change into the world. How will your product change lives? Is your primary purpose just to educate and spread awareness or do you also want to add a touch of luxury and convenience to people’s lives?

You will probably not come across a single successful entrepreneur today who hasn’t made it big without a well-defined purpose. You see, when you define a purpose for doing business, you’re setting a standard for what direction you need to move in.

So once you have set clear and measurable goals, sync them with your purpose and then stick to your guns.

In the entrepreneurship game, you need to have a sense of purpose and fulfill that purpose through meaningful goals which will help you reach your end goal or grand finale, if you will. Embrace change when needed and honor your deadlines to achieve lifelong success as an entrepreneur.

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5 Educational Games to Help Your Kids' Mental Development

games

Are you surprised hat educational games can go a long way in helping your kids development? Let me show you how educational games can fast-track your child’s development. Let’s take a look at this:

Researchers discovered that kids who scored higher on a test or in the exam are an expert of symbolic gameplay.
Due to the growing popularity of these educational games, it is important to learn what effects they may have on your children, and what may moderate these effects. This article will show you different kinds of educational games and the positive impact they can have on your kids. Baby gender differences and parental monitoring over child’s gaming are studied as potential moderators.

The important thing is to heed how and why educational games play can impact your kid’s development. By distinction, children living in literate communities are encouraged to engage in complex, pretend play, Such play might improve a child’s academic readiness, and enhance his or her long-term economic prospects.

Anger control is an essential public health problem, and it has remained stated that anger-related behavior, such as violence and hostility, this is one of the more common reasons children are brought in for mental health services. Engaging your kids with exciting and fun educational games can go a way to stimulate their mind and get it busy, and I can tell you that their mental reasoning will improve much more quickly.
Here are 5 educational games you can engage your children in:

1. The ABC’s Zoo Learning Game

This involved list of animals representing one alphabet each and kids are expected to identify each alphabet and memorize them. If this process is replicated every day, I can bet you that your children will be familiar or they will be able to recognize letters whenever they see it in class, test hall or any other place.

2. The Pizza Game
pizza-game

In this game the pizza needs eight toppings—and your child is expected to assist, and examine simple computing using pizza toppings in this entertaining math game. Preschoolers practice counting toppings one-by-one, aided by obvious clues to help them get each sequence rightThis solid counting game helps kids master counting. This game provides a framework for success. With addition difficulty levels, this game can help train your children in recognizing numbers.

3. Complex Lowercase Alphabet Bingo Game
lowercase-alphabet

When kids start learning the alphabet, it is normal for lots of kids to flip and reverse characters. This shows that letters such as p,q, and d were especially hard to remember. Try this leveling bingo game to let your child build lowercase letter identification skills, especially for letters d, b, p, q and g. This will help your kids to be able to differentiate upper case from the lower case letters.

4. Hard hats on Game
numer-demolition

Children practice recognizing numbers 11 to 20 in this demolition game. Every time they identify a number, Foxy and Rolex go together to hit out a brick. Answer enough questions, and the old building will fall. Kids love the silly animation so much; they won’t realize that they’re retaining necessary number recognition skills.

5. Uppercase Alphabet Hopper
upper-case

First, you will hear an index of the letter, then click on the corresponding capital letter to send bug-bug jumping and splashing in the mud. Once your child gets their cards down, they will be ready to play this game, and it is an excellent way to train the recognition of upper case letters without really having to get dirty in the mud!

If the above-mentioned games are effectively utilized, you will be so amazed by how brilliant and mentally developed your kids will be, and they will stand out among their mates in school or in the society they belong to. There are still a lot of educational games on the internet to help your kids develop faster.

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