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Sleep schedules can be a top complaint for kids and parents. Who wants to get up two hours earlier just for school? To ease the transition, try rolling back your child's bedtime by 20 minutes every two or three days in the last weeks before school starts. Now's the time to ditch that summertime diet and get back to healthy eating. Popsicles as a main course might be fun in the dog days of August, but kids need good nutrition for the school day with a balanced breakfast and a healthy lunch that will keep them fueled-up for learning. If your child complains that they just don't want to go to school, ask what bothers them and don't take “everything” for an answer. Social worries are common, so help your child identify someone to share the lunch table or spend time with on the playground. A late summer playdate can help them reconnect with friends from school. Maybe your child is worried about the classroom work, but remind them that it takes everyone a few weeks to get back up to speed. Acknowledge that some things will be hard and tell them you're willing to help in any way you can, whether that's taking time to review homework or using the services of a tutor. One way to bring summer to a fun close is to plan a family weekend before school starts. That's easier in Michigan because state law requires school summer vacation to continue through Labor Day. Let the kids help you pick a fun family activity for the holiday weekend and make it your formal farewell to the summer season.
1. Eat Healthy Foods 2. Be Active 3. Take Folic Acid 4. Get Your Vaccinations 5. Reduce Alcohol Intake 6. Stop Smoking 7. Talk With Us
Listen To The Music Catch a Wave (Pool) Get “Wild” At The Zoo Go “Hands On” Every Thursday Head To The Library For Summer Savings
First, don't go on a strict diet to avoid gaining weight. A very-low-calorie diet sends starvation signals to your body and can lower your metabolic rate that's under fire from those see-sawing hormones. A lower metabolic rate makes it harder to lose pounds, and you'll lose more muscle mass. If you want an eating plan that will help you keep those pounds off, try the Mediterranean diet that focuses on healthy fats, more vegetables and smaller amounts of lean meat. It's a dietary program that can help you lose weight and it's one that you can live with for the rest of your life. A specific diet plan isn't necessary – just remember it's important to know what you eat and how you eat it. Try to have protein at every meal. It's absorbed by the body more slowly and makes you feel full longer. Adding protein can be as easy as putting a handful of beans in your salad or enjoying a cup of yogurt for dessert. Avoid mindless eating – the kind that happens when you're eating while doing something else, like watching TV. Think about what you're eating and ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?” Slow down and take more time between bites of food and you're likely to eat less, enjoy your food more, and feel full before you finish what’s on your plate. Weightlifting can also be a great help or just use a set of resistance bands. Studies have shown that resistance exercise with more repetitions can build muscle mass and reduce abdominal fat in older women. Include aerobic exercise like jogging, spinning, jumping rope or rowing and you'll help preserve muscle while you lose those excess pounds. Managing your weight is a job that can happen even when you're sleeping. Not enough shuteye can affect the balance of hormones that trigger hunger and indicate fullness. Prepare for a good night's sleep with meditation, deep breathing, or a warm bath. Listen to soothing music or use a white noise machine. Keep your bedroom in complete darkness and turn off your computer, TV, and cell phone.
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It won't be long before the lazy mornings of summer turn into hectic wake-ups as kids go back to school. You still have some time before vacation ends, but it's not too early to begin working toward a successful start to the school year.
If plans to grow your family are in your future, you don't have to wait until a positive pregnancy test to get healthy for that baby. Prenatal care begins when pregnancy starts, but there are things you can do now to help prepare for the healthiest pregnancy possible.
It's the mid-point of summer vacation and moms all across southeast Michigan are looking for ways to help their children enjoy the rest of the season. Here are a handful of suggestions for summer fun with the kids that are easy on the wallet.
Answering the question, “Am I pregnant?” may be as easy as stopping at the drugstore to pick up a home pregnancy test. But store-bought tests aren't always accurate in the earliest stages of pregnancy, and sometimes you just have a feeling that makes you wonder if this is the time. Most of the following symptoms could have nothing to do with pregnancy, but you might be pregnant if…
So, you've turned the corner at age 40 – or maybe you're closer to 50 – and perimenopause is here. That's the 5-to-10-year period (no pun intended) when your body begins to transition toward menopause. Those fluctuating hormones during perimenopause can result in weight gain, but this new season of life doesn't have to come with excess pounds. Now is the time to develop some good habits that will pay off when you step on the scale and for your overall health.
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