6 Drinks that Fight Age

With all the "things to do" & chores to run, it's not often that we forget the little things, and before we know it we're already so lost in our daily activities that we end up tired, exhausted & looking old. Here are some simple tips to keep us looking young - and when I say simple I mean as simple as the things we drink the whole day which we take for granted. This stuff could mean less wrinkles guys !


These six drinks fight aging. See what they are and when to down them.

WATER
When to Drink: At the Alarm

Guzzle water, Dr. Lodge suggests. Hydrating will help beat that groggy feeling and make your skin look its glowy best (both now and later in life), says David E. Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York.

COFFEE
When to Drink: At Breakfast

Coffee may help your heart and (if you take it black) metabolism, and it reduces risk for some types of cancer, studies show.

GREEN TEA
When to Drink: At Lunch

Sip tea. Green kick-starts metabolism and can help fend off breast cancer, says Jonathan R. Cole, M.D., medical director of the California Health and Longevity Institute. Black may lower blood pressure, research from the University of Western Australia suggests.

HOT COCOA
When to Drink: P.M. Snack

Hot cocoa (have it over ice if you can't take the heat) has more antioxidants than does coffee, red wine or green tea, a study from Cornell University reveals. Great for your heart and skin.

RED WINE
When to Drink: At dinner

Enjoy a glass of red wine: Piceatannol, a compound your body makes when you drink vino, could stunt fat-cell growth (woot!), the Journal of Biological Chemistry reports.

MILK
When to Drink: Before Bed

Grab milk-your skeleton will love the calcium, and your muscles will love the protein. You'll wake up even stronger.

To know more check out Self Magazine Yahoo Lifestyle Entertainment

10 simple ways to boost our childs self esteem

1. Take every opportunity to showcase your child's accomplishments. Whether it's artwork on the fridge or a trophy on a bookcase, allow your child to see how much their hard work and dedication matters. Dr. Sears recommends parents, "Discover [each accomplishment], encourage it, frame it, and display it."
2. Encourage your child's opinion. Your child's opinion - free from judgment - matters. Scholastic recommends involving your child in discussions about your household as well as current events. Confidence in sharing their opinion will encourage them to speak up for themselves and causes they believe in.
3. Improve your own self image . Our kids learn from example and if we're always down on ourselves, chances are they'll grow to mirror our negative behavior. According to Dr. Sears, "Children translate your unhappiness with yourself to mean unhappiness with them," and further suggests that older children feel responsible for their parents' happiness. Discover new ways to bring personal joy into your life and spread the happy!
4. Provide gentle nudging. Scholastic says that kids often need gentle nudging on tasks they're afraid of doing wrong. Patience and guidance go a long way in ensuring a child's success.
5. Give your child responsibilities. Ownership and pride go hand in hand. Dr. Sears says,"One of the main ways children develop self- confidence and internalize values is through helping maintain the family living area, inside and out. Giving children household duties helps them feel more valuable, besides channeling their energy into desirable behavior and teaching skills." Parents, make that list and get started!
6. Allow your child to problem solve. As parents, we're often too eager to solve our kids' problems. Scholastic recommends allowing our kids to practice problem solving outside of the school environment to better enable them to solve problems at school in the future. Facilitate problem solving discussions with your child and allow them to arrive at a solution.
7. Provide a sense of belonging. Your child holds an important place in your family, as well as your heart. According to WebMD, "A sense of belonging helps a child to participate in learning new things; learning makes a child feel confident in making contributions; making contributions helps secure a feeling of belonging. This cycle helps establish and strengthen a child's self-esteem." Take opportunities to remind your child.
8. Encourage your child to try new things. Trying new things can be scary, especially for a child who fears doing things wrong. Scholastic reminds us that kids need to try all kinds of different things to build personal preferences and gain valuable experience. Encourage your child to try new things and support him when he does.
9. Watch those labels - Dr. Sears states, "Every child searches for an identity and, when found, clings to it like a trademark." So while your child may indeed be shy, asthmatic, or learning disabled, manage the condition and focus on creating esteem-building labels instead.
10. The most we can ever expect from our children is their personal best. According to Scholastic, kids who are complimented on their efforts are more likely to seek out challenging tasks.

For additional references check out :

12 Ways to Help Your Child Build Self-Confidence | Ask Dr. Sears®

10 Tips to Prevent Common Colds

Benz got sick. She wasn't able to attend school at St. Ambrose for weeks. It's so terrible how a simple cold could escalate into fever & cough but what we take for granted is that prolonged colds with cough & fever can be something very very serious like Ear Infection. This condition is very painful & very dangerous.

Here are some tips to prevent the common colds.

The common cold is arguably the most common illness in humans. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is also one of the most common causes of work and school absenteeism, with up to 22 million school days lost each year in the U.S. Colds are caused by viral infections. Over 200 different viruses can cause cold symptoms of varying severity.

Viruses that cause colds are spread from person to person through tiny droplets of mucus that enter the air from the nasal passages of infected persons and are inhaled by others. Colds can also be spread by touching surfaces that have been contaminated by contact with infected persons and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

While it is impossible to completely prevent the spread of colds, there are steps you can take to reduce your and your family's chances of becoming infected with a virus that causes colds:

• Wash your hands often. This is probably the single best measure to prevent transmission of colds. Especially after shopping, going to the gym, or spending time in public places, hand washing is critical. Frequent hand washing can destroy viruses that you have acquired from touching surfaces used by other people. You can also carry a small tube of hand sanitizer or sanitizing hand wipes when visiting public places. Teach your children the importance of hand washing too.

• Avoid touching your face, especially the nose, mouth, and eye areas, if you are around someone with a cold or have been touching surfaces in a public area.

• Don't smoke. Cigarette smoke can irritate the airways and increase susceptibility to colds and other infections. Even exposure to passive smoke can make you (or your children) more vulnerable to colds.

• Use disposable items if someone in your family is infected. Disposable cups can be thrown away after each use and prevent accidental spread of the virus from sharing of cups or glasses. This is particularly important if you have young children who may try to drink from others' cups.

• Keep household surfaces clean. Door knobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks can all harbor viruses for hours after their use by an infected person. Wipe these surfaces frequently with soap and water or a disinfectant solution.

• If your child has a cold, wash his or her toys as well when you are cleaning household surfaces and commonly-used items.

• Use paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom for hand washing. Germs can live for several hours on cloth towels. Alternatively, have separate towels for each family member and provide a clean one for guests.

• Throw tissues away after use. Used tissues are sources of virus that can contaminate any surface where they are left.

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. While there isn't direct evidence to show that eating well or exercising can prevent colds, maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, with adequate sleep, good nutrition and physical exercise can help ensure that your immune system is in good condition and ready to fight infection if it occurs.

• Control stress. Studies have shown that people experiencing emotional stress have weakened immune systems and are more likely to catch a cold than their calmer counterparts.