“I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.”
― Louise L. Hay
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Reduce Distractions to Stay Engaged With Your Kids
For well-rounded, healthy kids, they need you to be engaged with them and what they are doing. Engagement will improve their mental health, and can even help with their overall wellness. Reducing your distractions is a perfect way to start becoming more engaged in them.

Be Present When They Are Talking
When your kids get home from school, it is usually when they are most excited about the day and want to tell you about what they did or learned. Afterschool is an excellent time to be present and pay attention to what they have to say. It is wonderful for your kid's self-esteem when they know mom and dad genuinely want to hear what they have to say, follow along with their stories and chime in when appropriate. Always have an open ear ready to listen to your kids, instead of constantly being distracted by other things.

Put the Phone Down
Your cell phone is probably one of the biggest distractions that keep you from paying more attention to your kids. It is hard to stay engaged with them when your nose is constantly in your phone. Of course, there are times when you need to look at it, like answering a critical text or checking your calendar. But when your kids want to have play time with you or are telling a story, turn the phone off and put it down for a while. Your kids will notice that you are putting in an effort, which is huge for their confidence and mental health.

Reduce Screen Time
Paying attention to the amount of screen time a person encounters in a day isn't just for the kids, but for you as well. If you want to spend more quality time with your kids, cooking meals and going on family walks, there is only enough time when you reduce some of the other unhealthy activities you might have. Reduce their TV and computer time during the week so that there is extra time for engaging and socializing with each other. Spending time together is good for their mental and physical health and yours too.
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Find Activities to do Together
Finally, think about some activities you can participate in together. New activities might be walking the dog in the evening after dinner, teaching them how to cook or bake, or playing outside over the weekend. Take them to the lake to fish and go hiking, or help them with their homework while the TV and cell phone is turned off completely.
 

By the 2nd or 3rd grade, the focus of school primarily becomes that of learning information.  To be able to do this effectively, the child must have effectively developed his nervous system and have a brain where both halves are working together efficiently.  When the brain is unintegrated, the child is unable to cross his eyes or limbs over the midline, an invisible line down the middle of the body.   This negatively affects reading and writing.  Likewise, the vestibular system, which is connected to the visual and auditory systems and coordinates visual and auditory perception and processing, must be appropriately developed.

Appropriate integration of the two hemispheres is necessary for everyday school tasks such as reading, writing, mathematics, and general processing and comprehension.  Stress can block off access to part of the brain, such as the weaker hemisphere or frontal lobe.  This is why it is important to create a low-stress environment for learning. 

Those who struggle with directionality, for example, have issues that root in their vestibular system, a balance mechanism that lies in the middle ear, and can be helped with daily movement activities in the classroom (Goddard Blythe, 2009).   

In addition to academic difficulties, emotional immaturity is often accompanied by immaturity in the functioning of the nervous system.  Examples are poor impulse control and difficulty in reading the body language of others (J).  Therefore, it is imperative that the early years, including pre-school through first grade, focus on proving children with rich movement activities that develop a well-developed and integrated brain. 

---This is from my book:  Movement Makes Math Meaningful: Away from the Desk Math Lessons Aligned with the Common Core

​Tea is hot, healthy and refreshing. Not only is it loaded with beneficial nutrients but it also contains zero calories which means you can enjoy multiple cups each day without gaining weight. Plus, there are plenty of varieties to choose from, so there’ll definitely be a tea out there that matches your taste buds. In this article I’ll be listing five of the best healthy teas you should try.

1. Black Tea
 
Black tea has a strong, distinctive flavor and can be enjoyed hot or cold and drank with or without milk. There are two main reasons why black tea is so good for you. First, it keeps you hydrated and protects against the harmful effects of dehydration. Second, it contains high levels of flavan-3-ols (a group of powerful phytonutrients that are also referred to as catechins or flavanols).
 
2. Ginger Tea
 
Ginger tea is a herbal infusion that utilizes the power of ginger to boost your health. It has a warm, spicy flavor and is a great choice if you want to clear your throat. Since it contains ginger, this herbal infusion has no flavan-3-ols but does supply your body with lots of copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
 
3. Green Tea
 
Green tea is probably the most popular tea in health and fitness circles and is regularly praised for its strong antioxidant content and its cancer fighting properties. It has a light vegetal taste which is both unique and refreshing. Like black tea, green tea is very hydrating and is also packed full of flavan-3-ols.
 
4. Rooibos Tea
 
Rooibos is a herbal infusion that tastes similar to black tea but is slightly sweeter. It contains zero calories and because of this, it’s a great choice just before bed. In terms of nutrition, rooibos tea contains large amounts of flavan-3-ols, phenolic compounds and the antioxidants aspalathin and nothofagin.
 
5. White Tea
 
White tea is a lesser known tea that is slowly gaining popularity in the Western world. It has a mild but fruity flavor and is a satisfying alternative to green tea. White tea comes from the same plant as black tea and green tea and contains the highest concentration of flavan-3-ols of all three.
 
Summary
 
By drinking these five teas on a regular basis, you can enjoy a wide range of health benefits which include cancer prevention, enhanced energy levels, a healthy heart, reduced stress levels, stronger bones and teeth and much more. So get the kettle on, brew up and start hydrating with tea today.

If you are super interested in knowing other ways how to help your family stay away from the cold and flu, then join our free immune boosting bundle: https://ldegarci.builderall.net/Natural-Remedies

When fall comes around, it isn’t just time to celebrate pumpkin spice lattes, Halloween, and the holiday season, it is also when you should be aware of the risk of getting illnesses like the cold and flu. It is both cold and flu season, putting you and your family members at risk of being ill for days or weeks at a time. This report is going to guide you through some easy and natural ways to prevent getting the cold and flu, so you can truly enjoy the fall and winter seasons.
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Before talking about the different ways you can prevent the cold and flu with healthy habits and some lifestyle changes, let’s look at the difference between the cold and the flu.

Common Cold
The common cold is a type of viral infection you get in your upper respiratory tract. You might get more of a head cold, a chest cold, or a combination of both. With the cold, it is generally less of a health risk than the flu, though you can often feel just as miserable.

The cold often represents with symptoms like:
Coughing
Sneezing
Runny Nose
Sore Throat
Slight Fever

The common cold usually lasts a little less time than the flu, where you can bet better in about a week.

Flu
The flu is more of a serious illness, and therefore often requires medical intervention. The flu, also called influenza, is a type of respiratory illness caused by either the A or B influenza virus. This can occur in the fall, but it is actually more of a winter and spring illness. However, it is unique in that you might be able to prevent it by getting the flu shot before flu season officially arrives.
 
1. Develop Daily Healthy Habits
When you are trying to prevent illnesses like the cold and flu, you should first look at your daily habits. There are many small things that seem insignificant, but can actually make a large impact in your overall health. These daily habits don’t always boost your immune system, but they stop the spread of germs, hopefully in time to prevent you from catching your daughter’s cold she brought home from school, or the flu that is going around at work.

Wash Your Hands Regularly
You guessed it – the first daily healthy habit that can help you prevent the cold and flu is washing your hands. This is often how germs spread, as you might touch a surface with cold or flu germs, then innocently touch your mouth or nose. Germs spread very easily, even when you don’t realize it. However, by doing something as simple as washing your hands more often, especially in the workplace, you can prevent the spread of germs.

Tips for Washing Your Hands More Often
Are you finding it difficult to wash your hands frequently throughout the day? Here are a few tips:

Wash your hands every time you are in a bathroom, even if you have not used the restroom. Every time you touch that knob on the bathroom door or any bathroom surfaces, you might be subjecting yourself to germs left behind by someone who is ill.
Wash your hands when you leave for and go to lunch. A quick and easy way to get in an extra hands washing in during a workday is to wash your hands when you are leaving for lunch. Before you walk out of the building, head to the bathroom or break room and wash your hands. This is also a good reminder at home, by washing your hands before each meal.

Wash your hands when you get home. Whether you were picking your kids up from school, running errands, or returning from work, washing your hands whenever you get home is another great opportunity to get rid of excess germs you might be carrying around.

Stop Using Your Hands So Much
This is a habit people don’t often realize they are doing, and it is not only bad for illness, but for your skin and hair as well. If you tend to touch your face, eyes, and mouth often, you are subjecting yourself to a higher risk of spreading germs before you even get the chance to wash your hands of those germs. Try to stop the habit of mindlessly touching your mouth or face.

Another way you can avoid using your hands so much is by not using your hands to cover a cough or sneeze. Try to keep tissue near you when you have to sneeze or cough, then throw it away immediately instead of leaving it next to you.

Get Regular Exercise
Exercise is amazing for your overall health and fitness, but that isn’t the only benefit. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise can also be beneficial for your immune system. With regular exercise, your heart is pumping and you are improving the blood flow through your entire body. This can actually boost the cells in your body that kill viruses like the cold and flu. Start sneaking in a little more exercise throughout the week.

2. Avoid These Unhealthy Habits
Not only is it important to develop these healthy daily habits in order to prevent illnesses like the cold and influenza (flu), but you also need to know the unhealthy habits that might be causing you harm. You are probably aware of the dangers of habits like drinking and smoking, but what you might not know is how it can impact your immune system. Here are some bad habits to try and cut back on right now:

Smoking Cigarettes
The first bad habit that might be increasing your risk for getting the flu or common cold is smoking. This isn’t just bad for your overall health and especially your lungs, but it can also affect your immune system. People who smoke tend to have a weaker immunes system, which means you can’t fight off infections and viruses as easily. This can increase your risk for getting the flu or even pneumonia if you are in contact with the influenza virus.

Try to cut back on smoking at least, even if you can’t quit cold turkey. Talk to your doctor about different smoking cessation methods, whether you try meditation, the patch, or the other methods now available.

Drinking Alcohol
Yes, you guessed it – it is also time to cut back on drinking. This doesn’t mean you can never have a glass of wine or cocktail again, but it is best that you cut back if you tend to drink heavily. Alcohol can also negatively affect your immune system, to where your ability to fight off infections is not as sufficient. Alcohol may also cause dehydration, which is not good for the cold or flu, but for general wellness either.

Consuming Unhealthy Food
The food you eat, as mentioned in the previous section, also makes a big difference. Not just in making sure you consume healthier foods, but avoiding the unhealthy options as well. Take a look at your diet and examine where you can cut out bad food to replace it with good. The reason this is important is because you might not getting enough nutrients if you are not eating the right foods.

Sure, a donut might be just as filling to you for breakfast as a bowl of oatmeal with berries, but it has almost no vitamins in it. It is better to choose more nutrient-dense foods throughout the day. Focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, healthy fats, lean protein, and reduced dairy products.
 
3. Focus on Cleanliness
Now that you know about those daily habits for your own personal health, it is time to control your surroundings. In many cases, it is not when you come into contact with other people when you catch the cold or flu virus from them, but from touching the same surroundings as them. Washing your hands often can definitely keep germs away, but don’t forget about your environment as well.

Here are some tips for ensuring you are keeping your environment clean and reducing the risk of germs being spread at home and in the workplace:

Use antibacterial wipes on all surfaces – This is probably the simplest way to control germs in your home and in the workplace. Keep antibacterial wipes handy, and wipe down surfaces regularly. This includes the desks, phones, door handles, bathroom and break room surfaces, countertops, and any tools people are using daily.

Encourage employees to wash their hands – In the workplace, put up signs reminding employees to always wash their hands. Not just after using the restroom, but whenever they are near a sink, whether they are done with their lunch, or they are just using the bathroom for cosmetic purposes.

Make tissues readily available – It is always good to have ample amounts of tissue throughout your home and work, so that nobody is coughing or sneezing without them handy. Also make sure they are disposing them in the trash cans immediately after using them.

Focus on housekeeping – In your home, cleaning a little more often during the cold and flu season is never a bad idea. This allows you to ensure you are doing your best at getting rid of the extra germs.
 
4. Increase Your Vitamin Intake
You might already know that you need to follow a healthy diet when you want to keep away illnesses, but don’t forget about the specific vitamins and minerals that are essential to boosting your immune system. Try your best to increase the following vitamins if you want to prevent the cold, influenza virus, and other seasonal illnesses:

Zinc
The first supplement you should get plenty of in order to prevent these illnesses is zinc. Zinc is a trace element found in many healthy foods, but you can also take it as an additional supplement. When you have enough zinc in your system during cold and flu season, you can actually allow your body’s cells to get in the way of viruses infecting them, thus boosting your immunities naturally.
Some foods that are a good source of zinc are:

Lean protein like chicken and pork
Mushrooms
Nuts
Seeds
Oysters
Wheat germ
Dark Chocolate
Beans
Wheat germ

If you can add these types of foods to your diet, you have a great chance at preventing illnesses with more zinc in your body.

Vitamin C
This is probably going to come as no surprise to you, as vitamin C is often the highest recommended nutrient for people with a cold or flu. However, it can also help to prevent the cold and similar illnesses as long as you focus on nutritious foods with this vitamin.

So, why vitamin C? Because it is wonderful for your immune system. Many people who get sick easily do so not just because they are in frequent contact with people who have a cold, but because they don’t have enough nutrients to boost their immune system naturally. The good news is that it is incredibly easy to get more vitamin C.

If you prefer, you can take a vitamin C supplement or a multi-vitamin with enough C in it. There are also plenty of foods with this vitamin in it, like:

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Oranges
Grapefruit
Strawberries
Spinach

Herbs & Spices
Aside from vitamins you get from foods, don’t forget about nutritious herbs and spices that contain natural antiviral and antibiotic properties. These include:
Garlic
Ginger
Sage
Cinnamon
Rosemary

As you can see, it is easy to prevent the cold and flu naturally with simple and healthy lifestyle changes.

If you would love to know more about how to boost your family's immune system to prevent getting sick, then opt in for our free immune boosting workshop bundle at: https://ldegarci.builderall.net/Natural-Remedies

Neurological development, which partially takes place during the crawling (on belly) and creeping (hands and knees) process, determines the ability to read and write (Gold, 2008).   Carl Delacado was a lead researcher who traveled around the world and found that societies that did not have a written language of its own were the same ones who did not permit their children to crawl or creep on the floor for whatever reason, such as in locations where crawling would be dangerous to the child.

It is important that a child have a solid 6 months of crawling experience in order to connect the two hemispheres needed for reading and writing.  Has your child passed the crawling stage without sufficient crawling time, that's ok, you can still incorporate crawling into playful activities, like animals in the wild.  Even older children who struggle benefit greatly by going back and crawling 10 minutes a day for 30 days.  

​Boosting your immune system is one of the best ways to prevent getting illnesses like the common cold, flu, and similar viruses. There are many ways to improve your immunities, including some natural remedies that are very easy to accomplish. Try out some of these easy and natural ways to boost your immune system.

Live a Healthier Lifestyle
In general, by being a healthier person in general can help you fight off illnesses and infections, and give your immune system a natural boost. This means focusing on those daily habits that you might need to improve, such as eating a healthier diet with lots of vitamins and minerals, exercising regularly, and drinking plenty of water. Getting adequate sleep is also really important for your general health and wellness, which is easier to do when you are eating right and exercising. For your diet, try to focus on whole foods like fruits and vegetables, switch to whole grains and complex carbohydrates, and cook more meals at home.

Take Echinacea
In terms of herbs and other natural remedies for your immune system, echinacea is definitely high on the list. You will see this herb recommended a lot for the cold and flu, and similar immune system illnesses, because it so beneficial. Echinacea has natural properties that help to boost your immune system and help you fight off bacterial and viral infections more sufficiently than if you were not taking it. There are many ways to get more echinacea, from supplements to using the actual herb.

Don’t Forget the Probiotics
Probiotics might seem just like a trend or a hot topic, but that is only because of how beneficial they can be for your body. Probiotics are often promoted to people who have digestive issues, especially with a leaky gut. However, they can also help with your immune system and ensuring you have the best protection possible from the cold or flu. Probiotics provide bacteria for your body, but it is a good type of bacteria. This allows you to absorb more nutrients into your body and helps to support your immune system, so that you can fight off the bad bacteria. You can either take a probiotic supplement or eat a healthy diet to ensure you get enough of them through natural food sources.
If you have any questions, talk to your doctor about the benefits of probiotics for your immune system.
 
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Learning happens when connections are made between nerve cells.  When the body is inactive for 20 minutes or longer, there is a decline in neural communication (Kinoshita, 1997).  This is why spending hours sitting in front of the television or playing video games is so harmful, especially for children with growing brains.   In the classroom, this means that lessons that require students to sit and attend for long periods of time can be counterproductive.