Children do go missing. Parents, we know that itâs the last thing you want to hear, but it is a true risk. Nothing equals the panic you feel when a little one suddenly disappears. Weâve put together a list of practical safety measures that are simple enough to explain to children. Your child now has a âsafety planâ that they can understand and follow.
Continue reading “UPDATE: Donât lose your child in a public place”
The season of chocolate bunnies and long weekends is coming at us at high speed. Can you believe itâs Easter already? Fun times await us, and to make sure that feel good chocolatey love carries on, we thought itâs time to give you some advice.
Over the years, the festive seasons have always been a lightning rod for road accidents, but we donât want that this year. Would you rather sit with your family and hunt Easter eggs or wake up in an emergency ward? Itâs a no-brainer. Continue reading “Donât drive over the Easter Bunny!”
Itâs the first break of the year! Letâs be honest, everyone looks forward to the first few long weekends around Easter. But itâs also the end of the first school term which means: kids are at home for the holidays. If youâre taking take time off to spend with the family, hereâs how to stop a mass attack of boredom! Continue reading “Kids and the Easter holidays!”
Has your doctor told you to cut back on salt because your blood pressure is too high? âOh no! Now my food will be tasteless! I might as well chew on a piece of cardboard.â Not true: You can still enjoy flavourful food without adding salt.
Continue reading “Are salt-substitutes really better than salt?”
âRe-write all of your tips.â
âHighlight important sections in your text book.â
âMake acronyms so youâll remember them.â
Parents, teachers and your friends will give you lots of studying advice. They all sound like they should work, but do they really? Here are some tips that are scientifically proven to help you remember what youâve studied.
Stay away from the energy drinks and follow these energy boosting ideas!
Youâve pulled another all-nighter, and need to get through a few more chapters before tomorrowâs exam. So you rush into the cafĂ© and grab 3 cans of energy-drinks. This should get you through right?
BIG Mistake. Energy drinks contain up to 50 grams of sugar (thatâs 13 teaspoons worth!) and give you an instant sugar rush, not an energy one. As your blood sugar crashes a few minutes later, youâre left feeling worse off than you did before. You may feel great at the start of the lecture, but by the end of it, you feel like The Walking Dead.
For a healthier (and longer lasting) fix, try one of these energy boosters instead:
People who chew gum regularly enjoy increased levels of alertness, a boost in thinking power and even an increase in reaction time. The act of chewing wakes you up and helps keep you focused on the task at hand. Is one type of gum better than another? Stick with the sugar-free options, and go for mint. Besides keeping your breath smelling good, mint also helps to increase alertness and keeps your yawning at bay.
Music is most often used to calm things down or to help you chill out. But mix things up a bit and listen to your favourite tunes when your energy starts to dip. Make sure you tap your toes too (playing air guitar is up to you) as this extra activity, together with the stimulation of the music, increases energy and flattens your fatigue! To take things to the next level, belt out the lyrics too. To be able to sing along, youâll need to control your breathing to take in extra oxygen, exactly what your tired body needs to get re-energised.
Your mom was right (probably about more than youâd like to admit): sitting up straight and spending more time outside really is good for you! Did you know that slouching lowers the amount of air your lungs can hold by around 30%? Less oxygen means less energy, less focus and a lot less function! Take the time to check your posture: align your ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, and hips over your knees and ankles. Once youâre sitting up straight, take a deep breath. Notice the difference? Next, take a short walk outside. Being exposed to fresh air and the wonders of nature lifts not only your energy but your mood too.
Of course going to bed a bit earlier and avoiding all night cramming sessions will go a long way in keeping your energy levels up too⊠but you knew that already didnât you?
Youâve made it through registration, got yourself settled in Res and figured out where to charge your cellphone: now itâs time to talk about why youâve gone through all of that: itâs your first year at university!
University is an exciting opportunity, but your first year can be pretty overwhelming. Itâs so different to school: whether you were the class star or an anonymous back-row learner, in a lecture hall everyone’s just a student number. And that can be hard to take – thereâs no-one to praise your work or pull you into line. The truth? Youâre on your own, but that isnât a bad thing. Here are some practical tips to get you started, and keep you winning in that important first year.
Campuses are big. You can have lectures happening at different locations in one day, and you might only have 15 minutes to get from one side to the other! Get hold of a campus map and plot where your lectures will be held. Make yourself a timetable, if it helps.
Those halls can be huge! Being last into a lecture can have you sitting on the floor at the back, unable to see anything. Not great. So, get there early enough to find a decent seat.
Also, read ahead in your course book so that you know whatâs coming up. This helps you get a sneak-peak at what library books you might need. Considering that you may be competing with 500 other students for specific books, you really do want to be first in line!
No-oneâs going to kick you out of bed and chase you to a lecture, and theyâre not going to check if you pitched up. But, and hereâs the big thing, no-one is going to repeat that lecture for you either â if youâve missed it, itâs gone. Often, the lecturers share tips in the lecture you won’t find in the textbook, so be there!
Again, nobody is going to remind you to hand assignments in, but if you donât, they will remember to penalise you. Plan in advance to make sure you finish them on time. The same goes for test dates. Note down every test date and set yourself a reminder (on your phone or in a diary), so you don’t get taken by surprise. Which is the worst feeling.
Health services, academic support and protection are just some of the services that campuses provide: find out where they are and how they work.
Put these tips to practical use and youâre already on your way to a successful first year. Have a blast! Oh, and – if you can think of anything weâve left out, share your thoughts with us!
Joanne Hart for HelloDoctor.com
No one can deny the effect love has on people. We do silly things for love and weâd probably do them again if we could. It makes us feel good, takes away the hurt people feel and gives us a reason to push through tough times. We love celebrating Valentineâs Day, because itâs more than heart-shaped cards and teddy bears – it’s about healthy relationship, and living a full life. Continue reading “6 Tips for the Valentineâs of a lifetime”
By Grant Wood
Congratulations! Youâve been accepted into university. This is a time for you to grow in many different areasâŠbut your waistline shouldnât be one of them. Let us help you to make healthy food choices that taste great, give you energy for your studies and keep a tight waistline.
By Joanne Hart for HelloDoctor.co.za
So, it’s the end of January, and you’ve already broken all your rules: You’ve eaten cakes (plural!), smoked a packet of cigarettes, and drowned your sorrows in alcohol…AGAIN. New Years Resolutions are overrated. Continue reading “How to Feel Fantastic in 2016”
âSummer afternoon, summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English languageâ – Henry James
Wouldnât it be wonderful to be able to keep that holiday euphoria going? One day back at work and it seems like a distant memory! Let’s look at exactly what it is about holidays that makes us feel so good, and then see how we can keep that feeling going for the rest of the year:
Having a sweet tooth is most peopleâs downfall. It can make giving up treats so difficult, especially when youâre trying to lose the calories and stay healthy. However, itâs not impossible to give up sugar and live a sugar-treat-free life.
