Advice You Need to Give to Your Children Going to College

Do you have children who have just started college or will be soon? Starting college is a big moment in both the parents’ and child’s life and something that is really hard to prepare for. Here, we are taking you through our top pieces of advice that you will need to give to your children going to college to help them through their years of education.

Connect with the Professors

An important piece of advice that you need to give to your children going to college is to encourage them to connect with their professors. The professors will be the best resource in any class that your children take and they will also be able to help you in other ways such as providing you with future career advice, connecting you with alumni and even writing letters of recommendation which is extremely important. Professors will always want the best for their students and so your children should make as much use out of them as they can.

Have A Study Buddy

When your children go to college, they will be meeting lots of new people and you should stress the importance to them of having a friend who they can study with. Your children should be spending a lot of time studying and in the college library, so it is good to have a friend with them and especially one who is studying the same major. What’s more, this will also give you a guaranteed partner when it comes to group projects.

Stay on Top of Your Health

New students tend to throw themselves straight into college life which means lots of beer, parties and late nights. While this is all ultimately part of the college experience, it is important to communicate with your children that they still need to place a focus on their health. When you are not eating well and exercising and not getting enough sleep, this can quickly take a toll on your body and you will have a severe lack of energy which will affect your studies. Students should also be told how important it is to take time to relax for their own mental health.

Open Up A Student Bank Account

For the majority of students, college will be the first time that they are away from home and in charge of their own finances. Tell your children to open their own account so that they can manage things properly. One option is the BB&T student account which is designed for the student lifestyle. This will provide them with a host of benefits including online banking, no minimum balance requirements, no maintenance fees and no direct deposit requirements. With an account like this, they will have the financial independence that they need for their student lifestyle.

Study Abroad

One thing that many students usually say that they wish they had done is study abroad. Travelling can help you to open your eyes to different cultures, help you to learn a new language and take in a different kind of educational experience to just sitting in a classroom. Your children may not have the luxury of spending months abroad in the future, so encourage them to do it now.

Recognizing a Teenager is Suffering with Depression and How to Help

Living with a teenager can be very confusing. One minute they’re floating on air and the next they’re down in the dumps with no explanation. The fact that talking with them about anything can be very difficult only makes the situation worse. Modern teenagers face a whole host of pressures, from their peers, from changes in their own bodies and fears about who they are and where they fit in. All the uncertainty and trauma makes it difficult to tell whether the way they’re feeling is a case of the teenage blues or the much more serious problem of depression.

How to Tell Whether a Teenager is Depressed

Depression is a common complaint in today's world and affects people of all ages, including teenagers. Teenagers often choose to ‘self-medicate’ as a coping method with drugs or alcohol. Depression usually gets worse in such situations, and you need to consider seeking addiction recovery treatments for your teenager. Estimates put a figure of 1 in 5 adolescents will suffer from it at some point during their teens. Bad moods and the occasional acting out are to be expected. However, depression is something completely different. Here are some of the signs to look for.

·       Problems at school – depression can cause difficulties with concentration and low energy. This often leads to a fall in grades, poor attendance and frustration with schoolwork when previously there wasn’t a problem.

·       Low self-esteem – feelings of shame, failure, unworthiness, and ugliness can be made worse when a teenager is depressed.

·       Running away – they may talk about running away from home or actually do it. This can be considered a cry for help.

·       Reckless behavior – dangerous or high-risk behaviors such as binge drinking, unsafe sex, and reckless driving.

·       Other mental health problems – eating disorders, self-injury, and other mental health problems can be associated with teenage depression.

How to Help a Depressed Teenager

Left untreated, depression can be detrimental so don’t wait to hope they’ll grow out of it. If you suspect your teenager is feeling depressed encourage them to talk about it in a loving and non-judgmental way. Talk to them about the signs you’ve noticed and let them know why you’re worried. Get them to share what they are going through, making sure you really listen to what they’ve got to say. Don’t ask too many questions and assure them you’re willing to provide support and help in whatever way you can.

You'll find lots of useful advice online that will help you to figure out how to deal with the above problems. For example, if your teen hates school you can take a read of these 15 strategies from Daniel Wong which range from talking to their teachers to simply considering if anything you're doing is putting stress on them (e.g. nagging them to get their work done).

Feelings of depression can often lead to isolation, so you have to do what you can to help them reconnect. Face to face time with your teenager helps immensely, and you can also encourage them to go out with friends or invite their friends over. Take part in family activities and provide opportunities for them to connect with other children. If they have any interests and talents suggest appropriate activities. One last suggestion is to get them involved in helping others. As well as being a powerful antidepressant, volunteering can boost their self-esteem.

Having a depressed teenager in the home can sap everyone’s energy. Helping them come to terms with the problem and finding ways to help is going to be of benefit to everyone.    

Here Are the 5 Foods Health Experts Want Your Family to Avoid - s post

Summertime is in full swing! And chances are high that your family is indulging in long BBQs and many eat-out sessions, followed by snacks in front of the TV.

While food is a large part of what makes vacation a time of fun for all, don't throw all caution to the wind. Take the advice of health experts and skip the following foods the next time you are loading up your shopping cart with groceries.

1. Juices and sodas

According to Total Dentistry of Cincinnati,a dental office in Cincinnati, OH, "[It should come] as no surprise that soda is loaded with sugar.  The public has been warned for years that drinking pop can lead to cavities and other health problems.  What some people don’t realize is that sodas aren’t the only beverages laden with sugar.  Even supposedly ‘healthy’ drinks can contain tablespoons of the stuff."

What does this means for your family? Fill those water bottles up with H2O! You'll end up saving a lot of money, and your children's teeth and health with be better for it. If you or your kids find it easier to drink fluids that have taste, create infused waters with mint or citrus.

2. Processed meats: hot dogs, ham, and mystery mixes

The World Health Organization wants you to know that processed meats could amp up your risk of cancer. In a study that included 10 countries with data from 800 studies, the conclusion was that each 50 g serving increases colon cancer risk by 18 percent.

Processed meats are foods that -- like their name implies -- are processed. For example, hot dogs, ham, bacon, pepperoni, and sausages.

What your family can eat instead: Chicken cuts on a skewer. Add a BBQ flavor to them and you get a healthy alternative!

3. Store-bought pastries

Pastries are sugar and trans-fat time bombs that are waiting to explode in your arteries. And while they might not cause you immediate trouble, rest assured, there will be a reckoning heading your way.

Healthline.com provides 11 reasons why you should avoid the sugar found in pastries. Firstly, sugar increases your chances of being overweight. It also increases heart disease risk and diabetes risk. It additionally increases the chance you'll have acne. It wreaks havoc on your mood, possibly causing depression as well. And that's only the start of the list.

We are mentioning store-bought pastries here because they are easy to spot. But they are likely not the only source of sugar in your life. Trash all those Pop-tarts, HoHos, Twinkies, Snickers, and more. Instead, to satisfy that sweet tooth, choose fruit and natural sources of sugar.

Or use these dessert recipes, approved by Mayo Clinic, for a healthier way to sate those cravings.

4. Boxed cereals

The breakfast staple of the American household is a source of hidden sugars that are best avoided. And boxed cereals for children often contain more sugar than the varieties for adults.

The American Heart Association says the maximum amount of added sugar a day is 25 g a day for women and 37 g a day for men. Boxed cereals contain as much as 15 g of sugar, which is more than half the allowed amount for women!

What to serve instead? Oatmeal with a banana as a natural sweetener. Oats are much cheaper than boxed cereal and many times healthier as well. Not only does it contain a high amount of fiber that our bodies need. But it also has minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins aplenty.

Eat oats in the morning for breakfast, and you get a slow release of energy that will keep you moving until lunch time comes around.

5. Margarine and butter

The longtime debate over which is healthier continues to this day. But both have their faults, so both should be used sparingly, if at all.

Margarine can raise levels of bad cholesterol in your blood and lower good cholesterol levels. Butter is high in saturated fat, and too much saturated fat can lead to heart disease.

Harvard Health Publishing suggests that you use olive oil as a healthier alternative to either option. Olive oil can be used as a spread on bread, or even in baking, if done right.

There you have it! Five foods that health experts want you to avoid and healthy alternatives. With just a couple adjustments to your meal plans and grocery shopping, you can affect your family's health for the better!