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Week in Review: July 24 – 30, 2011 (Military News)
Popular Military Family Articles for the week of July 24 – 30 on MilitaryAvenue.comOne Thousand Posts – Let’s Celebrate It has been an amazing journey at ‘Our Letters to You’, a military family blog. I started writing in 2007 and now just a few short years later our team has written a thousand blog-posts! Blogs full of empowerment, support, education, fun and a bit of ‘been there done that’. One-thousand posts; This calls for a celebration! Which is just what we are going to do. We have some great prizes thanks to some wonderful companies that support our military families. … Debt Ceiling Crisis: How USAA Is Prepared Help Members: Should the federal…
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The Blackberry Patch
Beautiful Michigan Blackberries!I think He understands and hears my prayers while in the patch. This is a favorite time of the year for me! I enjoy spending time in our wild blackberry patch which is now at its peak! The blackberries were a gift that we found behind our woods the second year we arrived after that last PCS! It was number 18 move and we looked forward to being grounded for a bit and being close to family after 30 years of being “transients”. But … back to the berries! We purchased a house that was placed on a hill overlooking the nearby river valley and deep in a…
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Staying Healthy: Get those endorphins going
Health experts call endorphins “feel-good hormones.” Endorphins are natural chemicals released by the brain that improve your mood, relive pain, reduce stress, and produce an overall feeling of well being. They also help you sleep better. The easiest way to get your body to release endorphins is to exercise. Even a moderate workout eases tension and improves mental and physical health. More vigorous exercise really gets those endorphins going. The positive effect of endorphins can last for several hours, according to some endocrinologists. – Feeling Good – 100 ways to feel better every day Walking the Paul Henry TrailIt can’t be morning. The covers are still so comfy. Ohhh the…
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Staying Healthy: Get Support
Caring for an older relative, a Wounded Warrior, your own children or any loved one is emotionally and physically exhausting. That’s why it is important to seek support for yourself so that you can remain strong for them. Remember that you don’t have to do it alone. Ask for help from family and friends. Get help from a support group. Support groups are a place to share stories, feelings and information with others who are going through what you are going through. Groups like MOPS are perfect for new mothers. Many churches have support for Cancer Caregivers. Learn more about the New Family Caregiver Benefits if you are caring for a Wounded Warrior. (Caring for Our…
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Staying Healthy: At the End of the Work Day
Hubs is in the Army National Guard so when he isn’t wearing his uniform he is wearing a suit. He is a private-practice attorney and works ten to twelve hour days to serve his clients’ needs. He is a hard worker is an understatement. Today’s Staying Healthy tip is for folks like Hubs. It can be hard to find balance. It is easy for him to come home, sit right back down in his home office and work “for a few more hours”. We have been working really hard as a team to carve out family time in the early evening. Not only is it healthy for the kids to spend time with their dad but it is…
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Staying Healthy: Spend time outdoors
Spring Weather! Today it is supposed to be almost 80 in NE Ohio. Beautiful words to my soul. After a long winter a day like today is a perfect opportunity to break routine and get outdoors! Being outdoors has many health benefits, from breathing fresh air to taking in the sun. A little sunshine feels great, can help lift feelings of depression, and is a great source of Vitamin D, so long as you protect yourself with sunscreen. Being outdoors in good weather also encourages physical activity. Try to spend time outdoors as often as you can. Read a book or newspaper outdoors on your lunch break. Or take a…
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Staying Healthy: Time for Us
An intimate relationship is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But it also takes planning and work. We all need to make being together a priority. Otherwise, life takes over and the relationship with your spouse takes the back-burner. I ran across a blog-post this morning that I would highly recommend reading from Warren Baldwin, titled “Marriage: The Difficult Years“ While we often look at the similarities we share with the person we love, the differences cry out for recognition. Our bodies, communication, and emotional/mental processing are different. We both crave intimate connection with our spouses, but experience it differently; one uses communication to bond, the other to convey information; one looks for…
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Staying Healthy: Headaches
I am a headache-victim, -survivor, -conqueror! I get allergy-related headaches, stress headaches and worst of all, migraines. If headaches affect you, get help: Make an appointment to see your health care provider for an accurate diagnosis. Become informed about your headache type and treatment options. I sometimes feel petty bringing up my headaches at regular doctor’s visits … but they aren’t /just/ headaches. They are a physical and mental derailments! To help with occasional tension headaches, try a warm shower, rest or relaxation techniques. Just closing your eyes for 20 minutes can help a lot. Some headaches are caused by dehydration. Many physicians recommend that you drink at least eight-ounces of…
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Help Your Child Feel Healthy!
The American Heart Association recommends that children and teenagers get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. My kindergartner’s teacher mentioned to me that *C* is the most in-tune and capable of learning right after some rigorous activity. She has witnessed first hand, in particular with him, how when he gets rid of pent up energy he is ready to sit down and stay on task. Occasionally, if all of the students are a bit hyper she has them do a few jumping jacks beside their desks. Then they sit back down and jump back into work. It goes to show how in-sync our bodies are. Even the brain craves motion, movement and…
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Look at Something Beautiful
The simple act of pausing in your hectic day and looking at something pleasing to your eyes can improve your outlook and make you feel good: Some suggestions: Keep a picture of your spouse at your work desk Set your computer to slide show when it is idle to show some of your favorite pictures Watch the sunset if you are a night-owl or the sunrise if you are a morning-person Put a vase of spring-cut flowers on your kitchen table Find a favorite piece of art to hang in your halls or over your bed Watch for more ideas in this new series from the MilitaryAvenue Team: Staying Healthy –…
