Author: Rebecca Alston

It is the holiday season, and therefore you will have several options to make a donation and help those in need. It is not just the Salvation Army these days, as several organizations are doing charitable work all around the globe.

However, you need to understand that with all the available choices, it is vital to opt for the right one. It is essential to avoid making bad decisions in the name of charity. For more information, all you need to do is log in to https://ampthecause.org/donate/.

Here are some of the vital tips for you to keep in mind when making a charitable donation.

Pick the right cause

When you are looking to donate for charity, you need to search for the right one. Keep in mind several issues are plaguing human society all around the world. You need to find the right one keeping in mind your passion. If you find a cause, you are passionate enough to support and donate, then you will never lack the motivation. There are various areas for you to focus on diseases, famine, infant mortality, or food shortage.

Make sure of the legitimacy of the charity

When you are looking to donate to a charity, you need to make sure that the organization is a legitimate one. There are several legitimate charity options that are all about helping the people in need, and there are many that are con-jobs and rip-off artists trying to make a quick buck. Keep in mind that by donating to these charities, you will not receive any tax exemption benefits. Make sure to check the credentials of the organization before you sign the cheque.

Ask about the administrative expenses

It is all about making sure that your money is well spent. For this, you need to make sure that the administrative costs are low. Keep in mind that around 65% of the money should be spent on program activities. There are organizations where the expenditure goes well beyond the mark. It would be best if you avoided these charitable organizations.

You can donate direct

Before you give, there are a few critical details that you need to be aware of. Firstly, it is not advisable to donate to a telephone solicitor because you have no way of proving the legitimacy of the individual. Keep in mind this simple trick to avoid donating money for a fraudulent cause or to an individual con-artist.

You can and should give more than money

Yes, the money counts for a lot, but not everything. Keep in mind that you can do more than that by volunteering for activities and campaigning for the cause both in the real world as well as the online world. If you have a particular technical skill like accounting or web design, then you must help out the organization to the best of your abilities.

All of this will enable you to do your best for a cause. Together we can build a better world.

Whether you own a dog or you simply volunteer to walk them, you have to keep up with the excellent work as the exercise ensures your overall well-being. Having a four-legged friend in your house is one of the best experiences as it comes with myriads of health benefits.

Here are some of the health benefits of owning a dog.

1. Stress soothers

The best moment of every pet owner is a quiet, petting moment, especially after a long and stressful day.  This results in a lower blood pressure that helps in the production of oxytocin hormone that causes relaxation. On the other hand, the stress hormone is suppressed, thus providing a more ambient mood.

You can use the soothing moments to groom your dog. For example, use the best poodle clippers to cut the excess fur on your pet.

2. Dogs act as social magnets

When taking your dog for a walk, it may open up your chances of meeting other people who are interested in your pet. This is especially common when you come across other strangers walking their dogs. This allows one to create friends or laugh out on some funny jokes.

3. Lower cholesterol

If you have a dog, you have to watch what you eat. In addition to that, these people tend to spend their time at home in active activities with their pets. The active lifestyles are part of the work out that helps in burning your body calories and cholesterols.

4. Ease depression

No one will ever love you more unconditionally, like your dog. Your friend always notices when you are low or happy. This means that when in depression, he will always find a way to help you deal with your condition by being by your side.

Moreover, you will need to take him for a walk, a moment that can make you feel better about yourself.

5. Fewer allergies; stronger immunity

Most of the children who grow up in a home with a dog are less likely to develop allergies in the later stages of their lives. The furry friend has a way of making their immune system stronger due to the production of certain chemicals.

6. Keep you fit and active

Every adult should work out for at least 2 hours a week. However, this may not be achievable, especially to individuals who are not disciplined.

Nevertheless, a dog changes this attitude as one has to make time to exercise with their dog. In the turn of events, it will help you in having some physical exercises and even help you save money on an expensive gym membership.

7. Adding meaning and purpose

When older persons retire, they often lack structure and meaning. This is because they do not have a constant schedule of what they are to do with their lives. However, a dog forces them to continue doing something even when they no longer find pleasure in it; feeding your dogs correctly and helping them through stomach sensitivities can be very rewarding. The dog does not care whether you are well emotionally or physically, as long as they are fed and taken for a walk.

8. Battle disease and injury

With a dog, you can detect, treat, and manage all manner of illnesses. For example, a service dog ensures that one improves their mobility while recovering from a certain accident. As for Alzheimer’s patients, the dogs sooth them, thus mitigating their aggression and emotional heat-up.

9. Seizure dogs

The seizure dogs have been trained to live with people who have epilepsy. For alarm purposes, some dogs are trained to bark while others walk up to the parents to alert them of such alerts on their kids. Moreover, other dogs have been trained to lie next to the patient during the attack to prevent them from injuring themselves. You can also get dogs that have been trained to warn before a seizure occur; this allows the victim to lie down or get a safe place away from dangerous objects.

10. Animal-assisted therapies

Some trained dogs are being brought into clinical therapies. This is because the patients tend to relax as they spend more time with the dog. In the process, they open up about their problems in a positive way.

Owning a dog is becoming a necessity in many households. Although some may own one due to the ongoing pressures, we cannot dismiss the fact that the furry friend brings with it loads of health benefits such as fighting heart diseases, obesity, depression, loneliness, and many more. You’ll never feel lonely when you have a dog.

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Once you get home from work, you’re usually greeted by kids needing help with homework, a pile of laundry and a 101 chore that needs attending to. How are you supposed to squeeze in a workout or whip up a healthy meal? It’s really hard to stay on top of everything, so you get more and more behind with your fitness every day. But don’t worry too much—every mom out there feels the same, the only difference is that fit ones have a few secrets up their sleeve. Here are the best fitness tips fit moms use in order to stay in top shape. This minimalist fitness website might be a great place to start.

Create a schedule

As a mom, you probably know just how important it is to have a working schedule, so if you include fitness into it, you can expect good results. If you adapt your schedule and reserve a portion for fitness, it will create a better habit and remove some of the guesswork. Routines are predictable and dependable and they will make your fitness routine easier. If you prioritize your healthy habits, you’re more likely to stick to them. Your schedule will tweak everyone’s expectations and help you prevent meltdowns. Routines and schedules really work!

Plan your meals

You know why meal planning is a must? Just think about how much food your family consumes in a day. Whipping that much food without a plan will definitely not work and you will often resort to takeout and instant meals which are definitely not good for your health or your fitness. On the other hand, if you plan your meals, it will help you stick to your meal plan and your budget, reduce the time you waste in the supermarket and allow you to better enjoy your food.

A few minutes once a week is all you need to plan your meals for the upcoming days. And even if you’re not that savvy in the kitchen, you can still prepare simple, yet healthy meals—these are usually the best for your fitness.

Eat well and eat plenty

Many women think that healthy eating consists of nothing but salads and fruit, but that can’t be further from the truth. If you manage to exercise regularly, you will need plenty of fuel to keep you strong, so that includes plenty of protein and healthy carbs. If you’re hungry all the time, you can’t really do your best at the gym, plus you’re more likely to reach for something unhealthy to munch on.

Nutritious food will keep you ready for a workout, but you can also grab some pre workout supplements if there’s a super hard session in front of you. These will encourage good blood flow into your muscles and give you energy for sustained workouts that will bring the right results.

Include your kids

Photo by LJ Lara on Unsplash

It’s hard to find a sitter for just an hour, so if you think about ditching your workout to stay home with kids, think again. Here’s a great solution: grab your kids and have a family workout. There are so many ways you can involve your kids in your workouts. You can hit your local park and let them time your HIIT sessions or you can buy a children’s seat for your bicycle and have a good ride.

Or you can try “stroller fitness” and have a good workout or as your kid rests comfortably in their seat. Having family workouts will not only be good for you but also boost your kids’ wellbeing and help you create a stronger bond with your little ones.

Find a supportive community

If you have to do everything on your own—create workouts, plan meals, stay on track—it can quickly become overwhelming. So, one of the best things you can do is find a community that will offer good support and have your back when you feel like giving up. Your community could be your partner, your friends, other fit moms or a good online community. There are even fitness trainers and life couches you can turn to.

It’s important that your support system understands your desires and goals since they need to keep you accountable. If they accept your excuses, you will not have any benefits from them. Encourage your community to be strict and keep you going. That’s why hiring a executive life coach for men or a personal trainer could be a good investment—they know how to motivate you without being too critical and judgmental.

Listen, mom, you need to be fit in order to be actively involved in your kids’ lives and stay with them for a long, long time. So, start your new lifestyle today and you’ll feel so much healthier and stronger in no time!

Although it may be tempting to just ignore the possibility of a break-in, fire or any other emergency, it is not a wise way to live. It is essential to stay prepared for the worst to live peacefully, hence we have listed below 8 safety essentials that are a must in every home;

1. A Smart Lock

Losing keys is quite common, but it is also a safety hazard as someone else may get access to your home. Getting a smart lock installed will make sure that only you and your family have access to your home. You can also create temporary virtual keys for your guests. Another advantage is that you do not need to always remember to carry around keys and also the ability to check the visitor logs through an app will give you peace of mind.

2. First Aid

Keeping a first aid kit at home is mandatory as minor home accidents are common and this will ensure that you do not have to run to a pharmacy every time it happens. Just maintain a case which has all basic medical supplies. Make sure to check for expiry dates and keep refreshing the kit.

3. Safety Mask

With the world changing every day including the climatic change and rise in pollution along with industries multiplying and friction rising between various nations, you never know when a situation may arise where you will need a respirator mask for protection against hazardous gases or dust hence keep a full-face respirator mask available for every member of your family just in case of such emergencies. Professional radon detector is also a very useful tool to save your family from hazardous gas. 

4. Emergency Escape

During any house emergency such as a gas leak or fire, the best way to save yourself is by escaping from your home hence think beforehand and plan emergency escape routes with proper access to timely escape the hazard safely.

5. Motion Detector

Motion detectors are highly recommended to defend against intruders. As intruders prefer dark hence motion detectors installed near the entryway will stun them and force them to abort, additionally, it also provides safe passage to everyone arriving at your home.

6. Portable Power

Power loss is a common issue hence you need to be prepared by keeping portable power sources available such as power banks to charge your phone and batteries to operate instruments. An LED flashlight is a must and also keep candles and matchsticks available in your house and basement, just in case.

7. Portable Heater

Power outages during winter may be dangerous as the heating system of the house relies on electricity, hence keep backup portable heaters available to prevent discomfort in such a scenario.

8. Fire Extinguisher

This is one piece of equipment that every house needs to keep as a small fire can easily spread rapidly even before the firefighters arrive, hence a small extinguisher can save your home from burning down to ashes.

The probability of you needing to use the above-mentioned safety equipment may be very low but it is always good to be prepared beforehand rather than repent later, hence make sure to abide by all the safety measures mentioned above to lead a safe life.

Hypothyroidism can be a difficult condition to pin down. But if left unchecked,  by the time someone has got themselves to the doctors for a formal diagnosis it has already ravaged the body. But some of the worse effects of hypothyroidism can be staved off providing you are proactive. To do this, we hope to educate you on how to recognise the troubling effects of hypothyroidism.

Endocrine system

The body is dependent on the thyroid hormones T3 and T4 to keep everything functioning the way it should. If you’re not getting enough T3 and T4, then your energy levels will plummet and with it, your metabolism, which means you will have difficulty losing weight. However, you can maintain a healthy flow of manufactured T3 and T4 in the form of liothyronine and levothyroxine.

Circulatory and cardiovascular system

You rely on your heart to maintain a consistent beat while keeping blood pumping around your body. Hypothyroidism can slow your heart rate down, thus making it difficult to maintain a consistent heartbeat, which also leaves you open to the risk of raised blood pressure, as a result of narrowed arteries. You’ll also be susceptible to high cholesterol, which, along with high blood pressure, increases the risk of heart disease.

Nervous system

If hypothyroidism is left untreated, then this will also impact the way information is carried to and from the brain, the areas most hindered being the brain and spinal cord. This, in turn, can cause another condition called peripheral neuropathy, with symptoms including numbness and tingling/burning sensations in various parts of the body.

Respiratory system

The muscles that you use to breathe can be weakened by the lack of thyroid hormones, which will make breathing difficult, exacerbating any existing breathing conditions. This will be most prominent following exercise.

Digestive system

A lack of thyroid hormones will slow the digestive tract, leaving you vulnerable to heartburn and constipation.

Reproductive system

For female sufferers of hypothyroidism, periods are often disrupted and when they do recur, they are often much heavier, which can heavily impact the pregnancy process. Those who are trying to get pregnant may struggle to do so and those who are expecting may be more likely to suffer a miscarriage.

Others symptoms

The body’s metabolism is an all-encompassing component that has a knock-on effect on many of the other systems in the body. You may find yourself suffering from chronic fatigue, easily becoming exhausted even with minimal exercise. You will find yourself developing an over-intolerance to cold. There will also be physical changes on your body, such as hands and feet swelling, rough and patchy skin, and possible hair loss.

It doesn’t matter where it strikes or how it disrupts your day, hypothyroidism has the capacity to ravage your body and leave you physically drained and emotionally exhausted. If you exhibit any of these symptoms, then your doctor should be your next port of call, who can advise you on how to manage the symptoms and – if you manage to catch them in time – make a full recovery.

There is a distinct link with the desire of the senior people to age in place with their sense of attachment with other people in the community. They are also very keen to retain and even increase their social connection as they age which the community-staying facilitates the most.

According to different research, it is found that the seniors are very passionate and attached to the place they live in. the reasons that they cite for their attachment to the specific community include:

• The extraordinary feeling and features of the communities
• The warmth of the place 
• The connection and chances of interaction among locals and most importantly
• The feeling of safety and security living in a known and socially vibrant and active community.

However, the external representations may not be always true and most of the times these are found to be more problematic than beneficial.

Several reports of different surveys as well as the suggestions of the Philadelphia Corporation for aging there are also a few instances of personal experiences of crime. There are some of the respondents to the survey who separated these incidents from the community they live in.

The importance of it

These facts, however, highlight the significance of it and indicate that the researchers and policy need to make an effort to explore the internal nuances of a community from the outlook of the people staying there instead of relying on the statistics that only figure the problems without focusing on the actual story.

Typically, the factors that are overlooked include:

• The sense of multiculturalism
• Friendliness
• Connection with different communities
• Feeling safe and secured
• Access to public transport and other community services.

Most of the time, people prefer to stay in their home and age simply due to their attachment to material things of their neighborhoods such as part of one or a couple of streets.

Other reasons cited

At other times it is found that people like to stay in their homes to age simply because they have lived in a particular house for decades together. 

These factors enable them to develop a very strong sense of connection to the physical space as well as the neighbors both. The physical factors may include anything such as:

• Their gardens
• Their room or
• Their belongings. 

On the contrary, there are a few other respondents who said that they want to live in their homes or community and age simply because they have established a connection with the people living in the neighborhood rather than their home or living space.

This means that it is interesting that people distinguish between their house and the area which is on contrary to the literature that tends to blend the two terms instead of distinguishing them.

In short, most people want to age in place simply due to the fact that familiarity is most important for them, be it with the place or the people. For them, it is the social connection that enables them to make such a pragmatic decision whether to age in their place or in any other nursing home or assisted care living facility.

Meaning of aging in place

The meaning of aging in place is petty simple but the detail of it can be complex and varied. There are a few things that you should know in this regard.

Few people are often in a dilemma and ask whether or not they need to make any change when they choose to age in their place. Most of the time, changes are not needed to make. This is because such necessary changes in the home will take place gradually over time. The primary reasons to make such arrangements or changes beforehand is to:

• Help in mobility
• Ensure safety and prevent falls.

This is because the physical ability tends to decline over the years which is why you will modify your home as and when required. 

If you look at it in a positive view, aging in their place can be the best choice for many older adults. This is because they can continue living an independent life and lifestyle. The people who live and age in their place are often found to be more active in comparison to those who live in an assisted living facility.

Concept of assistive technology

In this modern world where technology rules all aspects of life, aging in place is facilitated with the implementation of assistive technology. This comes with several innovative ideas that will allow the seniors to stay in their own homes safely and more independently.

Assistive technology is now a popular thing that typically refers to assistive, adaptive, or rehabilitation products. These devices are designed specially that will assure greater independence to the older adults, especially those people with limited abilities or disabilities that are typically associated with aging.

The assistive technology products will help these people to do a variety of jobs allowing them to stay in their home and age as well as improve their quality of life.

Things to consider

With or without assistive technology to support you, if you want to age in place then there are a few things you should consider such as:

• Make your home safe with a few modifications as well as a few structural changes but make sure that you stick to the building codes.
• If you want to live in your home and suffer from a chronic disease you will need to consider the type of support required in the future. 
• If you want to stay in age and hire the service of in-home caregivers or companions to make sure that you research them while you are still active to do a little bit of net-surfing and running about.

Always hire the service of a geriatric care manager to understand the risks, evaluate and coordinate the crisis interventions. Also, make a proper care plan including transportation and always discuss your plan with the other members of your family. Also consider things from the financial aspect as well as your health concerns, physical or mental, to create the best plan.