Are your kiddos helping out around the house more than ever? It’s no secret that the pandemic put most families into hyper-drive when it comes to overall cleanliness. Now there’s data to back up what you’ve suspected over the past year-plus.
According to a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of SC Johnson, more than half of Americans believe the pandemic has had a positive effect on their cleaning habits. Beyond that, the data shows families are cleaning together more than they were in the pre-pandemic days.
The survey, conducted between Feb. 10, 2021 and Feb. 16, 2021, included 2,000 adult participants aged 18 and up. The findings show Americans are now spending more time than ever cleaning their homes, which equates to an average of six hours weekly!
Alan VanderMolen, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at SC Johnson, said in a press release, “At SC Johnson, our goal is to create a healthier world by educating and enabling people on cleaning and hygiene so that they can respond to this pandemic and future public health threats.” VanderMolen added, “We are encouraged to see families are working together to improve and maintain their cleaning habits because healthier homes create healthier communities and a better world.”
Not only are they spending more time cleaning, American adults are also more satisfied with the cleanliness of their home. The poll shows a whopping nine out of 10 of people surveyed feel their efforts have paid off in cleanliness.
When it comes to kids and cleaning, 44 percent of parents say their kiddos help more to clean now than they did before the pandemic. Seventy-one percent of these parents also expect their children to keep up the cleaning efforts from now on!
The effect of stress on our health has become a major topic of conversation over the last few decades because our lives are continuously becoming more stressful. We live in a society that values ‘busyness,’ and believes that success is tied to action.
This is one of many reasons that makes navigating fertility challenges so stressful. We work so hard at it, invest so much energy, time, and money—we expect success because that is what we’ve been conditioned to expect. So, when pregnancy doesn’t happen and we feel we are doing everything we can, we begin to feel powerless. This lack of control can be frustrating and difficult.
Enter STRESS. Decades of research on the associations between stress and infertility have made this connection well-known and accepted. Encouragingly, there is as much data that suggests that mind-body practices can effectively reduce stress, mitigate the infertility experience, and perhaps even enhance reproductive outcomes.
As Maté outlines in “When the Body Says No: Understanding the Stress-Disease Connection,” stress can be characterized as having four major causes: 1) lack of control, 2) uncertainty, 3) emotional isolation, and 4) inability to express emotions (2003). If you’ve had or are experiencing fertility challenges, you’re probably nodding your head thinking that these stressors pretty well sum up a life with infertility. When you’re told to relax, this often has the opposite effect, increasing the stress response. We are often left without the knowledge or tools to deal with stress. Also, the situations that cause stress will not go away and tend to cycle monthly.
If these stressors are inherent to the fertility journey and cannot be reduced, how can you minimize stress so you can support your fertility efforts?The prescription of staying stress-free, although based in truth, is extremely over-simplified and almost impossible. The good news is that we can control the way we deal with stress and the effects that it has on the body. We can periodically take our bodies out of the stress response and into the relaxation response. But first, we need to be able to identify stress in our bodies. Let’s break down the three stages of stress, known as the General Adaptation Syndrome, as described by Hans Seyle:
Alarm. When our bodies are in stress response, our body sends us warning signals that things are getting out of control. These warning signals can wear a variety of faces: a) physical – headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite or binge eating, teeth grinding; b) behavioral – alcohol or drug abuse, compulsiveness, restlessness; c) emotional – aggression, irritability, frequent crying; d) cognitive – impaired concentration, judgmental thoughts, racing mind, blaming, and distortions in thoughts like all or nothing thinking, or jumping to irrational conclusions.
Resistance. This is when the alarms are going off, but we choose to ignore them.
Exhaustion. After ignoring the symptoms, our bodies take control and slam on the brakes. This usually comes in the form of falling ill as our immune systems are compromised from being in heightened stress response for too long.
Once you’re able to identify stress, you can begin coming up with a stress management plan to help combat it. The three “A’s of Change” can be a useful framework to begin:
Awareness. Become aware of your warning signs. What are your alarm bells? Behavioral, Cognitive, Physical, Emotional?
Acceptance. Acceptance does not mean giving in. Recognizing and accepting is key to moving on. By saying, “I am sad, and sadness is a normal human response. It’s ok,” we acknowledge the warning signals and can begin to process our stress.
Action. This is the step that is often the hardest because it involves changing our old habits. Rather than reaching for a bottle of wine or the TV remote, find what brings you genuine ease (often bringing the attention inward). List a few options that you can follow to deal with the stress: take a bath, go for a walk, take a restorative yoga class, meditate, or simply stop and breathe deeply. Be preemptive in your action–when you know you have a particularly stressful procedure or appointment coming up, begin a few days before to deep breathe, meditate, and visualize positive outcomes.
Ask yourself (and be honest with yourself), do you take the time needed to increase your relaxation with mind-body practices? If your honest answer is no and you think you need a little help or motivation, start looking for that support. Find nice short walks in nature nearby and locate restorative or fertility yoga classes. Find classes online for meditation or yoga and schedule this time into your calendar. Make a promise to yourself to do it, and don’t break that promise. Relaxation takes practice – it’s not as easy as saying, “I am now going to be a relaxed person.” Just like any other skill, this takes time and commitment to make it part of your life. You can’t expect to relax on cue after spending weeks, months, or years in a state of chronic stress.
And finally, let’s reframe our view on relaxation from ‘doing nothing’ and make it more accessible to our ‘doing’ mindset. You are doing something profound, nurturing, and supportive of your fertility that does not involve huge amounts of money, medication, time, or energy. Relaxation is a proactive activity to support your fertility that you can control. You are preparing your body to be as receptive as possible to whatever measures you are taking to conceive.
Dr. Wael Salem is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is Board Eligible in Reproductive Endocrinology. His interests include fertility for cancer patients, PCOS, fertility preservation (egg freezing) and preimplantation genetic testing for hereditary genetic diseases. Dr. Salem joined CCRM Minneapolis in 2018.
Extra, extra––read all about it! The LEGO Group and Universal Music Group (UMG) have teamed up for their first collaboration and it’s bringing the brickmaker and global industry leader in music together in a special way.
Introducing LEGO VIDIYO, “a playful and innovative music video maker experience designed to celebrate and expand children’s creativity and passion for music.” The new app lets kids dream up, direct, produce, star and share their own music videos using tunes from UMG’s chart topping artists.
Perfect for kids ages seven to 10, LEGO VIDIYO offers a safe space for them to “travel” the world and experiment with music. The app brings new technology with the LEGO System in Play and pairs it with music from all over the world so kiddos can creatively express themselves.
LEGO VIDIYO requires verified parental consentand external moderation of all content shared to the App feed for ultimate parent confidence.
The new app is packed with music, augmented reality, minifigures and other iconic LEGO elements. Kids have tons of editing options which can be unlocked through “Beat Bits,” a special effect.
To get started, download the free app (which will be available for Android and Apple users starting Feb. 16) and then young creators will choose a song. Next, create a band from new minifigs which can be customized and brought to life using AR technology.
Let LEGO VIDIYO scan your location in just three seconds and you’ve got the perfect background. Next, get those “Beat Bits” going–– 2×2 square LEGO elements that unlock digital effects when scanned. Options for special effects include audio effects, confetti showers and even surfing on a shark!
Record up to a 60 second performance then trim down to your liking before uploading to the App feed. Kids videos will undergo moderation with the caveat that any content featuring personally-identifiable information won’t be approved for App feed upload. However, these videos can be stored in-App and shared with fam and friends.
To keep it fresh, LEGO VIDIYO will add new music, challenges, and inspirational content often. Keep an eye out––you can start getting your hands on the new products in most countries starting Mar. 1.
The LEGO® Super Mario™ collection was a smash hit in 2020, and the brickmakers have good news for the new year! LEGO is launching brand-new sets that will be available for purchase starting Jan. 1., 2021. There is a small catch—you’ll need to make sure you have the Adventures with Mario Starter Courseas well because the starter course is the only one with the digital Mario that allows you to take advantage of the special effects in the action bricks and with the LEGO Super Mario app.
Be sure to check your hand sanitizer! Shane Erickson, Inc. is voluntarily recalling various lots of its wash-free hand sanitizer due to the potential presence of methanol. Exposure to methanol risks includes nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death.
Recalled products include the following: lot 2020/05/11 and MFG: 2020/05/10 L/N: 20200510-3 of imc Wash-Free Hand Sanitizer 50 ml, 100 ml, 300 ml and Wash Free Hand Sanitizer 300 ml lot 2020/05/11 and Thrifty White Pharmacy Wash-Free Hand Sanitizer 300 ml lot 2020/05/11. Check this link to see more information including UPC codes and product labels.
No adverse effects in regards to this recall have been reported yet. Consumers with questions can contact Shane Erickson, Inc. by phone at 952.252.1254 or email sales@imcsuccess.com Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Central Time Zone.
Do you feel like you’ve aged overnight since having children? That feeling may not be just in your head. A new study led by Penn State researchers found that the number of times a person gives birth may also affect the body’s aging process.
Researchers examined several different measures that represent how a person’s body is aging and found that people who had few births or many seemed to have aged quicker than those who had given birth three or four times. However, these effects were found only after a person had gone through menopause.
“Our findings suggest that pregnancy and birth may contribute to the changing and dysregulation of several different physiological systems that may affect aging once a person is post-menopause,” said Talia Shirazi, a doctoral candidate in biological anthropology at Penn State. “This is consistent with the metabolic, immunological, and endocrinological changes that occur in the body during pregnancy and lactation, as well as the various disease risks that are associated with pregnancy and reproductive investment more generally.”
Pregnancy and breastfeeding use a large amount of the body’s energy and can affect many of its systems, including immune function, metabolism, and blood pressure, among others. Additionally, people who have given birth are more likely to die from diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension, among other conditions, than those who have not.
The researchers were curious about how the body balances these “costs of reproduction” and whether it affects how the body ages.
“We think there’s something going on, some sort of trade-off, between aging and reproduction,” Shirazi said. “This makes sense from an evolutionary biology point of view, because if you’re spending energy in pregnancy and breastfeeding, you probably don’t have as much energy to allocate towards things like physiological maintenance and defense.”
For the study, the researchers used data on 4418 participants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Data included information about reproductive health including the number of live births and whether they had gone through menopause or not. They measured biological aging in several ways based on nine biomarkers designed to assess metabolic health, kidney and liver function, anemia and red blood cell disorders, immune function and inflammation.
“We wanted to look at measures that would help capture the age and functioning of the body’s major organ systems, instead of looking at aging at the cellular level,” said Waylon Hastings, postdoctoral researcher at Penn State. “When we think about pregnancy, we don’t think about changes to individual cells but instead about how the immune system or metabolism changes, for example.”
The researchers found a “U-shaped relationship” between the number of live births and accelerated biological aging. Those reporting zero or few live births, or reporting many live births, had markers of quicker biological aging than those who reported three or four live births. This was true even when controlling for chronological age, lifestyle and other health related and demographic factors.
Shirazi said that because the data was taken at one point in time, it’s not currently possible to know what caused these associations. But she said one possible explanation for the findings recently published in Scientific Reports is the presence, or lack, of ovarian hormones in post-menopausal people.
“Previous research has found that generally, ovarian hormones are protective against some cellular level processes that might accelerate aging,” Shirazi said. “So it’s possible that in pre-menopausal women the effect of hormones are buffering the potential negative effect of pregnancy and reproduction on biological age acceleration. And then perhaps when the hormones are gone, the effects can show themselves.”
Hastings said the study also suggests that additional research can be done to understand the processes that may be involved in the connection between aging and having children, as well as how these processes work over time.
“This transition into menopause, and female reproductive health in general, is very much under researched and not as well understood as it should be at this time,” Hastings said. “So if we can see that there are these changes in aging as a function of reproduction and menopause, and we don’t have a great explanation for why, then that’s a sign we should investigate this more.”
Walt Disney World fans rejoice! As the phased reopening of the resort continues guests will be happy to know that the Park Hopper option will be returning in the new year. According to the Disney Blog, starting Jan. 1, 2021, guests who purchased a ticket or annual pass with Park Hopper benefits will be able to visit more than one park per day, with a few modifications.
Guests must make a Disney Park Pass reservation for the first park they plan to visit and enter that park first prior to visiting another. Currently a park reservation is not required after the first park, however reservation requirements are subject to change.
The resort will set specific Park Hopper hours during which this option will be available. Park Hopper hours will begin at 2 p.m. each day and end at the park’s scheduled close time. Guests will soon be able to check DisneyWorld.com/ParkHours and the My Disney Experience app for the most up-to-date Park Hopper hours, as they could start earlier at a later date, depending on the day and park. The ability to visit another park will be subject to the park’s capacity limitations.
These modifications are designed to help the resort to continue managing attendance in a way that fosters physical distancing. Additionally, other enhanced health and safety measures remain in effect. Face coverings are required for all guests ages two and up.
If you have any questions, visit the Know Before You Go page on DisneyWorld.com, call the Disney Reservation Center, contact your travel professional or reach out to planDisney to get helpful tips and information on your upcoming Disney vacation.
Kids can be just like their favorite influencers, actors, or movie makers with VTech’s newest, kid-safe camera kit. The KidiZoom Creator Cam comes with a digital photo and video camera, a green screen sheet, and a selfie stick-slash-tripod — basically, everything kids need to create videos with interesting effects! The camera’s most noteworthy feature is its selection of more than 20 animated backgrounds which, when combined with the green screen sheet, can make kids appear as though they are running from a dinosaur, delivering a weather forecast, driving a car, and more.
The Toy Insider is the go-to source for product information and the latest news about children's toys, tech, and entertainment. Its team of toy experts publishes two annual gift guides—one for summer and one for holiday—and reviews toys 365 days a year on thetoyinsider.com, a trusted resource for parents.
Fashion Accessory Designer, Artist, TV Personality, and Boy MOM. Check out my weekly IGlives, FSWF, @ChristinaCarusoStyle, as I sketch and interview inspiring peeps ( parents too)
As a fashion accessory designer I am always drawing and creating. One of the silver linings (during this incredible time) was being at home with my son and introducing him to the world of art and design. Our friends at iHeartArt by Bright Stripes created some amazing artist grade art supplies that’s both fantastic for kids… and parents! So, when I’m doing a FSWF IGlive segment, sketching with friends on 560 7th or designing jewelry, you bet I’m using these cool paints and markers. Oh and yes, when we do “art time with mom” it’s all about the iHeartArt sets, paints and markers. My son LOVES! The best part – iHeartArt Gives Back! 5% of profits are donated to Art Feeds International Program that gives art lessons, teacher training and art supplies to kids in need around the world. Use code CHRISTINA15 at checkout for 15% off your order.
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iHeartArt Travel Art Pack - Watercolors + Fine Line Pen
Create beautiful illustrations with watercolor and fine line black pen details with this all-in-one Travel Pack!
$14.99
This mini portfolio is perfect for artwork on the go- with the watercolors, fine line black pen and water brush on one side and the high- quality drawing paper pad on the other side. Just grab and go! Comes with 16 watercolor cakes, fine line pen, water brush pen, 25-page pad and a Techniques Guide for using the included media. The Techniques Guide inside shows you how to use the watercolors and pen. It even includes a practice project so you can paint and add ink details in the guide before making your own creative works!
iHeartArt 12 Thick & Thin Markers, Chisel & Fine Tip
Create an infinite number of effects with these double-sided markers!
$15.99
Double-sided markers feature a wide chisel tip on one side and a fine detail tip on the other to create endless effects! The perfect supply to take your marker renderings to the next level. Premium quality alcohol-based inks dry quickly, so you can build up layers of the same color to create different tones- light, medium and dark. You can also layer different markers together to blend and create new colors! For outlines and delicate details, flip the marker around and use the fine tip. The Techniques Guide inside shows you how to use these markers and gives tips and tricks. It even includes a practice project. Draw right in the guide before making your own creative works!
High-quality thick paper with a light texture that is great for watercolors, acrylic paints or any wet media. Smooth binding on top means that pages are easy to remove cleanly.
How have you been dealing with the added stresses the pandemic, distance learning, and working remotely? Fintech company, Self Financial, asked over 1,000 Americans how their finances and mental wellbeing were connected in a series of questions to uncover the true cost of mental health. It turns out that people are spending an average of $287 a month on their mental health from direct and indirect sources.
1,066 Americans from across all states, with a range of financial backgrounds, were polled using Amazon’s survey platform from Jun. 29 to Jul. 4 on a range of questions about their financial and mental wellbeing.
The most popular indirect methods people are spending their money on for the benefit of their mental health are TV and streaming services (51.5%), socializing (48%), music streaming (44%), and food and drink (43%). In terms of direct methods, 72% of our respondents utilize counseling, 24% use mental health apps and 19% use sports and exercise as a means of looking after their mental wellbeing.
When asked about their experience during the global pandemic specifically, almost 1 in 5 (18%) said that TV streaming like Netflix and Disney+ was one of the three most important things for their mental health to combat the effects of COVID-19. This was found to be more important than counseling, mental health apps and podcasts, alcohol, journals, and music.
Despite streaming’s positive effects on viewers, 81.3% of people said that their mental health will ‘definitely’ improve after the pandemic is over.
Kristie Norwood, PhD, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist said, “Television shows can serve as a mechanism for people to mentally avoid dealing with everyday life challenges, remain connected to popular culture, experience positive emotions, and validate aspects of their lives. Through portrayed character experiences, viewers are able to feel a sense of internal connection, validation and normalization when their personal life situations are displayed; this pleasant connection and gratification often triggers dopamine in the brain which causes the behavioral response of continuous streaming, also known as “binge-watching.”
