10 Health Problems To Look Out For As You Get Older

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Starting to notice early signs of aging? Whilst it’s not easy, you can get rid of wrinkles by catching them early. In fact, there are a multitude of ways to beat wrinkles. Here are just seven ways to make your skin wrinkle-free.

Quit smoking

Smoking is a big cause of wrinkles. It narrows blood vessels on the outer most layers of the skin, stopping oxygen and important nutrients from getting to the surface, making skin lose its colour and elasticity. By quitting smoking, you can help skin to heal by allowing these nutrients to get to the surface.

Stay safe in the sun

Whilst our skin needs vitamin D from the sun, too much exposure to the sun can cause harmful UV rays to burn the skin. This can cause skin to become dry and wrinkled. By covering up with sun cream, you can stop your skin from wrinkling further and give the existing skin time to heal. Wearing sunglasses could also help to fend off crow’s feet around the eyes, by preventing your from squinting.

Get your beauty sleep

A good night’s sleep gives the body time to flush out toxins from the body, including toxins in the skin which could inhibiting important nutrients. However, it’s not just how well you sleep but what position you sleep in that can have affect on your facial complexion. Sleeping on your stomach can cause fluid to pool up in your eyes, which can lead to eye bags, which over a long period of time can turn into permanent wrinkles – by sleeping on your back, you could help to fend off the eye bags.

Change your diet

Your skin needs certain nutrients to stay supple. Omega-3 is one important ingredient that will keep your skin strong and possibly even undo wrinkles – this nutrient is commonly found in foods such as fish and walnuts. Your skin also needs vitamins found in fruit and vegetables, so make sure that you’re getting enough greens in your diet. Sugar isn’t so good for the skin as it encourage inflammation, so you may want to cut down on soft drinks when trying to beat those wrinkles.

Use anti-aging skin products

There are lots of anti-aging skin products on the market that can help you to battle wrinkles. Moisturiser is the best product for fighting wrinkles as it helps to replenish oils into the skin (as we get older, our skin produces less natural oil known as ‘sebum’, and so it needs a substitute). A number of other serums can help to fight wrinkles. Retinol, hydroxy acids and coenzyme Q10 are a few ingredients to look out – each has the potential to reduce wrinkles by improving skin health.

Consider cosmetic surgery

If you want quick and noticeable results, cosmetic surgery may be the solution. Facelifts are no longer the only procedure that can undo wrinkles – there are now many other options such as facial contouring. Cosmetic surgery is getting more affordable and there are now less invasive options available for those that don’t want to go under the knife or want a quick recovery time such as facial threading and botox. By talking to a professional at a clinic, you can see if your plans are feasible.

Hide them with makeup

Some wrinkles can be hidden with makeup. If you want fast results and can’t afford/don’t want to go down the cosmetic surgery route, concealing your wrinkles could be the next best option. There are guides online that can help you to cover up wrinkles with makeup.  

The Kerrie Show's Take on Swim Lessons

Originally published August 3, 2017

I just wanted to park that loaded question somewhere for you to ponder and comment on. I have now graduated 5 kids to Swimming Status ... mostly by myself but with some help from their dad and even a tiny bit of help from their grandmother, my mom. I can't tell you how many hours I spent catching jumping kids and making sure kids did not drown. Applying sunscreen, packing pool bags, making sure we had goggles and towels and toys and balls and dive sticks and snacks and cash for the occasional snack bar drink or nacho.

I contend that if you are a stay-at-home mom and like to swim, teach your own kids how to swim! Save your money and your time and your stress and don't do swim lessons*. You are the best teacher for your kids in most cases. You know them best. You have this cool things called intuition and instinct (hopefully!) that help you teach your kids and care for them and know what they need.

Every now and then I like to parent by common sense and realized I could teach my own kids how to swim. Not by pushing them or pressuring them. By going to the pool with them on a regular basis whether I felt like it or not. By waiting until they were ready. Go figure. 

Joel was ready when he was 7 and we were in a pool in Phoenix where you can have a ring floatie (something you can't have at our local pools). The security of the ring floatie helped him figure it out over the course of three weeks. The other kids learned around the same time, with the exception of the two youngest ... they did it faster. Sam was going off the diving board at age 5 and it freaked me out entirely but that's parenting for you. 

No hate comments if you did swim lessons. I just like to do junk myself and save money and drive time. And I like the pool, so it made me the perfect candidate to be Swim Teacher Mom. There wasn't a lot of teaching involved ... mostly just playing. Which is how I like to homeschool also (wink).

P.S. We live in the Midwest, so it's not like we are at the pool 365 days a year. These days you might find us with a 3-month membership to our indoor pool, but when I was teaching the kids to swim it was just 3 months in the summer, baby!

Michael

Callie

Joel, Samuel and Eva

*Full disclosure: I schlepped some of the kids to swim lessons when they were tiny, around 2006, and it was kind of a waste ... they mostly just wanted to hang and play in the pool with ME and not mess around with some strange teenager. Conversely, if I want to learn how to ride a bike like a professional, I'm not going to pay someone to teach me when my own husband can teach me for free. Then I can figure out the rest.

*Obviously, if your kids are star swimmers and want to learn cool junk like how to do neato dives from a professional, get them some classes! If they just want to swim in a recreational way, then DIY.

Photos from August 2013 taken at our local pool

UPDATE: now it's summer 2019 and all my kids can swim just great and we have our own backyard swimming pool!

What Do You Do If You Can’t Cope With Being A Parent Anymore?

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While our children are the most important thing in our lives, there can be so many underlying anxieties associated with prioritizing our children in this manner. It's something that we've all got to give consideration to, especially when we've been awake for what seems like days! And these days turn into months, which can turn into years. What happens when if we feel that, for even 30 minutes, that were not able to cope with being a parent? And what happens if this compounds down the years?

Breaking The Routine

We've all been there, that we have a routine of getting the kids up, getting ready for school, and everything else, and it seems then that we are forever focused on our children, and never ourselves. But it's this that can lead to issues like high-functioning depression. It might have actually got to the point that we're going so fast that we don't notice our emotions. What we have to do in these instances is to learn how to break the routine. Usually, someone will tell you that you need a break, but if you are on autopilot, you've got to realize at what point that you have been continually neglecting your needs. Break the routine, do something different, and make sure it's for yourself.

What Is Underneath It?

Sometimes there's an underlying health issue, and sometimes it can result in self-medicating. Sometimes we think that we've just got to cope because there's no other choice. But if you find yourself self-medicating, or there is an underlying health or mental health problem, you've got to address this. After all, if you can function at your best, this means you will look after your children better. There are many ways you can do this, you can go to rehab facility like the Lake Wellness Center, or you could go and seek professional help. Counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, or even hypnosis can provide a way for you to function at your best without feeling like you've just got to push through for the sake of everyone else.

Retraining Your Priorities

We all have our children as the priority in our lives. But we've got to make ourselves a priority as well. Self-care is essential. And if you're not looking after your health, how are you able to look after anybody else properly? That's not to say that you need to make yourself more important than your children, but make sure that you are giving the things that your body and mind need for you to function at your best. It's a very simple idea, but as every mother can attest, there is always a lack of time. This is why you have got to learn to function with the minimum of effort. There are plenty of resources out there; it's about finding the right one for you. You could take 10 minutes out of your day, even if you split into 10 one-minute practices, of understanding of what you require to function. This could be the morning coffee, or this could be barricading yourself away from your busy household. Whatever it is, learn to make yourself as important as your children.

10 Ways To Reduce Stress During Pregnancy

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Becoming a mom is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly. From the moment you first become pregnant, you are responsible for the health and care of your little one. This is a lot of pressure for anyone to take on. While pregnancy is a joyous and wonderful time, the anxiety and doubt that comes with it can cause a lot of stress. Although it’s normal to feel worried now and then, if you’re feeling anxious all the time, it can have serious consequences for you and the new baby. With that in mind, here are ten things that you can do to reduce stress during pregnancy.

1. Attend An Antenatal Class

Those becoming parents for the first time often face much more anxiety than people that have done it before. After all, everything about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting is completely new to them. This sense of unknown can leave you constantly doubting yourself and exaggerating your fears. Joining an antenatal class, therefore, can be incredibly beneficial. You’ll learn a lot more about the process and your options, which will give you confidence and quiet any worries.

2. Sort Out Money Worries

As small as they are, babies aren’t cheap creatures. There is a lot that you need to buy before they arrive, which often leaves new parents with money worries. Thankfully, there are plenty of things that you can do to cut costs. You could use selloscope, for example, to find and compare the prices of different products. Some people borrow things from their family and friends too. If you’re really struggling for money, there are also charities out there that might be able to help.

3. Get Plenty Of Rest

Growing an entirely new person is going to take it out of you now and then. Your body will need a lot more energy than normal, so, if it’s telling you that you’re tired, then you need to listen. Taking short naps in the middle of the day can give you a much-needed energy boost, but, if napping isn’t for you, then you should move your bedtime routine instead. Heading to bed just an hour or two earlier will make it a lot less likely that you’ll feel emotional or snappy the next day.

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4. Find Ways To Exercise

While it’s important to rest, you shouldn’t avoid activity altogether. Even when it’s the last thing that you feel like doing, exercise can be hugely beneficial for almost all pregnant women. As well as helping you to maintain a healthy weight, physical activity will make it easier for you to sleep, improve your mood, and reduce the possibility of pregnancy complications. There are many great exercises that you could try, but you should ask your doctor for the go-ahead before you do.

5. Rethink The Household Chores

The house still needs to be cleaned, even when you’re pregnant. You’ll only worry about the mess otherwise. The trouble is, many everyday household chores, such as scrubbing the floors and cleaning up after the pets, can put your pregnancy at risk. Instead of attempting these tasks anyway, you should ask your loved ones for a hand. Most friends and relatives will be more than willing to help out. You might want to hire a cleaner to visit the house once or twice a week too.

6. Meet Up With Friends

When it comes to tackling stress, one of the best things that you can do is talk to your friends. You’re not the only one to have gone through pregnancy, after all, so some of them might understand exactly what you’re going through. This makes them well-equipped to offer you advice or just a shoulder to cry on. Enjoying some quality time with those you love can also provide perspective and show you that it is still possible to have fun, even when you’re stressed.

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7. Wear More Comfortable Clothing

Women often wear clothing that is far too tight while they’re pregnant. This can cause serious discomfort, resulting in feelings that are anything but relaxing. It also makes it impossible not to focus on the weight that you’re gaining, which is a sore spot for some new moms. For this reason, you should switch to clothes that you actually feel comfortable in. Make sure that tops and pants are stretchy or loose and that shoes fit well and are relatively easy to walk in.

8. Eat A Healthy Diet

Pregnancy is a busy time in a woman’s life. However, a drop in blood sugar can leave you feeling tired and irritable. Because of this, you should try to eat regular meals, no matter how much you’ve got to do. Make sure that you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables throughout the day, but don’t limit yourself to greenery alone. As long as you stick to a balanced diet, you can indulge in an unhealthy craving now and then. You must also remember to drink plenty of water each day.

9. Focus On The Baby

As stressful as being pregnant can be, it will all be worth it when you’re holding your newborn in your arms. This is what you need to focus on. Instead of thinking about nausea or the financial burden, you should talk, sing, and read to your baby. This is a great way to bond with your little one and can often help you to feel more positive about pregnancy. Some women also write letters to their children and put them away until they’re old enough to read them.

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10. Speak To A Doctor

Pregnancy can be stressful for any woman, but it is more difficult for some than others. If you’re feeling particularly anxious and scared, then seeking professional help is the way to go. This is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of. In fact, it’s an incredibly brave decision. It’s also a sensible one and the best thing that you can do for yourself and your child. Depending on the circumstances, your doctor may be able to prescribe a treatment to help you.

Being pregnant can definitely be stressful, but with the advice above, you should be able to tackle your anxieties and enjoy this special time.

Finding A Partner When You're Single

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Anyone who has been single for a long time while looking for someone will know just how frustrating it can be. It can be all too easy to find yourself feeling down or wishing that things would change, and sometimes merely being patient about it can be very upsetting in itself. Of course, if you are in such a situation and you’d like it to change as soon as possible, then you might well want to start looking at many different options for doing so. The more that you keep your options open, the more likely it is that you will be able to find that right person at some time, and hopefully you won’t even need to wait that long. In this post, we are going to look at just a few things to consider if you are hoping to find a partner some time soon.

Get Out There

First of all, you need to remember that the single most important thing is that you make a point of getting out there and speaking to people. The more that you are able to do that, the more likely it is that you will meet someone, whereas if you are stuck at home all the time, it is much less likely to happen. This can prove difficult if you have any kind of responsibilities, such as working long hours or having to look after children. But it is important to take the timeout to go out and look for people if that is what you really want, otherwise you are denying yourself a basic thing which you don’t want to deny yourself. Make a point of getting out there as much as possible, and you will feel better just for trying.

Try New Methods

Of course, these days you are just as likely to find someone sitting on your own sofa than anywhere else, and you will probably need to think about using such methods if you are really keen to find someone soon. Dating apps like Tinder might have their dark sides, but many people have managed to find their next love this way, and it is certainly something that you will want to try if you are keen to make sure that you are going to find someone sometime soon. As well as those apps, you might want to think about using free chatlines, which can be a great way to forge a deeper connection than you might get with dating apps. The main thing is that you try out whatever methods you can find.

Patience

Finally, remember that the most important thing is that you are patient with yourself and with the world, and that you trust that your time will come. As long as you manage to adopt this approach, you will probably find that your time does come - but once you start to get too impatient, it generally means that you get desperate, and that is when you start to make compromises that you wish you hadn’t made. Instead focus on yourself while developing that patience - you will be glad you did in the long run.