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What is Holiday Heart Syndrome? It's Not a Hallmark Movie.

What is Holiday Heart Syndrome? It's Not a Hallmark Movie. I think Holiday Heart IS the title of a Hallmark movie, but I'm referring to something more serious - the spike in emergencies around the holidays. In medicine, holiday heart syndrome refers to an increase in abnormal heart rhythms around the holidays.  Let's explore some factors that can lead to holiday heart syndrome, or other emergencies that uptick during the holiday season. What Causes Holiday Heart Syndrome?  Dietary Changes  Think about your holiday menu. Do you often make the same foods that you've had growing up?  They might not be the best options. Foods such as ham and canned goods can be high in sodium.  Ingesting too much salt can lead to fluid retention and elevated blood pressure. Consider serving an alternative, or providing a variety of options for yourself and guests. Too Much Alcohol People tend to drink more alcohol during the holiday season compared to other times of the year ( ...
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How to Feed a Picky Eater with Few Safe Foods

 How to Feed a Picky Eater with Few Safe Foods We often have many strongly held beliefs surrounding food and eating if we're honest with ourselves, and not all of these ideas are healthy.  Preconceived notions about food and eating can be amplified during the holiday season, which is already an emotionally charged time of year. Even more-so if you count a picky eater with few safe foods among your ranks. Feeding a picky eater with few safe foods is not as tricky as you think. Let's look at ways to approach this. **Disclaimer: the suggestions in this article assume that there are no underlying causes of picky eating. Consult a healthcare provider to rule out conditions that could lead to feeding difficulties or preferences. Offer a Variety of Foods Your job is to offer a variety of foods. Your child's job is to decide what and how much to eat. Always offer at least one safe food that you know your child will eat.  Continue to offer "sometimes, rarely or never" food...
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Kids Countdown: 4 Easy Visual Countdown Methods for Kids.

Kids Countdown: 4 Easy Visual Countdown Methods for Kids.  Time. It's an abstract concept that can be hard for kids to understand. Helping kids understand time with visual countdown methods can help ease transitions during your daily routine, and demystify when major events will take place.  Perhaps your child is looking forward to going back to school, celebrating a birthday or holiday, or going on vacation. Maybe he's excited for something more immediate, like going to the park or on a play date.  Whether something is taking place sooner or later, a visual countdown method can help! Let's look at 4 easy visual countdown methods for kids. **This post contains affiliate links. I earn small commissions from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! 4 Easy Visual Countdown Methods for Kids.  Visual Timer   Best suited for more immediate happenings, a  visual timer  can take some of the mystery out of the concept of time for y...
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5 Ways to Express Gratitude as a Family

 5 Ways to Express Gratitude as a Family Gratitude is thankfulness. To practice gratitude is to express appreciation for your blessings - your substance and circumstances. It's acknowledging things that are going right or well. It's identifying that there can be good in the bad, beauty in struggle, purpose in pain, etc.   Expressing gratitude has mental and physical health benefits. Showing gratitude can improve sleep, mood, and immunity; it can decrease feelings of anxiety and depression, and improve outcomes of chronic pain and disease (source: Mayo Clinic ).  Expressing gratitude is an antidote to negative feelings that can result from comparison and imposter syndrome.  Pair expressing gratitude with something you do every day to make it a habit. I state three things I'm grateful for while my morning coffee brews. This helps set the tone  to start the day with a positive perspective. Expressing gratitude is a great tool to model and practice. Let's ...
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Pumpkin Carving Alternatives. 8 Substitutes for Pumpkin Carving.

Pumpkin Carving Alternatives. There are many ways to decorate a pumpkin if pumpkin carving isn't your jam. Pumpkin Carving is messy! I don't blame you if you're not up for it. Keep in mind that some of these pumpkin carving alternative ideas may still require prep such as cleaning the inside of the pumpkin.  **This post contains affiliate links. I earn small commissions for qualified purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support! 8 Substitutes for Pumpkin Carving 1. Painting Pumpkins  The possibilities for painting pumpkins are endless.  Acrylic paint  is the most adherent, but not the easiest to clean up if you have kiddos. Thumbprint designs are especially adorable if your little one likes to finger paint. Use  spray paint  for allover coverage, and  dual tip acrylic paint markers  for finer details. Consider paint pour or splatter if you don't mind getting messy (best done outdoors). Don't forget  paint smocks !  2. P...
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What Do Different Colored Pumpkins Mean on Halloween?

What Do Different Colored Pumpkins Mean on Halloween? From pillowcases to pumpkin pails, kids carry all kinds of candy receptacles to trick-or-treat. While much thought might not go into using a grocery bag, the use of different colored pumpkins for trick or treat could be intentional.  Just as trick-or-treaters can send a signal with what they carry to collect candy, people passing out treats can do the same with their Halloween decor. Whether you collect or pass out treats, arm yourself with the knowledge of what different colored pumpkins mean on Halloween to prepare for all sorts of trick-or-treaters. **This post contains affiliate links. I earn small commissions from clicks and qualified purchases at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Teal Pumpkins  Teal pumpkins represent food allergies. Your child with a food allergy can carry a  teal pumpkin trick or treat bucket .  Decorate your porch with a  teal pumpkin  to provide a more inclusive tr...
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Cat Theme Halloween Treats for Humans!

Cat Theme Halloween Treats for Humans!  If you love cat culture, then these cat theme Halloween treats are for you! Whether you make treats for your kids, relatives, neighbors, classmates or students, these cat theme Halloween treats are sure to be a hit!  Include non-food items in case of food allergies, preferences, restrictions, etc. Packaged foods are safer than homemade so recipients can easily identify the ingredients. These cat theme Halloween treats are cute, easy to put together, and can be used for any occasion if you omit the "Happy Halloween" insert.  **This post contains affiliate links. I earn small commissions from qualified purchases at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Supplies (commissions earned)  quart storage bags   alcohol prep pads zig zag scissors cat ear headbands cat stress relief toys paw print stickers goldfish crackers Instructions use an  alcohol wipe  to remove the label from the  quart storage bags . pu...
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Screening colonoscopy prep and procedure: a firsthand account

Content warning: mentions cancer and death If I had a dollar for every time a patient came into my office and said they “want to be checked for cancer,” well…I probably wouldn’t be writing this blog post! There is no single universal test for cancer, but common things happen commonly. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths when men and women are combined ( cancer.org ). Screening for colorectal cancer should be on your list to be “checked for cancer.”  For those at average risk, screening for colorectal cancer should begin at age 45 ( cdc.gov ). If you want to know more about colorectal cancer incidence, risk factors and screening methods, then check out last week's blog post  here . I am at increased risk for colorectal cancer, because my father died from complications of colon cancer when he was only 45. So though I’m only in my thirties, I’ve already had my first screening colonoscopy, which is the gold standard screening method for individuals a...
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Looking to save money? 4 High Yield Savings Accounts you should check out!

Looking to save money? 4 High Yield Savings Accounts you should check out!  Let’s talk high yield savings accounts (HYSAs). Gone are the days of having “mattress money.” Or at least they should be. Why? Because you should not be keeping your emergency fund under your bed! Wouldn’t it be better to put your money where it could make you MORE money while you sleep instead?   If you have an emergency fund, you are already ahead of the game. Check out this article  that states only 44% of Americans can cover a $1,000 emergency expense from their savings. An emergency or rainy day fund is just what it sounds like: money set aside for unforeseen costly circumstances. Think car or home repairs, medical emergencies, pet injuries - you get the picture. These things can happen to anyone, so we should all prepare for them. You’ll find that the more prepared you are, the less emergencies you will experience! So what should you do? First, aim to have $1,000 set aside. Ideally, you will...
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What Do Different Colored Pumpkins Mean on Halloween?

What Do Different Colored Pumpkins Mean on Halloween? From pillowcases to pumpkin pails, kids carry all kinds of candy receptacles to trick-or-treat. While much thought might not go into using a grocery bag, the use of different colored pumpkins for trick or treat could be intentional.  Just as trick-or-treaters can send a signal with what they carry to collect candy, people passing out treats can do the same with their Halloween decor. Whether you collect or pass out treats, arm yourself with the knowledge of what different colored pumpkins mean on Halloween to prepare for all sorts of trick-or-treaters. **This post contains affiliate links. I earn small commissions from clicks and qualified purchases at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support! Teal Pumpkins  Teal pumpkins represent food allergies. Your child with a food allergy can carry a  teal pumpkin trick or treat bucket .  Decorate your porch with a  teal pumpkin  to provide a more inclusive tr...
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