Category: Health & Fitness

Healthy kids are happy kids.

We all want our children to grow up into happy, healthy adults, and that means making sure they eat a balanced diet and understand the value of good nutrition.

However, making sure they eat good foods at home can be difficult. When they’re out of the house, we’re looking at a nearly impossible feat. Life would be easier if children has access to healthy vending machines.

At school for example.

Kids spend a large portion of their day out of the home, in a place packed offering vending machines filled with sugary snacks. It is natural that they will pick a candy bar over an apple.

How can we combat this and ensure our children continue to eat healthy at school?

Healthy Vending Machines Offer a Great Snack Substitute

There is nothing wrong with vending machines, and there is nothing wrong with a little candy now and then. The problem is the lack of options and the over abundance of unhealthy snacks.

If schools were to offer healthy vending machines containing fruit, nuts, and healthy snacks, they would be offering the children in their care a balanced and healthy lifestyle on school grounds.

It would also be in the interest of the school to give children healthy options which will keep the students energized and ready to learn.

There are many choices when it comes to such machines, and healthyyou vending reviews can help you choose the best products to recommend to your child’s school.

The Benefit of Natural Suger over Refined

Sure, both fruits and candy bars are full of sugars, so what’s the difference,?

Well, the core difference is that fruit is natural sugar, while candy bars are made from refined sugar, and all manner of other ingredients too.

Fruits contain natural sugar and other nutrients, but also fiber, which slows the break down of the fruit sugars and prevents the blood sugar spike that can be seen from eating candy.

Nutritious vending machines can serve as a great educational point for children, to learn about the different types of sugars and how our body processes them.

Educators are Responsible For Helping Raise Your Children

At the end of the day, you entrust your children into the care of school officials, because, they, as educators are the best people to help teach your kids about the world, and how to thrive in it.

Why shouldn’t educational institutions shoulder the responsibility to ensuring children stay healthy while on school grounds?

The two go hand in hand, and the responsibility is on both parents and educators to make sure the children in our care are given the best possible options for them.

Healthy Eating is a Privilege Not to be Ignored

It can be easy to forget that access to healthy foods is a privilege. There are a lot of people in the world who do not have such luxury. We need to teach our children that eating healthy is something they should be thankful for.

Being able to eat a balanced and nutritious diet is (sadly) not a right.

As adults, it is our duty to do everything we can to give our children healthy alternatives.

We are not individuals in this battle. We can work together to make healthy vending machines a school staple.

Just take a look around our site to see how many ways there are for you to get more involved. If you want more information on anything, you can always reach out to me.

The gift of nice weather means it’s time to take out those cute little sandals and let our beautiful feet have their moment to shine. But if you suffer from cracked or overworked feet, you might feel inclined to hide them away from the world.

Extra humidity can be potentially good for dried out skin, but somehow our feet never want to soak up that extra moisture. They hold us up for hours on end every day, take us over to our favorite ice cream shops but still, they are often unappreciated.

So it’s up to us to give them the good treatment they deserve!

Read on to learn more about how to do it!

1. Let Them Breathe

It’s a little-known fact that our feet actually sweat when cooped up in our socks and our shoes. An overly long build up of not taking care of this extra layer of unneeded moisture can lead to diseases such as athlete’s foot.

After a long day at work or after a session of exercise, make sure to take the time to let your feet out and dry off from the activity of the day. Simply taking off your shoes to air out should do the trick!

2. Wear Proper Fitting Shoes

Those of us who are thrifty-minded can sometimes decide to stick with an old pair of shoes because who wants to go out and buy new ones when these old ones are perfectly functional?

However, if your shoes are too old, too small or even too big, it’s best to change them out. Poor fitting shoes can cause blisters and other sores that will hurt. They’ll also leave behind marks on your feet you just don’t want.

Always choose good fitting shoes. You don’t want your footwear to keep you from having beautiful feet!

3. Give Them a Good Soak

Not only can this be a relaxing ritual after a long day’s work, but it’s great for the health of your feet, too! There are a bunch of different varieties you can try, such as simple hot water and essential oils or a special Listerine foot bath!

All you have to do is soak your feet for about 10 to 15 minutes or so, but try not to go too long. If your feet are starting to get all pruney, it’s best to take them out and give them a rest.

The great thing is that this goes along perfectly with our next tip!

4. Scrub

The best time to scrub your feet is after a good soak. They’ll be softer than normal which leads to getting the most out of the scrub.

Use a pumice stone while they are still damp and you’ll have beautiful feet in no time! Make sure to go with the grain of your foot, not against. This will ensure you don’t end up damaging your feet in the process!

5. Always Moisturize

Your feet need a stronger cream than other parts of your body due to the thicker skin. A good tip is to use coconut oil or creams with Vitamin E!

Massage your feet with your chosen moisturizer and relax for an hour or two to really let it work into your skin before rinsing it off. Or, if you prefer, you could choose to let it stay on overnight. Just put on some socks to protect your furniture from getting moisturizer everywhere!

Beautiful Feet Are Just a Step Away!

With these steps in place, you’ll have perfect feet to show off your new pair of sandals on that special weekend getaway you’ve been planning! Go out there are show them to the world!

Have more great tips? We’d love to hear them! Let us know in a comment below!

No one can dispute that health insurance is important, especially in a country with healthcare costs that are so high. 45.7% of companies provide health insurance for their employees.

But what do you do if you’re self-employed? 31% of self-employed people with no employees have no insurance. How can you avoid being part of this statistic without breaking the bank?

Read on to find out more about health insurance for self-employed people!

Understand What’s Available in Terms of Health Insurance for Self Employed

Healthy insurance may feel like a must, but there are many options to choose from in the kind of insurance you can get.

Federal or State

Under the Affordable Care Act, states must either run their own insurance marketplace or use the federal one.

On these marketplaces, you’ll find private companies selling government-vetted policies that offer a variety of coverage amounts.

Healthcare Sharing Ministry

If government-run exchanges aren’t your thing, you can still find reasonable health insurance for self employed people.

With healthcare sharing ministries, your monthly premium contributes to not only your healthcare but other members of your same group.

This is a great way to cut costs, though, as with everything, research is needed to ensure you’re getting the right coverage for you and your family’s needs.

Health Savings Account

A Health Savings Account, or HSA, is great if you’re looking for a lot of control over your health funds.

An HSA is a high-deductible health plan. Essentially, you put all the money you want into a special account, and then, as long as you spend it on medical expenses that meet the qualifications, you pay no tax or penalty on the money withdrawal.

And, the best part, the money is still yours! So if you need it for a non-medical emergency, you can take it out (keeping in mind possible taxes and penalties), and use it!

Price Comparison: Your Ticket to Savings

Competition is the true beauty of the marketplace. Compare health insurance prices to ensure you’re getting the best deal possible.

Look for Savings

Health insurance can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be excessive. Look for ways like these to decrease your costs.

Choose the Degree of Coverage

Less coverage means more savings. The ACA offers a “metal” rating system so you can choose a coverage plan that’s right for you. Platinum covers 90% of your out-of-pocket costs, Gold 80%, Silver 70%, and Bronze 60%.

Check for Subsidies

Depending on your income (less than 400% the poverty level), you may qualify for significant savings if you buy through the state marketplace.

You may also get a tax break from your health insurance simply for being self-employed on line 29 of form 1040 if your self-employed income is less than enough to cover to premium.

To do this, report your profits on Schedule C, then deduct the premiums until your Schedule C is equal to zero. Then report the leftover premium costs as an itemized deduction on Schedule A.

This may or may not work, but it’s worth a try to save money on health insurance for self employed!

Looking for a way to bring in some extra cash to offset insurance costs? Check out easy ways to make money here.

Curious about more ways to save money or improve your self-employed mom life? Feel free to contact this blog!

Having a first-aid kit on hand is one of the best ways to be prepared in the event of an emergency.

You probably have a closet at home that’s filled with band-aids, ointments, gauze pads and aspirin. Of course, it’s great to have these items scattered around your house. You should also have an actual first-aid kit put together.

A kit will undoubtedly come in handy anytime you venture outside the house. All you need to do is grab it and go! Kits can also be handy for in-home usage.

If someone in your family is bleeding heavily, you want to act fast. Having a first aid kit already put together will save you time. Everything will be right in one convenient container.

But what exactly should go in this first-aid kit?

Keep reading to learn how to create the best first aid kit for emergencies.

Container

To create the best first aid kit, the first thing you need is an appropriate container.

There is no hard and fast rule for the type of container you need, but know that there are a few different options to consider.

Plastic containers with snap-top lids are the most popular types.of first aid containers These are great for in-home usage, as they can be easily stored in a closet. And because they’re see through, they’ll be easy to spot.

For first-aid kits stored in vehicles, a backpack is a great option. Backpacks work well in case you have to leave the car. You can easily take the backpack with you on a camping trip without it being a nuisance.

Label Maker

Labeling your first-aid kit correctly will ensure it’s easy for household guests to find.

You can purchase an at-home label maker and put labels on the containers. You will want to label the outside of the container, as well as the smaller containers inside. If you have a backpack, you could sew on a red cross symbol for easy identification.

If you have young children who can’t read yet, put a big red cross on the box and explain to them what it means.

Items

Here is a checklist of items that you definitely want in your first-aid kit:

• First aid book- A first aid book is essential for knowing how to properly use the items in the kit. Misusage of first-aid could exacerbate the injury or even cause death.
• Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
• Large gauze pads- you can always cut them up
• Small pair of sharp scissors
• Cotton balls
• Alcohol prep wipes
• Medical tape
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Rubbing alcohol
• Non-latex gloves
• Aspirin/Ibuprofen
• Tweezers and sewing needle
• CPR breathing mask
• Thermometer
• Sterile Saline

It’s a good idea to check your kit every few months to make sure you are properly stocked up on all of these items. You can restock your items through an online shop like Save Ride Medical. And if you are unsure of what items to use for what situation, remember to read the manual! A first-aid kit can save lives.

Optional Items

Once you have the basics packed, you may also want to think about storing some additional items for your specific situation. Some items you may want to consider are:

• Bee sting kit
• Snake bite kit
• Matches
• Ammonia inhalant capsules
• Small knife
• Paper bags
• An awesome flashlight 

Best First Aid Kit: Wrap Up

With the information here, you will be able to piece together the best first aid kit you possibly can.

We want to hear about your own kit. What do you keep in your kit? Do you think we covered everything? Drop us a comment below.