health – City Insight Magazine

Essential Preplanning for People and Families

Tanushree Kanungo — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:08:44 +0000

In today’s fast-paced world, planning is essential to achieving goals and handling unexpected challenges. Life can bring unforeseen problems, such as financial crises, natural disasters, or health issues, which often arrive unannounced. That’s why pre-planning is crucial—it enhances preparedness, minimizes chaos, and fosters a sense of security. Let’s explore the importance of pre-planning and the strategies individuals and families can adopt to strengthen their responsiveness.

Pre-planning involves identifying potential risks and developing strategies to address them in advance. It ensures that basic needs are met during emergencies, preventing panic and disorder. Additionally, pre-planning strengthens community bonds, encouraging neighbors and local groups to work together to find solutions collectively.

A well-structured emergency plan can make a significant difference in critical situations. Families, especially children, should be familiar with evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and helpline numbers. Most buildings have designated safe exits and alternative escape routes for disasters like fires, floods, or earthquakes—every family member should be aware of these routes to ensure a swift and safe evacuation.

Every household should maintain a list of emergency numbers, including local authorities, hospitals, and trusted friends or family members. This list should be kept in a common area where it is easily accessible to everyone.

A carefully prepared emergency kit can help families sustain themselves without outside assistance for several days. Essential items include:

Food and Water: A three-day supply of non-perishable food and at least one gallon of water per person per day.

Medical Supplies: A first-aid kit, essential medications, and prescription drugs. Families with infants should stock baby formula and necessary supplies.

Power & Light Sources: Flashlights, extra batteries, chargers, candles, and power banks to maintain communication during outages.

Having a financial safety plan can prevent stress and hardship during crises. Save copies of birth certificates, passports, insurance policies, wills, and medical records in a fireproof and waterproof safe.

Strong communities thrive on mutual support. Establishing a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) can assist senior citizens and vulnerable members during disasters. Learning essential skills such as CPR and first aid can make a meaningful difference in emergencies.

Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility that enhances safety and security. By developing an emergency plan, stocking essential supplies, securing financial stability, and fostering community collaboration, families can navigate crises effectively.

Combat Seasonal Depression

Tanushree Kanungo — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 17:00:12 +0000

Depression is a mental health condition that hits harder than most people can realize. As someone navigating through our adulthood, we encounter many daily challenges to balance our lives. A lot of us do not even realize at times why we feel sad over very basic situations.

Depression isn’t just about feeling sad. It can be due to lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and even changes in our eating or sleeping habits.

Many of us probably experience seasonal depression during winter. While the winter season can make us feel dull and lackluster, there are effective strategies to help combat these feelings and reclaim joy and productivity.

1. Identify
It’s essential to identify what you’re dealing with. Seasonal depression often includes fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite, irritability, and a sense of sadness. Recognizing these signs will help to address the problem.

2. Sunlight
Winter months deprive us of sun, so finding ways to soak natural light is critical. Try to sit near windows, or go for a walk outside whenever possible. On cloudy days, light therapy lamps can add more brightness to the room, and our mood and increase our energy level.

3. Physical Activity
It’s hard to motivate oneself to go out to the gym in winter, but even on dull days when it’s hard to find motivation, a quick workout can lift your energy levels. Science says movement releases endorphins, and it’s the body’s natural mood boosters. Workouts can be anything simple like yoga, running, or simply dancing in your living room, as staying active keeps both your body and mind healthy.

4. Stay Engaged
Many people feel isolated during winter months because they socialize less. This only increases sadness. Try to stay connected with friends and family through a simple phone call or text. This simple connection reminds you that you’re not alone and creates hope that you’ll meet them soon.

5. Eat Well
We often crave soups or our favorite beverages during winter. It’s equally important to balance indulgences with comfort and nutritious meals. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, avocados, and walnuts, often help regulate mood. Drink lots of water. It’s important to stay hydrated even when we are mostly indoors.

6. Seek Help when Required
Winters can feel overwhelming, but at any point, you are overwhelmed and feel you are unable to balance and look for professional help. A professional can understand your exact situation and help you navigate through medications or necessary help.

How to Handle Critique and Rejections

The City Insight — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 18:00:00 +0000

We constantly encounter critique and disapproval, whether it’s in the form of uninvited feedback from others, or input we’ve specifically requested. We bottle up what we are doing and avoid letting it out sometimes because we’re afraid of rejections.

On the other hand, reinvent ourselves from what others seem to be approve or disapprove. Because of this, we may feel that we are stifling our own potential.

1. Regularity is Key. Persevere; it’s the daily grind that keeps you inspired, connected to others. Big moments, victories, and defeats will pass. Having a consistent routine that you can always return to can help put any negative feedback into perspective. You get to pursue your passions once again today.

2. Stay Concentrated. Remember where you’re going and why you’re doing things at all times. In doing so, you will be better able to see in plain sight and avoid becoming bogged down by the individual obstacles.

3. Be picky. Carefully consider the feedback you’ve gotten and be prepared to let go of any negative comments once you’ve decided how to implement it. In any case, it’s a mirror of that person’s personal contentment, mood, and pleasure, not necessarily related to you.

4. Keep Pushing. Keep in mind that you are part of the source of your own sense of value. Being self-confident allows you to more readily recover from any negative critique you may get, regardless of who or what provided it.

5. Be Optimistic. If you think positively, good things will come to you. That is speaking it into existence, and it’s something I can attest to from personal experience. Remember the encouraging comments people have said to you anytime you feel the need.

6. Be Precise. Make sure you approach constructive criticism with a level head and not let your internal critic obscure your judgment. Use it as a springboard for personal development; after all, you have to be satisfied with your work for it to be worthwhile.

7. Show Love. Show yourself and your critic unconditional love. Indulge in some self-care. You are deserving of it no matter what happens!

8. Embrace Gratitude. Show grace to those who have been critical of you, take criticism well, and sit quietly to let it all sink in. Thank goodness you have overcome your fears and other obstacles and are actively growing.

9. Show Responsiveness. Instead of answering with whatever comes to mind, give some thought to how you want to handle comments before you respond.

10. Keep an Open Mind. If you’re working on something you might be looking for a certain response. When you put your best effort into something and then get negative feedback or criticism, it’s natural to feel like you’ve “failed” and find it difficult to look on the bright side. Keep an open mind; this “failure” could be guiding you to something better than what you were hoping for.

The Do’s and Don’ts of getting your Hair Back on Track

Mariah Bennett — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 17:08:13 +0000

Healthy hair care is the combination of practices one does to improve or retain one’s hair health. Everyday Health defines healthy hair as shiny, moisture-rich hair with little breakage, minimal shedding, and no dandruff. Hair health can reflect a person’s physical health, potentially indicating internal problems and vitamin deficiencies, and potentially impacting their mental health, 88% of women stated in a survey that their hair is connected to their self-confidence.

Despite this considerable impact on one’s well-being, research by BrandPartner on personal care found that only 17.4% of those surveyed prioritized hair care. The surveyors cited multiple potential reasons including lack of time and education on the subject. Hair specialists across Houston are filling this gap by educating others on what to do and not do with their hair care.

Planet Curls salon owner and curly hair specialist Gerri D. Curtis said healthy hair starts at the scalp and is the key to healthy hair.

“If your scalp isn’t healthy, your hair will not be healthy,” Curtis said. “It’s more internal as well. So what you put in your body is going to show with your hair.” Curtis said using clean products is crucial when maintaining healthy hair, with her salon carrying clean hair products like Inner Sense and Curly World.

Curtis said when clients are trying to establish a healthy hair care routine, the salon will recommend an Inner Sense product called the Pearl Spa Treatment involving a scalp scrub, detox mask, and a deep hydrating conditioner with steam. Clean hair products are goods that do not use synthetic ingredients or damaging chemicals, but instead use ingredients that overall promote hair health, according to Goldie Locks.

“Every client that I get when they sit in my chair, I tell them that they have to become an ingredient freak, look at the back of your bottle, see what’s in it,” Curtis said.

Curtis also said to continue reading the bottle of products even after a long time of usage to watch out for potential ingredient changes, with one ingredient to avoid being sulfate.

“A lot of people think that they have an oily scalp, but in reality, they’re using shampoo that has sulfate in it, and they’re just drying their hair. They wash their hair… and it just continues to be oily, Curtis said. “If you would just stop washing your hair so much and use a sulfate-free cleanser, your scalp will regulate.”

Prettier Profiles founder and hair stylist Daijah Nabors also uses clean hair products at her healthy hair care-based salon, including her completely vegan, unreleased line. Nabors said the first step to starting a healthy hair care routine however is assessing, or “dating” one’s hair, paying attention to its reactions to products, and getting to know it before creating a regimen.

“Pay attention to the ingredients in the products that you’re using and see the similarities amongst those products,” Nabors said.

Autumn Ayri, owner of Lady Ayri Natural Hair Care salon and natural hair care specialist, said that consultations with several salons are the first step to establishing a healthy hair care regimen to put clients on the right track, with every client’s hair needs being different. Ayri’s all-natural vegan-based hair care line Kinky Secrets Beauty, is named after everyone’s hair being unique with different requirements.

“It’s called What’s your Kinky Secret? Because everyone’s hair is different. So what one person may need, someone else may not … it’s tailored to what you need and what you want.” Ayri said a common mistake she often sees clients make is going home and lathering oil products mistakenly as moisturizers, as well as finding the correct amount of product to use.

“So now, within my resume, … they’re going home with the product [and] I told them the right amount to use, or how to just break it up in sections,” Ayri said.

Nabors said one should try to avoid excessive heat on their hair and excessive force, and to make sure they’re using the correct tools on their hair type.

“If you have thick hair, I wouldn’t recommend a thin-tooth comb. I would recommend a wide-tooth comb for detangling your hair,” Nabors said. “You don’t want to use tools that are incompatible with your hair.”

Ayri said that hair trims should be done once a quarter or potentially twice a year, depending on each person’s hair. Ayri said healthy hair care is all about finding the right salon.

“Getting back on track is hard, but it’s also easy to do,” Ayri said. “It all goes back to finding that salon that works for you and with you, and finding a good regimen and sticking to it.”

Puppy Yoga: The Fluffiest Wellness Trend

Mariah Bennett — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:59:41 +0000

Downward dog just got a lot more literal with the hottest new wellness trend: puppy yoga.
“Puppy yoga” is one of the hottest new wellness trends that has taken over the internet. It takes
the calm experience of a yoga class, often at a beginner’s level, and adds an exciting twist by
releasing puppies during the session to play with attendees and fellow fur balls.
Depending on the host organization, these yoga classes can consist of multiple types of canines,
from ten week old golden doodles, to a loveable group of adoptable rescue dogs.
But how is this wellness trend actually good for your health?

Here are the top three reasons:

1. Puppy Yoga can help reduce stress

The combination of the relaxing nature of yoga and the playful nature of a dog can help reduce
human stress levels. Despite the chaos associated with a litter of puppies, their comical antics
during class can help participants worry less about how well they are doing at yoga, and take
themselves less seriously. Scientifically, the act of even petting a dog is shown to reduce stress,
specifically the cortisol hormone, and increase oxycontin, the bonding hormone, according to
John Hopkins Medicine.

2. Classes encourages socialization, for humans and canines

A puppy yoga class can be the perfect place to find a fellow animal lover friend. Most likely,
the other attendees also have a soft spot for furry friends. The puppy’s friendly attitudes, and
chaotic running, can also help “break the ice” of an awkward introduction. This positive social
aspect of puppy yoga extends to the furry friends themselves. Socialization is crucial for dogs
around 3-14 weeks, it helps dogs develop into friendly adults.

Puppies need to socialize just like humans do, whether it is through horseplay or pets. During
most sessions, classes mark out time for participants to just play with the dogs, making it the
perfect time for attendees to socialize with both humans and puppies.

3. Puppy yoga is a unique way to practice mindfulness

The practice of mindfulness, or being completely in and aware of one’s present, can be a
challenging task. While practices like yoga are already a popular way to implement mindfulness,
adding some fluffy friends to a session is an entertaining and unique way to deepen one’s
mindfulness. It’s hard to not stay present when there is a hoard of puppies running loose!
Puppy yoga is more than a temporary trend.

Puppy yoga is a fun way to combine care for one’s physical and mental health through a fur ball
filled hour long class. Puppy yoga is spreading nationwide and cementing itself from trend to a
lighthearted activity for yoga lovers, dog lovers, and those looking for a paw-fect place to find
positivity.

Food for the Soul

Nancy DeRosa — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 18:51:33 +0000

In these stressful and trying times, where our anxiety is at an all time high, we are all trying to find ways to cope. Each news station has different information to confuse us and every day we are hearing of more people becoming infected with the Coronavirus. Fear and uncertainty is mounting and all we can do to help this growing health crisis is to stay home and distance ourselves from others to flatten the curve and stop the spread.

None of us really know what even next week will bring. And although we may feel more isolated than ever, we are in this together. We will get through these difficult times and find ways to alleviate our anxiety and fear..

I alleviate stress by cooking. There’s something about following a recipe, slicing, and dicing, that gives my mind a brief respite from the uncertainty that’s in our world today. There’s also something comforting about delicious aromas wafting throughout your kitchen that soothes the soul and lifts your spirits.

“Chicken Annabella”, is just the dish to fill you up in these anxious times. A great combination of flavors that’s both sweet and savory and is delicious served hot, or a room temperature. This recipe can be doubled and tripled to drop off to a neighbor that is ill or has difficulty getting to a food store.

Food is the common bond that binds us all, we all come to the table to share a meal and in these trying times of social isolation, a comforting meal eaten at home with your family along with an extra tray of “Chicken Annabella”, dropped off to someone who is alone, will feed more than their tummies, we are spreading the love. A meal dropped off to someone who is housebound is serving up more than a hot meal, it is conveying; we may be apart for now, but we are still sharing the same delicious meal together, you are not alone.

Chicken Annabella

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Preheat oven to 350
Place flour in plastic bag. Add chicken in 2 to 3 batches to coat pieces.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet and saute half of chicken until nicely browned. Remove with slotted spoon. Brown remaining chicken in additional 2 tablespoons of oil.
Place browned chicken in oven proof pot of casserole. Mix in garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, Spanish olives, capers, bay leaves, brown sugar and white wine.
Bake covered for 1 hour and 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sauce will thicken. Add more wine, water or chicken broth, if necessary.