Health

How to Start Eating Healthy Without Noticing

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2021

Have you tried fad diet after fad diet with no success? If you have been trying to lose weight or just eat healthier in general, a simple yet effective approach includes the following tips to sustain healthier eating habits.

Have Healthy Foods Nearby

Do you ever wander into the kitchen for a quick snack and immediately head to your snack cabinet? Well, you certainly aren’t the only one. First, you will want to ensure you are placing healthier snacks and foods in eyesight, on the counter top, or in the main places you always seem to go looking for a snack.

Eliminate the Junk Food

If you have limited amounts of junk food or no junk food at all in your home, it’ll be a little easier to not be tempted by it. Opt to eliminate or significantly reduce the amount of unhealthy options you have in your pantry and fridge and replace them with healthier options that you will feel less guilty about.

Drink More Water

Focusing on increasing your intake of water is not only good for your body’s hydration but it can also help reduce mindless eating. When you begin to crave a sweet treat or have the urge to snack even though you recently had a meal, try drinking a bottle of water first to make sure that urge is an actual hunger rather than your body just wanting to be properly hydrated.

Shop the Perimeter

Another way to begin to eat healthier is by shopping along the outskirts of your grocery store. The perimeter of the store is filled with fresh produce, meat, dairy, and the frozen section. All of these sections have plenty of healthy, whole foods available. The internal aisles of the grocery store are where a majority of the processed foods are sold; those limit nutrition.

Meal Prep

Rather than approaching your lunch hour with no meal prepared and opting for a quick slice of pizza or deli hoagie, prepare your meals at home. Preparing all of your food and meals at the beginning of the week will not only save you time, but it will also save you from making poor food decisions.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult. Begin by focusing on eating whole foods and eliminating processed ones. Following a few of these tips can also lead you to a healthier lifestyle. But you shouldn’t stop there. Start to include moderate exercise into your weekly routine at least 3 to 5 times.

Introduce moderate activity such as brisk walking into your fitness regimen to begin seeing even better results at a faster pace. Not to mention, having a beautiful place to enjoy walking trails and breathtaking scenery also helps to keep you motivated. If your neighborhood doesn’t have these to offer, consider looking into Columbia houses for sale for a fresh start.

Health

How to Help Your Child if You Think They Might Have Autism

Published

16 hours ago

February 3, 2023

Michelle Langton

Do you suspect your child might have autism, but you’re not sure? While only a professional diagnosis can tell you for sure, there are many ways you can support your child while you get a diagnosis and create a plan.

Here are some of the best ways to support a child you think might have autism.

Try a variety of therapies

While you’re in the process of getting a formal diagnosis, start trying different therapies with your child to see if anything resonates with your child. Every child with autism is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. There are several types of therapy you can try that are low-cost or free, including play therapy, speech therapy, floortime, ABA therapy, and more.

Although your child will need a formal Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis to get ABA therapy, it’s worth noting that once you have a diagnosis, you can get in-home therapy, which will make things easier on you and your child. Organizations like Golden Care Therapy in New Jersey will send an ABA therapist to your home to work with your child in their own environment. Getting in-home therapy will reduce the stress your child may feel from being in a new and unfamiliar place.

The more therapies you try, the better chance you have of getting a head start in supporting your child, whether or not they get diagnosed with autism.

Get your child some sensory toys

Kids with autism need to stim, which is just a fancy way of saying they need something to stimulate their senses in a way that allows them to mitigate and disburse the sensory overload they’re feeling. Without toys, kids will find ways to stim using just their bodies and their surroundings, but toys can be extremely helpful and less damaging depending on your child.

Every child is different, so it might take a bit to find toys they like. However, you can find some excellent suggestions from The Aspie World on YouTube. Some toys spin, squish, make noise, or are a series of magnets that can be reshaped. If your child is already fixated on certain types of toys, try to find something that matches their existing interest. For example, if they like soft textures, find some plush toys with a velvety-smooth texture. Try all types of toys to see if they help your child.

Seek a professional diagnosis

Getting a professional diagnosis is the best way you can support your child when you think they might have autism. Once you have a diagnosis, that opens the door to getting services that will help them immensely. Not just while they’re young, but it will help them in their adult life, too. For example, if your child moves out on their own, and they struggle with self-care and household chores, they’ll need a professional diagnosis to get in-home services from the state.

A professional diagnosis will tell you if your child is on the autism spectrum, or if they have a different disorder. Depending on the therapist you choose, they’ll likely be able to diagnose your child with any relevant comorbidities, which are common with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Learn about autism

Next to getting your child professionally diagnosed, learning about autism will help you support your child in many ways. There are many misconceptions about autism that can make it hard to spot the signs of autism. One of the best people to learn from is Tony Attwood. He’s considered the leading expert on Autism Spectrum Disorder and is extremely knowledgeable.

One of the most important things you can learn from Attwood is how to spot Autism in girls. For various reasons, it’s harder to spot autism in girls and some girls don’t get diagnosed until they’re in their 40s. Attwood gave an excellent talk about Asperger’s in girls back in 2015, and you’ll learn a lot from this speech.

Although Attwood’s speech focuses on Asperger’s, it is part of the autism spectrum. As a diagnosis, Asperger’s has been officially merged into the diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Support your child in every way you can

When you suspect your child might have autism, it’s important to support them in every way possible. While you’re seeking a professional diagnosis, start trying simple solutions, like play therapy and toys for stimming. See how they respond. Once you get a diagnosis, your child’s therapist will suggest next steps to help your child long-term.