Archive for the ‘What can Dr. Doug do for you?’ Category

Introduction

• People learning and working from home whether by choice or necessity have a challenging proposition. Guidelines, rules, and boundaries should be in place, ideally before instruction or work begins. If you’re already into it, don’t be afraid to take a few minutes to reassess goals and routines for day-to-day instruction and overall accomplishments. While this article focuses on learning from home, working from home offers many of the same challenges.

Long-Term Goals

• One of the first conversations to have with yourself should be about long-term goals for completing education or work. Whether you have your eye on a selective college or alternatives to college like a gap year or a job, you should understand that high school, in whatever form it may take, is the stepping stone to future success.

Short-Term Goals

• When there are no bells telling you to hurry up, sometimes it’s hard to get started on the work that needs to be accomplished. At home, there are many distractions like computer games, TV, and even chores. Find a quiet place that will help you focus and leave the distractions elsewhere. Create short-term goals for each unit of study and for each day. Whatever your preference, you can set reasonable expectations for how long you should focus on each discipline and whether you prefer to work on one subject all day or break classes up into hourly chunks. Timers and timetables are both useful.

Study Basics

• Without the guidance of a regular classroom teacher in the room, you might not intuitively know some of the processes that are used to help you excel. You should gather supplies before you start and have a designated workstation. Of course, learning from home comes with more flexibility than a traditional school, but keeping school supplies in one place and neatening your desk at the end of each day are good habits to acquire no matter where you learn.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning

• While some home learning lacks any real-time interaction with a teacher, some of it does. This is likely to be the case for younger learners. Be sure your schedule indicates when it’s time to join online (Zoom) meetings and be sure to be there. Many schools still take attendance and some even use it as part of your grade. Also, be sure to know what the situation is with grading. Is it pass-fail, or are there certain expectations that will lead to a letter grade? If so be sure to make notes on that and check to see on a regular basis if you are checking all of the boxes. Getting good grades can be easy if you are organized and do everything that is expected.

Snacks and Exercise

• One thing you have constant access to at home is your refrigerator. While an occasional snack can help keep your focus, too much food can result in unwanted weight gain. Try drinking non-calorie drinks like water. Although diet sodas don’t have any calories they are not generally recommended by many nutritionists. For adults, tea and coffee are good choices.
• Exercise is also important for keeping you mentally sharp. Be sure to get up and move around frequently and schedule times at least twice a day for tinges like walking, jogging, biking, or lifting weights. Many people also report benefits from things like meditation and yoga. Consider getting a desk that goes up and down so you can spend some work time standing.
• Learning at home and learning at home effectively are not necessarily the same thing. Help yourself by setting up routines and habits to get the most out of homeschooling.

Craig Middleton

• Craig is a New York City-based retired business consultant, who is an expert in education and cultural trends. He has a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters in Education from St. Johns and loves sharing his knowledge on the side through his writing. If you have any questions or comments you can direct them to Craig at craigmiddleton18@gmail.com.

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Seven Top Tips to Keep Schools and Colleges Secure by Katherine Rundell

offers a checklist that all educational institutions can use to prevent crime. Modern technology makes this easier so be sure your school or campus is doing all that it can.

Our high schools and college campuses are primarily places where our young people go to learn, so we need to keep them safe and secure so that students do not have to worry about their safety. There has been a worrying rise in attacks on our college campuses and schools lately and there are many things that can be done to prevent these from happening. Here are our top seven tips for getting stronger security on campus.

1. Install a CCTV system

We recommend that you install lots of CCTV cameras in all corners of your campus as a vital security feature. You can check these regularly and they can capture any suspicious activity across the school site. They can also act as a deterrent for any potential intruders.

You should distribute fully functioning cameras liberally across your campus, especially in areas like stairwells, courtyards, and parking lots, where crimes are more prone to take place. Be sure to have cameras for each entrance. Ideally, you will also have a team of highly trained security guards to monitor the video and patrol campus.

2. Restrict Access to Campus

Be sure to restrict or limit access to your campus, or to certain parts of the campus, like lecture halls. This means that only people that you have authorized to enter, like certain faculty members, administration teams, and students, will be able to have access.

You can issue ID badges with a key fob or another security measure to ensure that this is adhered to. Your security team can make sure that nobody is allowed onto the premises without the proper ID or clearance. You should consider a sign-in system for the main entry point of your site to give you more control to screen who enters.

Around the perimeter, you should ensure the school is properly fenced with a high-quality secure fence. This will prevent intruders from entering and ensure all individuals entering are funneled through the entrances giving you a closer look at who is coming in. This also prevents young students from leaving the site without a teacher or parent present. All staff and students should have ID cards issued to them when they begin their time at the site. These can include a photograph to ensure that all school members are accounted for and you know exactly who is on-site.

3. Regular Patrols

If you are aware that certain areas of campus have a higher risk for crime, try to send your campus security to patrol these areas on a more frequent basis. Increasing the number of security staff, you have available in the evenings to check these areas is also a good idea.

Ideally, you will have security staff on campus 24/7 and have a security protocol in place, like using ID badges for entry. This will avoid unauthorized people from getting access to campus. It also ensures that any criminal acts that take place on campus can be dealt with and kept under control straight away.

4. Silent Alarms and Panic Buttons

You should place these throughout the site and tell all staff and students about their location. This means that the authorities can be advised quickly if an incident arises and allows the victim to ask for help without having to get out their cell phone during an emergency.

5. Create an Anonymous Tip Line

If any students become concerned about someone’s actions or have learned information that might lead to a crime, they can use an anonymous tip line to inform campus security without worrying about being penalized themselves.

6. Security Checks for All Staff

Most Western countries require all staff members to pass a security check before they can work with children. Make it a regular part of your practice to do full background checks on all new staff members for student safety.

7. Well Lit Campuses

It has been proven with research that criminals are more likely to act in darkness because there are fewer witnesses and reduced visibility. We know that darkness is an important driving factor in the rise in incidents of crime.

You can counteract this by installing, maintaining, and repairing street lights on campus to make sure that the site remains well lit at all times. This will increase visibility for everyone and campus security to be able to keep an eye on everyone.

Katherine Rundell is a strategist marketer for both Studydemic and Simple Grad, where she has already created a number of high-profile marketing campaigns. She writes content and edits submissions at My Writing Way. She can be reached at katherine.t.rundell@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatherineRunde2

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How to Know When It’s Time to See a Chiropractor?

by Dr. Brent Wells, D.C. is a good place to start if you are having pain or issues with your back or other joints. I have gone to chiropractors for many years and they have “fixed” a number of nagging issues for me. They will want to see you on a regular basis, but if you can’t afford that they can at least offer relief in the short run.

Introduction

• It can be difficult to know when is the right time to see a chiropractor. While it might be easy to ignore or muster through pain and limited movements, this can drastically affect your lifestyle. If you’re not able to move or do the things you love it can prove to be very troublesome, both mentally and physically. Below are a few signs that you can use to tell when it might be time to make an appointment.

The Benefits of Using Chiropractic Care

• Using chiropractic care comes with a handful of health benefits. One of the most important is that it helps to decrease tension and improve flexibility. Regular treatments can also naturally treat degenerative joint and tissue problems, such as arthritis.
• Chiropractors also use massage therapy to help with relieving pain and inflammation. If you’re a little nervous about having adjustments done, you could instead opt for a healing massage. In addition to this, physical rehab is usually offered. This can help with improving your range of motion while using hands-on techniques to train your body.

How Often Should You Get a Chiropractic Adjustment?

• How Often Should You Get a Chiropractic Adjustment? will vary depending on your needs. Some chiropractors might recommend one or two treatments each week while others will only need to see you once a month.

Six Signs That You Need to See a Chiropractor

• 1. You Have a Limited Range of Motion
  One of the most tell-tale signs that you need to see a chiropractor is that you have a limited range of motion. This indicates that your body has a joint problem that is limiting your mobility. Why this happens depends on various issues, but it’s mainly caused by arthritis or spine injuries. A chiropractor will help to realign your joints and muscles by doing different types of manipulations. They will feel around areas on your back, neck, and shoulders, to find places of tension. They might even ask you to do specific stretches so they can better see how your body moves. Once they identify problematic areas, they will expertly move your body in a way to help provide relief. This will also improve circulation in the area which can prevent future flexibility issues.
• 2. You’re Suffering From Chronic Pain
  If you suffer from chronic pain, such as in your face, back, or neck, it might be time to stop by a chiropractic office. Chronic pain can be treated by a chiropractor with the use of spinal manipulations. Because your spine interacts with most areas of your body, these manipulations will help to treat inflammation and tension almost anywhere.
• 3. You Have Intense or Frequent Headaches
  Headaches are caused by a variety of different things. This includes stress, tension, spending too much time on the computer, environmental stimuli, or an underlying medical condition, like extreme intracranial pressure or tumors. A chiropractor will adjust your neck in certain directions to help release tension. Known as cervical manipulation, this adjustment uses force to apply pressure to your neck’s joints. This helps to realign them while also reducing any pressure in surrounding muscles. Besides adjustments, your chiropractor will also recommend natural ways to prevent headaches, such as avoiding teeth clenching and drinking plenty of water. After a few treatments, you should find that your headaches will decrease in their pain and number.
• 4. There’s Shooting Pain Down Your Legs
  Shooting pain down your legs shows that your body is having nerve problems, such as sciatica, or has a herniated disc.
  To help relieve this pain, a chiropractor will do spinal manipulations. These will stop muscle spasms while also releasing endorphins to help naturally relieve pain. A handful might also use a special device, such as an activator, that stimulates your nerves. Rather than using their hands, a chiropractor will move this device up and down your spine to apply short impulses to surrounding joints, muscles, and nerves.
• 5. You Have Severe Sinus Congestion
  Some might be surprised to learn that chiropractors can help with healing sinus congestion. In fact, chiropractors often successfully treat this issue without you needing to take medications for it. By using manipulations on your upper spine, they’ll be able to release pressure around your main sinus passageway resulting in fluid drainage. They might also apply pressure to certain portions of your face near the nasal cavities to stimulate the nerves.
• 6. You Tend to Sit Often
  If you have a job that requires you to sit for hours each day, you might want to stop by a chiropractic office. A sedentary life can put a lot of pressure on your spine, especially if you use a poor sitting position. Chiropractic care can improve your spine’s health and encourage you to use correct posture. (Doug: You should also look into getting a desk that lets you stand or sit.)
• Knowing the right time to see a chiropractor can be tough. By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll know when your body requires this extra help. Check out the references below for more information.

Dr. Brent Wells, D.C.

• Dr. Brent Wells, D.C. is the creator of Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab which has multiple locations throughout Alaska. He belongs to the American Academy of Spine Physicians (AASP) and the American Chiropractic Association. He founded Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab and has been a chiropractor for over 20 years. His practice has treated thousands of patients from different health problems using services designed to help give long-lasting relief.
• Dr. Wells is also the author of over 700 online health articles that have been featured on sites such as Dr. Axe, Organic Facts, and Thrive Global. He continues his education to remain active and updated in all studies related to neurology, physical rehab, biomechanics, spine conditions, brain injury trauma, and more.

References

• What Is Spinal Manipulation? Healthline
• The Relationship Between Sedentary Behavior, Back Pain, and Psychosocial Correlates Among University Employees – US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

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Top 10 Tips for Test Preparation by Craig Middleton offers sound advice for parents so they can help their children do their best on tests given by their teachers and standardized tests like the SAT and the ACT.

Testing scores are an important part of any child’s school experience. These scores allow a regular classroom teacher to evaluate a student’s progress and recognize any areas that may need more attention or improvements. Testing is an effective way to measure progress and to make sure that the child is able to communicate effectively. It can also be a way to recognize and discover learning disabilities in certain situations. Testing is also important when it comes to pursuing higher education as it is a big factor in college admissions. To ensure that your child does his or her best, take measures to ensure that they are adequately prepared for any tests so that they may do their best.

Sleep

• Proper sleep is absolutely necessary, especially on the night before a big and important test. If your child is well-rested they are more easily able to focus and concentrate on the test.

Breakfast

• Breakfast is another essential part of preparing for a test day. Make sure that your child has had a good breakfast the morning of the test so that they are full and have the energy they need to stay alert. Hunger can be distracting and lead to sub-optimal performance.

Organization

• Good organization is another tip in preparing for a test. Make sure that your child has all the necessary testing materials such as pencils, erasers, pens, calculators, and any other equipment that has been recommended. Have all of these things gathered ahead of time and ready to go to avoid last-minute stress and scrambling to find missing items.

Tutoring

• A good way to prep for testing is to get additional instruction. Tutoring in addition to regular classroom preparation may help the child achieve greater results. Consider this option for ongoing education but especially for ACT Prep.

Positive Attitude

• Stay positive and make sure that you maintain an upbeat attitude for both yourself and your child. Be a good example and show them that the test is necessary and important, but not a reason to become upset and dread what is to come. Help them keep an elevated mood so they’re excited and ready to go.

Teacher Conferences

• Consider having regular conferences with a student’s teacher. This will keep you up-to-date on their current academic levels and let you know if any additional instruction would be beneficial. Conferences open communication with the teacher to allow you both to work together more efficiently and will give you an idea of what to expect for future performance.

Relax

• t’s also important to make sure that your child is relaxed. Ensure that they are not overly anxious over the upcoming test. Help your child to stay calm and be mentally prepared so the stress doesn’t become overwhelming.

Homework

• Make sure the child is current with all of their homework. Having all the work done on time will help them learn to be responsible and prepared and will keep you up-to-date with the materials that may be covered on the tests.

Test Format

• Test formats can vary greatly and if your child is already stressed over the thought of taking a test, an unexpected or new format may cause them unnecessary anxiety. Make sure that the student is familiar with the test format so there are no surprises and so that you are sure they understand how to fill out the form and complete all tasks.

Practice Tests

• Take advantage of any practice tests that may be available. Many of the larger tests, such as the ACT, offer practice tests, or you can create your own for smaller tests. A practice test will give your child an idea of test format, time limits, and topics that will be covered. This allows the students to be better prepared and comfortable so they can relax and do their best.
• The more prepared your child is the more likely they are to do well on their tests. Familiarize yourself with the entire procedure so that you can help your child prepare and reach their full potential.

Craig Middleton

• Craig is a New York City-based retired business consultant, who is an expert in education and cultural trends. He has a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters in Education from St. Johns and loves sharing his knowledge on the side through his writing. If you have any questions or comments you can direct them to Craig at craigmiddleton18@gmail.com.

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What Schools Should Be Teaching About Nutrition by Craig Middleton covers some of the basics of nutrition that schools should consider adding to their formal curricula. While there is a lot more to know, this is a good place for you and your kids to start.

Introduction

• For a long time, many educators have pleaded that schools should teach more about problems that children will run into when they become adults. Adult challenges that some schools have started preparing students for include finances and general computer classes like teaching office software for example. Often disregarded is nutrition even though physical education is still typically required. Whether a school decides to integrate nutrition into their physical education or health classes or create a separate class, it should be part of every school’s formal curriculum.

The Truth About Sugar

• Added sugar has been increasingly seen in more foods than ever in the United States and around the world thanks to initiatives like the U.S. Sugar Program. Making sure you don’t consume too much sugar is important as it can cause many different issues such as cavities, weight gain, and even diabetes. Teach kids how to read labels on food products so they can limit how much sugar they consume on a daily basis. Additionally, have them avoid or very sparingly consume high sugar products like soda and instead consume better alternatives like green tea or just water. Cutting down on sugar is one of the best ways you can live a nutritious lifestyle.

The Truth About Protein

• Protein is a very important factor when building a diet for yourself. While protein is in so many foods, make sure to know which types of foods have the most like eggs, milk, beef, pork, fish, or chicken so you are able to build a well-balanced diet. Without protein, you can have deficiency issues that can stunt growth and make you more susceptible to infections. Additionally, you’ll want to eat more protein anytime you get into weightlifting as protein is what will help you build muscles. Make sure you fully understand protein when you want to know about proper nutrition.

The Truth About Dairy

• Dairy is the group of products made out of the milk of mammals such as cows, goats, sheep, and more. These products all include cheese, milk, butter, ice cream, and more, and you probably have at least one of these on a daily basis. If you’ve ever had stomach problems, for example, make sure you don’t have lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar found in dairy products and the enzyme lactase is needed by people consuming dairy products to digest them without problems. Make sure you don’t have lactose intolerance when consuming dairy products and if you do, consider ways you can still have dairy products such as taking lactase supplements or going for lactose-free products. Understanding dairy products is important when living a nutritious lifestyle.

The Truth About Cell Health

• Cell health is important as the more healthy your cells are the more energy you will have and the easier time you will have maintaining your target weight. Following proper cellular nutrition is important in gaining positive cell health. To do this, you’ll want to go for plant-based nutrients (fruits and vegetables) that will trigger your cells to become more healthy. Once you’ve started incorporating plant-based nutrients into your diet, you’ll see results down the line. Ensure that your cell health is good when you want to live a healthy nutritious lifestyle.

Conclusion

• No matter what age the children you’re responsible for teaching are, it’s always a good time to start teaching about nutrition. While many kids won’t be able to plan their own diet until they become young adults, some will be able to pass on what they learn to their parents so they might cook better for them. Teaching nutrition at a younger age can also get them to be dead set on following a stricter diet once they are cooking on their own. Building knowledgeable kids for the future will make them happier and healthier adults.

Craig Middleton

• Craig is a New York City-based retired business consultant, who is an expert in education and cultural trends. He has a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters in Education from St. Johns and loves sharing his knowledge on the side through his writing. If you have any questions or comments you can direct them to Craig at craigmiddleton18@gmail.com.

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