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Pickleball offers a challenging cardio workout, improves balance, and boosts hand-eye coordination. It’s also one of the fastest growing sports—by some estimates, 36 million people played pickleball last year, Laurel Heilman, a certified pickleball coach based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, says. Choosing the right pickleball paddle can affect your performance on the court. Options can vary, with a variety of shapes, lengths, weights, and materials to choose from. While many of the specifics come down to personal preference, when shopping, prioritize durable paddles that are easy for you to hold....

When you work a desk job, it can be challenging to squeeze in your steps. Luckily, using a treadmill desk is one of the easiest things you can do to increase your daily movement. It provides the opportunity to take thousands of extra steps while you work. Walking while working is a great way to increase productivity and improve overall fitness. “Active movements for otherwise idle activities boost metabolism and energy, especially for that post-lunch lull,” says John Groves, DPT, a practicing physical therapist and CEO of Fit for Work....

Pets are often a kid’s first best friend, and losing them could have severe mental health consequences, according to new research. Key Takeaways New research finds that pet death can trigger poor mental health in children.Symptoms of mental health problems were more prevalent in boys studied than in girls, which might indicate that boys might not be given as much space to grieve their pet’s death as girls.The research indicates that caregivers should take kids’ grief seriously if they lose a pet, and should monitor children for serious symptoms of poor mental health....

Food allergies are a growing problem for children everywhere. About 8% of children have food allergies, which amounts to roughly one in every 13 children. Although some allergies are milder than others, all food allergies carry the risk of anaphylaxis, which can lead to death if not treated promptly. More than 40% of children with food allergies end up visiting the emergency room at some point. While the chances of a food allergy are more likely if a family member has one, it’s tough to predict your child’s allergies....

In the area of language development, timelines are helpful, but overall, it’s important to consider whether or not your child is effective at communicating rather than focus on a set number of words in their vocabulary or a date on a calendar. Questions to Ask If you’re experiencing difficulty understanding or communicating with your toddler and are starting to worry if there might be a problem, ask yourself the following questions....

As its name implies, relaxin is a hormone that helps “relax” a pregnant person’s body during late pregnancy in preparation for childbirth. The relaxin hormone also plays a significant role in the reproductive process. After ovulation, relaxin levels increase to prepare the uterus for a possible pregnancy. Your relaxin hormone levels will begin to drop if conception does not occur; but if you do conceive, relaxin hormone levels increase to help support the pregnancy....

When your baby starts solids, you may notice that they prefer sweeter foods, such as berries or sweet potatoes. Many babies do have a sweet tooth, but not everything sweet is safe for them. Honey should never be fed to little ones under a year old. Honey is a delicious, natural sweetener, but for babies, it can be dangerous. Even a tiny dab of honey on a pacifier to help your little one get through a shot at the doctor’s office or rubbing honey on the gums to soothe teething pain is considered unsafe and should be avoided completely....

Since 2008, lots of changes have been made to the rules of when babies can have certain foods. You might be surprised to learn that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has reclassified many foods that used to be no-nos for babies until they were older as fine for babies after they begin eating solid foods. However, that is not the case with honey or products made from honey. Safety Concerns The reason to delay honey is not because of a concern over food allergies or choking hazards, but of a serious disease called infant botulism....

Developing an attitude of gratitude toward the people, things, and events in your life is a life-affirming and effective way to strengthen your emotional resilience and reduce stress, among other things. Maintaining a gratitude journal makes it easy to get in the habit of focusing on the positive in your life while also reaping the benefits of journaling. How to Start a Gratitude Journal The following are simple steps to maintaining a gratitude journal, which is a useful tool for stress management....

Lately, both my sister and I have been thinking about getting tattoos that represent our love for our parents. She’s been throwing out ideas of a kind of flower for my mom and a Studio Ghibli tattoo for my dad. But for me, the most honest, distilled symbol for my parents involves specific dishes they made for us growing up. For my mom, it’s a plate of tempura, and for my dad, a simple tuna roll....

Though a tiny country, the Netherlands has certainly made itself known throughout the world. It’s famous for its wooden clogs and annual tulip festival, for its delicious cheese and chewy stroopwafels, and of course for its biking culture and stunning canals. The country also has produced some world-famous painters, including Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, and Piet Mondrian. Whether you’re Dutch yourself or are simply inspired by this beautiful country and want to give your child a Dutch name, peruse this list of 50 baby names....

Today’s political climate is volatile, stressful, and filled with angst. But it’s this unsettling environment that has ignited a spark amongst a group that is often ignored or pushed aside—the nation’s students. And they want to be heard. All across the country, students are banding together and using their voices to impact change. From protests to walkouts, they are making their voices heard on everything from gun control to women’s rights....

In the “Ask a Therapist” series, I’ll be answering your questions about all things mental health and psychology. Whether you are struggling with a mental health condition, coping with anxiety about a life situation, or simply looking for a therapist’s insight, submit a question. Look out for my answers to your questions every Friday in the Healthy Mind newsletter. Alone Time Is Essential Everyone needs a certain amount of alone time to function at their best (even extroverts)....

Back-to-school time is always a project. You may have clothes to buy or various backpacks and lunchboxes to choose (from the thousands of options available), and books, pencils, and colored pencils to round up. There may also be some additional things you’ll need to consider if your child needs accommodations or is in a special education program. Chances are, you’ve received some information about your child’s schedule and realized that at least some of the preferences and needs you mentioned at your child’s last IEP or 504 meeting have not been addressed....

This is a tough time for parents and families. With most of the country staying indoors to practice social distancing, “flatten the curve,” and decrease the spread of COVID-19, parents are finding themselves stressed out and stretched thin. Key Takeaways Being under a lot of stress can make you short on patience and might even lead to you losing your temper or have an angry outburst.Anger is often a response to the behaviors of those we have close relationships with, such as our partners and children....

As you read this, you may hear the words “spoken” in your head. That little voice is your “inner monologue,” also referred to as the “inner voice,” “inner speech,” or “self-talk,” but it turns out not everyone has an inner monologue. What’s more, research has shown that there’s a great deal of variation in how often people who have an inner monologue actually experience it. This article will start by defining the concept of inner monologue and outlining its three dimensions....

Picture this: You’re standing in front of your closet, scanning the hangers and folded piles, but can’t bring yourself to conjure up an outfit. Or this: Your partner or child asks you what’s for dinner and your mind goes blank. It’s as if making the simplest decisions requires more energy than you can spare. You wish someone would just tell you what to do. Key Takeaways A new psychological survey shows Americans are struggling to make everyday decisions....

Genetic karyotyping—also known as chromosome analysis—is testing that can reveal certain genetic abnormalities. It can be used to confirm or diagnose a genetic disorder or disease. Or, the testing may reveal that a couple is at risk for having a child with a genetic or chromosomal disorder. Your doctor may recommend genetic karyotyping if: You’ve been unable to conceive for more than a year. You’ve experienced two or more consecutive miscarriages....

Propaganda is a type of communication that is used to promote a particular agenda or point of view. It can be used to influence people’s opinions or to control their behavior. Propaganda often relies on disinformation and misinformation, which can be very effective in shaping people’s opinions. One of the most common techniques used in propaganda is name-calling. This involves using derogatory terms to describe an opponent or enemy. For example, the Nazis referred to the Jews as “rats,” and Iran referred to the United States as the “Great Satan....

Sometimes, it’s hard to be happy when you think about negative things that are happening in the world. It’s harder still when the people around you are constantly talking about all those negative things. But you don’t have to join ranks with the pessimists. In fact, it’s extra important to be optimistic when there’s negativity surrounding you. Being optimistic means that you possess an overall positive outlook of the world, trusting that good things will happen and that people’s desires will be fulfilled....