Saturday 24 August 2019

Smart tips for healthier snacking

Eating small snacks throughout the day can be a great way to maintain energy and keep hunger pangs at bay between meals. The problem is, it's far too easy to reach for unhealthy foods that satisfy your sweet or salty cravings, but don't necessarily provide the essential nutrients your body needs.



You can prevent mindless snacking by taking a few proactive steps now so you have access to delicious foods that are easy to eat at home or on the go. You'll feel good about snacking by following these simple tips and tricks:

Weekend prep: Some people do meal prep on weekends for the busy work and school week. This can also be a great strategy for snacking. For example, buy fresh vegetables in bulk then spend some time on Sunday chopping them into veggie straws and packaging them into individual containers. This provides an easy grab-and-go snack. Keep them in an accessible drawer in the fridge so anyone can get a healthy snack when hunger strikes.

Drink up: Sometimes your body confuses thirst with hunger, so strive to stay hydrated by keeping a water bottle close by and sipping regularly. When you snack, also consider a side of good old H2O to help your body feel its best. 

Portion size: It's easy to overeat when you have a whole bag or container to snack out of. Whatever the food, be mindful of the portion size on the nutrition label. A smart way to stick to reasonable portions is to take the snack and put the correct portion in a bowl. 

Crunchy alternatives: Looking for a way to satisfy that craving for something crunchy without resorting to unhealthy chips? Whole nuts have a tasty crunch and are packed with protein, omegas, and other nutrients. 

Snack slowly: When you're hungry, you tend to eat faster. However, it's important to eat slowly to let your body metabolize food efficiently, plus it can trick your mind into feeling like you're eating more. For example, eat one nut at a time rather than handfuls of three or four. 

Whole grains: Whole grain foods provide essential nutrients and fiber, which helps you feel more full for longer. An often-forgotten versatile whole grain is popcorn. Popping your own so you can flavor it with wholesome toppings such as dried herbs or cheese. 

With these smart tips, you not only tempt your taste buds, but you also give your body snacks you can feel good about. From smart shopping to mindful snack prep, these changes are sure to make a big impact on how you snack.

Monday 19 August 2019

Tips to protect from cybercriminals

As students return to college there is a topic not found in textbooks or traditional coursework that parents, guardians, and educators should prioritize: smart cybersecurity practices.

Recent McAfee Labs research found cybercriminals are actively targeting the education sector, with publicly disclosed attacks increasing 50% in 2019. As students increasingly use various devices both at college and home, smart online practices should be learned early on.




Here are some tips for students to protect their personal data:

Never reuse passwords: Use unique passwords for each one of your accounts, even if it's for an account that doesn't hold a lot of personal information. Use a password manager to simplify your password management needs.

Always set privacy and security settings: Anyone with access to the internet can view your social media if it's public, so protect your identity and privacy by turning your profiles to private in order to have control over who can see information about you. You should also take the time to understand the various security and privacy settings to see which work best for your lifestyle.

Use the cloud with security mindset: If you plan to store your documents in the cloud, be sure to set up an additional layer of access security to keep your data available and secure. One way of doing this is through two-factor authentication.

Always connect with caution: If you must conduct transactions on a public Wi-Fi connection, especially those financial in nature, use a virtual private network (VPN) to help keep your connection secure and details private.

With a proactive approach, students can keep personal data secure so they can focus on academics, reaching milestones and making memories.

Monday 12 August 2019

5 easy relaxation techniques to reduce stress at home

Home should be a sanctuary to relax and de-stress however the reality is that a lot of life's biggest activities happen there. The good news is that it only takes a few minutes to ground yourself through meditation. In fact, recent studies indicate that meditation can improve relaxation, lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety. Learning a few easy meditation techniques will give you the ability to power through even the toughest days.


Unplug for just 5 minutes

One of the biggest culprits of stress today is technology. When you're at home, set your phone on airplane mode, turn off the radio or TV, close the laptop - and just shut your eyes. Breathe deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth, at least five times. Repeat a word or phrase in your mind like "Relax," "Calm" or "Breathe in, breathe out." 

The one-minute breath

For just a minute, commit to practicing this breathing technique to quiet your mind and restore energy.

* Breathe in for 5 seconds.

* Hold your breath for 5 seconds.

* Release the breath for 5 seconds.

* Hold for 5 seconds.

Repeat just long enough to feel yourself become calmer.

 Peace begins with you

When you're standing in a long line, stuck in a meeting or even during a stressful argument, try this meditation technique to help you stay centered even when you're feeling frazzled.

* Gently press the thumb of one hand against that hand's index finger, middle finger, ring finger, then the little finger.

* When you touch your index finger to your thumb, say to yourself, "Peace."

* When you touch your middle finger, say to yourself, "Begins."

* When you touch your ring finger, say to yourself, "With."

* When you touch your little finger to your thumb, says to yourself, "Me."

* Breathe deeply as you think each word, and go as slowly or as quickly as you like.

Peace is in your pulse

For meditation beginners, this practice can help improve concentration and bring calm.

* Sit comfortably cross-legged on the floor.

* Close your eyes and focus on the space between your eyebrows.

* Place the four fingers of your right hand on your left wrist and feel your pulse.

* The fingers are in a straight line, lightly pressed on the wrist so you can feel your pulse in each fingertip.

Walk it out

When you're feeling stressed, you feel disconnected from your body as well as the outside world. You can add meditation to your walking, even if you're just going through the grocery store or from your car to your office. If you can get outside, just being outdoors can improve your mood. Between the vitamin D from the sun and the tendency to breathe more deeply when you're around fresh air, trees or flowers, just getting outside for a little while can both relax and energize you.

* Take a deep breath with every step or two.

* Feel your feet and focus on being more grounded with every step.

* Repeat a phrase while you walk, like "I am calm now."

Wednesday 7 August 2019

5 tips to protect your connected devices and electronic identity

Resourceful thieves and cybercriminals continue to find new ways to hack consumers' sensitive personal information. Dumpster diving, stolen or lost wallets and mail fraud should still be concerns, but the digital age of tablets, smartphones, PCs and Wi-Fi networks leaves people even more vulnerable than ever.


Think about it: Have you ever stored credit card information on your phone for added convenience to make payments in a checkout lane? Do you ever store passwords in apps to transfer funds between accounts? And what's to keep hackers from accessing a wireless network you check your email on while you're grabbing a quick cup of coffee?

More than 15.4 million people a year will experience identity theft, with an average loss of more than $1,000, says a study. Keeping aware of the latest schemes and ensuring members of your household, friends, and others you care about have the right tools helps stop criminals in their tracks.

Following are five do's and don'ts to help protect your connected devices, as well as your electronic identity, from hackers.

* Do power down your devices. This disables the internet connection, cutting off access to any personal information stored on your computer, tablet or phone. Unattended machines, especially if you're asleep or you leave them at home while on vacation, are easy targets for hackers.

* Don't connect to unsecured wireless networks. Information accessed on an open network, including email passwords and sensitive bank information, is fair game for hackers. Don't make their jobs easier. Turn off Wi-Fi access on your devices unless it's a password-protected network you trust.

* Do monitor your children's device usage. It's a good idea to limit the use of computers, tablets, and phones to public areas within the home like the living room or kitchen. This makes it easier for parents to keep an eye on who their kids are communicating with, especially on social media or gaming sites, to help prevent the sharing of sensitive information like full names, addresses or other things that can be used for identity theft or other potentially dangerous activities.

* Don't discard important paperwork without shredding it. If it has your name and address, it presents an opportunity for thieves to take advantage and open an account using your information. Remember to shred expired insurance documents, vehicle registrations, bills, loan pre-qualifications and other paperwork that would allow someone to call in pretending to be you. Check your credit reports at least twice a year to ensure all accounts opened in your name are valid.

* Do install recommended updates. Smartphone, computer, tablet, and smart TV manufacturers, among other providers of connected devices, offer periodic software updates to protect against potential security breaches. Chances are if an update is recommended, hackers have already discovered a way to access your personal property and information, so keep your software up-to-date.

Courtesy: Brand Point Content