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Let’s Talk About this “Rona” The Coronavirus! – I know, I know…

Published on March 19, 2020April 27, 2020 by Roshonda B1 Comment

Safety Precautions & What is “Pandemic” vs an “Epidemic” crisis

I know, before you give me a deep embedded *sigh* – by now you’ve probably heard about the coronavirus more times than anyone else would care too and I get it, I’m a little worn out of the word myself. However, now that this “Rona” as I call it, is no joke and truly something you should be preparing for. I thought I’d talk about the difference between what a pandemic and epidemic crisis is, along with giving you a couple of tips on how you can keep yourself as well as your home healthy.

So, first things first. What’s the difference between a pandemic and epidemic crisis. When first talks of the coronavirus began, I heard that it was just an epidemic crisis and monitoring was going on, however over the last weeks, it has now become a pandemic, which takes this “Rona” case from a 10 to a clear 100 overnight!

An Epidemic Crisis is: When a disease or illness is isolated to one region or country.

A Pandemic Crisis is: A widespread infectious disease, bacteria, or virus that sickens a large number of people worldwide.

Also, some other terms you need to know?

Asymptomatic – means someone is showing no symptoms.

Symptoms – showing known signs or a virus and/or illness.

Now that we have that out of the way and you know the difference because truth be told, I didn’t until more info about the “Rona” spread across the news waves and the trillion updates we’ve gotten for what seems like every min/hour after. However, it’s here and I have this strong feeling that it’s going to get worse before we see a light and rainbows at the end of the tunnel.

~ BUT DON’T FRET! ~

I know this too shall pass just like Y2K, Anthrax and everything else that came to shift the nation prior. Although this case seems like it will be remembered for years to come. In the wake of the “Rona” epidemic, there are things that you can do to stay well, be safe and keep you sanity on the up and up no matter the mad dash people are making to the stores in a frenzy!

Stay Well

With everything going on and as reports suggest, it’s best to drink plenty of water, take your multi’s and /or anything that will boost your immune system. I’m a HUGE fan of tea but not just any type of tea. I love the teas that have added health benefits to them such as this new one that I’m trying right now (see below) and it’s really good too. I got mine from Amazon but you can find it at your local Wal-Mart (I doubt if it’ll be gone off the shelves). I take my multi-vitamins as well as drink my Emergen-C! which is chock full of vitamin C. And not only wash your hands but give it a vigorous scrub, that way germs are actually getting washed off (more on sanitization next). You should increase fruit and veggie intake and get in a little exercise if you can – I plan to take out my walking tapes. You can walk around your house or in your neighborhood with discretion!

Be Safe

The crazy thing about this “Rona” is that you just don’t know who’s a carrier and that could be anyone!! since the average person will not start showing symptoms for quite a few days. Most cities and states have already begun shutting businesses down or limiting the interaction of events in which involve people. We now reference this new terminology as “social-distancing” – If you just happen to go out, cover your mouth and neck with a scarf and be careful of the places you go and how many people are intended to be there. Carry sanitizer with you and take advantage of the sanitizer wipes in stores to wipe down your grocery and/or carry baskets. I would sanitize my hands afterward as well.

I know my friend Deborah started carrying Clorox wipes in a zip lock bag in her purse when she took them out to wipe down the table we were going to eat at for girls’ night out with us and another friend and took out her big bottle of sanitizer. I believe I realized at that point just how REAL things were, the waitress even asked her could she use some…lol. You have to protect yourself and others as well. Especially yourself, even if others don’t.

Sanity vs. Panicky

This health crisis has everyone up in arms, of course, you can tell by the empty shelves in the grocery stores and the rush to get EVERYTHING in sight’s eye whether you really need it or not. My friend told me over the weekend that she saw a guy come out of the store with five deep freezers, yes FIVE! and here it is I was debating on if I should get just one. I understand the concern and the frenzy because at this point, nobody knows the outcome or what’s really going to happen and I get it, however, remember in the bible when Jesus slept in the midst of that raging storm? (Matthew 8:23-27) He wasn’t fazed by it, neither was he fretful but the disciples were afraid and probably thought that the boat would capsize and they’d be lost at sea or something worse. When they awoke Jesus, crying for him to get up and do something about the endured crisis (epidemic), he spoke “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”

With one word, he calmed the sea and everything was fine. What am I trying to say? This Pandemic scare is no different than that incident back in Jesus’s time. This is the time to ask yourself, am I going to panic? or stand still and trust that God has this ALL under control. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying NOT to prepare because afterall, I do believe God wants us to use wisdom even in this crisis but what I’m saying is that we shouldn’t allow this crisis to make us question our faith in the man who can say one word and calm all this chaos. But the faith is not so much in what God can do but in how you react to what’s in front of you. Are you going to fear, fail or fall under the mounting pressure?

Find something that will keep your mind occupied in this time, whether it be a song, a book, a quote or a reading of scripture such as the one provided above. Meditation is also a good source.

As I told my subscribers last week, If we survived Y2K, H1N1, Anthrax, Ebola and etc – we can surely fight our way through this one!

Much Love & Prayers to you and yours, Be Safe, Use Wisdom & Don’t forget to Sanitize!

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Also, with the cancellations and closures – most of us will be “stuck inside the house” is there anything you’d like me to talk about and/or discuss on the blog? leave a comment and let me know!

Your Body Is Here BUT Your Mind Is Somewhere Else!

Published on February 27, 2020March 18, 2020 by Roshonda B2 Comments

Featured Picture Courtesy of The Pursuit of Mindfulness

Have you ever heard that statement before? As sure as we live and breathe I’m sure we’ve ALL heard it or unfortunately have been there and done it ourselves!

I’ve often found myself in meetings or even talking with someone and have been somewhere else. The mind is a tricky thing and a terrible thing to waste as per the UNCF (United Negro College Fund). And it’s true! The mind is indeed a terrible thing to waste but while the UNCF was referring to an education, I’m particularly talking about the mind and it’s capability of filling up with SO many ideas, schedules, goals, relationships, what someone said and how you’d wished you had said this instead; all the way to what you want to eat later that day or even two days from now – type of stuff.

The “stuff” that keeps us from being “present and available” at the moment. We miss most great moments because our mind wants to take us on a vacay of “what to do next or after” and it’s bout time to put it to rest – just for a little while.

Do you find yourself being “unavailable” due to your mind traveling west when you’re trying to go east? Here’s a couple of tips to put the mind at ease so you can focus a little clearer, literally.

#1. Cut Down That List – Like NOW!

Photo by **Kaboompics .com** from **Pexels**

Listen, there are only 24 hours in a day and if you put EVERYTHING you have to get done on that crazy “to-do” list. You’ll be extremely exhausted, I mean you probably already are, right? If we allow our minds to do it, it’ll make us think that everything in the world is important and has to be done right now and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s okay to schedule that oven cleaning to Thursday, it’s not like it’s going anywhere and you DON’T have to do it today.

Try to figure out what’s truly a priority vs. non priority…..what’s really important vs. not important today. Spread out the work and give yourself something to do everyday instead of all in one day!

#2. Schedule “Me” Time

Photo by **Lisa Fotios** from **Pexels**

I’m bad at this tip but it’s so needed. Have you ever scheduled “me time” on your to-do list? My mom would always tell us that Mondays were her “me days” – that meant, no calls and no coming over during a specific time frame on Mondays. She valued her alone times and while I didn’t always understand it because I was being the energizer bunny. Now that she’s gone, I totally get it. You need that time away from other people’s voices and faces, it truly makes you appreciate seeing them when you do. Now what she did during that time, I have no idea but “me time” is whatever you want to do without doing work or even thinking about the things you need to do. It’s a little moment to be selfish and only think about you!

#3. Put It “ALL” Away & Focus!

This one is going to take a little practice, however, remember when I said earlier that my body would be in meetings and my mind would be elsewhere? unfortunately this also happens with my children! They’d be talking to me and I’d be thinking about work, church, getting back to someone, email and etc. Not really focusing on their dilemma – in which to them, everything’s a dilemma!

Now, don’t get me wrong, tuning them out is sometimes therapy for me but when it comes to a failing grade or them having concerns in regards to a friend or teacher or themselves, those things need my undivided attention. So when cases like this happen, I’ve learned to put my phone away, sit with them and totally give them eye-to-eye attention. This way, I can provide feedback if necessary and it gives me insight as to what’s going on with them. We can easily miss serious moments when we allow our minds to time travel. Realize where you are and tell your mind that you’re going to focus on the matter at hand because, in reality, we can train our minds to do whatever we want it to do.

#4. You Need A Sleep Schedule

This definitely may sound crazy but you really do need to “schedule sleep” – if you don’t, you won’t get it and while your mind is on the go the body will shut completely down! Ever been restless at night because your mind was wondering about things you should be thinking about in the morning? I’ve been here too, more often than I’d like to admit. Most times I get up and work and others I just lay there and talk to God or just look…lol.

If you find your mind wrestling with you while you’re trying to go to sleep, try drinking some hot chamomile tea or sleepy time tea before bed (decaf of course). I also like listening to peaceful sounds such as thunder (I know this is not so peaceful but it’s calming for me). I love listening to rain sounds or ABIDE – which has sleep meditations for the nighttime. It’s also wise to put your phone on silent, so you won’t awake to every notification known to man. 30 min before bedtime, get these things in order so by sleep time – you’ll be all set to ZzZzzzzZZ.

All of these tips will not only help you be more present but more focused on what’s really important. Train that mind and don’t allow it to train you, remember YOU have control over it and not it over you.

Sanity is everything! & So is Being in the Moment! – Life’s too short not too.

What the Prostate? Let’s Talk About Prostate Health

Published on October 24, 2019November 13, 2019 by Roshonda B6 Comments

Featured Image Credit: Bing

So, you might be wondering. Where in the heck is this coming from? Well, I’m the type of writer that when things interest me, move me or make me think – I have to write about it. I mean, it’s just how I’m wired up I guess.

This topic came about when I went to my sister’s house last weekend and while she was out, I and my brother-in-law talked it up and in doing so, he mentioned that he got a prostate screening. Huh?, I said – in my mind, I was like, isn’t that for 50 yr olds? My brother-in-law literally just turned 40 this year. I wondered what made him get such a test and why now? I was a little confused…

It was then that he went on to elaborate that a friend of his sent him the information. Seemingly, they were having free prostate exam screenings. His friend went and got tested and was just passing along the information to all the men he knew to get tested as well. My brother-in-law was hesitant but it was free, so he thought he’d go.

Of course, my brother-in-law was a little nervous and scared as he didn’t know what to expect and I’m sure at that point, he had no clue as to what he’d gotten himself into. Once the wait was over and he got into the doctor’s office, he was asked a few more questions and then, was asked to take off his pants from the waist down, turn around on the bed, standing up straight, he was asked to lean over on the bed with his elbows lifted. The doctor proceeded to give him some tissue in which at this time, my brother-in-law was thinking the doctor was being considerate to the sniffling he was doing prior to the exam, Oh that was NICEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, my brother-in-law couldn’t get out the next words because before he knew it, he was being probed with a finger up his butt or gluteus maximus for my fancy folks…lol.

Less than 5 min, it was over. My brother-in-law not fathom what had just happened felt weird, icky and just wanted to run to the nearest shower he possibly could. And, no – the tissue wasn’t for the sniffles but so he could “clean up” afterward.

Now I know that whole story was a little uncomfortable for most to sit and read. However, it sparked me to write so I can inform our men, brothers, nephews, cousins, fathers and husbands of the uneasy but yet informal things we should all know about. They say men have to be at least 50 yrs old before a prostate exam, just like they say women have to be 40 yrs old to get a mammogram. Those statistics are a little off as our diets, family heredity, environmental hazards and etc have put men and women as well at risk for such diseases at increasingly younger ages than expected.

Men, in general, are the HARDEST people on earth to drag to the doctor. I don’t know what it is, but they just won’t go. I think it’s the perception of “If I don’t go, I won’t know” and that’s great with them. I also think they believe that if they go, the doc may find something that they just don’t want to face. I truly understand that, believe me. However, stage 4 of something can most times be incurable as opposed to early detection and stage 1, which can increase the odds of living and beating a disease.

So, what is the Prostate?

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis. The prostate is just in front of the rectum. The urethra runs through the center of the prostate, from the bladder to the penis, letting urine flow out of the body. The prostate can get larger with age, primarily in men over age 50.

The Effects of the Prostate?

The prostate is responsible for producing prostatic fluid, which is full of enzymes, proteins, and minerals that are vital for the proper functioning of sperm.

Why Men Need to get checked for this important screening?

Men have to get tested in order to decrease their chances of getting prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in regards to men. The good news is that prostate cancer if detected grows increasingly slow that is as long as it’s attached to the prostate gland. Most prostate cancers do grow slowly, however, some are very aggressive and can spread like a wildfire if untreated. And how will you know this? Early detection of course! For what the symptoms are, you can visit The Mayo Clinic

Things to do and eat to keep that Prostate Healthy?

Exercise! Of course, physical activity is always best in any case, however continuous cycling is not a recommendation and if you are going too, then WebMD suggests a “prostate-friendly saddle” to keep your most important part, out of harm’s way.

So, what should your diet consist of? Well, Health Central suggests the following:

Tomatoes, Broccoli
Legumes (beans, lentils), Fish
Sesame Seeds, Bell Peppers
Avocados, Beans, Garlic

Of course, a healthy diet is “key” to any health risk decrease. If you add more of the items listed to your everyday meals, then you’ll be on your way to not only having a healthy prostate but overall health in general.

Become knowledgeable about certain risks and take advantage of your health care benefits by visiting a doctor once a year for a full physical. What’s not that important to you now, could be detrimental to you later.

Early detection is the best detection! Your future body will thank you later.

Oh, and P.S. My brother-in-laws test came back negative! To God be the glory for that!

Check with your local hospital or doctor’s office to find out if they know of free screenings in your area or if you have a regular doctor, let them know your questions and/or concerns in regards to your prostate health!

The winner of Jacqueline Pirtle’s new book “Parenting Through the Eyes of Lollipops” will be announced next Thursday, October 31st! No tricks, but all treats!! Have you entered the contest?

Spring has Sprung & So Has Your Footwear!

Published on April 4, 2019April 18, 2019 by Roshonda B4 Comments

Featured image photo credit: by Ingo Joseph from Pexels

It’s been said that “Diamonds are a Girls best Friend” and while that statement may be true for some women and although “the diamond” just happens to be my birthstone. My diamonds were these best friends below…

Oh my gosh, you couldn’t get me NOT to wear a pair of 4, 5 or even 6 inch heels every day to work. I wore them so much, they actually became my staple. People knew me from the many different styles of heels I wore (Thanks JustFab!! – no this is not a sponsored post) but they too had become my best friend. I bought shoes so much until I literally had them take 39.00 out of my debit card just for shoes. Yes, too say I was addicted would be an understatement. I was so addicted I had well over 70 pairs of shoes – Yes, ALL HEELS #mydiamonds

People often wondered how I was able to walk in those pointy killers every…single…day and I would just say, Oh it’s easy….HA! It sure was, what they didn’t know and I shared this with a best friend one time is that those shoes were easy because they were on platforms, which brought a little comfort to my heel and forefront. Also what they didn’t know was that most of those heels were harsh on my feet and toes, however; I’d endure the pain because I didn’t want anyone to see me without them on….after all, I had made a reputation for myself and sometimes, reputations are hard to break….OUCH!

Well, the ending of the story above is that when I moved to another job. I had high hopes of continuing to wear my glorious heels but this job was different and caused me to walk up hills and sometimes very long distances, I did that twice in a couple of 5 inchers and tore them slam up. It wasn’t long after that I had to move to an new group of shoes that I thought I’d die if I was ever caught in….If you guessed “flats” you’re so right!

After years of being on my job I’m actually thankful about both transitions, the job and the heels. Now I can’t even bare to stand up in a pair of heels without screaming….they hurt my feet soooo bad. I did take the picture below, and while my feet looked as if they were being premiered for the red carpet – my top half (in which the picture doesn’t show) was holding on to my shower curtain with dear LIFE!! and praying it wouldn’t fail me….ha-ha, if you could’ve seen the look on my face, it definitely didn’t match the bottom….lol

**My attempt to wear heels again, EPIC FAIL!**

So, here’s my question to you. “Is it time for you to change up your shoes? Now that spring is officially here (although the weather seems to be playing peek-a-boo with those details) it’s the time of year where the weather is warmer and you know what that means, it’s time to get out the house and enjoy the weather, by either exercising and/or just enjoying a day out with family or friends. And our feet and the shoes we choose will play a BIG role in both of those activities.

Too tight shoes can cause issues with not only your feet but your posture as well. I have lower back pain today due to wearing high heels for prolonged periods of times. High heels place your feet in a very high and uncomfortable position, it stretches your arch completely out of shape.

Your feet can tell you a lot about your health and most often will show signs of concern before your other body parts get the message.

If you love high heels like I once did, it’s best to take a break from them and/or carry a flat pair of shoes with you so if your feet get tired or achy, you can switch into something a little more comfortable.

It’s also very important that you have the correct exercise shoes as well. I have to be honest, when it came to working out; I thought all tennis shoes were created equal. I didn’t think it mattered what you wore as long as it wasn’t heels during a workout (sorry, everyone can’t be like Mariah Carey), but boy was I wrong! I remember taking a Jazzercise class some years ago and always wondered why I felt fatigued during the workout. I didn’t think anything of it, just chalked it up to being out of shape. However I learned that yes, I was out of shape BUT I needed workout shoes. Ms. Roxanne, which was the lady that ran the class, began telling us about these special shoes that would help us in workout. The shoes didn’t look like much of nothing, but she promised they would not only support our feet but we’d feel better during workout…

Sixty-dollars later (in which I thought was a lot of money for a pair of ugly shoes) I was hooked! Those shoes were on point, not only did I feel better but I felt as if they helped me move better as well, they were good for my back and overall I felt really good. It was then that I realized that exercise shoes were not created equal and it’s not just hype. You really do need special shoes to exercise, for your feet’s sake and your health too!!

So to sum up this post – spring is here and that means it’s time to clean up the old and bring in the new, including a good pair of shoes. Your feet are very important, you need them and they need you to take care of them so they can take care of you.

While we’re now springing forward, make sure taking care of your most prized possession is able to move along with you.

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For more information on foot care and what proper shoes to get for exercising, check out these links below:

WHAT CAN YOUR FEET TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

8 tips for buying shoes that are good to your feet

Are Your Shoes Killing You?

The best workout shoes for women, according to fitness experts

10 Best Workout Shoes for Men 2019

The Proper Way to Handle these Pimples

Published on September 13, 2018April 18, 2019 by Roshonda B2 Comments

the photo above and below courtesy of bing and pexels

Okay, Okay – I know what you’re thinking. No, this is not Health Class 101 but I thought I would bring up the subject because I’m in my late thirties and have acne prone skin, in which I honestly thought was going to go away when I turned 20 – but sheesh here I am about to hit a century-year-old and I still get occasional pimples and besides – I have a teen and a pre-teen whose bodies are changing like the unpredictable weather we’re having, so in order to keep them from going through the horrors of having a spot-filled face like I did when I was in school, I thought I would write this post to not only help us, adults, but our kids too, so let’s go back to the good ole days…my teen years.

When I was growing up and going through puberty, I had no idea at the time how important acne really was, I knew I would get embarrassed when; out of nowhere, an ugly pimple would pop up and seem to ruin my life. I always thought that when you got a pimple it was okay to pop it, because then it wouldn’t look so bad; but what I ended up getting was a face full of dark spots that took forever to go away; in which made me want to say “SAYONARA” to the rest of my school years.

As I grew older and got wiser on how to handle my acne prone skin, it was a little too late as I felt I had already messed up my “good face” due to my lack of knowledge. But as life would have it, all that knowledge didn’t go to waste as I now have a daughter who’s in high school and experiencing the same issues as I did when I was her age. While my ‘puberty’ years were not the best for me, I can now make her school years her best years.

Maybe you have a daughter, son, niece, nephew or friend whom may be dealing with the embarrassment of pimples. Listed below are a few simple things that I’ve learned from my own experience that hopefully will lead to a ‘good’ experience for everyone. I even have a picture below of the facial washes I’m using right now to keep my acne prone skin under control.

Clean, Clean, Clean

The best gift you can give your face every day is to keep it clean, it’s a good practice during puberty and beyond to wash your face day and night. This keeps germs at bay and allows all the dirt and/or make-up accumulated from the day to be cleaned off using a light or sensitive skin cleanser. It’s also good practice to wash your hands after you eat or do any other activity that may cause you to get your hands dirty If you’re like me – I have a bad habit of always touching my face, not giving thought to the fact that I had just touched something else.

Astringents too Harmful? Try this…

I used to love astringents and thought they were the best thing; according to the teen models on the television when I was a teen, but what I came to realize is that astringent is not for every face type and because it contains mostly alcohol, it dried out my face. So I made the switch to witch hazel, it doesn’t contain alcohol and gets the job done without harmful side effects. Neutrogena also has an alcohol free toner in which is great as well.

When it’s Time for the big POP!

“Don’t use your Fingers!” Most of the germs we accumulate throughout the day are on our hands and under our fingernails. If you pop a pimple then you’re not only getting those germs on your face but will cause dark spots to form later on. So, instead of your fingers, put a little witch hazel on a cotton ball and pop it. This keeps your fingers from touching your face and reduces the risk of unwanted spots.

Food, Exercise, and Water

Eating right is a major part of our everyday living and while fried, greasy or salty foods are okay sometimes; it’s can be harmful to our bodies, especially our face. As much as possible, opt for healthier choices such as veggies, fruit, and whole grains. Drink plenty of water and stay away from sugary beverages as sugar is a breeding ground for your pores and exercise. If you give your body the right tools; it will definitely do right by you.

When all else Fails, See the Dermatologist.

Sometimes you could be doing all the right things and still get out of control acne, that’s when it’s time to see the Dermatologist; they have a way of determining what’s going on and can prescribe you the correct dosage of medication that can help aid in you having the best skin while puberty is moving in. I have to say, this year was my first time seeing a Dermatologist ever and it was a great experience. Seeing a Dermatologist is not just for pimples but if you have moles a.k.a skin tags on your body, you might want to make an appt, just to make sure those skin tags are good and not something serious.

Here are my two staples in which I love – I use the wash in the morning and the wipes at night before I go to bed. I love the exfoliating beads in the wash as it makes sure that all traces of dirt, makeup and etc are washed away and their not harsh either, which is another reason why I love this duo. Now I know they’re not your name brand, but they do just as good a job as those expensive brands. However, while this set works for me, it may not work for you, so find ones that work for your necessary skin issues.

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There are people ordering this book and they don’t even have kids! Let’s take a stand against Bullying and let’s put the power of speaking up back in our kid’s as well as adults hands! #silencekills #speakup #victimnomore