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3 tips to make meal prep into an enjoyable family activity

2018-08-27T11:01:01

(BPT) – We all love sitting down together for a hot meal. Unfortunately, preparing the meal itself turns into a chore that usually falls to one family member (Mom).

Switch up your dinner prep routine and turn it into a fun family activity that involves the kids. Yes, it may take extra time and effort, and, yes, there will be spills. But in the long run, you’ll see the benefits. They’ll gain valuable life skills since cooking builds confidence and, eventually, you’ll be able to turn to them to get dinner started before you arrive home.

Until then, think of this as a great way to spend time together. With these three tips (plus a delicious meal to start with), you’ll be on your way.

Keep it quick and simple

Complex recipes might tax the attention span of your small sous chef. Keep it low-key and stress-free with recipes that take 10 minutes or less to prepare. Along with that, don’t shy away from meal solutions that will get their favorite foods on the table in a snap.

This balanced meal of chicken and veggie skewers (see recipe below) paired with Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese is a simple and wholesome way to get dinner on the table in little time. The skewers are a delicious way to get their fill of protein and veggies. And Stouffer’s is an easy solution you can feel good about feeding your family, with ingredients you would use in your own homemade version, like freshly made pasta, butter, cheddar and milk — no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

Don’t leave out the littles

The youngest member of your family may not be tall enough to reach the stovetop, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help! There are plenty of things their cute little hands can do to help in the kitchen. They can wash produce, squeeze lemons, stem herbs, or tear lettuce leaves for salad. They can even halve mushrooms with a butter knife, stir the batter and push the start button. When they’re enthusiastic to help alongside their siblings, find a way to let them join in on the fun.

Prep produce ahead of time

A balanced plate should be half veggies and/or fruit because produce is packed with fiber and nutrients that support good health. Trouble is, washing, peeling and slicing can add many minutes to weeknight meal prep and delay your dinner — especially if you have a crew of small helpers by your side.

Which is why it’s always helpful to set aside an hour on a weekend or quiet weeknight to wash and prep the produce needed for the upcoming meals. And the kids can help with that, too. Bonus: If they help at any stage of veggie prep, they’re far more likely to taste it! Younger kids can help with rinsing, drying and portioning. Older kids can peel. And if they’re ready for it, this can be a calmer, more relaxed time for them to learn to chop and dice without the deadline pressure of dinner.

For additional ideas and inspiration for cooking with kids, visit Nestle’s Balance Your Plate. There, you’ll find easy-to-follow meal plans to help you create a game plan for balanced, delicious and nutritious meals.

Macaroni & Cheese with Chicken Veggie Skewers

Makes 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Stouffer’s Family Size Macaroni & Cheese

For the skewers

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

Bamboo skewers

Directions:

Cook Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese according to packaging instructions.

In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic powder and Italian seasoning, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add bell peppers and chicken and, using tongs, toss until coated.

Thread chicken and bell peppers onto skewers.

Heat a large grill pan over medium heat. Add skewers to grill pan and cook until chicken is cooked through and peppers are tender, 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan.

Plate skewers and serve with Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese.


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Opioid crisis illuminates the need to see pain medicine specialists

2018-08-27T10:01:00

(BPT) – The opioid crisis has made physicians increasingly wary about prescribing the potentially addictive drugs to their patients in pain. But there is a silver lining — experts in pain medicine, such as physician anesthesiologists, can create individualized pain management plans that include alternatives to opioids that are not only safer, but often work better.

“Opioids, or narcotics, can be helpful for short-term relief, but they are not a long-term solution for managing pain because of their many downsides, from significant side effects to a high risk of dependence or addiction,” said Greg L. Thompson, M.D., physician anesthesiologist, pain medicine specialist and member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). “Pain medicine specialists can help people in pain get relief and reduce or eliminate opioids often by using a combination of techniques from physical therapy and nerve blocks to non-addictive pain medications.”

Opioids alleviated the excruciating pain 37-year-old mother of two Beth Hunt suffered while recovering from multiple surgeries after her leg was crushed in an accident. But after three months in the hospital on opioids, she came to rely on them just to be comfortable. Hunt turned to Dr. Thompson, who used ultrasound and tiny catheters, or tubes, to direct medication to the major nerves in her leg that were the source of the pain. This therapy reduced her opioid use by 90 percent while her leg healed and she learned to walk again. Now she is opioid-free, has regained her quality of life and is spending time being active with her children.

Hunt never dreamed she’d become dependent on opioids, but her experience shows it can happen to anyone. ASA urges people to learn how the opioid crisis is changing the way physicians treat pain responsibly, and the reasons why your physician may limit or avoid prescribing opioids:

They are not the only option:

While opioids can provide general pain relief for a short while, they are not the solution for all pain because:

* There are more effective methods for treating pain in a specific site, including nerve blocks or stimulation therapy.

* People who take them can begin tolerating the dose, and may need higher doses to get the same relief.

There are many side effects and risks:

* Addiction and dependence are major worries. If there are signs of risk for addiction your physician may be more hesitant to prescribe opioids.

* Other side effects include: sleepiness; constipation; depression; life-threatening shallow breathing; and slowed heart rate, which could be a sign of an overdose.

* In older people, opioids can increase the risk of falling as well as interact with other medications, making them less effective or causing side effects.

It’s the law:

Legislators have enacted many rules and regulations in an attempt to stem the opioid crisis. For example, because studies show the longer people take opioids, the more likely they are to become addicted, some states have enacted prescribing limits on opioids. ASA supports patient-centered prescribing policies that consider individual patient needs, drawing on guidelines developed by medical specialty organizations.

It’s important to know there are many other options for managing pain, from targeted therapies (e.g., nerve blocks) to non-addictive medications (e.g., antidepressants, antiseizure medications, acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen) to high-tech methods (e.g., spinal stimulation and radiowave therapy) to alternative treatments (e.g., physical therapy, acupuncture and meditation). Learn more about non-opioid options for managing pain.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists

Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 52,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology. ASA is committed to ensuring that physician anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of patients before, during and after surgery to provide the highest quality and safest care that every patient deserves.

For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. To learn more about the role physician anesthesiologists play in ensuring patient safety, visit asahq.org/WhenSecondsCount. Like ASA on Facebook; follow ASALifeline on Twitter.


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Fall maintenance tips for a lush green lawn next spring

2018-08-27T09:01:00

(BPT) – The days are getting shorter and the nights are cooling off. The kids are back in school. Yes, fall is in the air, and that means it’s time to start thinking about prepping your lawn for winter.

“Many homeowners see spring as the most critical season for lawn care,” says Bryan Ostlund, executive director of Grass Seed USA, a coalition of American grass seed farmers and turf specialists, “but in reality, at least in the transition and cool zones of the U.S., fall maintenance can have just as much impact — if not more — on the year-round health and appearance of your lawn. Once temperatures are consistently below 60 degrees, your lawn will start storing up nutrients in preparation for winter. That’s when you should start your fall lawn care regimen.”

Following are three proactive measures you can take in the fall to ensure lush green grass come spring.

Reseed thin or bare areas. At the end of a long, hot summer with lots of outdoor activity, it’s not unusual for lawns to show signs of wear. By reseeding after the summer’s heat subsides and before the first winter freeze, you can repair the damage and give your turf an eight- to nine-month jump start on root growth. The longer and stronger the grass’s roots are, the less water your lawn will require during drier months and the more resistant it will be to disease and weeds. A thick lawn also helps reduce erosion, which can be particularly important in regions that experience rainy winter weather.

Before you reseed, mow your lawn and remove the clippings, and then prepare the soil by raking with a straight rake. This will remove dead organic matter and loosen up the top half-inch of soil to improve contact with the seed. Then apply a high-quality seed that is appropriate for your local climate conditions and is resistant to currently prevalent pests. Ask your local extension office (see https://nifa.usda.gov/land-grant-colleges-and-universities-partner-website-directory for a directory) for recommendations of blends that have tested well in your area. You’ll want to use fresh seed, so check the label to confirm that the seed was tested within the past 12 months. After planting, water the reseeded area lightly and regularly to keep it damp until the new grass is established.

Although new warm-season lawns are best planted in the late spring or early summer, if you live in the warm zone you might consider overseeding your warm-season turf with cool-season grass seed in the fall. The cool-season grass will thrive until the warm-season grass turns green again in the spring, ensuring year-round color.

Aerify. Aerifying your lawn combats soil compaction and thatch buildup and enables water, nutrients and oxygen to reach the grass’s roots more easily. You can hire a professional to aerify your turf for you, or you can rent a core aerator that uses hollow tines to pull up small plugs of soil at regular intervals throughout the lawn. If you’re reseeding, aerify right before you apply the new seed.

Apply fertilizer. Cool-season grass should be fertilized in the fall — even if your lawn looks perfectly healthy and has no bare patches — to promote good root development, enhance the storage of energy reserves and extend color retention. Most of the benefits of fertilization will be seen the next spring and summer, with earlier green-up, improved turf density, greater tolerance to spring diseases and reduced weeds.

Note that new grass and established lawns need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in different proportions. So if you’re reseeding, apply a starter fertilizer at the time of planting and then follow up with a second application, this time using standard fertilizer, four to eight weeks after germination. Your extension office can help you determine which fertilizers are best for your type of grass and local conditions.

Investing a bit of time and effort in fall maintenance will pay off next year, with greener grass earlier in the spring and a thicker, healthier lawn that is ready to stand up to the rigors of summer wear and tear.


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Study finds small businesses have a big impact on the economy

2018-08-24T13:59:01

(BPT) – When small businesses get the financing they need to grow, it creates a ripple effect throughout the entire economy, according to a new report.

Small business is anything but small — there are more than 30 million small businesses across the United States, and these companies create two out of three net new jobs in the country, according to the US Small Business Administration. When each of these businesses grows and hires new employees, it can have an economic impact that stretches far beyond the four walls of the business itself.

To illustrate this, Funding Circle, the leading platform for small-business loans, recently commissioned Oxford Economics to research the impact of its financing to small businesses across the world. The platform connects businesses who want to borrow with investors who want to lend.

The report reveals that this lending had a massive economic impact in the United States:

* Almost 28,000 jobs created and sustained

* $2 billion contributed to the American economy in 2017 (measured in Gross Value Added)

* $170 million generated in annual tax revenues

Funding Circle was founded in 2010, just a few years after the global financial crisis.

“Today the economy has recovered, but it can still be very difficult to get a business loan through a bank,” said Bernardo Martinez, Funding Circle US managing director. “Many banks are held back by outdated systems and underwriting processes, which means that a small business could wait weeks to hear back after applying for a loan — just to be denied.”

Businesses that borrowed are widely spread across the United States and come from a diverse range of industry sectors, according to the report. Of the businesses that had first approached a bank, half said their application was rejected — which led to their decision to come to Funding Circle.

Financing fuels new opportunities. One business that used a loan to grow is Philosophie Group, a custom software solutions company based in Los Angeles and New York City.

With a burgeoning client base, cofounder Skot Carruth and CFO Jerry Signori soon found themselves in a crunch: With so many people in the New York office, there wasn’t enough room to bring in important clients. With new contracts in the wings, Philosophie needed a new office, and they needed it fast.

The founders found the perfect location close to their clients that had plenty of meeting rooms and creative thinking space for innovative developers. The rent was even affordable, which was especially surprising for a city like New York.

The catch? The lease required a full year’s rent as a down payment.

“When you’re growing a business organically, you’re very tight with cash,” Jerry says. “We had a wonderful opportunity that we would have lost if we hadn’t been able to act quickly and decisively.”

Knowing that a traditional bank loan would take too long, they applied — and their loan was funded within a few days. They moved into their new space and soon landed a project with one of the most prestigious accounting firms in the city. Within a year, Philosophie was producing enough revenue to pay down the principal on their loan.

To date, Funding Circle has helped thousands of American small businesses access more than $1 billion in financing. Learn more at www.FundingCircle.com.


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5 Fast Facts About ADHD

2018-08-24T15:03:00

(BPT) – Did you know that approximately 6.4 million children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their lifetime?1* With ADHD Awareness Month coming up in October, what better time to learn more about this chronic mental disorder and debunk some myths about ADHD? Below are some common misperceptions about ADHD and five fast facts that may surprise you.

Myth: ADHD isn’t a serious or real disorder.

ADHD can be a chronic mental disorder characterized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5®) and includes the core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.2 ADHD is commonly referred to as AD/HD and ADD, although the correct term is ADHD.

Myth: ADHD is an “excuse.”

This is not the case. In fact, ADHD is a real disorder that can cause challenges at home, school/work or in social situations.2

Myth: ADHD only affects men, not women.

While ADHD is more frequent in men than women within the general population, women are more likely to primarily have symptoms of inattention than men.2

Myth: ADHD is a “kid’s disorder.”

While an estimated 11 percent (6.4 million) of U.S. school-aged children have been diagnosed with ADHD in their lifetime,1* 4.4 percent of adults are estimated to have ADHD as well. When this number is applied to the full U.S. adult population (aged 18 and over), approximately 10.5 million adults are estimated to have ADHD in the U.S.3,4,† Furthermore, in approximately 50 to 66 percent of children with ADHD, the symptoms may continue from childhood into adulthood.5,6,7

Myth: ADHD is curable.

While there is currently no cure for ADHD, there are a variety of treatment options, both medication and non-medication alternatives, available that may help to manage the symptoms. If you think you or someone you know may have ADHD, speak to your healthcare professional about what treatment options may be right for you.

One treatment option is VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate), the #1 prescribed branded ADHD medication approved for ADHD patients 6 and older. Medication may not be appropriate for all patients. Individual results may vary so to learn more about Vyvanse and whether it could be right for you, talk to your doctor and visit www.vyvanse.com.

VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in patients 6 years and above. It is not for weight loss. It is not known if Vyvanse is safe and effective for the treatment of obesity.

Vyvanse is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Vyvanse in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Vyvanse may harm others and is against the law. See below for continued safety information.

Vyvanse Capsules are currently available in seven once-daily strengths (10mg, 20mg, 30mg, 40mg, 50mg, 60mg, and 70mg). Vyvanse Chewable Tablets are currently available in six once-daily dosage strengths (10mg, 20mg, 30mg, 40mg, 50mg, and 60mg). To learn more about Vyvanse and for the Medication Guide and Full Prescribing Information, talk to your doctor and visit www.vyvanse.com, or call toll-free at 1-800-828-2088.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Vyvanse is a stimulant medicine. Tell the doctor if you or your child have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.

Who should not take Vyvanse?
Do not take Vyvanse if you or your child are:

  • taking or have taken an anti-depression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the past 14 days.
  • sensitive or allergic to, or had a reaction to other stimulant medicines.

Serious problems can occur while taking Vyvanse. Tell the doctor:

  • if you or your child have heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems. Sudden death has occurred in people with heart problems or defects taking stimulant medicines. Sudden death, stroke and heart attack have happened in adults taking stimulant medicines. Your doctor should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting Vyvanse. Since increases in blood pressure and heart rate may occur, the doctor should regularly check these during treatment. Call the doctor right away if you or your child have any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking Vyvanse.
  • if you or your child have mental (psychiatric) problems, or a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression. New or worse behavior and thought problems or new or worse bipolar illness may occur. New psychotic symptoms (such as seeing or hearing things that are not real, believing things that are not true, being suspicious) or new manic symptoms may occur. Call the doctor right away if there are any new or worsening mental symptoms or problems during treatment.
  • if you or your child have circulation problems in fingers and toes (peripheral vasculopathy, including Raynaud’s phenomenon). Fingers or toes may feel numb, cool, painful, sensitive to temperature and/or change color from pale, to blue, to red. Call the doctor right away if any signs of unexplained wounds appear on fingers or toes while taking Vyvanse.
  • if your child is having slowing of growth (height or weight). The doctor should check your child’s height and weight often while on Vyvanse, and may stop treatment if a problem is found.
  • if you or your child have symptoms of serotonin syndrome: agitation, hallucinations, coma, or changes in mental status; problems controlling movements or muscle twitching, stiffness, or tightness; fast heartbeat; sweating or fever; nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Call your doctor or go to the emergency room if symptoms occur. Serotonin syndrome may occur if Vyvanse is taken with certain medicines and may be life-threatening.
  • if you or your child are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Vyvanse may harm your unborn baby.
  • if you or your child are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed while taking Vyvanse. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take Vyvanse.

What are possible side effects of Vyvanse?
The most common side effects of Vyvanse in ADHD include:

  • anxiety
  • dry mouth
  • trouble sleeping
  • decreased appetite
  • irritability
  • upper stomach pain
  • diarrhea
  • loss of appetite
  • vomiting
  • dizziness
  • nausea
  • weight loss

For additional safety information, click here for the Medication Guide, including Boxed WARNING regarding Potential for Abuse and Dependence, and discuss with your doctor.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.


* Based on the 2011/12 National Survey of Children’s Health in which parents were asked if a healthcare practitioner had ever told them their child had ADD or ADHD.

† Based on the National Comorbidity Survey Replication of 3,199 adults aged 18 to 44 years conducted from 2001-2003 and applied to the full U.S. population in 2011 aged 18 and over.


1 Visser, S, Danielson, M, Bitsko, R, et al. Trends in the parent-report of health care provider-diagnosed and medicated attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Am Acad Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014;53(1):34-46.

2 American Psychiatric Association. Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.

3 US Census Bureau, Population Division. Annual estimates of the resident population for selected age groups by sex in the United States: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011. May 2012.

4 Kessler RC, Adler L, Barkley R, et al. The prevalence and correlates of adult ADHD in the United States: results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(4):716-723.

5 Barkley RA, Fischer M, Smallish L, Fletcher K. The persistence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder into young adulthood as a function of reporting source and definition of disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 2002;111(2):279-289. doi:10.1037/0021-843x.111.2.279. Published May 2002.

6 Ebejer JL, Medland SE, van der Werf J, Gondro C, Henders AK, Lynskey M, et al. (2012) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Australian Adults: Prevalence, Persistence, Conduct Problems and Disadvantage. PLoS ONE 7(10): e47404. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0047404. Published October 10, 2012.

7 Lara C, Fayyad J, de Graaf R, Kessler R, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Angermeyer M, et al. Childhood predictors of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: results from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Biol Psychiatry. 2009;65:46-54. doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.10.005 Published January 1, 2009.

This message is sponsored by Shire. This content is intended for U.S. audiences only.

©2018 Shire US Inc., Lexington, MA 02421. All rights reserved. 1-800-828-2088.

SHIRE and the Shire Logo are registered trademarks of Shire Pharmaceutical Holdings Ireland Limited or its affiliates.

VYVANSE and the Vyvanse Logo are registered trademarks of Shire LLC.

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Fall family travel from leaf peeping to star gazing

2018-08-24T09:07:00

(BPT) – The gradual seasonal change is an ideal platform for leaf peeping, stargazing, weekend camping, long drives and getaways that can bring your family closer during the cozier fall months.

“Fall is the perfect season to get out and see the world,” says travel expert and president of Rovia, Jim Menge. “A brisker climate can definitely enhance your travel experience. There seems to be more energy and focus, more of a willingness to go outside, rediscover nature and explore destinations whose beauty is deepened by seasonal change.”

With that in mind, we’ve chosen a few activities and destinations to put on your calendar this Sept. 22 to Dec. 21 as you venture out into cooler climes.

Peeper’s paradise: A New England road trip

Is autumn the best time of year? Ask someone who’s driven hours just to marvel at the reds, deep vermilions, ochres and oranges of fall foliage, and you’re likely to get a resounding “yes!” Here are some of the best drives in the northeast that leaf peepers far and wide return to again and again. Travel tip: The best time to visit is in October.

Destinations abound, but for the ultimate leaf-peeping experience, journey to New England, on routes that will take you in and around Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Check out Route 218 starting in Wiscasset, Maine; the Green Mountain Byway, Route 100, in Vermont; Route 112, otherwise known as the Kancamagus Highway, in New Hampshire; Route 9 in the lower Connecticut River Valley; Route 2 along the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts and Route 77 in Rhode Island.

Discover country stores, eateries, roadside stands, charming bed-and-breakfasts, farms, walking trails, taverns, hills and rivers that dot the scenery. Of course, you’re going to want to do your homework to discover just where you want to go and how much time you want to spend getting there and enjoying the scenery. Check the weather before you go to make sure you’re traveling during a weekend when the weather conditions are ideal for sightseeing (we mean leaf-peeping). With an average 50-miles-plus round trip, take your time — you’re not going to do it all in one weekend; but what you’ll see will be breathtaking.

Camping and star gazing

Fall is an ideal time to take a weekend and study a constellation or two, especially those, like Orion, that informed the architects of the great pyramids of Giza. These constellations have been the wonder of adventurers, kings, pharaohs and sailors for centuries; not to mention many young impressionable minds peering out in wonder from the safety of a family campfire. Travel tip: Bring bottled water, a first-aid kit, binoculars and a telescope.

Camping brings people together, and allows you to leave your cell phone behind, along with the distractions and responsibilities of work and everyday life. If you can turn off for a weekend and see and experience one another, take in a waterfall or mountain view and soak in the night sky, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.

A destination at the top of your camping to-do list should be the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Enter the park’s boundaries from North Carolina or Tennessee. The park contains 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail, not to mention great mountain views and waterfalls, and multiple options for families to settle in. Campgrounds are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A few destinations for car campers include the Deep Creek Campground in the Southeast; the Smokemont Campground in the South; The Cades Cove Campground in the West and the Cataloochee Campground in the East. You won’t find showers here, or electrical or water hookups. But a few days of roughing it will open your eyes and give you the space to reconnect with the ones you love.

Plan a weekend getaway this fall

Carve out a weekend or two and create your own adventure in the great scenery of the United States. The fall months invite you to take a break and travel to destinations with your family that are worthwhile, culturally significant and will ultimately bring you closer together.


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Battling back-to-school pest problems

2018-08-24T13:01:00

(BPT) – A new school year means backpacks stuffed with school supplies and the return to classrooms. It also means an increased chance of your child encountering pests or unknowingly bringing them home. From sweaty locker rooms to classroom floors riddled with food scraps, schools provide a whole host of tempting places where pests like insects and rodents may be. The experts at Terminix have a few pointers on common pests your young scholar may come into contact with while at school and how to limit interaction with them.

Bed bugs

These small, reddish-brown insects feed on blood and can easily become a headache for your family. Bed bugs are active mostly at night, and can emerge from their resting spots beneath mattresses or even from the crevices of furniture to search for their next meal. They’re also great hitchhikers, meaning they can catch a ride home on your child’s backpack. Although they aren’t known to carry disease-causing pathogens, their bites can cause mild to moderate allergic reactions, which can also itch.

To limit the chances of your child bringing home bed bugs, you should check backpacks and other possessions upon entering your house. You can also inspect your car for obvious signs of bed bugs, like shed bed bug skins and blood stains.

Cockroaches

It’s important to be aware of the health concerns cockroaches present, especially if your child has asthma or another respiratory condition. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, their droppings, shed skins and saliva can cause allergic reactions and asthma, particularly in children. Contact can trigger nasal congestion, watery eyes and skin rashes. The insects can also contaminate surfaces with nasty bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella.

Cockroaches will eat just about anything, from ordinary food items to potted plants and even cosmetics. Areas like school cafeterias and bathrooms provide the perfect mix of food, shelter and moisture for these insects. They’re known stowaways, and could end up in your house via infested boxes or other items. If you don’t catch a cockroach clinging to your child’s belongings, you might find other signs, such as droppings or egg cases behind furniture or in pantries.

Ants

There’s no way around it: Kids are messy, and ants are perfectly equipped to take advantage of that. Ants have four to five times more odor receptors than other insects, making them skilled at finding food like the crumbs dropped during snack time in the classroom or lunchtime in the cafeteria.

With over 12,000 different species worldwide, these social insects can damage everything from wooden structures to computers, and can cause quite the distraction in the classroom. The type of ant also determines what kind of food that species will eat. Carpenter ants, for example, will seek out meat, honey and jelly indoors. A sticky sandwich would make the perfect target for a hungry ant.

If a pest does manage to hitch a ride home with your child and sneak past you, it might be time to call in the professionals. A pest management provider like Terminix can help you handle any infestation in your home so you can focus on more important things — like getting your kid to school on time.


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3 reasons fall is a great time for roofing

2018-08-23T17:39:00

(BPT) – Cool breezes and falling leaves are around the corner, and for many parts of the country those telltale signs of fall signal the best possible season for roofing.

So what makes fall a great time for roof repairs or a full replacement?

1. Perfect weather

The same perfectly cool weather that makes fall a favorite time of year for camping and outdoor activities also makes it a great time for roofing — and not just because it’s more comfortable for the roofer. Asphalt shingles, the most popular form of roofing in the U.S., have an optimum temperature for installation. Keep in mind, the perfect roofing weather of fall can mean busy contractors.

2. Spring and summer storms

The warmth and humidity of the spring and summer months are notorious for spawning severe thunderstorms. Hail can fall any time of the year, but is most common in the spring and summer months, reaching a peak in June in several regions. High winds from spring storms can also uproot trees and snap limbs, both of which can fall on the roof.

“We always recommend homeowners hire a professional to examine their roofs, both for their safety, and to protect their roof,” said Stephen McNally, vice president of sales and marketing for TAMKO Building Products, a major manufacturer of asphalt shingles.

3. Winter is coming

Depending on the area of the country, winter can bring subzero temperatures and up to 10 feet of snow. Freeze-thaw cycles, ice dams and damp weather require the roof to be in top shape to defend against these threats during the winter months. Winter can be a difficult time to roof, so leaks that show up during the winter months can take longer to fix.

“Weather is always a concern — as a contractor, I would never tear more off a roof than what could be re-shingled in one day,” said Rick Taylor, a longtime roofing contractor, now working as an industry sales trainer known as Rick the Roofer. “And if there was more than a 50 percent chance of rain that day, I waited to start the project.”

With the optimal temperatures and weather — and the need to prepare for winter — homeowners will find fall to be a great time for roofing. With a skilled labor shortage already pushing project start dates out weeks or months, homeowners should act quickly to schedule their roof project if they want it completed before winter.


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5 must-know facts about fighting cancer and Immuno-Oncology research

2018-08-22T12:01:00

(BPT) – Anyone who has been affected by cancer knows that facing the disease takes enormous personal strength. Each day can present new challenges and obstacles, and it’s easy to start to feel powerless.

Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, had to find an inner power when he lost his mother to cancer. Inspired by his family’s experiences, he teamed up with Bristol-Myers Squibb to educate people about advances in cancer research, including Immuno-Oncology (I-O).

I-O research seeks to harness the power of the body’s own immune system to help fight cancer. An important new area of I-O research is exploring biomarkers – individual characteristics of each person’s cancer. By understanding immune biomarkers, researchers may be able to help personalize care for those living with the disease.

That’s just one thing Dak Prescott wants you to know about I-O research. Here are five more facts to empower people to better understand both cancer and I-O research.

1. Cancer cells can sneak past natural defenses

Cancer cells can trick the immune system by escaping and deactivating immune cells. If the immune system doesn’t recognize cancer cells as a threat, they can survive and grow into a tumor.

2. Each person’s body is unique – and so is their cancer

Most people already know that their body is different from everyone else’s. What they might not realize is that their cancer is, too. The differences between each person’s cancer, deep down at cellular and molecular levels, give scientists and doctors important information.

3. Researchers can learn more about an individual’s cancer through biomarkers

Biomarkers are biological molecules found in blood, other bodily fluids or tissues that are signs of a normal or abnormal process or of a condition or disease. Understanding a tumor’s unique makeup through biomarkers may help researchers predict how well someone may respond to certain treatments.

4. The power of your immune system can also be harnessed to help fight cancer

The immune system constantly works to find and destroy abnormal cells, but sometimes “sneaky” cancer cells can get away. I-O research looks at how to help the immune response do what it is supposed to do – fight disease. The ultimate goal of I-O research is to improve survival and the quality of life for people living with cancer.

5. You can join the fight against cancer by participating in Ready. Raise. Rise.

To raise awareness about I-O research, Bristol-Myers Squibb is encouraging individuals to participate in the Ready. Raise. Rise. movement, alongside Dak Prescott and many others who have been impacted by cancer. Join the photo-sharing challenge and learn more about I-O research by visiting ReadyRaiseRise.com, where you can find all applicable rules and guidelines.

Content is brought to you by Bristol-Myers Squibb