Month: September 2020

2020-09-16T09:03:00

(BPT) – For many families across America, fall is viewed as a time to reset and create new rituals, especially with key moments like back-to-school. We all know common routines have been disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes parenting more challenging than ever. This year, preventing illness at home is part of everyone’s focus. A simple runny nose could mean anything from the common cold or allergies to something more serious like the flu or COVID.

“This fall, parents’ #1 priority should be keeping their family healthy,” says Dr. Wendy Wright, adult and family nurse practitioner, owner of two family-health clinics and spokesperson for Advil. “In addition to COVID-19 concerns, there’s the typical cold and flu season to consider, with these dual threats unlike anything we’ve ever faced before. By being proactive and knowing smart steps to treat illness, you’ll help support your family’s well-being.”

Wright recommends these three tips to help keep families healthy this fall:

1. Wash and disinfect daily

Whenever you and your family re-enter the home, wash your hands right away with soap and water. Wash hands well for 20 seconds, or about the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. Washing your hands is one of the easiest, most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs.

If soap and water aren’t readily available, the CDC recommends an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You should apply the hand sanitizer gel in the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and then rub the gel on your hands and fingers for 20 seconds until they’re dry.

You should also disinfect commonly touched items. For kids attending school, this means wiping down backpacks, lunch boxes inside and out and folders used to bring paperwork to and from school each day. If done according to directions on the disinfectant, this helps kill germs and can further lower the risk of spreading infection.

2. Monitor and treat a fever

This cold and flu season, monitoring and treating fevers are more important than ever to reduce the spread of germs. Readings at or over 100.4 F indicate a fever and may be a sign of underlying illness. Keep family members at home if they have a fever and treat as necessary with Advil to reduce fever and relieve minor aches and pain associated with the common cold or flu. There are different types of Advil that your entire family can use to ensure everybody in your home has options.

3. Set routines to prioritize health

Routines bring structure to the day, something that will be key this fall when kids are back in school, be it in-person, at-home or a hybrid approach. Now that kids are waking up earlier, they also need to go to bed early, so it’s important to set a sleep routine for your family. Adequate sleep provides energy, helps students focus at school and supports a healthy immune system.

The CDC recommends these sleep guidelines depending on your child’s age:

• Preschool 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours
• School-age 6-12 years old: 9-12 hours
• Teen 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours

A well-balanced diet is also important for a healthy household. The CDC recommends the following healthy eating habits:

• Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products
• Include low-fat or non-fat milk or dairy products, including cheese and yogurt
• Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein
• Encourage your family to drink lots of water
• Limit sugary drinks
• Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat

Parents should also ask kids how they are feeling both mentally and physically and note any symptoms. Of course, if someone feels ill or is showing signs of sickness, stay home and seek immediate medical attention from your family doctor, local pharmacist or other healthcare provider.

“This fall will be different than what we’re used to,” says Wright. “With a positive attitude and proactive planning, you can support your family’s wellness and help them thrive educationally.”

2020-09-16T14:01:00

(BPT) – Arkansas is open and ready to welcome visitors back to The Natural State. Autumn is the perfect time to visit because of the state’s spectacular beauty.

We invite you to take an Arkansas road trip and see the gorgeous hues of gold, red and orange that paint the mountains and valleys of the Arkansas landscape. No matter where you travel, you’ll see maples, oaks, hickory, sumac and sweetgum trees take on the warm tones of fall.

As the air turns cool and crisp, the fall season is also best for exploring all of the outdoor activities that Arkansas has to offer.

Arkansas’s landscape — from the mountains of north Arkansas to the plains of the rich Delta region — is diverse and easily accessible. Adventure awaits!

In Northwest Arkansas, the Ozark Mountains rise as high as 2,600 feet and offer plenty of recreational opportunities. The rugged beauty of the area, with stunning vistas, waterfalls and sparkling rivers, lures visitors from all over the world. There are hiking and biking trails for everyone no matter their level of experience. America’s first national river, Buffalo National River, winds through the Ozarks, and fall is a great time to see herds of Rocky Mountain Elk feeding in the field alongside the river.

From there, drive scenic U.S. Highway 62 into beautiful North Central Arkansas. That’s where visitors can explore several underground caverns, including Blanchard Springs Caverns. Venture more than 200 feet below the Earth’s surface, where it is 58 degrees year-round, and see the magnificent limestone cave system formed approximately 350 million years ago. Fishermen can also try trout fishing on the White and Little Red Rivers, where world-record trout have been caught.

Travel south into the rich Arkansas Delta where sportsmen can hunt in the duck-hunting capital of the world, Stuttgart. If you’d rather watch birds, there is no place better than the Delta Rivers Nature Center. The Delta is also home to artists who have impacted the world. Drive to Dyess and see where music legend Johnny Cash was born and raised. A few miles up the road in Piggott, visitors can walk through the Hemingway-Pfeiffer House, where Ernest Hemingway wrote a portion of A Farewell to Arms.

Over in Southwest Arkansas, visitors can dig for diamonds in Murfreesboro at Crater of Diamonds State Park, and keep what they find. Later, one can enjoy America’s first national park — Hot Springs National Park, home to historic Bathhouse Row. In addition to the natural hot springs and spas, one can relax at resorts along one of the area’s diamond lakes and enjoy the city’s unique entertainment offerings, including a world-class casino.

Finally, end your Arkansas fall road trip in Central Arkansas. The state’s capital city, Little Rock, is located in the heart of Arkansas. There, you can follow the Civil Rights Trail, which includes a stop at historic Little Rock Central High School, where nine students first integrated the school in 1957. Little Rock is also home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, where visitors can learn more about our nation’s 42nd president.

Book your Arkansas fall vacation at www.arkansas.com. Please understand that there is a mandatory mask requirement for all residents and visitors in Arkansas. Whether staying in our hotels and lodges or eating in our restaurants, masks are required in all public spaces to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

2020-09-16T07:01:00

(BPT) – Whether you’re an avid or casual PC gamer, chances are you could improve your gameplay set-up. Most people develop their gaming station gradually, over time. The result? A hodgepodge of equipment and furniture that often falls short. The more you play, the more you may notice your set-up isn’t ideal — and could be throwing you off your game.

Champion gamer and Evil Geniuses team member Tarik “Tarik” Celik offers his top tips for improving your gaming environment, and he should know: Tarik is a champion Counter-Strike player most recently winning ESL One: NY 2019.

His advice? Start with the basics, like comfort, and go from there to play your best.

1. Location

Where do you play? If your setup is far from your wireless router, or if walls and furniture stand in the way, you could have connectivity problems. You don’t want internet speed or unreliability to disrupt your game play. If you can’t change your location, the best solution is to create a hardwired connection as an easy fix. If you are forced to play wireless, try to reduce the distance and obstacles between your router.

2. Sit comfortably

If you’ve ever gotten up from gaming with a sore back or neck, your chair could be the culprit. Investing in a comfortable chair can prevent pain and help you focus.

• Adjustable: This is crucial, especially if you have a desk that’s not the ideal height. If you can also adjust the back’s incline, this can keep you from hunching over while you game.
• Cushioned: This goes without saying. A hard seat can hurt! The head rest should be cushioned too, helping to prevent you from slouching your head forward.
• Lower back support: Long gaming sessions can mess you up, no matter how old you are. If you find yourself grabbing pillows to put behind you, get a chair with better lower back (lumbar) support.
• Arm rests: Adjustable arm rests are ideal, since your height and arm length will differ from someone else’s. Fully adjustable wrist-rests can also make a huge difference.

Since you may not know how comfortable a chair is until you’ve given it a fair trial, buy from a company with a generous return policy.

3. Choose the best PC

Whether you’re new to gaming or upgrading, you’ll want a gaming PC with the best processor to handle high-end games, plus a dedicated graphics card that will deliver a smoother frame rate and less lag. To avoid overheating, you’ll also need a PC with a cooling system.

4. It’s all about the visuals and settings

Upgrading to a top-of-the-line monitor takes your gaming experience to the next level. LG Electronics’ new UltraGear 27GN950 monitor with 4K Nano IPS 1ms Display is recommended by Tarik of Evil Geniuses for gamers who want to play multiple titles (including multiplayer and single player games).

“When you compete at the top level, gear is very important. If you are not playing on the best gear possible, then you are going to be at a disadvantage,” says Tarik. “Something really special about this LG monitor is that it is the world’s first 4K resolution IPS gaming monitors with a 1ms response rate and it really does set it a head of the curve.”

“Monitors are extremely important for being able to play at your best. Apart from your computer, the monitor is the main component for your gameplay and you want to make sure that your visuals look good, your refresh rate is good and everything is smooth on your screen,” adds Tarik. “Another thing I like about this LG monitor is that it is virtually borderless. It makes it look really sleek and keeps the distractions away so you can focus on your game.”

LG UltraGear provides the most immersive and competitive PC gaming experience, so your flow is never interrupted.

5. Sound also matters

While gaming may be primarily visual, a high-quality headset brings sound to the next level. Beyond excellent sound quality, consider:

• Comfort: Check ear cup size as well as how adjustable the headband is. People with smaller ears may find round on-ear cups more comfortable, while others may prefer larger over-ear oval ear cups.
• Microphone: If you play with others, you need a quality microphone with adjustable volume.
• Dual-wireless audio system: This allows you to listen to music or chat while playing.
• Noise cancelling: To immerse yourself in the game, this blocks distracting sounds in your environment.

6. Bells and whistles

When choosing the best gear, details affect both comfort and appearance.

• RGB lighting for walls, keyboard or headset can create a cool atmosphere for your space.
• Keyboard — While full-sized keyboards may offer lots of great features, make sure you’ve got enough room for it. Most gaming professionals prefer a 10-keyless keyboard that’s easy to use and ergonomic.
• Gaming mouse options are a matter of personal preference. Wired or wireless? How does it feel in your hand? Experiment to see which style helps you play your best.

Check out all the possibilities for state-of-the-art gaming technology at LG.com.

LG Electronics’ new UltraGear 27GN950 monitor offers a 144HZhigh-speed refresh rate, along with a 1ms response rate. What does that mean? You’ll enjoy smoother, clearer action without tearing, blurring or ghosting for a seamless gaming experience. Plus its crisp, vivid colors and sharp details will let you fully immerse yourself in the game play, thanks to the 4K Nano IPS Display and VESA Display Stream Compression (DSC) Technology. Another bonus? You can raise, lower, tilt and pivot the monitor stand any way you want — in case you haven’t found the perfect chair yet.

2020-09-15T11:00:00

(BPT) – Between social distancing, quarantine, remote working and distance learning, it’s likely you’re at home more than you’ve ever been before. Add to this the change of seasons and dropping temperatures for the remainder of 2020 in most places across the country, and most families will be spending more and more time together at home.

While spending time at home has some benefits, it also can cause some level of stress and chaos. To help you simplify your life and maximize the time you’re spending at home with loved ones, consider these easy ideas:

Use signs to communicate when you’re busy

No one wants their talkative teen busting into the ‘office’ while in the middle of a work meeting. Likewise, when a student is studying hard, they want space from siblings and parents so they can focus. Adopt a simple system to communicate such as a sign that you can change from green, yellow and red. You can even have a family crafting session to make your signs. When green is on the door, it means you can come in freely. If yellow is up, you need to knock first. If red is up, it means you’re busy and do not want to be interrupted unless it’s an emergency.

Stock up on supplies and groceries while saving trips to the store

Whether you need school supplies, everyday essentials, new clothes or decorations for upcoming holidays, save trips to the store by exploring home delivery options. For example, for only $12.99 per month or $119 per year, Amazon Prime members enjoy fast, free delivery on millions of Prime-eligible items with no minimum purchase, offering them the convenience of getting everything they need delivered right to their door. Prime members in more than 2,000 cities and towns also enjoy free, two-hour delivery on more than 170,000 products including groceries and more from Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh.

Plan new recipes to keep meals and snacks interesting

While the occasional delivery from a favorite restaurant is a treat, staying home typically means cooking more meals, which is often healthier and saves money, plus it’s a great opportunity to try new foods. One idea to switch up your meal plans is to have everyone select a recipe they’d like to try and select a day of the week to try them, such as every Friday. Another option is to order traditional food and snacks from different countries to discover the flavors of the world and learn about other cultures.

Enjoy entertainment and at-home movie nights

With everyone under the same roof, this time presents a great opportunity to bond with loved ones. Whether with roommates, friends or family, plan nights in, and get ready for fun. Board games and puzzles are seeing a resurgence as fun ways to pass the time together at home. Movie nights or watching TV series is always a great option, whether it’s a new release or a timeless classic. You could even plan a themed night and play different music and match it to fun appetizers and drinks. Remember, if you’re a Prime member, it’s easy to entertain everyone with Prime’s entertainment benefits such as award-winning movies and TV episodes with Prime Video, ad-free listening of 2 million songs plus thousands of stations and playlists with Amazon Music, access to more than 1,000 books and magazines with Prime Reading, and free in-game content and games with Prime Gaming.

Celebrate the big and little things together

Celebrating together is part of the human experience. Just because traditional celebrations can’t happen, that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. Think creatively about special events such as birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. Even favorites such as game-day gatherings can be fun with a few twists such as virtual viewings with friends and home tailgating treats that include tasty snacks, appetizers and meals delivered to your house. Keep in mind, it’s not just the big things that should be celebrated. To lift spirits during these times, it’s important to recognize the little things as well, for example, your child getting a great test score might deserve a cake and movie night party.

2020-09-15T16:21:00

(BPT) – Since the coronavirus pandemic began, many Americans have canceled or postponed non-emergency doctor visits. At first, practices were temporarily closed, but later patients avoided visits out of fear of exposure to COVID-19.

In a Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll from May of this year, nearly half (48%) of respondents said that they or someone in their household had postponed or skipped medical care because of the pandemic. Perhaps not surprisingly, 11% of adults overall reported that their or their family member’s health condition had worsened due to delaying or canceling medical appointments. If you or your child suffers from a chronic condition like allergies or asthma, it is likely you could experience a further decline in your health and well-being by continuing to put off visiting your allergist.

If you have allergies and asthma, you need to have your medications and your overall health monitored carefully — and regularly — by an allergist to keep symptoms under control. Allergists are specially trained to help patients manage these conditions effectively, so it’s vital to keep up regular visits to maintain the best possible health outcomes.

Health and safety procedures

If you’re one of the many Americans who haven’t kept up with appointments out of concern for exposure to COVID-19, you can be reassured by the strict safety protocols being implemented by allergists’ offices around the country to protect their patients, as well as their staff.

“Our first priority as allergists is keeping all our patients and staff safe from COVID-19, while at the same time keeping patients’ allergies and asthma under control,” says J. Allen Meadows, M.D., president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “When you come to the office, know that your allergist has put protocols in place to make your visit both comfortable and safe.”

Here are just some of the safety practices being employed by allergists:

• Virtual visits for consultations when possible
• Mandatory mask wearing by all patients, visitors and staff
• Social distancing procedures throughout the office
• Extra time between patients for cleaning and disinfection
• Remote check-in at arrival, so patients can wait in their cars until the doctor is ready to see them instead of in a waiting room
• Some services — such as biologic shots — can be administered at patients’ vehicles outside, in some practices

Why you may need office visits

While some issues can be discussed with your allergist using telemedicine, many of the most crucial allergy and asthma treatments and procedures must be performed in the office to ensure that you are getting the best possible health results.

Allergy testing: Most patients are given an in-office skin test to detect sensitivity to common household animals (like cats and dogs), dust mites, grasses, trees, weeds and mold. If you’re taking medicine that could interfere with allergy test results or if you have very sensitive skin or a serious skin condition, your allergist might perform a blood test instead.

Allergy shots: If you are receiving allergy shots, these will need to be administered in person. Allergy shots are given on a schedule designed to increase the amount of the allergen on a regular basis. It’s best not to interrupt, skip or postpone the timing of when you get them.

Oral food challenges: To confirm or rule out a food allergy, an oral food challenge (OFC) is performed. For an OFC, a person is given a very small dose of a food by mouth at first, followed by increasing doses under the supervision of a board-certified allergist to confirm tolerance or a reaction to the food.

Biologics: To receive biologic therapy to treat allergic disorders such as asthma, atopic dermatitis (eczema) or chronic sinus disease, treatments are given by injection in your allergist’s office, at least at first.

If you’re behind on appointments to monitor and treat your allergies or asthma, call your allergist today. Ask about their current health and safety procedures so you’ll know what to expect when you arrive.

Also, if you plan to visit an allergist for the first time, you will need to provide a history of your symptoms, and then the allergist will perform an in-office physical exam. Using this information, the allergist can determine appropriate allergy testing.

Need to find a board-certified allergist in your area? Use the ACAAI allergist locator.