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Check out these 5 achievable goals for 2023

2023-02-06T12:27:51

(BPT) – Some goals aren’t attainable or sustainable for your life. Instead of making lofty promises that are unachievable, start with modest changes that you can accomplish and build upon in years to come. Not sure where to start? Check out these five achievable goals.

1. Learn or resume a hobby

If you don’t have a hobby or have let it go by the wayside, dedicate some time to doing something you enjoy. Hobbies aren’t just activities we do for fun. They can have huge mental and physical health benefits.

According to VeryWell Mind, enjoyable activities can help you reduce stress, lower blood pressure and combat depression. You don’t have to engage in your hobbies every day to reap the benefits. One study showed that engaging in a physical leisure activity for 20 minutes a week helped people feel less fatigued.

Whether you get back into knitting or playing guitar or pick up a new hobby like painting or ballroom dancing, you’re carving out time for yourself that can take your mind off the stresses of everyday life.

2. Move your body

This year, make it a goal to get your body moving. That doesn’t mean you have to exercise every day for hours at a time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. That may sound like a lot, but it breaks down to 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Take it slow if you’re new to working out or it’s been a while since you’ve exercised. You can even break up 30 minutes of daily activity into smaller chunks. For example, you can do 10 minutes of brisk walking or aerobic exercises three times a day or 15 minutes twice a day. By breaking up your movement goal into smaller chunks, you can naturally find breaks throughout your day to get moving.

3. Invest in your health

If you want to live a long healthy life, you need to invest in your health. Nicole Avena, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Author of Why Diets Fail, says, “In addition to a healthy and balanced diet and getting an adequate amount of exercise, it’s important to cover all your bases like adding daily vitamins to your health regimen. Each person’s dietary needs will vary slightly. While most people can get enough from diet alone, others may need to take a supplement, and nowadays, there are many vitamin options for men and women of all ages.”

To ensure that you receive essential nutrients, consider taking a daily multivitamin like vitafusion MultiVites which is an excellent source of 12 vitamins and minerals. Offering a selection of multivitamin gummies to support the consumer’s unique needs, vitafusion is America’s #1 adult gummy vitamin brand and the only gummy vitamin brand with a fusion of natural fruit flavors. To learn more, visit vitafusion.com.

4. Mindfulness

You’ve probably heard about mindfulness, but do you know what it is and its benefits? Simply put, mindfulness is being aware and fully present in your body, mind and environment. According to the National Institutes of Health, practicing mindfulness can have several positive impacts on your health and well-being, including reducing anxiety and depression, lowering blood pressure and improving sleep.

A popular way to practice mindfulness is meditation, but it’s not the only way. You can practice breathing or grounding exercises, go on a walk or take stock of how your body is feeling in the present moment. Mindfulness practices can be short or long, but to start, you can carve out five minutes a day in the morning or at night to get in touch with your awareness.

5. Improve your finances

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 72% of adults report feeling stressed about money at least some of the time. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan for improving your financial well-being, there are simple ways to assess your finances and target areas for improvement.

For one month, track all your income and expenses. You can do this by using an expense sheet, or you can download an app to make things easier. Once you know where your money is coming from and where it’s going, you can identify areas where you could be spending less and saving more and set financial goals.

Small changes can add up quickly and turn into life-long habits. Using these five tips, you can invest in yourself now and for years to come.

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Want your hardwood floors to last for generations? Use these expert tips

2023-02-06T09:31:00

(BPT) – Solid hardwood floors are beautiful and timeless, adding value to any property. However, there’s a misconception that real hardwood floors are difficult to maintain. The truth is that they can last for decades, as long you follow a few simple steps on a regular schedule.

In fact, the time that goes into maintaining hardwood floors isn’t much more extensive than any other flooring material. The key is to practice regular care and cleaning for your hardwood to keep grit and dirt from scratching the wood.

“Hardwood floors are special, and if properly taken care of, you can have a living, organic, premium floor that lasts for generations,” said Jen Meska, director of Merchandising for LL Flooring (formerly Lumber Liquidators). “But to keep them in top shape, it’s essential to have a regular cleaning schedule and be extra-mindful of any conditions in your home that could damage your floors.”

Tools, tips, and tricks

Meska says to start with the fundamental tools for caring for hardwood flooring: a dust mop for everyday cleaning, a vacuum for weekly cleaning, and a microfiber mop that can get damp (not wet!) for monthly, deep cleaning.

To keep day-to-day dirt and grit off your floors, aim to sweep or vacuum weekly. When using a vacuum for regular cleanings, opt for a soft floor attachment or hardwood setting that disengages the beater bar (this is the bar that rotates when cleaning carpet.) By disengaging it on hardwood and avoiding a vacuum or attachment with hard bristles, you can avoid any scuffing or scratching of your floors.

If you have heavy furniture placed directly on your hardwood, be sure to use felt pads on the feet to avoid scratches, and replace them regularly. This also includes furniture that is moved frequently, such as dining room chairs.

Strive to do a deep clean monthly to ensure you pick up the dirt and grime that inevitably forms over time. A great hardwood flooring care set is LL Flooring’s Bellawood Floor Care Maintenance Kit, which comes with a bottle of floor cleaner, a mop head and handle, washable wet mop microfiber pad, dry mop pad and a variety pack of felt pads.

This set is GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which means it’s third-party tested for low chemical emissions and therefore safe to use at home. It’s also urethane-safe and won’t leave a dull-streaky residue on your floors, so they’ll look refreshed when you’re done cleaning.

What to avoid

Relative to most other flooring materials, solid hardwood is sensitive to moisture, whether that be due to wet shoes or just changes in humidity. Therefore, it’s important to keep any amount of standing water off the planks.

That means ditch the traditional mop and bucket, which can leave behind water that could cause your floors to swell, crack or splinter.

Another critical thing to avoid is harsh cleaning solutions which include ingredients like chlorine bleach, ammonia, pine oil or undiluted vinegar. These can dull your floors by affecting the protective finish, causing lasting damage.

By following these simple steps, your hardwood floor should stay in good shape for many years to come.

“The best thing about hardwood flooring is that it’s a sustainable, living, organic material that takes on its own unique character throughout its lifetime,” said Meska. “Each plank is unique and tells its own story, and with the proper care, they can serve as the design foundation of your home for generations.”

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Why access, education and support are vital to close the gender gap in tech careers

2023-02-06T08:01:00

(BPT) – While women make up approximately half of the U.S. workforce, they are underrepresented in the technology sector, making up 28% of the industry. These numbers are even lower for women of color seeking opportunities in the field, with 3% of computing-related jobs being filled by African American women, 6% by Asian women and 2% by Hispanic women.

Over the course of February and March, Black History Month and Women’s History Month respectively, conversations often focus on empowering diverse voices to ensure they are represented in society. While these conversations raise awareness, they may not result in action and shifting the narrative surrounding diverse hiring practices. Diversity becomes a guide for program development to ensure diverse and female students feel supported in their pursuit of tech-related jobs, helping to address the gender gap in the industry.

To address the gender and diversity disparities, women must have access to resources and learning opportunities that give them the skill sets and confidence to pursue tech careers. Higher education institutions can play a significant role in bridging the gap. Creating greater awareness of job opportunities in the tech industry, potential career paths and sharing how to attain the necessary skills provides emerging talent with a clear trajectory for a future career in tech.

Higher education institutions can design inclusive programming.

In higher education, diversity is often thought of as the physical makeup of the student body. But diversity also extends beyond demographic data to how students learn — taking into consideration the tools they need to succeed. These tools can come in the form of academic success teams or programming rooted in uplifting diverse students to help them achieve their academic and professional goals.

Higher education institutions are tasked with providing the most current and industry-relevant education to students to augment a work-ready pool of talent. To be successful in this mission for all students, institutions can use adaptive programs to close the opportunity gap for female and diverse students. An example of a curriculum informed by student need is DeVry University’s Women + Tech Scholars Program, which was established to increase female representation in the tech field by providing women with tools, support and resources such as: access to mentors, early access to industry-related internships and job opportunities and industry association memberships.

Providing more women with a seat at the table helps to advance the tech industry.

Despite increased efforts to diversify a traditionally homogenous workforce, nearly 70% of tech companies report a lack of diverse representation in their workforce. In 2020, Google reported that 5.5% of new hires during that year were Black. Creating a more diverse tech workforce can lead to greater opportunities for collaboration because new perspectives are brought to the forefront that were previously unrepresented — driving innovation, creativity and productivity.

“Considering the current workforce and the growing need for tech talent, the share of diverse and female tech employees remains at alarmingly low levels,” said Randi Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media. “Programs like DeVry University’s Women + Tech Scholars Program help create greater awareness of tech careers and give women of all backgrounds the tools they need to persist in this academic path and obtain the skills they need to pursue tech-enabled careers.”

Diversity of thought enhances problem-solving exercises because teams are mitigating the potential of finding themselves in an echo chamber of a singular thought derived from similar opinions. Studies suggest that companies that prioritize gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to see financial returns that are above national industry averages.

Higher education institutions have an opportunity to create supportive networks and communities.

Seeing someone from a similar background succeeding in a career path builds awareness. Higher education institutions that create opportunities for women to network and build connections with leaders they can identify with increase the chance of success in these highly sought-after, influential industries.

“Access to education alone is not enough. Students, particularly those from underrepresented communities, need support, opportunities and resources throughout their education journey,” added Veronica Calderón, DeVry University’s chief inclusion, belonging and equity officer.

Carving out unique, defined spaces in which diverse and female communities can feel a sense of belonging helps increase overall academic performance, persistence and academic success, which can translate into professional success post-graduation.

As diversity in tech remains a topic of critical importance, comprehensive and agile programming that focuses on female learners allows women, particularly women from diverse backgrounds, to break down barriers that have persisted in the tech industry for decades.

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Championing health: Why a football legend is talking about pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination

2023-02-06T06:01:00

(BPT) – Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana has been vocal about the importance of getting vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia — a potentially serious bacterial lung disease that can disrupt your life for weeks and, in severe cases, put you in the hospital and even be life-threatening.

He thinks about it like how he would prepare for games, so here are his top tips for protecting your own health:

1. Preparation is key — on or off the field.

Like anyone else 65 or older, Joe is at increased risk for pneumococcal pneumonia — but he knows that getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to help defend his health. And helping protect himself against pneumococcal pneumonia is a lot like preparing for a big game.

For his gameday preparation, he always reviewed the playbook and watched game film so he could handle whatever was thrown at him. Now, he stays prepared by prioritizing his health — which is why he got vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia.

2. Understanding the opponent

Joe also knows the importance of learning about pneumococcal pneumonia and who could be affected. It’s not just people 65 or older who are at increased risk. If you are 19 or older and have an underlying medical condition like asthma, diabetes, chronic heart disease or COPD, you may be at increased risk, too.

3. Preparing your teammates

Communication is vital to any successful team, and getting the word out about pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination is no different. Even if you’re not at increased risk yourself, you may have someone in your life who is — so make sure they know about the vaccination recommendation to help them protect their own health.

4. Taking action

Pneumococcal pneumonia can strike at any time of year — and vaccination is available year-round, too. There’s no need to wait to get vaccinated, so you can start looking into it today.

5. Getting expert advice

Just as Joe would work with his coaches to make sure he knew the best plays to run during games, Joe’s last tip on helping to protect your health is asking a doctor or pharmacist about pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination. Even if you’ve already had a previous pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine, your healthcare provider may recommend additional protection.

You can also learn more about your own risk at knowpneumonia.com. Like Joe says: preparation is key, no matter if you’re getting ready for the big game or preparing to protect your health.

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5 ways to make all your Valentines feel loved

2023-02-03T17:33:00

(BPT) – Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating love. While the focus may naturally shift to romantic partners, it’s also the perfect time to honor your closest friends and family.

Whether you’re going full-on Galentine’s Day — celebrating Valentine’s with your gal pals — or you simply want to send a smile and show you care for your best friends near and far, here are five ideas for making loved ones feel special and appreciated.

Put feelings into words

Don’t assume your loved ones know how you feel. Put those thoughts down in words and share them on Valentine’s Day. You don’t have to be a writer to express how much you appreciate friends and family. Whether a special email, thoughtful social post or traditional handwritten letter, open your heart and share how much they mean to you.

Not sure where to start? Think about all the reasons they make you smile and share the list. Say you’re grateful for your relationship, and provide a few reasons why. Spend some time reminiscing and then share a heartfelt story or two that has stuck with you over time. There’s no specific formula as long as you speak from the heart.

Go better than bouquets

Bouquets of flowers in various hues are a traditional gift on Valentine’s Day. The problem is, even if you tend to them properly and keep the water in the vase fresh, cut flowers will wilt and die. Alternatively, consider potted plants that will live on, the ideal symbol of your lasting love.

Some options: A potted flower adds a fresh scent and pop of color indoors or out. Some potted plants — like a snake plant or a money plant — are great indoors for improving air quality. Potted herb plants put fresh flavor within reach in the kitchen. Air plants are especially good for people without a green thumb because they require minimal care.

Create a sumptuous meal

Food is a love language all its own, so consider making a luxurious homemade meal for your favorite friends and family. Whether you invite over one person or a group, this is your opportunity to show you care by filling their bellies and hearts with goodness.

Perhaps you’re known for a certain dish and can make that? Maybe you want to try that new cooking trend and create some unique dishes to nosh on? Is now the time to try that fine cuisine you’ve been hearing all about? No matter what you choose, don’t forget wine pairings for an extra special touch.

Cheers to a day of love

A delicious wine is the perfect pair to food and friends on Valentine’s Day. Perhaps no one knows this better than partner and winemaker Stephanie Rivin, who created French Blue wines with the goal of giving an American twist to Bordeaux, making intriguing yet accessible French offerings for all.

“When you’re making a meal and honoring friends, raising a glass and toasting to love is a joy of life, or as the French say, joie de vivre,” said Rivin, who shared these pairing suggestions for a memorable Valentine’s experience:

  • Crémant de Bordeaux Brut with oysters is a memorable starter
  • Bordeaux Rouge is ideal with a rich main course such as steak
  • End on a sparkling note with a Crémant de Bordeaux Brut Rosé paired with chocolate mousse or even a cheese course
  • When in doubt, Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc are also classic, versatile choices

Consider acts of kindness

Everyone has to-do lists longer than there are hours in the day. If you want to lighten a loved one’s load, take the time to help them on Valentine’s Day. Not only will this show them you care, it will relieve some stress so they can feel extra loved on this special day.

For example, offer to run a nagging errand or come over to their house to do their least-favorite chore. Say you’ll watch their kids or pet sit so they can get away without worries. Come over to help them fix something they’ve put off for a while — whether computer problem or leaky sink. You offering to help and following through will definitely make an impact.

No matter what you choose to do, remember that Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance. Your friends and family are loves of your life, too.

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How to Survive “Super Sick Monday” After the Big Game

2023-02-02T10:31:00

(BPT) – Are you looking forward to the Big Game on Sunday but dreading the day after? You’re not alone. Last year, 16.1 million Americans missed work the Monday after the Big Game, and 8 million scheduled the day off in advance. It’s easy to see how this day has been dubbed “Super Sick Monday.”

In honor of all those who call out of work after overindulging in football festivities and game day shenanigans, Silk Creamer is here to help you tackle “Super Sick Monday.” Check out their top five tips that can add smoothness to your Monday morning.

1. Have your email template ready

Whether you request the day off in advance or plan to call in on Monday morning, make things easier on yourself by having an out-of-office email drafted and ready to go. Silk Creamer’s got you covered — check out the email template!

2. Upgrade your morning cup of coffee with creamer

It can be difficult to stick to your morning routine after a weekend of sports-filled fun, but one ritual you shouldn’t skip is your morning coffee. Take your coffee to the next level by reaching for Silk Creamer to start the day off right.

While you build your Big Game snack roster, pick up a carton of Silk Vanilla Almond Creamer to add a blend of smooth and creamy vanilla with velvety almond flavor to your coffee or try the rich, oatmeal cookie creaminess of Silk Oatmeal Cookie Oat Creamer.

3. Put some protein on your plate

While your coffee is brewing, be sure to eat a balanced breakfast that includes protein and whole grains to fuel your day and help you power up after celebrating (or mourning) the game-winning touchdown. Don’t hesitate to add fresh fruit or veggies to your lineup.

Pro tip: A couple of slices of bacon are always delicious, but you should play it safe. Too many greasy, heavy foods may only add to tummy troubles.

4. Stay hydrated during and after the game

After a weekend of snacking and drinking, you may feel exhausted the morning after. To help make your Monday a little smoother, drink plenty of water during the big game.

On Super Sick Monday, make sure you have electrolyte drinks on hand to rehydrate quickly. Like the pros, you can enjoy a low-sugar sports drink.

5. Prepare to relax

Snuggle up on your couch and prepare to relax. Look through your watch list for shows and movies you’ve been looking forward to watching. Or cue up your favorite sitcoms and blockbusters while you cuddle up in your favorite blanket.

Make your Mondays “Super Smooth”

Now that you’ve survived “Super Sick Monday,” how can you make all your Mondays smoother? To help make Monday (or any day) run that much smoother, Silk has created exclusive Super Smooth Monday kits.

These kits feature a cozy blanket, custom Silk beanie, triple insulated mug, Peet’s Coffee and — the MVP of “Super Sick Monday” — Silk Creamer, so you can caffeinate or cozy up while enjoying Silk Creamer and a fresh cup of coffee to start your week off right.

On February 13 (aka “Super Sick Monday”), celebrate with Silk Creamer by visiting Instacart while limited coupons are available or entering for a chance to snag a limited-edition Super Smooth Monday kit using this link between 2/13 and 2/20.

Don’t let the Sunday scaries get you down! Using these five survival tips, you can make the day after the Big Game a Super Smooth Monday with Silk Creamer.

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Why eye exams should be part of your family’s health care checklist

2023-02-02T14:01:00

(BPT) – Eye exams are important for children not only for general eye health but also because nearsightedness in children has increased dramatically in recent years1. Also called myopia, this eye condition means that while you can see objects close to you clearly, objects that are further away are blurry. It often begins in childhood and adolescence and worsens to about the age of 20. According to one recent study of more than 120,000 children, the prevalence of myopia increased up to three times in 2020 compared to the previous five years and was especially noted in children ages six to eight2.

What causes myopia?

Myopia happens when the length of the eyeball grows too long, or the cornea (the transparent part of the eye that covers the iris and pupil) is too curved, causing the light that enters the eye to not focus properly on the retina (the sensory layer within the eye). While family history is a part of it—a child has a one in three chance of developing nearsightedness if one parent is also nearsighted3—lifestyle factors also play a role. Spending a great deal of time indoors4,5, using your near vision (looking at things close up) a lot through reading and having lots of screen time with devices like tablets or smartphones6, and poor lighting7 can all also contribute to the development of myopia. So, what’s one of the unintended outcomes of the pandemic’s extra indoor time, more-than-usual screen time, and at-home online learning? It’s a significant uptick in kids with myopia8.

What are the signs and symptoms of myopia?

A child with myopia may talk about far-away objects looking blurry or not being able to see a TV screen, movie screen or school whiteboard. They may squint often, blink a lot, rub their eyes frequently or seem to be unaware of distant objects. Sometimes, headaches occur due to eyestrain. However, because a child may think blurry is just normal, they may not mention any issues at all. That’s one reason it’s essential to have regular checkups with an eye care professional who can identify potential problems.

While fuzzy vision can lead to challenges at school or during sports and other extracurricular activities, untreated myopia can also lead to serious sight-threatening eye health issues later in life, including glaucoma and cataracts8. To see what the world looks like with myopia, check out this myopia simulator.

Regular eye health and exams

Fortunately, taking action by treating myopia while your child is young goes a long way in reducing risk down the road. For example, relaxing and playing outdoors, going to bed earlier, using proper lighting, and regular breaks from near-vision activities like reading and screen time are all good for eye health. An annual eye exam with an optometrist is a fast and effective way to detect various eye conditions and vision problems—not just myopia—so be sure to make that part of your back-to-school planning. Set your child up for a bright, clear future!

New contact lenses for kids

Ordinary prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses can help your child see distant objects more clearly right away, but unfortunately, they do not reduce the progression of myopia. There is good news, though: There is now a dual-purpose product that can do more—CooperVision’s MiSight® 1 day contact lenses provide clear vision and help to control the progression of myopia in age-appropriate children9.

  • MiSight® 1 day contact lenses are easy-to-use10, single-use soft contacts, which are disposed of at the end of each day.
  • They’ve been clinically proven safe10and, over three years, slowed the rate of myopia progression by 59 percent, on average†§11. Even better, 41 percent of eyes showed no myopia progression at 3 years†¶12.
  • They’re also the first and only soft contact lenses that are FDA-approved* to slow myopia progression in children aged eight to 12 at the initiation of treatment†12.
  • They’re kid-approved: After using MiSight® 1 day contact lenses for three years, 90 percent of children still strongly preferred them over their glasses13, and 90 percent of parents reported that their child was happy wearing their MiSight® 1 day contact lenses±14.

†Compared to a single vision 1 day lens over a three-year period. §Children aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment. No clinically meaningful change in refractive error -0.25D or less from baseline. µ95% – 100% of children expressed a preference for contact lenses over glasses at each visit over 36 months ±Overall experience as defined as children’s comfort, vision, lens handling, and freedom from spectacles. Children aged 8-15 years.

Indications and Important Safety Information. Rx only. Results may vary.

ATTENTION: *USA Indication: MiSight® 1 day (omafilcon A) soft (hydrophilic) contact lenses for daily wear are indicated for the correction of myopic ametropia and for slowing the progression of myopia in children with non-diseased eyes, who at the initiation of treatment are 8-12 years of age and have a refraction of -0.75 to -4.00 diopters (spherical equivalent) with ≤ 0.75 diopters of astigmatism. The lens is to be discarded after each removal. Warnings: Problems with contact lenses could result in serious injury to the eye. Do not expose contact lenses to water while wearing them. No overnight wear. Patients should exercise extra care if performing potentially hazardous activities. Adverse events: Including but not limited to infection/inflammation/ulceration/abrasion of the cornea, other parts of the eye or eyelids. Some of these adverse reactions can cause permanent or temporary loss of vision. If you notice any of the stated adverse reactions in your child, immediately have your child remove the lenses and contact your eye care professional.

References

  1. Kuehn BM. Increase in Myopia Reported Among Children During COVID-19 Lockdown. JAMA. 2021;326(11):999. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.14475
  2. Wang J, Li Y, Musch DC, et al. Progression of Myopia in School-Aged Children After COVID-19 Home Confinement. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2021;139(3):293–300. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.6239
  3. Morgan P. Is Myopia Control the Next Contact Lens Revolution? The Optician 2016
  4. Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, et al. Global Trends in Myopia Management Attitudes and Strategies in Clinical Practice. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2016; 39:106-16.
  5. Rose KA, Morgan IG, Ip J, et al. Outdoor Activity Reduces the Prevalence of Myopia in Children. Ophthalmology 2008; 115:1279-1285.
  6. Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, et al. Global Trends in Myopia Management Attitudes and Strategies in Clinical Practice. Cont Lens Anterior Eye. 2016; 39:106-16.
  7. Gifford P, Gifford KL. The Future of Myopia Control Contact Lenses. Optom Vis Sci.; 93:336-43.
  8. Flitcroft DI. The complex interactions of retinal, optical, and environmental factors in myopia aetiology Prog Retin Eye Res. 2012;31(6):622-660.
  9. Chamberlain P et al A 3-year Randomized Clinical Trial of MiSight Lenses for Myopia Control. Optom Vis Sci 2019;96:556-567.
  10. Woods, J., Jones, D., Jones, L., Jones, S., Hunt, C., Chamberlain, P., & McNally, J. (2021). Ocular health of children wearing daily disposable contact lenses over a 6-year period. Contact Lens and Anterior Eye
  11. Chamberlain P, et al. A 3-year randomized clinical trial of MiSight® lenses for myopia control. Optom Vis Sci. 2019; 96(8):556-567.
  12. Chamberlain P, Arumugam B, Jones D et al. Myopia Progression in Children wearing Dual-Focus Contact Lenses: 6-year findings. Optom Vis Sci 2020;97(E-abstract): 200038
  13. Sulley A et al. Wearer experience and subjective responses with dual focus compared to spherical, single vision soft contact lenses in children during a 3-year clinical trial. AAO 2019 Poster Presentation.
  14. CVI data on file 2018. 3-year study report.

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Do you have reliable backup power during severe weather?

2023-02-02T08:01:00

(BPT) – As winter weather ravages across the country, homeowners are reminded that having a backup plan for power outages is important all year long. Reliable power is critical, especially for the elderly, families with children and people working from home.

Now, more than ever, an automatic home generator is the best defense against power outages — particularly extended outages — no matter where you call home. Whether it’s a hurricane, ice storm, blizzard, blackout or another weather threat, you can give your family peace of mind and security knowing you’ll have a dependable power source on-hand.

How does an automatic home generator work?

A standby home generator is permanently installed outside a home, similar to a central air conditioning unit. It runs on self-feeding fuels such as natural gas or liquid propane (LP). The unit turns on automatically when power is lost to the home or business.

The standby home generator can be a literal lifesaver, because it can power critical and sophisticated appliances and systems in a home, including HVAC, refrigerators, lights, computers, medical devices and more. It also provides home essentials that facilitate safety and comfort. This is especially important during winter storms when people are less likely to leave home. Having access to heat, electricity and appliances like a stove is essential.

Automatic power no matter where you are

You do not need to be present to operate your home’s standby generator, which is great if you have to evacuate or simply are gone when the power fails. An automatic transfer switch continuously monitors power from the utility and transfers the electrical load to the generator when power is lost.

For example, a KOHLER home generator is completely automatic. The unit’s commercial-grade engine fires up quickly within 10 seconds of power loss and can handle heavy demands while operating quietly.

Furthermore, the generator provides “clean power” so you don’t have to worry about spikes and voltage drops that may impact sensitive electronics like computers and phones. The durable unit also features a rust-resistant enclosure, which is important for homes near salt water or in freezing temperatures.

When researching generators, keep in mind they come in a variety of sizes based on your power needs in your home. Consult with a professional dealer for appropriate sizing, permitting, installation and other considerations. Learn more at KohlerGenerators.com.

Kohler now offers a 26-kilowatt air-cooled generator for larger homes and electrical loads. No other generator in its class is quieter, more powerful and more durable.

To help match a homeowner’s desired aesthetic, the generator is available in 10 exclusive colors, including three Mossy Oak® camouflage patterns.

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How to create a seamless revenue lifecycle experience for your business

2023-02-02T08:03:00

(BPT) – In an increasingly complex world, successful businesses need to see the big picture in order to excel and grow. Understanding and optimizing the revenue lifecycle can help you see beyond the day-to-day or quarter-to-quarter needs and goals of your business.

What is the revenue lifecycle?

Revenue is your organization’s fuel. Seeing revenue as a lifecycle means maximizing your customer relationships, as well as their lifetime value. It also means recognizing the many personas that comprise the lifecycle stages — sales, product, legal, operations, finance and customer service — and that everyone aligns and supports the model of revenue as a lifecycle.

Complexities arise from the ever-changing nature of the revenue operations landscape, which impacts an organization’s path to revenue predictability. When your business has multiple products and revenue types, the path to operationalizing these too frequently is through a patchwork of siloed manual processes, systems and teams. As a result, creating seamless customer and employee experiences becomes even more challenging.

Organizations often operate without consolidated pricing and discounting. There may be no history of products and services customers had through one division or another, and there’s also complexity around contracting. Many have legacy contracts with preexisting governing terms and conditions — and if they’re added to the company through a merger or acquisition, there could be multiple contracts with one customer. Many organizations must also navigate the intricacies of regulatory compliance and risk management, creating even more complexity.

Even if your organization manages to integrate its products and services with its pricing models and contracting standards, management and fulfillment of those products and services become even more complicated in the backend. Many areas tend to be locked in different enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, billing systems or order management systems, making it difficult to see what products or services a customer has at any given time.

The ability to lay the groundwork so an organization can easily sell new products and services with new contract terms and conditions over the customer lifecycle is essential.

“Every company is dealing with its unique complexities. Increasing complexity requires process unification and standardization. Our company is laser-focused on helping customers crush their revenue lifecycle complexities to increase revenue certainty,” explains Randy Littleson, chief marketing officer, Conga. “Today we can deliver the breadth of capabilities modern-day companies need to effectively manage their revenue lifecycle.”

How specific tools can streamline processes throughout the revenue lifecycle

A global leader in scalable revenue lifecycle management solutions, Conga provides products and services to help businesses increase revenue certainty, using AI-powered capabilities to deliver faster, smarter experiences for customers and employees alike.

Revenue lifecycle management is unifying and automating all revenue generating processes to maximize customer lifetime value. To improve your company’s revenue lifecycle, you first need to automate processes to remove manual steps that slow the path to revenue — and that can introduce the potential for human error.

Propose and quote: Throughout the revenue lifecycle, configure, price and quote (CPQ) solutions allow companies to sell more easily and effectively by configuring pricing, managing discounting, ensuring that proposed configurations actually work and can be delivered to customers and by streamlining the quoting and proposal processes, using tools like automated document generation.

Next, you need to unify currently disparate adjacent processes. To achieve this, contract lifecycle management (CLM) solutions unify, automate and standardize revenue lifecycle processes across all teams to create one fully visible revenue lifecycle — not several, fragmented ones.

Negotiate and execute: CLM solutions help achieve efficiency and gain strategic insights. CLM manages the entire contract lifecycle for you — negotiating, redlining, approvals, storing of agreements and more — to empower sales to get deals done faster, while ensuring that legal can manage compliance and risk. Your contract center infrastructure (CCI) lets you manage all contracts with AI-driven insights to manage risk and obligations while uncovering new opportunities. Using eSignature solutions is also essential to managing each function of the lifecycle, allowing documents to be generated with data from anywhere and signed easily, so you can seal the deal.

Manage and fulfill: Without sacrificing your customer’s experience during the billing process, you can free your sales teams to focus on customers. Make it easier to up-sell or cross-sell services to your loyal, happy customers using an automated billing system.

Renew and expand: Business viability means acquiring new customers and — more importantly — retaining them. For example, using an automated process for executing renewals will lead to higher renewal rates and delighted customers. Seeing the entire revenue lifecycle, you’ll know which accounts are coming up for renewal and your customers’ propensity to buy.

“Businesses cannot afford to be slowed by cumbersome manual processes,” says Grant Peterson, chief product officer, Conga. “The level of automation we provide gives a business revenue predictability. Conga crushes complexity in an increasingly complex world, simplifying your path to revenue.”

Making sure the revenue lifecycle of your business runs with optimal efficiency benefits your company, your teams — and the experience of your clients and business partners. Learn more at Conga.com.

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Addressing the Urgent Need for Patients Living with Rare Lung Disease

2023-02-01T08:01:00

(BPT) – Although considered “rare,” idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) impacts approximately three million people worldwide. With symptoms like breathlessness during activity, a dry and persistent cough, chest discomfort, weakness, or tiredness that can make everyday tasks exhausting, IPF is one of the most common forms of progressive interstitial lung diseases (ILD) – a category of over 200 lung disorders that can cause scarring of the lungs and may become life-threatening. The disease may also present a physical, mental, and emotional burden that can affect patients and their loved ones.

While current approved treatments for people living with IPF and other progressive fibrosing ILDs can help slow progression of the disease, new therapies are needed to help potentially stop damage that cannot be reversed.

New Research Underway

Fortunately, there is new research underway for an investigational treatment to see if it is safe and effective in adults with IPF and other progressive forms of ILDs. These trials are part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s global Phase III FIBRONEER™ program and were developed with feedback from healthcare providers, caregivers, and patients to best meet the needs of those living with the disease.

Boehringer Ingelheim is searching for adults with progressive fibrosing ILD to join this clinical research study. If you or your loved ones are interested, visit FIBRONEER-IPF.longboat.com and FIBRONEER-ILD.longboat.com for more details.