Healthy lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is one which helps to keep and improve people's health and well-being.Many governments and non-governmental organizations have made big efforts in healthy lifestyle and health promotion.
Mental Health
Mental health can be considered a very important factor of physical health for the effects it produces on bodily functions. This type of health concerns emotional and cognitive well-being or an absence of mental disorder.
Public health
Public health can be defined in a variety of ways. It can be presented as "the study of the physical, psychosocial and socio-cultural determinants of population health and actions to improve the health of the population.
Reproductive Health
For the UN, reproductive health is a right, like other human rights. This recent concept evokes the good transmission of the genetic heritage from one generation to the next.
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
mercredi 16 septembre 2020
So Many Factors Can Trigger Your Caffeine Headaches - Here’s the Lowdown
For me, the smell of freshly brewed coffee is the equivalent of a comforting, warm hug. Those first few sips hardly disappoint either, as I'm instantly energized to take on the day. But, all good things come to an end after too many caramel-infused cups leave me with a headache.
That's just one example of how complicated my relationship with caffeine can be - and I know I'm not alone in feeling this love-hate connection.
"Genetically, we all metabolize caffeine differently. Although caffeine can help to reduce headaches (by restricting inflammation!), it can also bring one on by its impact of narrowing blood vessels in the brain," Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RDN, a Clear Probiotics scientific advisor and the president of KAK Consulting, says.
The amount of sleep you're getting, your diet, if you're prone to migraines, and your water intake directly influences your caffeine-headache vulnerability, she adds. That's why talking to a doctor about your lifestyle and how quickly your body metabolizes caffeine are important steps towards feeling better.
Depending on the medications you take, adding caffeine into the mix can encourage migraines, too - which is another topic worth discussing with a medical professional.
One thing is for sure: it takes some trial-and-error (under your doctor's guidance) to truly understand how caffeine impacts your life and how to adjust accordingly.
"Any amount of caffeine will provide some alertness, so I often tell my patients who get headaches to limit their consumption to safer levels (about 400 mg a day) and to space out their cups," Kirkpatrick says.
"For example, if someone wants about four cups a day, space out every three hours. Or if two cups, then having one cup in the [morning] and one cup in the afternoon."
If you're going above that 400 mg a day quota (your sugary beverage add-ins could be part of that problem!), it could be best to scale back and see how you feel.
The American Migraine Foundation says that strategically increasing your water intake can help, too. "You should try to drink at least eight, eight-ounce glasses of water per day if you aren't drinking caffeinated drinks; if you are, try to add a full glass for each cup to offset its dehydrating effects."
Yes, monitoring your water and caffeine intake sounds like a lot of work, but know it's a lot better of an approach than going cold turkey. Quitting caffeine can induce headaches, as well. Instead, the American Migraine Foundation recommends talking to your doctor about reducing your caffeine intake slowly by 25 percent each week to avoid withdrawal symptoms - using an online caffeine calculator can help you do so.
The good news is that you don't necessarily have to break up with your caffeine of choice - workshopping the relationship can go a long way.
Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.
Son of a Nutcracker! Oreo's Gingerbread Cookies Are Packed With Crunchy Sugar Crystals
Like Buddy the Elf jamming 11 cookies into the VCR, I will be spending this weekend stuffing my face with Oreo's new gingerbread-flavored cookies and loving every minute of it. The sweet holiday treat was first spotted on shelves at Walgreens by Instagram user dncsnacksterz on Sept. 14, and I can practically smell the freshly-baked gingerbread wafting through the air.
Perfect for pairing with a hot pumpkin spice latte or a steaming cup of hot chocolate, the festive cookies are made with gingerbread-flavored Oreo wafers and stuffed with cream and crunchy red sugar crystals. For anyone looking to take aesthetically pleasing holiday photos with the snacks, they also come in five different holiday-themed designs. So I am definitely adding these to the top of my holiday wish list. Take a closer look at the dessert here, and shop the limited-edition cookies for yourself at stores nationwide.
Is Ammonite Based on a True Story? Well, Kind Of
One watch through director Francis Lee's trailer for Ammonite, and you know that you're in for a steamy period drama between Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet. Winslet's character, paleontologist Mary Anning, works on the English coastline at Lyme Regis and barely gets by selling fossils to tourists. She reluctantly takes Charlotte Murchison (Ronan) under her wing along her excavations as Murchison recovers from a personal tragedy. As the women spend time together, it's clear that there's sexual and romantic tension between them. But is Ammonite based on a true story? Well, kind of. There really was a paleontologist named Mary Anning as well as a geologist named Charlotte Murchison. But you can look under every rock and you'd be hard-pressed to find any romantic connection between the two.
Much has been written about Anning, but we actually know very little about her personal life. Born in 1799, she came from a family of fossil hunters in the southern shores of Great Britain in Lyme Regis, which is known for its fossils from the Jurassic period. Anning lived in poverty for most of her life, but she maintained a living by collecting fossils, which she learned from her father. Today, she's credited with discovering the first ichthyosaurus fossil known to the London science community when she was between 10 to 12 years old. Her other important finds included the first complete plesiosaurus skeleton in 1823 and the first pterodactyl outside of Germany in 1828. Her work also pioneered the field of coprolite - or fossilized poop. Most of Anning's finds ended up in museums and collections without credit due to her lack of formal training as well as her gender and social class. The Geological Society of London, in fact, refused to admit women until 1904.
While we're privy to Anning's finds today, we don't know much about her relationships. Anning died in 1847 from breast cancer, 47 at the time of her death. She never married or had children. While Anning and Murchison were friends, there's no indication that they ever had a romantic affair. We do know that Murchison's husband brought Murchison along on his travels and that she sketched and hunted fossils with Anning in Lyme Regis.
Lee, who directed Ammonite, has defended his decision to make Anning's story queer, as the film's premise drew controversy. "As a working class, queer film maker, I continually explore the themes of class, gender, sexuality within my work, treating my truthful characters with utter respect and I hope giving them authentic respectful lives and relationships they deserve," Lee tweeted in 2019.
You may have a bone to pick with Ammonite if you're looking for a 100 percent historically accurate biopic. But it may just be your rock if you're intrigued by a hot-and-bothered story about Victorian-era fossil hunters.
Every Cute Baby Yoda Appearance in The Mandalorian's Season 2 Trailer
The best part of The Mandalorian season two trailer is, of course, the many times Baby Yoda appears! The sweet lil' guy has been the breakout "star" of the show, for obvious reasons (sorry, Din Djarin!), and it looks like he'll have an even bigger role to play in the new season. As the Mandalorian heads out to new planets and into new dangers on his quest to reunite the Child with its people, the still-unnamed Baby Yoda is once again at the center of the plot - although, as one hilarious moment in the trailer shows, not interested in being in the middle of the fighting! Keep reading to see every moment Baby Yoda appears in the trailer, then watch the full preview for season two before its Oct. 30 debut on Disney+.
Little Mix's Heavenly Cover of Harry Styles's "Falling" Is a Gift to My Ears and My Heart
I needed a brain break amid a pretty hectic Tuesday schedule, and lo and behold, Little Mix stepped into the BBC Live Lounge just when I needed to hear them most. The UK group delivered a chill-inducing rendition of Harry Styles's "Falling" from his Fine Line album, and wow, their harmonies are truly heavenly.
Singers Perri Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Jade Thirlwall, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock put their own beautiful twist on Styles's single in a video published on Sept. 15. The performance is especially meaningful when you find out how the members supported each other behind-the-scenes, as Nelson had a panic attack shortly before singing. "My nerves got the better of me today and I had panic attack right before we were about to sing this for live lounge today and like a pro @perrieedwards jumped in for my part last minute and smashed it," she later shared on Instagram. Nelson later took her solo as she sampled Joel Corry's "Head & Heart" in a remix moment.
When these women perform it's like witnessing pure magic take a musical form. Bless your ears (and your heart) by watching their full rendition of the heartbreaking ballad above.
Son of a Nutcracker! Oreo's Gingerbread Cookies Are Packed With Crunchy Sugar Crystals
Like Buddy the Elf jamming 11 cookies into the VCR, I will be spending this weekend stuffing my face with Oreo's new gingerbread-flavored cookies and loving every minute of it. The sweet holiday treat was first spotted on shelves at Walgreens by Instagram user dncsnacksterz on Sept. 14, and I can practically smell the freshly-baked gingerbread wafting through the air.
Perfect for pairing with a hot pumpkin spice latte or a steaming cup of hot chocolate, the festive cookies are made with gingerbread-flavored Oreo wafers and stuffed with cream and crunchy red sugar crystals. For anyone looking to take aesthetically pleasing holiday photos with the snacks, they also come in five different holiday-themed designs. So I am definitely adding these to the top of my holiday wish list. Take a closer look at the dessert here, and shop the limited-edition cookies for yourself at stores nationwide.
The 55 Best Kitchen Gadgets You Can Buy For Less Than $50
If you ever feel like you could use a little help in the kitchen, we've got a solution for you. Instead of forcing someone to be your sidekick, you can simply invest in a couple handy kitchen gadgets that will feel like you've got an extra hand. We turned to Amazon to shop these useful tools, because why shop anywhere else? The site carries just about everything you could ever dream of at affordable prices, plus they ship fast right to your door. As we started hunting down options, we couldn't believe the amount of genius products we found.
Ahead, we curated a list of 55 hot finds so smart, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them. The best part: nothing costs over $50, so you can easily snag a few. Whether you're on the hunt for avocado slicers, blenders for your morning smoothie, or the air fryers everyone is using, we've got you covered. Keep reading to shop them all and change your cooking routine for good.
mardi 15 septembre 2020
Just a Reminder: Derek Hough Is Replacing Len Goodman as a Judge on DWTS This Season
Dancing With the Stars season 29 featured some major changes when it premiered on Sept. 14. In addition to a new host, the series also added a new judge. ABC previously announced that former pro dancer Derek Hough is replacing Len Goodman in the upcoming season. While Goodman is not able to return to the ballroom due to travel restrictions, he will participate in this season "in a different capacity" while staying in the UK, which Tyra Banks teased during the premiere. There are some familiar faces though: Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli are both back as judges this season.
Hough certainly has a long history with the dancing competition. After appearing as a guest instructor with his sister Julianne Hough during season four, he officially joined the cast as a pro dancer in season five. He then competed in 16 more seasons and has won six mirrorball trophies.
Yes, There Are Disney-Themed Peloton Classes - Here's How to Find Them
Fact: A workout is only good as your workout playlist. If you have a Peloton bike, then you know that - no matter your preferred genre of music - you're always guaranteed to spin to some incredible tunes. As well as searching for classes based on the instructor, length, and class type, you can choose what kind of music gets you motivated, including classic rock, country, hip hop, pop, R&B, and rock. There are even special themed rides, like holiday rides and rides dedicated to one musical artist. And if you're a Disney mega fan, then we have some good news for you: there's a ride for you, too.
Is There a Disney Peloton Ride?
You betcha. Though you won't find "Disney music" as a music genre option, there are some special Disney-themed rides for people who are all about that Disney magic.
How Do I Find the Disney Peloton Rides?
Finding the Disney Peloton rides is a little trickier, as going to the search bar and typing in "Disney" isn't going to give you the results you want. Instead, you'll want to search for the following rides:
- Emma Lovewell's 15-minute Low Impact ride from June 16, 2020
- Kendall Tootle's 20-minute House ride from July 4, 2020
- Emma Lovewell's 20-minute Pop ride from July 7, 2020
With music from The Little Mermaid, Frozen, The Lion King, and other Disney favorites, these rides will keep you peddling and singing the whole way through.
Are There Other Disney-Themed Peloton Classes?
As well as Disney-themed rides, you can also find a few other Disney-inspired Peloton classes by searching for the following:
- Sam Yo's 10-minute Arms Toning Strength class from June 27, 2020
- Becs Gentry's 45-minute Endurance Run class from July 11, 2020
Also, pro tip: these rides and classes are made even more fun if you do them while wearing Disney workout clothes.
Just a Reminder: Derek Hough Is Replacing Len Goodman as a Judge on DWTS This Season
Dancing With the Stars season 29 featured some major changes when it premiered on Sept. 14. In addition to a new host, the series also added a new judge. ABC previously announced that former pro dancer Derek Hough is replacing Len Goodman in the upcoming season. While Goodman is not able to return to the ballroom due to travel restrictions, he will participate in this season "in a different capacity" while staying in the UK, which Tyra Banks teased during the premiere. There are some familiar faces though: Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli are both back as judges this season.
Hough certainly has a long history with the dancing competition. After appearing as a guest instructor with his sister Julianne Hough during season four, he officially joined the cast as a pro dancer in season five. He then competed in 16 more seasons and has won six mirrorball trophies.
Find Out Which Houseplant You Should Get Based on Your Personality Type
Decorating your home can be overwhelming. You're basically dealing with a blank canvas, and when it comes to small touches like house plants, there are so many too choose from that it can be tough to know where to start. Do you challenge yourself and go for one that's tough keep alive? Or do you make things easy and buy one that only needs to be watered once every few weeks? House plants can really elevate a space and make it go from cold to comforting, so you definitely want to make sure you get ones that speak to you. But how do you know which plants are the best fit? By looking at your personality type, of course! Whether you're Type-A, the social butterfly, or the spotlight-lover (lookin' at you, fellow Leos), there's a perfect plant for everyone. Keep reading to see which plant you should get based on your personality type, and then feel free to make a whole garden of them.
Training a Puppy Is a Process - Here's the Timeline You Can Expect, According to Vets
No spoiler here: puppies are adorable, they're fun . . . and they're a lot of work. Between potty training and teaching them tricks and basic commands (like to sit or stay), dogs can take a lot of work and patience, especially when you first start training them. And for new puppy owners, you may be wondering when puppies should start their training, or how long it take to stick. We asked the experts for answers.
Related: Struggling to Create a Routine For Your New Puppy? Here's How to Do It
When Should I Start Training My Puppy?
It's typically recommended that puppies begin training between two to four months of age, Dr. Shelly Ferris, DVM, regional director of Petco Veterinary Services, told POPSUGAR. Of course owners can do a combination of home training and puppy training classes that tend to focus on socialization and proper behaviors, including how to potty train or how to curb undesired habits like chewing, jumping, or digging.
"Any experiences the puppy has during the socialization period between three weeks and three to four months old can affect their behaviors later in life," she says. "Studies have shown that puppies that are isolated during this time are more likely to be hyperactive, aggressive, and more difficult to train as they mature. However, it's never too late to begin training your dog."
How Long Does It Take to Train My Puppy?
The short answer is it depends - it may take several weeks or it may take several months. For example, some puppies might be completely house trained in six months, while others may still have regular accidents. Puppies may learn commands faster, though. "Expect it to take several months to go from the basics of teaching them to focus on you and work for rewards to sitting and laying down, eventually working up to 'stay' and 'come,'" says Jessica Romine, DVM, of BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital in Detroit. "Most behavior patterns are in place by six months, so it is much easier to lay a solid foundation in this time period." She also cautions pet parents to "go slow and steady" with training, as "overwhelming a dog can have significant negative effects."
Importantly, training is an ongoing process and shouldn't stop at a certain age, Dr. Ferris says. "I recommend that pet parents consistently incorporate training techniques into everyday life."
What Are the Benefits of Consistent Training?
Training exercises are a great way to bond with your pup and build your dog's confidence. It's also a great way to get your puppy comfortable with grooming and visiting the veterinarian, says Dr. Ferris. For instance, if you run your hands over various areas of their body or pick up one paw at a time, it will get pups comfortable with being handled. "The more you make it fun, engaging, and comfortable for them by playing with their mouth, ears, and feet at a young age, making it a very positive experience, the easier time they will have with grooming and going to the veterinarian later on in life," she says.
Overall, making training a daily part of your routine will help keep your dog's skills fresh and help them learn how to handle different situations. "Using positive reinforcement helps build a puppy's confidence, and the goal of training is to give dogs lots of coping skills so that new situations aren't stressful and learning is a fun thing to do," Dr. Romine says.
How a Denver Politician Is Using Her Experience as a Latinx Woman to Battle Educational Inequity
At 10 years old, Angela Cobián wanted nothing more than to be a princess. But as the daughter of Mexican immigrants living in Colorado, Cobián's parents had bigger plans for her. The treasurer of the Denver Board of Education and a member of Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) - a non-profit organization that develops civic leaders dedicated to ending the injustice of educational inequity - Cobián is well-versed in the issues that affect the Latinx community. Honored to serve in her home state, she's determined to inspire the next generation and make political offices more representative of their constituents.
"When I was 11, my dad got me really interested in politics. And that's when I shifted my mindset around," Cobián told POPSUAGR. "I realized: 'Oh, I don't want to actually be a princess. I want to be an elected leader,' but I didn't know how to become one because I'm the daughter of Mexican immigrants. I learned English as a second language, and my parents didn't have institutional knowledge regarding how our political or education systems work."
"Students in public schools - especially title one public schools - are historically disenfranchised."
Cobián knows first-hand how important it is to empower children of color, especially if they attend a title one public school, which tends to have higher concentrations of low-income students. "Students in public schools - especially title one public schools - are historically disenfranchised," she said. "They need elected leaders who look like them and have experienced school in a way that current students do. It makes officials who come from that background uniquely qualified and impactful at representing their community."
Determined to make a substantial impact on educational inequity early in her career, Cobián turned to LEE to get the training she needed to succeed. "I was in the Latino political leadership program two years after I graduated from college," she shared. "The program gave me an elected campaign boot camp so that I knew how to file for office and run a campaign. Now that I've been elected, LEE has people on staff who do policy research requests to make me more effective in my role. We need an organization like LEE because students - especially Latino, Black, Asian, and indigenous students - need elected representatives who have also personally experienced educational inequity."
Get a look at some of the issues in education Cobián believes are particularly pertinent to Latinx children and the BIPOC community as a whole.
Diversity in School Curriculum
Empowering students of color begins with accurately representing them in the school curriculum. "When you are an elected leader who looks like and has experienced public education in the same way that our students of color have, you know how important it is to have a culturally relevant curriculum that tells you about your own unique histories and stories," explained Cobián.
Cobián reflected upon the time she asked her history teacher what happened to Mexican students during the period of segregation in the American South. Disappointingly, the teacher in question had absolutely no idea.
"It's our job to listen to students who are telling us that our curriculum does not reflect [students of color] or their experiences."
"No history teacher I've ever had was able to answer my question," explained Cobián, who pointed to a lesser-known Supreme Court case that dates back to 1947. "It wasn't until I did my own research that I learned about the Mendez vs. Westminster case, which is the judicial case that gives the NAACP the ability to establish judicial precedent and end the legal segregation of Black and white students in Brown vs. The Board of Education."
"Everybody knows about Brown vs. The Board of Education," she said. "But nobody talks about the segregation of Mexican students in California and how Sylvia Mendez's family helped integrate Mexican students into white schools."
Her frustrations with how history is taught in the US have made Cobián particularly perceptive to the current lack of representation in school curriculum. When a group of high school students in Northeast Denver banded together to change what was being taught in classrooms, she listened. "The students self-organized to demand that our academics department do an audit of our curriculum and make sure that it was culturally inclusive," she explained. "For elected leaders across the country, it's our job to listen to students who are telling us that our curriculum does not reflect [students of color] or their experiences."
Defunding the Police
Given the political landscape in the US, the conversations about removing police presence are hard to ignore. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, schools with police reported 3.5 more arrests than schools without law enforcement on site. As a result, students of color and children with disabilities are frequently sent into the criminal system. On June 11, the Denver Board of Education unanimously voted to break off its contract with the Denver Police Department by the end of the 2021 school year.
"My role as an elected leader is to think about the future of Latinx students," Cobián said. "How can we support our Latinx and Black students instead of calling the police? The police should be viewed as having to go to the emergency room, right? If we really want to be thoughtful about how we support students, we need to think about preventative measures."
After speaking with Latinx parents in her community, it became clear that schools needed more services beyond the police force. "Defunding the police alone isn't going to solve our problems," she explained. "We actually have to invest in our students at the school by ensuring that students have access to mental health counselors so that they're able to make healthy choices. We need state legislators to work with schools so that not all of that responsibility falls on the public school system alone."
Giving Students Internet Access
If the pandemic has made one thing clear, it's that at-home learning requires a reliable internet connection. For many families, being able to afford high-speed internet along with the rest of their bills is impossible.
"COVID-19 has shown us that the internet is not a luxury," she said. "It needs to be a right. It needs to be something that everyone has access to. And if you have three or four students who are in a household who are supposed to be doing remote learning, and you're on the most basic, affordable internet package, you don't have the bandwidth to be able to do your schoolwork."
"COVID-19 has shown us that the internet is not a luxury."
The fact internet companies often require a social security number to sign up also presented a huge problem for some of Cobián's constituents, who may not have had them. After some discussion with Comcast amid the pandemic, having a social security number is no longer a requirement in Denver. However, Cobián's work on the matter is far from over.
"There's a coalition of LEE members who are working with community organizations as part of a digital equity coalition," she said. "We want to have a national campaign to demand the internet companies increase the internet speed and make it accessible to our students across the country."
Ensuring Latinx Students Stay in College
Given the devastating financial hardships millions of Americans are facing because of COVID-19, many young adults are considering dropping out of college so they can work to help their families. Others aren't enrolling in the first place to avoid student loan debt and costly tuition fees. As the first person to go to college in her family, Cobián knows the importance of getting a higher education.
"In the last 100 days of this pandemic, I've realized that all of the progress that we have made in college access and college persistence is actually being turned on its head in devolution, and is in a regression," said Cobián. "I have had parents call me and beg me to talk to their son to convince him not to give up on his dream of going to college. I've also had to talk to 18-year-olds and try to convince them to stay in school. Access to higher education is a key lever for social political and economic power in the United States."
"All of the progress that we have made in college access and college persistence is actually being turned on its head in devolution."
Cobián is currently doing research and connecting with various resources to ensure her constituents finish college. "I've been working with a policy organization to get some research going to identify how many Latino students are not showing up to campus in the fall as a result of the pandemic," she explained. "My goal is to identify what policy solutions are available to us at the district and state level. I also want to work with our university partners to ensure we develop a strategy that supports our longterm goals - not just college enrollment - but also college persistence and completion."
Why Latinx Students Should Feel Empowered
Having achieved her dream of becoming an elected official, Cobián is determined to help others follow her lead in the name of fair representation. "As a Mexican woman, I have seen other people who are not Latino make decisions about my future, and by extension, making decisions about my community," explained Cobián. "And that is a huge problem, because the largest group of people of color in the United States are Latinos."
Pointing to states like Texas and California where there are large populations of Latinx citizens, Cobián is encouraging students to make their voices heard.
"Just because we have power in numbers doesn't mean that we actually have political power or the ability to act to shape the way that we live with one another in our democratic system," she said. "There's a saying, 'If you don't have a seat at the table, then you're on the menu.' But Shirley Chisholm - the first Black woman to run for president - put it more accurately: 'If you don't have a seat at the table, then bring your own chair.'"
Find Out Which Houseplant You Should Get Based on Your Personality Type
Decorating your home can be overwhelming. You're basically dealing with a blank canvas, and when it comes to small touches like house plants, there are so many too choose from that it can be tough to know where to start. Do you challenge yourself and go for one that's tough keep alive? Or do you make things easy and buy one that only needs to be watered once every few weeks? House plants can really elevate a space and make it go from cold to comforting, so you definitely want to make sure you get ones that speak to you. But how do you know which plants are the best fit? By looking at your personality type, of course! Whether you're Type-A, the social butterfly, or the spotlight-lover (lookin' at you, fellow Leos), there's a perfect plant for everyone. Keep reading to see which plant you should get based on your personality type, and then feel free to make a whole garden of them.
Training a Puppy Is a Process - Here's the Timeline You Can Expect, According to Vets
No spoiler here: puppies are adorable, they're fun . . . and they're a lot of work. Between potty training and teaching them tricks and basic commands (like to sit or stay), dogs can take a lot of work and patience, especially when you first start training them. And for new puppy owners, you may be wondering when puppies should start their training, or how long it take to stick. We asked the experts for answers.
Related: Struggling to Create a Routine For Your New Puppy? Here's How to Do It
When Should I Start Training My Puppy?
It's typically recommended that puppies begin training between two to four months of age, Dr. Shelly Ferris, DVM, regional director of Petco Veterinary Services, told POPSUGAR. Of course owners can do a combination of home training and puppy training classes that tend to focus on socialization and proper behaviors, including how to potty train or how to curb undesired habits like chewing, jumping, or digging.
"Any experiences the puppy has during the socialization period between three weeks and three to four months old can affect their behaviors later in life," she says. "Studies have shown that puppies that are isolated during this time are more likely to be hyperactive, aggressive, and more difficult to train as they mature. However, it's never too late to begin training your dog."
How Long Does It Take to Train My Puppy?
The short answer is it depends - it may take several weeks or it may take several months. For example, some puppies might be completely house trained in six months, while others may still have regular accidents. Puppies may learn commands faster, though. "Expect it to take several months to go from the basics of teaching them to focus on you and work for rewards to sitting and laying down, eventually working up to 'stay' and 'come,'" says Jessica Romine, DVM, of BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital in Detroit. "Most behavior patterns are in place by six months, so it is much easier to lay a solid foundation in this time period." She also cautions pet parents to "go slow and steady" with training, as "overwhelming a dog can have significant negative effects."
Importantly, training is an ongoing process and shouldn't stop at a certain age, Dr. Ferris says. "I recommend that pet parents consistently incorporate training techniques into everyday life."
What Are the Benefits of Consistent Training?
Training exercises are a great way to bond with your pup and build your dog's confidence. It's also a great way to get your puppy comfortable with grooming and visiting the veterinarian, says Dr. Ferris. For instance, if you run your hands over various areas of their body or pick up one paw at a time, it will get pups comfortable with being handled. "The more you make it fun, engaging, and comfortable for them by playing with their mouth, ears, and feet at a young age, making it a very positive experience, the easier time they will have with grooming and going to the veterinarian later on in life," she says.
Overall, making training a daily part of your routine will help keep your dog's skills fresh and help them learn how to handle different situations. "Using positive reinforcement helps build a puppy's confidence, and the goal of training is to give dogs lots of coping skills so that new situations aren't stressful and learning is a fun thing to do," Dr. Romine says.
Find Out Which Houseplant You Should Get Based on Your Personality Type
Decorating your home can be overwhelming. You're basically dealing with a blank canvas, and when it comes to small touches like house plants, there are so many too choose from that it can be tough to know where to start. Do you challenge yourself and go for one that's tough keep alive? Or do you make things easy and buy one that only needs to be watered once every few weeks? House plants can really elevate a space and make it go from cold to comforting, so you definitely want to make sure you get ones that speak to you. But how do you know which plants are the best fit? By looking at your personality type, of course! Whether you're Type-A, the social butterfly, or the spotlight-lover (lookin' at you, fellow Leos), there's a perfect plant for everyone. Keep reading to see which plant you should get based on your personality type, and then feel free to make a whole garden of them.
Training a Puppy Is a Process - Here's the Timeline You Can Expect, According to Vets
No spoiler here: puppies are adorable, they're fun . . . and they're a lot of work. Between potty training and teaching them tricks and basic commands (like to sit or stay), dogs can take a lot of work and patience, especially when you first start training them. And for new puppy owners, you may be wondering when puppies should start their training, or how long it take to stick. We asked the experts for answers.
Related: Struggling to Create a Routine For Your New Puppy? Here's How to Do It
When Should I Start Training My Puppy?
It's typically recommended that puppies begin training between two to four months of age, Dr. Shelly Ferris, DVM, regional director of Petco Veterinary Services, told POPSUGAR. Of course owners can do a combination of home training and puppy training classes that tend to focus on socialization and proper behaviors, including how to potty train or how to curb undesired habits like chewing, jumping, or digging.
"Any experiences the puppy has during the socialization period between three weeks and three to four months old can affect their behaviors later in life," she says. "Studies have shown that puppies that are isolated during this time are more likely to be hyperactive, aggressive, and more difficult to train as they mature. However, it's never too late to begin training your dog."
How Long Does It Take to Train My Puppy?
The short answer is it depends - it may take several weeks or it may take several months. For example, some puppies might be completely house trained in six months, while others may still have regular accidents. Puppies may learn commands faster, though. "Expect it to take several months to go from the basics of teaching them to focus on you and work for rewards to sitting and laying down, eventually working up to 'stay' and 'come,'" says Jessica Romine, DVM, of BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital in Detroit. "Most behavior patterns are in place by six months, so it is much easier to lay a solid foundation in this time period." She also cautions pet parents to "go slow and steady" with training, as "overwhelming a dog can have significant negative effects."
Importantly, training is an ongoing process and shouldn't stop at a certain age, Dr. Ferris says. "I recommend that pet parents consistently incorporate training techniques into everyday life."
What Are the Benefits of Consistent Training?
Training exercises are a great way to bond with your pup and build your dog's confidence. It's also a great way to get your puppy comfortable with grooming and visiting the veterinarian, says Dr. Ferris. For instance, if you run your hands over various areas of their body or pick up one paw at a time, it will get pups comfortable with being handled. "The more you make it fun, engaging, and comfortable for them by playing with their mouth, ears, and feet at a young age, making it a very positive experience, the easier time they will have with grooming and going to the veterinarian later on in life," she says.
Overall, making training a daily part of your routine will help keep your dog's skills fresh and help them learn how to handle different situations. "Using positive reinforcement helps build a puppy's confidence, and the goal of training is to give dogs lots of coping skills so that new situations aren't stressful and learning is a fun thing to do," Dr. Romine says.
How a Denver Politician Is Using Her Experience as a Latinx Woman to Battle Education Inequity
At 10 years old, Angela Cobián wanted nothing more than to be a princess. But as the daughter of Mexican immigrants living in Colorado, Cobián's parents had bigger plans for her. The treasurer of the Denver Board of Education and a member of Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE) - a non-profit organization that develops civic leaders dedicated to ending the injustice of educational inequity - Cobián is well-versed in the issues that affect the Latinx community. Honored to serve in her home state, she's determined to inspire the next generation and make political offices more representative of their constituents.
"When I was 11, my dad got me really interested in politics. And that's when I shifted my mindset around," Cobián told POPSUAGR. "I realized: 'Oh, I don't want to actually be a princess. I want to be an elected leader,' but I didn't know how to become one because I'm the daughter of Mexican immigrants. I learned English as a second language, and my parents didn't have institutional knowledge regarding how our political or education systems work."
"Students in public schools - especially title one public schools - are historically disenfranchised."
Cobián knows first-hand how important it is to empower children of color, especially if they attend a title one public school, which tends to have higher concentrations of low-income students. "Students in public schools - especially title one public schools - are historically disenfranchised," she said. "They need elected leaders who look like them and have experienced school in a way that current students do. It makes officials who come from that background uniquely qualified and impactful at representing their community."
Determined to make a substantial impact on education inequity early in her career, Cobián turned to LEE to get the training she needed to succeed. "I was in the Latino political leadership program two years after I graduated from college," she shared. "The program gave me an elected campaign boot camp so that I knew how to file for office and run a campaign. Now that I've been elected, LEE has people on staff who do policy research requests to make me more effective in my role. We need an organization like LEE because students - especially Latino, Black, Asian, and indigenous students - need elected representatives who have also personally experienced educational inequity."
Get a look at some of the issues in education Cobián believes are particularly pertinent to Latinx children and the BIPOC community as a whole.
Diversity in School Curriculum
Empowering students of color begins with accurately representing them in the school curriculum. "When you are an elected leader who looks like and has experienced public education in the same way that our students of color have, you know how important it is to have a culturally relevant curriculum that tells you about your own unique histories and stories," explained Cobián.
Cobián reflected upon the time she asked her history teacher what happened to Mexican students during the period of segregation in the American South. Disappointingly, the teacher in question had absolutely no idea.
"It's our job to listen to students who are telling us that our curriculum does not reflect [students of color] or their experiences."
"No history teacher I've ever had was able to answer my question," explained Cobián, who pointed to a lesser-known Supreme Court case that dates back to 1947. "It wasn't until I did my own research that I learned about the Mendez vs. Westminster case, which is the judicial case that gives the NAACP the ability to establish judicial precedent and end the legal segregation of Black and white students in Brown vs. The Board of Education."
"Everybody knows about Brown vs. The Board of Education," she said. "But nobody talks about the segregation of Mexican students in California and how Sylvia Mendez's family helped integrate Mexican students into white schools."
Her frustrations with how history is taught in the US have made Cobián particularly perceptive to the current lack of representation in school curriculum. When a group of high school students in Northeast Denver banded together to change what was being taught in classrooms, she listened. "The students self-organized to demand that our academics department do an audit of our curriculum and make sure that it was culturally inclusive," she explained. "For elected leaders across the country, it's our job to listen to students who are telling us that our curriculum does not reflect [students of color] or their experiences."
Defunding the Police
Given the political landscape in the US, the conversations about removing police presence are hard to ignore. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, schools with police reported 3.5 more arrests than schools without law enforcement on site. As a result, students of color and children with disabilities are frequently sent into the criminal system. On June 11, the Denver Board of Education unanimously voted to break off its contract with the Denver Police Department by the end of the 2021 school year.
"My role as an elected leader is to think about the future of Latinx students," Cobián said. "How can we support our Latinx and Black students instead of calling the police? The police should be viewed as having to go to the emergency room, right? If we really want to be thoughtful about how we support students, we need to think about preventative measures."
After speaking with Latinx parents in her community, it became clear that schools needed more services beyond the police force. "Defunding the police alone isn't going to solve our problems," she explained. "We actually have to invest in our students at the school by ensuring that students have access to mental health counselors so that they're able to make healthy choices. We need state legislators to work with schools so that not all of that responsibility falls on the public school system alone."
Giving Students Internet Access
If the pandemic has made one thing clear, it's that at-home learning requires a reliable internet connection. For many families, being able to afford high-speed internet along with the rest of their bills is impossible.
"COVID-19 has shown us that the internet is not a luxury," she said. "It needs to be a right. It needs to be something that everyone has access to. And if you have three or four students who are in a household who are supposed to be doing remote learning, and you're on the most basic, affordable internet package, you don't have the bandwidth to be able to do your schoolwork."
"COVID-19 has shown us that the internet is not a luxury."
The fact internet companies often require a social security number to sign up also presented a huge problem for some of Cobián's constituents, who may not have had them. After some discussion with Comcast amid the pandemic, having a social security number is no longer a requirement in Denver. However, Cobián's work on the matter is far from over.
"There's a coalition of LEE members who are working with community organizations as part of a digital equity coalition," she said. "We want to have a national campaign to demand the internet companies increase the internet speed and make it accessible to our students across the country."
Ensuring Latinx Students Stay in College
Given the devastating financial hardships millions of Americans are facing because of COVID-19, many young adults are considering dropping out of college so they can work to help their families. Others aren't enrolling in the first place to avoid student loan debt and costly tuition fees. As the first person to go to college in her family, Cobián knows the importance of getting a higher education.
"In the last 100 days of this pandemic, I've realized that all of the progress that we have made in college access and college persistence is actually being turned on its head in devolution, and is in a regression," said Cobián. "I have had parents call me and beg me to talk to their son to convince him not to give up on his dream of going to college. I've also had to talk to 18-year-olds and try to convince them to stay in school. Access to higher education is a key lever for social political and economic power in the United States."
"All of the progress that we have made in college access and college persistence is actually being turned on its head in devolution."
Cobián is currently doing research and connecting with various resources to ensure her constituents finish college. "I've been working with a policy organization to get some research going to identify how many Latino students are not showing up to campus in the fall as a result of the pandemic," she explained. "My goal is to identify what policy solutions are available to us at the district and state level. I also want to work with our university partners to ensure we develop a strategy that supports our longterm goals - not just college enrollment - but also college persistence and completion."
Why Latinx Students Should Feel Empowered
Having achieved her dream of becoming an elected official, Cobián is determined to help others follow her lead in the name of fair representation. "As a Mexican woman, I have seen other people who are not Latino make decisions about my future, and by extension, making decisions about my community," explained Cobián. "And that is a huge problem, because the largest group of people of color in the United States are Latinos."
Pointing to states like Texas and California where there are large populations of Latinx citizens, Cobián is encouraging students to make their voices heard.
"Just because we have power in numbers doesn't mean that we actually have political power or the ability to act to shape the way that we live with one another in our democratic system," she said. "There's a saying, 'If you don't have a seat at the table, then you're on the menu.' But Shirley Chisholm - the first Black woman to run for president - put it more accurately: 'If you don't have a seat at the table, then bring your own chair.'"
Is Ammonite Based on a True Story? Well, Kind Of
One watch through director Francis Lee's trailer for Ammonite, and you know that you're in for a steamy period drama between Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet. Winslet's character, paleontologist Mary Anning, works on the English coastline at Lyme Regis and barely gets by selling fossils to tourists. She reluctantly takes Charlotte Murchison (Ronan) under her wing along her excavations as Murchison recovers from a personal tragedy. As the women spend time together, it's clear that there's sexual and romantic tension between them. But is Ammonite based on a true story? Well, kind of. There really was a paleontologist named Mary Anning as well as a geologist named Charlotte Murchison. But you can look under every rock and you'd be hard-pressed to find any romantic connection between the two.
Much has been written about Anning, but we actually know very little about her personal life. Born in 1799, she came from a family of fossil hunters in the southern shores of Great Britain in Lyme Regis, which is known for its fossils from the Jurassic period. Anning lived in poverty for most of her life, but she maintained a living by collecting fossils, which she learned from her father. Today, she's credited with discovering the first ichthyosaurus fossil known to the London science community when she was between 10 to 12 years old. Her other important finds included the first complete plesiosaurus skeleton in 1823 and the first pterodactyl outside of Germany in 1828. Her work also pioneered the field of coprolite - or fossilized poop. Most of Anning's finds ended up in museums and collections without credit due to her lack of formal training as well as her gender and social class. The Geological Society of London, in fact, refused to admit women until 1904.
While we're privy to Anning's finds today, we don't know much about her relationships. Anning died in 1847 from breast cancer, 47 at the time of her death. She never married or had children. While Anning and Murchison were friends, there's no indication that they ever had a romantic affair. We do know that Murchison's husband brought Murchison along his travels and that she sketched and hunted fossils with Anning in Lyme Regis.
Lee, who directed Ammonite, has defended his decision to make Anning's story queer, as the film's premise drew controversy. "As a working class, queer film maker, I continually explore the themes of class, gender, sexuality within my work, treating my truthful characters with utter respect and I hope giving them authentic respectful lives and relationships they deserve," Lee tweeted in 2019.
You may have a bone to pick with Ammonite if you're looking for a 100% historically accurate biopic. But it may just be your rock if you're intrigued by a hot-and-bothered story about Victorian-era fossil hunters.
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