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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
7 Things Elementary-Age Kids Worry About the Most, According to a Child Psychologist
7 Things Elementary-Age Kids Worry About the Most, According to a Child Psychologist originally appeared on Parade. Think back to when you were in elementary school. Between the fun stuff, like recess, field trips and sleepovers, you likely worried about things from time to time, right? Back then, just like today, there were also bullies and friendship dynamics to navigate. Because kids interact with each other daily, often dealing with certain issues for the first time, any child can get stressed out. But what do elementary-age kids the most today?As it turns out, younger generations are more worried and anxious than previous ones, with research pointing to this fact, as reported by a 2011 American Journal of Orthopsychiatry study. Data from the National Survey of Children's Health also found that the prevalence of children diagnosed with anxiety rose from 9.5% in 2020 to over 11% in 2022 among children aged 6 to 11. With the rise of social media, reality TV and the pressure to achieve so much, it makes sense that kids are more anxious than are those the only things elementary-age kids worry about these days? How can parents support them? And when does worry become indicative of something larger, like an anxiety disorder? Parade reached out to a child psychologist to get some of these answers to help out kids and parents Like adults, children naturally worry. Child psychologist Jacque Cutillo, Ph.D., LLP, LPC, LMHC, Director of Specialized Operations at Youth Villages, says that at the elementary school stage, kids are figuring out their place in the world, testing their beliefs and managing increased responsibilities at home and at school. Additionally, they're navigating peer relationships, gaining independence and exploring interests. 'They develop flexible thinking, considering more 'gray' options instead of just black and white,' Cutillo remarks. 'And navigating the gray can bring new challenges in determining right and wrong.' Related: Have a Nervous Child in the Doctor's Office? Here's How to Ease Shot Anxiety in Your Kids As is the case with adults, yes, some kids are just predisposed to worry more. 'Some children do worry more than others, but there are both biological and environmental components to consider,' Cutillo says. For instance, some children have a lower tolerance when managing stressful events, or they might have higher standards they hold themselves to, which can result in increased worry. Also, as Cutillo points out, children's worries can fluctuate from day to day depending on the stressors they are facing. Finally, children are often mirroring how their parents navigate worries. As Cutillo says, if adults can navigate through stressful situations or tolerate levels of unknowns in their daily interactions, children will observe that modeled behavior and develop their own strategies for similar situations. Related: At times, kids can worry about adult concerns like housing, finances and adult relationships. 'Adults are sharing more about things that impact their family with their children. Children are more frequently privy to family concerns at an earlier stage of navigating the concern before adults have a plan to solve the issue,' Cutillo says. Calling them 'macro-level concerns,' Cutillo says that modern-day issues such as politics and immigration can be top of mind for children. 'Children are far more observant now about local, national and international issues because of increased exposure,' she explains. Peer concerns, such as feeling included, fitting in and navigating relationships can be a big source of worry. Cutillo says that kids compare themselves to their peers, from what snacks they bring to lunch to how they perform on a test. 'Competition and performance have become hallmarks in conversations, and needing to keep up continues to increase stressors to maintain relevancy and remain involved in peer groups,' she observes. Labeling it as social media 'infatuation,' Cutillo says that this state has become more common among children, even from a young age. 'Part of this is modeled behavior from caregivers who use their phone or other device to engage in social media usage or technology devices to distract and decompress,' she explains. 'Additionally, technology is everywhere, and a lot of social interaction happens over technology.' Related: Children may worry when trying to meet their own expectations, the expectations of the adults in their lives or simply by media that can influence them. 'Our children want to be good at things and want to have the skills to succeed," Cutillo says. "Children are doing the best they can with the skills they have, and some have developed the need to be perfect at everything they try.' Transitional experiences in life—both small and substantial—can create a lot of worry for a child. As Cutillo notes, it can be something as simple as a change in routine or a new activity, or it can be something larger, such as moving or experiencing loss. 'Changes in daily living result in worry for most people—it is not surprising that children experience the same feelings,' she says. Just like work worries for adults, kids get anxious about school as well. 'Many children experience worries about school performance,' Cutillo says. 'This may be regarding classroom activities, maintaining behavioral norms, standardized tests or public speaking.' Related: If Your Parents or Grandparents Did These 7 Things When You Were a Kid, You're Probably an Anxious Adult Cutillo says that parents can support their children by discussing their feelings openly, addressing daily worries and noticing changes in mood and behavior. 'Even small worries should be taken seriously, as they may be significant to the child,' she cautions. 'Engaging in problem-solving and discussing physiological symptoms helps model good skills and supports emotional development.' She also advises using age-appropriate language and monitoring the information your children are consuming (i.e. through social media). Limiting screen time and trying to avoid sensitive news topics can be beneficial when it comes to their a parent, you'll also want to be aware of how you're modeling healthy habits to your children. Cutillo also recommends answering children's questions honestly and appropriately, seeking answers together if needed. This can be addressed through kid-friendly resources like books, shows or podcasts. Lastly, you can work together to create a 'worry box,' something that can help kids manage their worries, and they can make it unique to them. She suggests using a shoebox or another small box with a lid, decorating it and having your kids place their worries inside for safekeeping, perhaps written on slips of Child Psychologists Are Begging Parents and Grandparents To Stop Asking These 10 Questions 'When worries grow large and seem to be impacting daily activities or relationships, that is a time to seek further support to help your child navigate their worries,' says Cutillo. 'When worries become a problem, caregivers may notice a change in their child's mood or behavior. A typically energetic and outgoing child may withdraw or appear more subdued.'You might notice a change in tone or attitude if your child is experiencing stressors, as well. You should also watch for changes in physiological presentation as well, including difficulty falling or staying asleep, changes in appetite and reports of head or stomachaches, as she explains. Related: There's a chance that these everyday worries may indicate a clinical anxiety disorder. Cutillo says that these characteristics can include excessive worry about a variety of topics over a significant amount of time or a fixation around a specific phobia, social event or even being separated from a primary should you do if these are things you're noticing? 'Caregivers should reach out to their child's pediatrician or school support for further assessment and intervention,' Cutillo says. 'If you notice unsafe behaviors, such as self-harm or suicidal comments or behaviors, seek immediate support from a professional.' Up Next:Jacque Cutillo, Ph.D., LLP, LPC, LMHC, child psychologist and Director of Specialized Operations at Youth Villages 7 Things Elementary-Age Kids Worry About the Most, According to a Child Psychologist first appeared on Parade on Jun 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Globe and Mail
02-06-2025
- Health
- Globe and Mail
Eat a ‘flavodiet' to stay physically and mentally strong when older, new study suggests
A diet focused on whole plant foods is a critical determinant of healthy aging. Among the countless bioactive compounds in plants, flavonoids have received considerable attention in recent years for their influence on health. Research suggests, for example, that a high intake of these protective phytochemicals can guard against cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, cognitive decline and dementia. Now, new study findings add to mounting evidence for flavonoids' healthy-aging benefits. The findings suggest that a high flavonoid diet – and a regular intake of specific flavonoid-rich foods – can lower the risks of developing frailty, impaired physical function and poor mental health in our 70s and beyond. What are flavonoids? Flavonoids are a large family of more than 5,000 phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables and other plant foods. Dietary flavonoids are categorized into six subclasses, each one residing in certain foods and having specific health properties. The subclasses are anthocyanins (berries, red grapes, plums, red cabbage), flavan-3-ols (green and black tea, cocoa), flavonols (onions, kale, arugula, watercress), flavanones (citrus fruit), flavones (parsley, thyme, celery) and isoflavones (soybeans, lentils, chickpeas). About the latest research The study, published last month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, investigated the relationship between intake of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods and frailty, impaired physical function and poor mental health, indicators of unhealthy aging. The research team analyzed data from two U.S. studies: the Nurses' Health Study (females) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (males). A total of 62,743 women and 23,687 men, ages 60 and older, were followed for 24 and 12 years, respectively. Information on age, body measurements, lifestyle behaviours, medication use, family medical history and recent personal health diagnoses was collected every two years. Participants provided detailed dietary information at baseline and every four years thereafter. A 'flavodiet' score was calculated for each participant by adding up intakes (servings/day) of key food contributors to total flavonoid intake. Key flavonoid-rich foods included blueberries, strawberries, grapes, raisins, apples, oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, tea, red wine, onion and sweet bell peppers. Frailty, measured every four years, was defined as having at least three of five criteria: fatigue, poor strength, reduced aerobic capacity, at least five chronic illnesses and a weight loss of five per cent or more. Participants reported perceived physical limitations in basic mobility, daily living tasks and performing various moderate and vigorous activities. They were also asked about symptoms of depression, anxiety and overall well-being. High flavodiet scores protective Among participants in the Nurses' Health Study, those with the highest flavodiet scores had a 15 per cent lower risk of developing frailty, a 12 per cent lower risk of developing impaired physical function and a 12 per cent lower risk of developing poor mental health during the study period compared to women with the lowest flavodiet scores. The highest intakes of tea, red wine, apples, blueberries, strawberries, oranges and orange juice – and increased intakes of these foods over the study period – were associated with a lower risk of all three outcomes in women. Surprisingly, fewer protective effects were seen in men. Participants in Health Professionals Follow-up Study with the highest (versus lowest) flavodiet scores were 18 per cent less likely to have poor mental health scores. Higher intakes of tea and blueberries were tied to a lower risk of poor mental health. Intakes of key flavonoid-rich foods were not associated with risk of frailty or impaired physical function. It's unclear if there are differences in diet-related risks factors for health in aging between males and females. The findings in men may also have been influenced by the shorter follow-up of 12 years, resulting in fewer outcomes being reported. The researchers also found that a daily increase of three servings of flavonoid-rich foods and beverages during the study translated to a 6 to 11 per cent lower risk across all three outcomes in females and a 15 per cent lower risk of poor mental health in males. To arrive at their findings, the researchers accounted for other influential factors including age, smoking status, family health history, personal health, physical activity, body mass index and calorie intake. How flavonoids safeguard healthy aging The new findings are in keeping with previous studies linking high intakes of flavonoids or flavonoid-rich foods to a lower risk of frailty, impaired physical function and depression. Flavonoids' strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects are thought to protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress and inflammation, factors that accumulate during aging. Elevated levels of inflammation can lead to loss of muscle mass and strength. Inflammatory immune compounds can also communicate with the brain, affecting mood and energy levels. Takeaway The findings suggest a modest, yet doable, dietary adjustment – increasing your daily intake of flavonoid-rich foods by three servings – can optimize healthy aging and quality of life. One serving is equivalent to one half-cup of blueberries, strawberries or grapes, one ounce of raisins, one whole orange or apple, one half of a grapefruit, five ounces of citrus fruit juice, eight ounces of tea, one slice of raw onion or one half-cup cooked or one-quarter of a small bell pepper. Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based private practice dietitian, is director of food and nutrition at Medcan. Follow her on X @LeslieBeckRD
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Easy Diet Tweak Can Lower Blood Pressure—and No, It's Not Less Salt
When you think of natural ways lower your blood pressure, you probably imagine giving up maybe all the other foods you actually like, too. But according to new research from the UK's University of Waterloo, there might be a much easier (and more delicious) solution for managing your BP. 🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊 Published in The American Journal of Physiology: Renal Physiology, the study explored why some foods have a greater impact on blood pressure than others, especially given how much is already known about the effects of reducing salt. To do so, the researchers ran advanced simulations to identify how different diets affect blood pressure. They looked at what happens in the body, specifically the kidneys, hormones, and fluid levels—when you eat a normal amount of salt, too much salt, alternative eating patterns and combinations of both. Related: As for what they found? It turns out that another type of diet, not one that requires cutting salt, had a much bigger effect on lowering blood pressure. The impact was especially noticeable in men, which is interesting, given that high-salt diets also raised men's blood pressure more than women's. Even more surprising? The most powerful change wasn't eating less salt—it was eating more potassium-rich foods. Even when salt intake was still high, boosting potassium levels caused a major drop in blood pressure. In men, blood pressure fell by up to 14 mmHg; in women, by up to 10 mmHg. According to the researchers, potassium helps the kidneys flush out extra sodium more efficiently, reducing how much the body holds onto. It also activates natural systems that help lower blood pressure, like dilating blood vessels and encouraging the body to get rid of excess fluid. In a way, it's similar to why doctors recommend electrolyte-rich drinks like coconut water and Gatorade for dehydration and hangovers: potassium helps restore electrolyte balance and keeps everything flowing. Related: This doesn't mean that you should run off and exclusively dine on French fries; the study still found that high salt intake raised blood pressure in both men and women. (Though, as noted above, men were more affected.) Still, the findings suggest you might be able to handle a little more salt than you thought, as long as you're balancing it out with enough potassium-rich foods. Which brings us to our next point... Better blood pressure isn't the only reason to load up on potassium-rich foods. 'Having enough potassium in your diet is crucial for muscle function and overall bodily functions," registered dietitian , previously told Parade. "Particularly if someone is very active, having enough potassium is imperative for muscle recovery and cramp prevention." Eating a potassium-rich diet is linked to a lower risk of osteoporosis. On the other hand, eating too little potassium is known to cause fatigue and muscle cramping, according to Lal. It can have far more serious consequences, too. For example, one study found that people who ate the most potassium had a 20% lower risk of dying compared to those who ate the least. Even more important than potassium alone? The balance between salt and potassium. People who ate a lot more salt than potassium had twice the risk of dying from a heart attack and a 50% higher risk of dying from any cause compared to people with a better balance, according to that same research. Related: Have we convinced you to eat morer potassium yet? Good. For context, women should aim for at least 2,600 milligrams of potassium daily, while men need about 400 milligrams per day. If you're struggling to hit those numbers, consider loading up on these potassium-rich foods: Almonds Avocado Bananas Beans, lentils Beet greens Cantaloupe Cashews Chicken Coconut water Dairy and plant milks (soy, almond) Dried fruits (raisins, apricots) Oranges, orange juice Potatoes Salmon Spinach, broccoli Tomatoes Winter squash (acorn, butternut) Yogurt Up Next:Modulation of blood pressure by dietary potassium and sodium: sex differences and modeling analysis. The American Journal of Physiology: Renal Physiology. Supriya Lal, RD, MPH, a registered dietitian Potassium: A Frontier in Osteoporosis. Hormone and Metabolic Research. Potassium. National Institutes of Health. Potassium. The Nutrition Source. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Times
21-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Vitamin D supplements could counter ageing, study suggests
Taking Vitamin D supplements could help to turn back the clock on biological ageing, research has suggested. A clinical trial found that adults who took the vitamin every day saw less age-related damage to their DNA, which has been linked to diseases including Alzheimer's and cancer. Taking vitamin D for four years was found to 'prevent the equivalent of nearly three years of ageing'. The study, published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, involved 1,054 adults aged 50 and over. They were either given a placebo or a vitamin D pill. Scientists used regular blood tests to measure the length of the participants' telomeres — the 'caps' on the end of our DNA that protects it from damage, which naturally shorten with
Entrepreneur
20-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How to Turn Market Uncertainty Into Measurable Growth
Here's how to turn market fog into a roadmap your team can actually follow. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Stocks are wobbling, AI headlines are multiplying, and budgets feel more like Jenga towers than line items. In times like these, it's tempting to go heads down and wait for certainty to arrive. Spoiler: It will not. Pew's February survey found that 52% of U.S. workers are more worried than hopeful about AI's impact on their jobs. That worry has weight. Research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimates burnout now costs employers up to $21,000 per employee every year. As a brand marketer who has steered teams through layoffs, pivots and more "back‑to‑the‑whiteboard" moments than I can count, I've learned one truth: Ambiguity is not a phase. It's the water we are all swimming in. The question is whether we let it pull us under or turn it into forward thrust. Related: The Smart Entrepreneur's Guide to Thriving in Uncertain Times Why brand leaders must own the ambiguity agenda Brand is the only business asset that appreciates with clarity. When stories scatter, equity erodes; when stories align, equity compounds. I argued this back in 2022 during the recession, and today, the same principle applies to internal storylines. If your team cannot see the path, they'll fill the gaps with fear — and fear is expensive. Gartner's latest HR focus survey shows 73% of HR leaders cite change fatigue as their top concern for 2025. Translation: Employees are exhausted by shifting priorities, and leaders are struggling to translate noise into narrative. That challenge is tailor‑made for brand marketers because building a narrative out of chaos is what we do for the market every single day. It's time we turned that muscle inward. Meet the ambiguity breakthrough canvas I adapted Gustavo Razzetti's Navigating Ambiguity Canvas to create a brand‑first tool that does three things fast: Anchor zone: codifies what we know and where our brand already wins. Lab zone: lists uncertainties worth experimenting on in the next quarter. Loudspeaker zone: parks far‑off fears and headline noise, so it stops hijacking meetings. One page, three columns, sticky notes at the ready. The goal is not to solve everything. The goal is to name the fog so it stops running the show. How to run the canvas in four moves 1. Set the stakes with data and vision: Open with metrics your exec team respects: cost of burnout, employee sentiment, the relationship between brand consistency and revenue lift (consistent brand presentation can boost revenue by 33%). Numbers anchor urgency; narrative supplies hope. 2. Crowdsource, then sharpen: Give each participant five minutes to dump thoughts into the three zones. Your job is to push for specificity. "AI" becomes "customers fear we will replace human onboarding with bots." The more precise the note, the easier the experiment. 3. Vote and assign: Three dot‑votes per person. Highest‑scoring items turn into action statements with an owner, deadline and success metric. Ambiguity hates accountability. 4. Broadcast progress: Post the canvas in a shared doc. Every two weeks, move notes: Lab items graduate to Anchor, Loudspeaker items shrink or disappear. Progress, not perfection, keeps anxiety at bay. Related: 5 Startup Marketing Moves That Work Even in Uncertain Times A brand‑led sprint in action Twelve months ago, Spekit's product had outgrown its original box, yet the market insisted on keeping us there. We'd evolved into a full‑scale sales enablement platform, but prospects still waved us off as "that digital‑adoption walkthrough tool." Pipeline stalled, reps stumbled, and the brand equity we'd spent five years building suddenly felt like a liability. Running the Ambiguity Canvas on ourselves, we'd find: Anchor: users raved about our in‑app guidance, but the "digital‑adoption" label trapped that power in yesterday's story. Lab: would an end‑to‑end visual and narrative overhaul shake category bias fast enough to hit this year's ARR target? Loudspeaker: the lingering fear that torching a familiar identity would torch hard‑won awareness, too. We chose ignition over hesitation. In March 2025, we rolled out a ground‑up rebrand: new wordmark, high‑energy gradient system and a sharper octopus icon to signal Spekit's AI "central brain" delivering just‑in‑time enablement wherever revenue teams work. The launch wasn't cosmetic. It was a market correction. We blanketed the internet, pulsed thought‑leadership on the "Change Economy" and armed sellers with storylines that linked live revenue moments to Spekit's AI‑powered guidance. Thirty days later, the data told the story: Website traffic jumped up 27%, but more importantly, engagement was skyrocketing, with average session durations and clicks up more than 40%. Organic traffic from LLM‑generated queries spiked, driving net‑new interest we hadn't paid a dollar to capture. Demo requests spiked, with most coming straight from direct traffic (brand recall in action) and nearly half converting on the spot. Our CEO's launch post punched above its weight with 81 K+ impressions and sparked 590+ engagements in a single day, proving the new story resonated and traveled fast. Anchor locked. Lab validated. Loudspeaker retired. One canvas, one high‑velocity reintroduction, category perception realigned with the company we are today. Watch‑outs for facilitators Vague inputs stall momentum. Keep slicing until the note becomes testable. Dumping into Loudspeaker is avoidance in disguise. Separate distraction from deferred priority. Stopping at mapping turns canvas into décor. Without a sprint backlog, nothing changes. Related: 4 Ways Leaders Can Break Through Uncertainty and Unleash Meaningful Innovation The brand advantage hidden inside uncertainty When the going gets tough, shallow tactics hit a ceiling. Sustainable advantage lives in the story you tell internally first, externally second. My 2022 playbook piece challenged marketers to ask whether a "best practice" sparks joy or just clutters the shelf. The canvas applies the same discipline to decision‑making: if an initiative does not clarify our Anchor or inform our Lab, it waits. Brand is who you are, why you exist and how you deliver. That story, told with conviction, is the signal employees crave when spreadsheets start to wobble. Give them a canvas, invite them to help write the next chapter, and you convert anxiety into assets the balance sheet never shows: focus, creativity, resilience. Book a 60‑minute slot. Bring the sticky notes, the scary headlines and the latest customer win. By the hour's end, you will have fewer unknowns, clearer experiments and a narrative your team can repeat without the slide deck. Uncertainty is permanent. Leaders who ship through it will be the ones who turn market fog into laser‑focused brand equity, one sticky note at a time.
