New York Water Taxi

This entry was written on Oct 11, 2009 by our Dad Guru John Valadez

Yesterday I took a New York Water Taxi from the South Street Seaport around the Hudson. The brisk bay air rushed passed our faces as we gazed upon such sights as the incomplete One World Trade Center, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Skyline. It was breathtaking. As I popped picture after picture the sounds of the harbor coupled with the visions of history brought a calming sensation I hadn’t felt all day. Manhattan didn’t behold to be a bustling metropolis; the city arose to be serene and almost peaceful in its exorbitant grandeur.

Monolithic sights for everyone to be apprise.
If you take the tour I recommend going directly to the top observation deck and setting up camp on the starboard bow. The view allows for the most photographic opportunities on the hour long express cruise. I also suggest utilizing the black and white imaging on your camera for the Brooklyn Bridge. The prominent structure is by far the most photographed bridge in the city and has a stirring history as well. The essence of the bridge is captured amply in black and white.
FYI, South Street Seaport - the neighborhood where you board the water taxi - is the sight of the Martin Scorsese’s epic Gangs of New York.
Have a great day and God Bless.

Meditation

Are you feeling stressed out, tired, sick or can’t seem to stop yourself from constantly physically and / or mentally rushing? One method to re-balance yourself and enhance your health and focus is to meditate on a regular basis. To start off, try doing a meditation course where you can learn the basics and understand how to stop your mind from racing all of the time. After you learn the basics, you can meditate anywhere at anytime that you feel you need to stop and switch off for a moment. Meditation does not mean wasting time and being unproductive. If done properly, it will refresh and re-focus you and lead you to be more productive the rest of the time.

Organic Children

This entry was written on Aug 05, 2009 by our Dad Guru John Valadez

When we look back on our life the only lasting change we can ever make in this world is making a difference in our children’s lives. We have no control over the economy, war or famine – just our children. I can think of no better way than to pass on good eating habits. Our bodies are the only ones we are ever going to have; why not treat it that way? Some people spend more time, money and effort on their cars than their own bodies. The irony is if they are no longer living then, they can’t ever enjoy their car.

Organic eating is the first step in a balanced lifestyle.
No pesticides, artificial flavors or preservatives are in these foods. All of those chemicals are stored in the body and weigh us down mentally and physically – a vicious cycle. Food is suppose to give us energy not take it away. Check online and your local newspapers for organic foods stores and farmers; it’s the best choice for you and your family.

Keep dangerous items locked up

Keep dangerous items locked up. Tool cabinets and garden sheds are a very enticing play area to children. Garden sprays, paints, fertilisers and electric, sharp or heavy tools, can be deadly in kids hands and the potential dangers are often completely unknown to them. Children just see these things as invitingly mysterious or as items that make wonderful toys. It’s up to you to be proactive in protecting your kids in these areas. Don’t leave it until it is too late.

Setting an example for the Kids

This entry was written on Jul 28, 2009 by our Dad Guru John Valadez

Setting the right example for children is paramount in our current society. Currently 64% of Adult Americans are overweight or obese. The percentage of overweight American children is growing at an overwhelming rate as well; one out of every three children is considered overweight or obese. Are we really setting a good example for our kids? According to the data we are failing miserably.

Children cannot pick and choose the foods they eat.
Parents are responsible for their child’s dietary needs. In our fast pace world it’s much easier for a parent to run to a fast food restaurant, pop in a microwave meal or open a can of food preservative soup than cook a healthy meal – or is it? How long does it take to mix together a fresh salad or boil some whole grain pasta and mix with fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, basil and zucchini? That recipe would take around 15 minutes. Before we can teach our children to make healthy decisions we must first take the initiative and set an example. Healthy cookbooks are in every bookstore and you can download free recipes online. It’s easy, give it a try, and you’ll be setting your children up for a healthy life.

Seeing people in hospital

If you are visiting a sick friend or relative in hospital, here are a few things to keep in mind. First rule - don’t stay too long unless he asks you to. He will probably be tired and may not ask you to leave if he wants to rest. Stay no more then 15 to 20 minutes. It is the fact that you visited that is important rather then how long you stay. Keep your talk positive and don’t fill the discussion about his operation unless, again, he wants to talk about it. Let him know what you are doing and how others that he may know are also doing. The aim is to not disturb his rest and recuperation and also to keep his mind on positive things to help him emotionally recover. It may even help to tell him a humorous story about something that has happened to you recently. Don’t make light of his illness but try to keep his spirits high.

Incorporating more Water in your Diet

This entry was written on Jul 23, 2009 by our Dad Guru John Valadez

Every day you turn on the television and someone seems to want to sell you a different weight loss product. What they don’t tell you is every product incorporate high amounts of water. You don’t have to pay someone to tell you that – you already know. Then why are we not doing it? The answer we usually come up with is, “Water has no taste” or “I like the taste of blank.” You can fill in the blank with whatever you want: juice, soda, sports drinks, tea, and coffee – anything really.

You can’t drink too much water. Some experts will through around the word Hyponatremia.
This condition usually occurs in extreme physically challenging events like marathons and Ironman competitions. If you are participating in an event like this it is usually beneficial to incorporate sports drinks to assist in replenishing salt into your body. If you are a regular person, more water is only going to benefit and not harm you.
To assist with water tasting better try adding some fresh lemon or limes in your water. If you just want to drink and extra glass or two buy bottled water by the gallon and don’t refrigerate it. You’ll be able to drink more water, quickly, due to the water being at a closer body temperature. Cold water is difficult to drink fast.
You can also eat more water. Choosing foods with high water content is very simple. Raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources of food with high water content. Eat more side salads with lunch and dinner and snack on fresh fruit. Incorporating more water in your diet will assist in every function of your body from your heart to your digestive system.

Fire alarms and baby´s hearing

Babies have extremely sensitive hearing and can be easily upset or injured by loud or piercing noises. If you have a burglar alarm in your home, be especially careful to avoid it going off with baby nearby. Alarm sirens are designed to be extremely piercing and can damage a baby’s hearing.

Drink and Eat more Water

This entry was written on Jul 10, 2009 by our Dad Guru John Valadez

Drinking and eating more water is easier than it sounds. Drink at least a gallon of water per day. If you really want to take it up a notch then drink distilled water. Distilled water is water that is contaminant free through a process called distillation. It's basically water without toxins. Drink more water.

Eating more water, is simply eating foods with a high water content.

Have you ever bitten into an apple and juice just comes pouring out? Apples have a high water content. Have you ever tried to eat a sleeve of saltine crackers at once? It's impossible. Saltine crackers have a zero water content. Raw fruits and vegetables are your best options when choosing to eat more water.

Eating and drinking more water will give you more energy, help you sleep better and make you less cranky - assuming that you are. Live well, be well.

Alternative therapies

If you are finding yourself getting tired, sick or stressed out often, you may find some alternative therapies a more effective treatment then traditional drugs. For instance, for relieving stress and enhancing focus and clarity, regular acupuncture is an effective treatment. Iridologists and other alternative health consultants can often diagnose illnesses before the symptoms are obvious and all you might be feeling is a general tiredness or sickness. Be careful who you consult with and try to get recommendations from others on which therapists are effective and safe in their treatments.

Over Forty, schedule a Colonoscopy

This entry was written on Jun 24, 2009 by our Dad Guru John Valadez

Staying healthy is probably the single most important task a dad has to do for his family. If you are approaching or over the age of 40, the time has come to schedule a Colonoscopy.

According to WebMD a Colonoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to look at the inner lining of your large intestine (rectum and colon). He or she uses a thin, flexible tube called a colonoscope to look at the colon. A colonoscopy helps find ulcers, colon polyps, tumors, and areas of inflammation or bleeding. During a colonoscopy, tissue samples can be collected (biopsy) and abnormal growths can be taken out. Colonoscopy can also be used as a screening test to check for cancer or precancerous growths in the colon or rectum (polyps).
Too many fathers have died from embarrassment when this simple procedure could have alerted them of colon cancer. Don’t become a statistic and stay around a while to watch the kids grow up.

Break up your week

To remove stress and enhance your health and wellbeing, find an activity to break up each week. This should be something that is totally different to the rest of your normal routine - something totally "left field". For instance, if you are stuck in an office at work, play an outdoor sport once a week. Or, if you keep to yourself most of the time, go and do a public speaking course. Another idea is to pick a pursuit that is completely different to you. e.g. try fencing, croquet or bush walking.

Recharge your batteries

To maintain your health, focus, clarity and general good spirits, ensure that you are recharging yourself at least once a week. Make time in your weekly schedule for relaxation, exercise or social time with others where you are slowing down from the speed of the rest of your life. Ensure that you stick to that relaxation time even if you don’t feel that you need it. If you make it a habit, then you will better ensure long term health and wellbeing.

Regular check-ups

To keep on top of your health, ensure that you are getting regular check-ups from your doctor. That way, you can get onto problems earlier and seek treatments or lifestyle changes before the symptoms become too problematic. Managing stress and balancing your life is much easier to do if you maintain good health. Always make your health a priority.

Diffuse your anger

For your own health and for the health of your relationships with your family, learn to diffuse your anger. Studies have shown that a lot of men carry a great deal of anger around with them and are often releasing it, in different ways, on others. Find ways to unload it elsewhere. For instance, physical effort is a great way to release the emotional pressure - hard work gets a lot of the aggression out. This could be via exercise, chopping wood or mowing lawns, etc. At worst, you can go into your bedroom on your own and thump a pillow for awhile. What ever method you use, make sure it’s harmless to others and really lets the pressure out.

Children´s first aid

Buy a good quality, well recommended first aid book and keep it handy at home at all times. If an emergency arises, you may need to respond quickly and not waste a moment trying to find where you’ve left the book. Ensure that it has a place and is always in that place. Also, carry another one (smaller if possible) in the car or around with you when you are out.

Check the safety before you buy

Before you buy baby any childrens’ items like bassinets, cots, beds, strollers, change tables, car seats, etc., always check the safety standards on these items and whether the particular brand that you are looking at meets these standards. Some cots are death traps for babies and simple things (for instance, does the mattress fit tightly within the cot?) can mean the difference between completely safe and extremely dangerous. Check safety magazines (eg in Australia - "Choice" magazine) for the recommended best brands - but don’t rely on these completely - check each item before you buy. The brand may be safe, but that particular item that you are looking at may have a fault in it.

Separate your weeks

To balance your life and maintain your health, you need to separate each week. What that means is that you don’t just keep on working day after day after day without a change of pace and focus. Each week should start and end and be separate from the next week. If you get into the habit of just being on the go all the time, you will risk burning yourself out.

Be prepared for illness in the car

Keep a sick bag and towel in the trunk of your car. Kids often suddenly get sick when you’re travelling about - even just up to the local shops. If you’re prepared, you may avoid the unpleasant task of cleaning vomit out of carpet and off seats.

Lighten the load

Lighten your own load at times to reduce stress and the feelings of restriction that having a full-on family and life can bring. Listen to some comedy tapes in your car, have a drink with an old friend, go for a barefoot walk in the park at lunch time, go for a walk in the rain, or do whatever else you find relaxes you. You can’t function effectively or be happy and satisfied if your whole time is spent running at full speed through life.

Do a first aid course

Do a first aid course and refreshers regularly. If possible, do the course before your child is born. Ensure that you are aware of basic first aid. However, don’t treat first aid as the cure for everything. In an emergency always call for an ambulance or doctor and only treat where you are totally confident of what you are doing.

Help prevent viruses in the home

It seems every time you turn on the television there is another outbreak of Swine flu in the United States. Give yourself some piece of mind and keep the kids as germ free as possible. Before they eat wash their hands. More important than washing hands regularly is the amount of time we should be washing. Children should wash their hands for approximately twenty seconds; try having them sing twinkle, twinkle, little star. Carry with you or keep in the car some hand sanitizer. Manufacturers make sanitizers small enough to keep in your pocket. When I take the kids grocery shopping, before putting them in the cart, I wipe it down with wipes. Grocery carts are filthy. When going to shopping malls hold you child’s hand in lieu of having them grab onto the escalator handrails.

A best practice with children is to carry hand sanitizer or wipes - kids love to touch. After all, this an entirely new world for them and all of their senses are going wild. Just remember to wash their hands regularly for at least twenty seconds and carry some type of hand sanitizer. Your kids will thank you.

Fire drill

Have you ever practiced a fire drill at home? Whilst you may not think it will be too difficult to get yourself out in case of a fire, what about your child / children? If they’re young they can’t even get out of their cot by themselves. What would happen if there was a fire in the middle of the night and, in the smoke and panicked confusion, you made your way outside before you realised that no-one had grabbed the baby? Draw up a fire drill program, being a list of what to do, who / what to grab, and where to go once you are outside. Practice regularly. In a real fire, the more that is second nature and the less that needs to be thought about - the better off you will be.