Family and Consumer Sciences

Live Smart Ohio

Ohio State University Extension

Mind and Body

Why Laugh?

I recently got back from vacation and started to reflect on the wonderful opportunity to share time with family and friends. One thing that stood out for me was the amount of laughter experienced.  According to Merriam-Webster, laughter is a sound of laughing, a cause of merriment.  From the very beginning to the very end […]

WRITTEN BY: Lorrissa Dunfee, M.S., Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Belmont County.

REVIEWED BY: Lisa Barlage, M.S., Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County.

SOURCES:

  • Recker, Nancy. Laughter Is Really Good Medicine. 2007, www.dartmouth.edu/~eap/library/Laughter_Good_Medicine.pdf.
  • “Stress Relief from Laughter? It's No Joke.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 21 Apr. 2016, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456.
  • Marano, Hara Estroff. “Laughter: The Best Medicine.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, Apr. 2005, www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200504/laughter-the-best-medicine.
  • “Laughter.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, 2018, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laughter.

Relaxing During Summer Adventures

Now that summer is upon us we are excited to get out and travel to our favorite places or make new adventures with family or friends. The weather is nice out, which makes you feel like you are ready to get out and make a difference. Although vacations can be very fun and relaxing, they […]

WRITTEN BY: Guest Author: Katie Wagner, Summer Intern, Ohio Statue University Extension, Washington County

REVIEWED BY: Amanda Bohlen, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Washington County

SOURCES:

  • Crumpton, W. R. (2018, April 11). Start planning now for a stress-free summer vacation | HealthCalling. Retrieved June 14, 2018, from https://www.stjhs.org/healthcalling/2018/april/start-planning-now-for-a-stress-free-summer-vaca/
  • Maros, M. (2016, October 31). 7 Tips for a Stress-Free Summer Vacation. Retrieved June 14, 2018, from https://peacefulmindpeacefullife.org/7-tips-for-a-stress-free-summer-vacation/

Just Breathe, Simply Breathe

When the word just is used as an adverb it means simply or only. Sometimes just is used to indicate lesser importance.  The phrase “just breathe” might seem simple or inconsequential but the message of just breathe or simply breathe can benefit most people. Breathing is a wonderfully complex and essential human function. We are […]

WRITTEN BY: Patrice Powers-Barker, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Lucas County

REVIEWED BY: Melinda Hill, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Wayne County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • Powers-Barker, P.

SOURCES:

  • Bishop, S.R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N.D., Carmody, J., Degal, Z.V., Abbey, S., Speca, M., Velting, D., & Devins, G. (2004) Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11, 230-241.
  • Harvard Health Publishing (2016), Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/relaxation-techniques-breath-control-helps-quell-errant-stress-response
  • Peterson, L. A. (2017) Decrease stress by using your breath, Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/decrease-stress-by-using-your-breath/art-20267197
  • Powers-Barker, P. (2016). Introduction to Mindfulness. HYG-5243, Ohioline, Ohio State University Extension. Available at https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5243-0
  • Wielgosz, J., Schuyler, B. S., Lutz, A., & Davidson, R. (2016). Long-term mindfulness training is associated with reliable differences in resting respiration rate. Scientific Reports, 6: 27533. Doi: 10.1038/srep27533.

Mindful Parenting: Enjoy Every Moment

“Congratulations Graduates!!” In two short months, I will hear this exact phrase as my younger son Owen walks across the stage for his high school graduation. It seems like yesterday that Owen’s older brother Brandon walked across that same stage. As hard as it was for me to realize how it would affect me that […]

WRITTEN BY: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.417@osu.edu

REVIEWED BY: Joseph Maiorano, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Harrison County, maiorano.2@osu.edu

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://pixabay.com/en/graduation-teen-high-school-student-995042/
  • Shawn Walker, Owen senior picture

SOURCES:

  • https://www.extension.iastate.edu/article/prepare-empty-nest
  • https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5243-0
  • http://livesmartohio.osu.edu/money/harmon-416osu-edu/got-money-for-college/

REFERENCES:

  • Radar, Malisa & Sternweis, Laura. (July 3, 2017). Prepare for an Empty Nest. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
  • Powers-Barker, Patrice. (May 10. 2016). Introduction to Mindfulness. Ohioline, Ohio State University Extension.
  • Harmon, Misty. (November 15, 2017). Got Money?....For College. Family and Consumer Sciences Live Smart Ohio, Ohio State University Extension.

Calling All Sun Worshippers

Waking up to the sun shining brings happiness to me and an eagerness to soak up as much of the sun’s rays as possible.  Now that Spring has arrived, I’m sure bright sunshiny days are in my future.  When the weather is nice it provides the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors.  […]

WRITTEN BY: Lorrissa Dunfee

REVIEWED BY: Pat Brinkman

SOURCES:

  • Have a Sun-Safe Summer. American Cancer Society. May 1, 2017. https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/stay-sun-safe-this-summer.html
  • Sun Safety Tips for Families. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. December 12, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety-tips-families.htm
  • Sun Cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 13, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/

Swedish What Cleaning?

One of the big home trends being predicted for 2018 is Swedish Death Cleaning. It is the latest in a series of decluttering philosophies, but different in that it is geared more towards the end-of-life stage. The idea comes from Swedish author Margareta Magnusson. Her book, called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, makes […]

WRITTEN BY: Donna Green, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Erie County

REVIEWED BY: Candace J. Heer, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Morrow County

PHOTO CREDITS:

  • https://search.creativecommons.org/

SOURCES:

  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/americans-are-pack-rats-swedes-have-the-solution-death-cleaning/2017/10/12/248dcf82-aebe-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html?utm_term=.591d3aaf54e5
  • https://www.messyminimalist.com/swedish-death-cleaning-minimalism/
  • https://www.wpr.org/death-cleaning-swedish-phenomenon-gains-steam-america

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