CDC Study Finds Virtual Learning Taking Toll On Children, Parents

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March 19, 2021

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC says virtual schooling and online learning is promoting isolation in children and stress in parents.

The researchers found that online instruction may pose greater risks in the long run than in-person instruction as regards the mental and emotional health of child and parent.

According to the study, the findings confirm previous research into the harmful, emotional and physical effects of keeping children out of school, adding that school systems and local governments will have to provide needed support to address the growing challenge.

The study involved a survey of parents whose children either attended in-person instruction, took all their classes via computer or took part in a hybrid model that combines both remote and in-person instruction.

It found that for both virtual and hybrid models, children were more isolated, spending less time with other children and outside. They also simply moved less.

The survey also showed that students of color were more likely to be engaged in remote learning at about twice the rate of white students, meaning they were more likely to suffer from the psychological effects of learning from home than were their white counterparts.

Some public health experts and medical practitioners have also said that the cognitive effects of keeping schools closed far outweigh the danger of covid-19 transmission inside schools.

The CDC previously found that transmissions inside schools does not occur as long as face masks are worn and other common-sense measures taken.

Possible reasons why your hair might be falling out

By

Chris Ottah

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March 19, 2021

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Hair loss, though distressing, is temporary and reversible. It just means that your hair follicles are not scarred or damaged.

The hairs on our head are continually cycling between growing, shedding, and resting phases, and shedding becomes more obvious when an increased number of our hairs synchronize in the resting phase. Three to 6 months later, or possibly 12 months after shedding starts, you should start to notice fine, baby growth as the hairs start growing in again.

But some of us aren’t patient. Our hair can be part of our identity, our appearance, and our confidence, and we want to get it back faster. What can help?

Clarify the diagnosis

A board-certified dermatologist can assess your scalp and determine whether you have telogen effluvium or another form of hair loss (there are several types, and I find that many women actually have more than one at the same time). They may check lab work, might consider a biopsy if the diagnosis is unclear, and can help to tailor an effective treatment plan to give your hair a boost.

Make lifestyle changes

It makes good sense to take everyday steps to reduce stress, exercise, and eat a healthy diet, with protein. Gentle hair care is a must. That means not-too-tight styles, gentle shampooing, and minimizing harsh heat and chemicals.

Consider treatments and supplements

Dermatologists often recommend over-the-counter minoxidil (Rogaine) 5% solution or foam to the scalp once or twice daily. Some may suggest vitamins, such as Nutrafol or Viviscal, which have been shown in human studies to optimize the nutritional environment to support hair growth. (Discuss with your doctor whether a supplement may be right for you.)

A cosmetic procedure called platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may stimulate hair growth. That’s where a dermatologist draws your blood from a vein, separates out the growth factors that circulate in your bloodstream, and injects them back into your scalp. The injections take under 5 minutes but can be uncomfortable, it can take weeks to see results (since hair growth takes time), and insurance doesn’t cover the treatment. But many women who try it do notice improvement, especially over three or more sessions.

7 Ways To Get Strong, Toned Legs Without Squats or Lunges

By

Chris Ottah

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March 19, 2021

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When we want to strengthen the muscles in the lower body, squats and lunges are usually the typical go-to exercises that come to mind. But, they may not be a safe option for everyone because the pain we feel while performing lunges and squats from bending at the knee joint can aggravate the knee. Thankfully, there are many other exercises that provide similar benefits without so much pressure on the knee joint.

See some options below:

Hip extensions

Stand with your feet underneath your hips and hands on your hips. Place one foot behind you and put your weight in the opposite (front) foot with a slightly bent knee. Keep your hips pointing forward and use your glute muscles to lift your back leg off the floor. Height doesn’t matter, but you should feel your buttock muscles engage. Lower down with control and exhale to lift back up.

Side leg raises

Lie on your side and rest on your elbow, or lie all the way down. You can press your top arm onto the floor in front of your torso for stability. Keeping your legs straight and the rest of your body still, lift your top leg up to hip height. Keep your foot flexed and toes pointing forward. Lower down with control and exhale to lift and repeat.

Bridges

Lie on your back with legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your buttock muscles to lift your hips, keeping your upper back pressing into the floor. Lower towards the floor (don’t touch it!) and exhale to rise back up.

Clamshells

Lie on your side and rest on your elbow, or lie all the way down. With your knees bent, keep your feet stacked on top of each other and your lower leg planted on the floor as you squeeze your buttock muscles to open your knees. Lower down with control, then exhale to open as far as you possibly can.

Banded lateral walks

Place a resistance band loop 2 inches above your knees. Bend your knees slightly so you’re in a mini squat position and press your hips back. Walk two steps to the right and two steps to the left. Alternate walking side to side and make sure to keep tension on the band the entire time.

Calf raises

Stand with your legs hip-width apart and come up onto your toes. Lower your heels toward the ground, but don’t let them touch the floor in between. If you need help with balance, hold onto a wall or sturdy surface.

COVID-19: Nigeria Records No Fatality For Second Time In A Week

By

Angel Gimalo

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March 19, 2021

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As the vaccination exercise rolls out in various states, the country recorded no new death from the disease for the second time in a week.

This comes four days after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said no new fatality was reported.

In an early-morning tweet on Friday, the agency stated that the total number of deaths from the pandemic was 2,027 since Nigeria reported its first case in late February 2020.

According to the NCDC which is responsible for managing disease outbreaks in the country, Nigeria has confirmed a total of 161,409 cases, while 146,890 infected patients have been successfully treated and discharged.

KANYE WEST’S $6.6 BILLION FORTUNE DISPUTED BY FORBES.

By

faith Jegede

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March 19, 2021

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After Bloomberg’s Wednesday publication mentioned ‘Yeezy and Yeezy gap’ as having a combined worth of nearly $4.7 billion, several platforms reported in very similar wording, listing the rappers net worth at an estimated $6.6 billion which shot him to the spot of the richest black man in us history ….cites over reliance on “theoretical future expectations”

However, Forbes writer, Madeline Berg, says that these reports are based on the magical thinking around sales that are yet to exist.

Forbes insists that “It’s not true, based on our calculations. Forbes estimates he’s worth less than a third of that, or $1.8 billion. That’s a big jump from last May when Forbes first pegged his net worth to be $1.3 billion, but nowhere near as much as the purported $6.6 billion.”

The article implies that West regularly inflates his value and this is just the latest in a string of them. it also states that the Bloomberg report, cited a UBS report that Forbes also saw, reporting on his business. “The bank made a number of assumptions based on projected future earnings, particularly for Yeezy Gap, which hasn’t even launched yet. Bank documents like this are well-known for painting best-possible-scenario future valuations.”

This article comes after a now deleted article by Forbes itself celebrating Kanye’s recognition.

In actuality, the rapper has not done bad for himself. In a break down of his assets, Yeezy the crown jewel of his fortune is worth $1.5 billion, His Cash and other assets: $160 million, Music catalogue: $90 million, Skims: $64 million, Yeezy x Gap: $0 currently not in market but with a value of $1.5 billion

France Announces Month-Long Lockdown On 16 Regions

By

Zoe Maven

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March 18, 2021

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France has announced a month-long limited lockdown for Paris and other fifteen regions of the country starting Friday midnight, March 19.

French Prime Minister Jean Castex made the announcement on Thursday following reports of spikes in the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care units.

The Lockdown is limited meaning that while non-essential businesses will close and movement outside restricted in the affected regions, Schools and essential shops, including bookstores, will remain open.

Addressing a news conference, Castex added that Outdoor exercises will be allowed up to 10 kilometres from home while the curfew will also be reduced, starting at 7pm from Friday.

The announcement comes on the week of the country’s one-year anniversary its first nationwide lockdown and Castex said it was becoming clear the country was facing a third wave of the corona virus.

National figures for daily infections had remained steady at around 20,000 a day in February, but new cases have risen 20 percent in the last week alone.

The country’s second lockdown in November spared schools, although France never fully achieved its goal of bringing new infections down to under 5,000 per day.

Macron had strongly argued against a third national lockdown, and instead advised on enforcing local restrictions to try to slow the spread of the virus and rising numbers of the more contagious British variant.

Step Up Surveillance Or Risk More Oil Spill Woes, Marine Monitor Urges Israel

By

Elizabeth Williams

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March 18, 2021

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Israeli volunteers clean tar off the Gan Or beach following an offshore oil spill which drenched most of the Israeli coastline. February 22, 2021. Photo by Flash90 *** Local Caption *** ?? ??? ??? ??? ????? ??? ????

The head of the company that helped Israel pinpoint a vessel it says is responsible for spilling oil that wound up polluting the country’s beaches is calling on Jerusalem to significantly bolster its monitoring capabilities, or risk being stricken again.

“Until Israel, like every other country that respects its oceans, has the ability to monitor daily for oil spills and to find the perpetrators, this can happen again and again. It’s a decision away,” said Ami Daniel, co-founder and CEO of Tel Aviv-based marine intelligence firm Windward.

With no satellite or other robust civilian monitoring, Israel was taken by surprise on February 18 when tar began washing onto its Mediterranean coastline, following stormy weather.

During the following days, it became clear that beaches from Rosh Hanikra in the far north to Nitzanim in the south had been contaminated, leaving globs of tar all over the sand and shallows, along with dead or badly injured wildlife. On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Ministry declared the state of emergency along the coast over, with almost all beaches mostly cleaned after more than 650 tons of tar had been collected by an army of volunteers, soldiers and others.

U.S Extends Travel Restrictions at Canada, Mexico Land Borders

By

Elizabeth Williams

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March 18, 2021

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U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least April 21, the U.S. government said on Thursday.

The 30-day extension is the second announced under President Joe Biden and comes as U.S lawmakers in northern border states have urged lifting the nearly year-old restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a notice Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security said the three countries have all “determined that non-essential travel … poses additional risk of transmission and spread of the virus.” Canadian Public Safety Minister Bill Blair confirmed the extension of restrictions on Twitter.

Canada has shown little interest in lifting the restrictions and last month imposed new COVID-19 testing requirements for some Canadians returning at land crossings.

On Jan. 26, the U.S. government began requiring nearly all international air travelers to get negative COVID-19 test results within three days of travel but has no similar requirements for land border crossings.

The Biden administration has spent weeks reviewing whether to impose COVID-19 testing requirements for land border crossings but has not issued new requirements.

U.S. lawmakers say Americans who own property in Canada cannot maintain their homes. Border towns and businesses have been hard hit by the lack of cross-border traffic.

Hundreds of thousands of people cross the U.S.-Mexico border daily, and Mexico has extremely limited COVID-19 testing capacity, U.S. officials say.

U.S. Weekly Jobless Claims Increase; Concerns on Fraudulent Filling

By

Elizabeth Williams

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March 18, 2021

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The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, but the labor market is regaining its footing as an acceleration in the pace of vaccinations leads to more businesses reopening.

A new round of $1,400 stimulus payments, on the way to mostly lower- and middle-income households, was expected to boost spending at discount stores, at least in the coming weeks.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 700,000 applications in the latest week.Unemployment claims have dropped from a record 6.867 million in March 2020, 1 million people filed claims last week. Claims continue to be distorted by backlogs and fraudulent filing,Including a government-funded program for the self-employed, gig workers and others who do not qualify for the regular state programs.

Applications from laid-off workers rose 13,000 from the previous week, which was revised sharply higher, the Labor Department said Thursday. Before the virus erupted in the United States last March, weekly applications for unemployment benefits had never topped 700,000, even during the Great Recession of 2008-2009.

Fraudulent claims may be pushing up the totals. Last week, Ohio reported a huge increase in applications, and said it had set aside about half the increase for additional review out of concern over fraud.

Two federal unemployment aid programs — one that provides up to an extra 24 weeks of support and another that covers self-employed and gig workers — were extended until March 14 by a $900 billion rescue package that was enacted late last year.

U.S President Joe Biden is proposing to extend both programs through August as part of his $1.9 trillion package now before Congress. The legislation would also provide an additional $400 a week in federal jobless aid, on top of state benefits. That money would replace a $300-a-week benefit that was included in the relief package approved last year.

macroeconomic implications of Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package

with the $1.9 trillion stimulus package, it is project that cumulative real GDP between 2020 and 2023 would end up close to its pre-pandemic projection; over the next two years households and businesses would make up some of the economic activity foregone during the pandemic. By late 2021, the economy would likely be operating above its maximum sustainable level.

That positive output gap would likely put upward pressure on inflation, which the Federal Reserve has said would be welcome. A risk worth noting is that the return of GDP back to its maximum sustainable level may create a difficult economic period after 2021.

Tailoring Your Diet to Your Goals

By

Olasunbo Okoromi

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March 18, 2021

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First, assess your calorie needs based on factors like your activity levels and weight goals.

Quite simply, if you want to lose weight, you must eat less than you burn. If you want to gain weight, you should consume more calories than you burn.

If you dislike calorie counting, you can simply apply the rules discussed above, such as monitoring portion size and focusing on whole foods.

If you have a certain deficiency or are at risk of developing one, you may wish to tailor your diet to account for this. For instance, vegetarians or people who eliminate certain food groups are at greater risk of missing out on some nutrients.

In general, you should consume foods of various types and colors to ensure you get plenty of all the macro- and micronutrients.

While many debate whether low-carbs or low-fat diets are best, the truth is that it depends on the individual.

Based on research, athletes and those looking to lose weight should consider increasing their protein intake. In addition, a lower-carbs diet may work wonders for some individuals trying to lose weight or treat type 2 diabetes.

Consider your total calorie intake and adjust your diet based on your own needs and goals.

Make Healthy Eating Sustainable

Here’s a great rule to live by: If you can’t see yourself on this diet in one, two or three years, then it’s not right for you.

Far too often, people go on extreme diets they can’t maintain, which mean they never actually develop long-term, healthy eating habits.

There are some frightening weight gain statistics showing that most people regain all the weight they lost soon after attempting a weight loss diet.

As always, balance is key. Unless you have a specific disease or dietary requirement, no food needs to be off limits forever. By totally eliminating certain foods, you may actually increase cravings and decrease long-term success.

Basing 90% of your diet on whole foods and eating smaller portions will allow you to enjoy treats occasionally yet still achieve excellent health.

This is a far healthier approach than doing the opposite and eating 90% processed food and only 10% whole food like many people do.

Create a healthy diet that you can enjoy and stick with for the long term. You can save less healthy foods, for an occasional treat.

Consider These Supplements

As the name suggests, supplements are meant to be used in addition to a healthy diet.

Including plenty of nutrient-dense foods in your diet should help you reverse deficiencies and meet all your daily needs.

However, a few well-researched supplements have been shown to be helpful in some cases.

One example is vitamin D, which is naturally obtained from sunlight and foods like oily fish. Most people have low levels or are deficient

Supplements like magnesium, zinc and omega-3s can provide additional benefits if you do not get enough of them from your diet.

Other supplements can be used to enhance sports performance. Creatine, Whey Protein and beta-alanine all have plenty of research supporting their use.

In a perfect world, your diet would be full of nutrient-dense foods with no need for supplements. However, this isn’t always achievable in the real world.

If you are already making a constant effort to improve your diet, additional supplements can help take your health a step further.

It is best to get most of your nutrients from whole foods. However, some supplements can be useful as well.

Combine Good Nutrition with Other Healthy Habits

Nutrition isn’t the only thing that matters for optimal health.

Following a healthy diet and exercising can give you an even bigger health boost.

It is also crucial to get good sleep. Research shows that sleep is just as important as nutrition for disease risk and weight control.

Hydration and water intake are also important. Drink when you’re thirsty and stay well hydrated all day.

Finally, try to minimize stress. Long-term stress is linked to many health problems. Optimal health goes way beyond just nutrition. Exercising, getting good sleep and minimizing stress is also crucial.

After all is said, the strategies outlined above will drastically improve your diet if applied, they will also boost your health, lower your disease risk and help you lose weight.