Guest Post

Remembering…  The Holocaust

By Q

The Holocaust is a very important episode in the series of world history that effected millions and millions of people. It is an event that should be recognized and never forgotten. Help celebrate those affected by the Holocaust on

Holocaust Remembrance Day

April 8th

A National Holiday since 1959

Here are some facts to remember…

• The Holocaust began in 1933 when Adolf Hitler came into power in Germany.  

• 11 million people died in the Holocaust; 6 million were Jews.

• About 1.6 million Jewish children (infants-teens) lived in Germany at the start of WWII and were affected by the Holocaust. Many children were forced to hide with their families, or hide in faraway places, leaving behind their families and identities. Only 11% of these children survived.

• Many Jewish neighborhoods and Jewish owned businesses were destroyed.

• The Jews were forced to live in brutal and unhealthy conditions in what was called the “Ghettos”, created by the Nazis in 1940. There were several of them throughout Europe; the Amsterdam Ghetto, the Lodz Ghetto, and the Minsk Ghetto. The largest was the Warsaw Ghetto in Poland, only about 2.5 square miles overcrowded with nearly 400,000 people.

• For the Nazis to easily target the Jews, they were forced to wear a yellow Star of David on their clothing.
• Many men, woman and children were forced into concentration and death camps where they were tortured, performed hard, physical labor and were killed. Many Jews were executed by firearms or tricked into gas chambers where they were killed in the masses.  

• Some Jewish people were able to escape and tried to help spread the true stories of the Holocaust once they reached other countries.

• The Holocaust lasted for several years, ending in 1945 when the Nazis were defeated by allied powers.

In remembrance of the Holocaust...

Watch:

The Pianist, 2002

Schindler’s List, 1993

The Wall, 1982

The Diary of Anne Frank, 1959

Reunion in France, 1942

    

Read:

The Diary of Anne Frank

Sarah’s Key

A History of the Holocaust

Woman in the Holocaust

Night

Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story

Visit:

The United States Holocaust Museum, Washington, DC

Anne Frank’s House, Amsterdam, Netherlands

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

       http://www.ushmm.org/

Sources:

http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-holocaust

http://holocaustcenterpgh.org/page.aspx?id=148359

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer

I had the pleasure of receiving products complimentary from Influenster to test out...and being the experimenter that I am, I was eager to see what the Sugar 'n Spice VoxBox was all about. I am taking my time with the products and carefully decided which I could write about first. I wanted to be certain of my thoughts about each sample. The new Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer was my first pick. I have been using it all week. I am already a Vaseline Moisturizer fan and for a woman on the go I needed something to use on the days I have to jet off and take on the world in a hurry. At first glance, I thought this would be like spray on sunscreen as far as fumes but not at all. There are no harsh smells or cloudy mists from this spray bottle. It comes out nice and clean with a continuous spray, has no sticky residue and smells great. It does not take much time to spray, quickly rub in and go.  Perfect for those who may be running low on time and need to moisturize and dress promptly because it absorbs pretty fast. I actually love it and can pretty much say I am sold on the product. This products runs for $7.99 for a 6.5 oz. can. And ladies....for those who have husbands who are moisturizing challenged, this is a great help. 

"I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes."

Diabetes in the New Year? No Thanks!

Guest Post by: Carolyn

The beginning of this past November was marked by one of my younger cousin's Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. She is now among the many kids that are diagnosed with this disease, which is heartbreaking to me. Here in America, the number of children being diagnosed with Diabetes is growing exponentially, which is very startling indeed.

After meeting with my cousin’s doctors, it became clear that our family really need to shift our focus on getting her healthy so she could beat this disease. What was scariest to hear for me was what could happen to her down the road if things didn’t change; according to information from Syracuse’s St. Joseph’s Hospital Cardiac Center, if left untreated, diabetes can lead to other complications such as blindness, heart disease, neurological problems, and even amputation. We knew we needed to get my cousin better, and to also work with my other cousins to get them on track towards healthier lifestyles too. We started during the holiday season, and this New Year has only renewed our motivation to keep going as a family. 

Healthy Diet

One of the best defenses against the development of Type 2 Diabetes is a healthy diet. Unfortunately, most of the foods (particularly around the holidays) that we indulge in don't quite fit that description. It would be unrealistic to stop eating them altogether. What we can do, however, is limit the portion sizes of those foods. It may be a bit more difficult to do for stubborn adults in the family, but it can be done! However, if you have young cousins or children as I do, this should be easy as pie. Simply portion out each serving of food for them, and make sure to put a variety of food groups on their plates! 

One of the best ways we have gotten the kids on board with eating healthier foods is to get them involved with the meal planning and preparation process. It doesn't matter what recipe we make. They are usually so proud of their creation that they are willing to try just about any recipe. What helped us when we were first starting the process was to look online for ideas for meals. Allrecipes.com has some great ideas, and we still use many of them!  

Healthy Activities

After the “new-ness” of the New Year has passed, it can be easy for people to lose sight of their resolutions and turn back into couch potatoes. However, it's important that we show kids how to keep themselves moving all throughout the year, regardless of the time of the year or the weather! 

If it’s warm outside, take the kids out for a family walk in the park or nature hike in some nearby woods or nature preserve. Swimming is another great exercise for all kinds of people. Furthermore, getting a big groups of kids and families together can create a perfect opportunity to create an obstacle course or just play large games of soccer, kickball, capture-the-flag, etc.! 

If it’s a bit chilly outside there are still things to do inside to get the kids moving. Have a “race” to see who can clean their rooms, sweep the floor, dust the living area, etc. the fastest.  You can also rent videos or look online for fitness videos that your family can do together – my cousins have really grown to like doing Yoga and Pilates with me – and when we feel like mixing it up a little we either break out the Zumba videos or start a funny dance competition with the Dance Dance Revolution video game! 

November was National Diabetes Awareness month. However, we must remember that diabetes can strike at any time. A diabetes diagnosis can be scary. However, it's a disease that can be avoided or managed through diet and exercise. It is also a disease that is easier to avoid or manage with the support of friends and family.  

Carolyn is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well-being. She is an avid cycler, golfer and has been known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor. Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com/!