The Park

Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor

623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com

Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive

623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com

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From Me To You...

I have been watching our robotic vacuum cleaner a lot recently, we named him Gary after the snail in SpongeBob SquarePants. Now that the kids are away at college I moved him upstairs to give my carpets a regular cleaning without worrying about it. (Also there is much less chance that he will get caught on the detritus of teenage life now that the kids are away.)

The vacuum is supposed to clean on a somewhat random pattern and send himself home when he needs to recharge or empty his bin. The thing is, Gary seems to spend most of his time trying to get home, circling the same area over and over, bumping into walls and furniture. The more he circles, the more I am tempted to pick Gary up and place him on his base to cut out the hours of mindless meandering. It wont help though, if I return Gary to his base without letting him find his own way there then he will not learn how to get home next time.

The parallels to raising children are remarkable. You watch them grow and make mistakes, trying to find their way in life, turning on the same axis over and over again. As tempting as it is to just

tell them how to achieve their goals, or even worse, find the solution for them, that teaches them nothing. I take that back, it teaches them that someone will always be there to pick up the slack and solve their problems. The trick to successful parenting, in my mind, is to allow your children to find their own solutions. I am not saying that you can’t help them or guide them, but the value lies in learning that things can be done by yourself, and the pride in knowing you can do things for yourself is immeasurable.

Having said that, I just found my vacuum in the master closet, he ran out of power trying to get back to his base by himself. Just like kids, if they really fail, we will always place them gently back on their base with a reassuring pat and some encouraging words. “You’ll get it next time, kid.”

Catherine Uretsky Editor, Estrella Publishing info@estrellapublishing.com 623-398-5541

The Bug Guy

Termites are every homeowner’s nightmare. They not only eat through the wood in walls they are difficult to detect. However, there is much more to termites than you may think. Here are just a few fascinating facts about these saw-toothed, silent property destroyers.

Insatiable Hunger

It is not recommended to follow the typical diet of a termite colony. They consume wood, flooring, and even wallpaper non-stop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To better put this in perspective, it is estimated that an established subterranean termite colony, here in the valley, needs approximately a board foot of 2X12 wood to survive for a year. Just imagine the damage that could be done over time if left undetected.

Mob Mentality

Although termite colonies can be made up of millions of individuals, termites do not work alone. Termites are social insects, and the activity of a colony is dictated by swarm intelligence. With this system, colonies can take advantage of resources one termite couldn’t by itself. It helps termite colonies be very efficient at establishing themselves in a house they have infested.

Colony Cliques

Termites have specialized jobs within the colony. These different groups have specific features that help them perform their job so the colony can grow. A typical termite colony consists of workers, soldiers, nymphs, and reproductive individuals.

Workers make up most of the colony. They are responsible for foraging as well as maintaining the nest and the colony’s eggs. Worker termites are most likely to be found in infested wood. Other individuals serve as soldiers who protect the rest of the colony. These soldiers have enlarged jaws that can block tunnels in case of an attack by ants. Interestingly, many soldiers have jaws so large that they cannot feed themselves. Nymphs are young termites and, in some species, take on the duties of worker termites. One way in which termites differ from other social insects is that a colony has a primary queen and king who mate for life. However, a colony will also have a class of winged reproductive individuals that can leave to start other colonies.

If you think you have a termite infestation or to learn how to protect your home from termites, be sure to contact a licensed pest professional.

Submitted by Larry Cash, of Estrella Mountain Pest Control, Estrella resident

Reading Readiness

When parents instill a love of reading in their children from an early age, it increases their oral language skills and vocabulary knowledge, which helps to build a solid foundation for later reading ability. In addition, focusing on key early literacy skills during the preschool years can help parents and teachers identify potential indicators of learning challenges so early intervention can be provided. Beyond developing early language and literacy skills, reading may also increase a child’s ability to understand the emotions of others - a critical life skill that leads to empathy and compassion.

Dr. Maria Shaheen, senior director of early childhood education at Primrose Schools, provides five tips to help parents encourage a lasting love of reading in their children:

1) Introduce language as early as possible - even before birth. Speaking and reading to your baby during pregnancy establishes voice recognition and promotes cognitive development.

2) Make reading a regular part of bedtime routine. Reading books should be a favorite bedtime activity. With daily “tuck-in” stories and

snuggling together at bedtime, infants and young children begin to associate reading with comfort, warmth and security.

3) Offer a wide variety of stories. This can include nursery rhymes, poetry, nonfiction and fiction from many genres, as well as books that celebrate a wide range of cultures and diverse characters.

4) Help children discover the magic of books for themselves. Books can help young children understand their own feelings when characters face similar life events, so parents should pick topics their children may be curious about.

5) Make reading a fun learning experience. Preschool children can create books with their own stories about things they do with their families. Parents can also play silly word games that help children play with sounds, such as rhyming games or tongue twisters.

Starting a reading routine throughout daily life models for children the importance of reading as a way to gain information and valuable life skills, explore new worlds, encourage imagination and have fun.

Teen Lifeline

Staff and volunteers at suicide prevention nonprofit Teen Lifeline are urging anyone who knows a teen to Connect with Care on National Telephone Day, Tuesday, April 25. Research indicates that suicides by people of all ages, including teens, tend to increase during the spring months. Each year, the free, confidential Teen Lifeline crisis hotline, which is staffed by volunteer teen peer counselors, experiences an average 10% increase in calls during the months between Spring Break and the end of the school year.

“Connection, family support and community support are all preventive factors that decrease the risk of suicide for our youth,” says Nikki Kontz, clinical director at Teen Lifeline. “There’s no better way to celebrate National Telephone Day than to use your phone for its best possible

purpose – to connect with the teens you know and possibly save a life. Any teen death by suicide is one too many. The reality is that the entire community needs to get involved if we’re going to stop teen suicide in Arizona.”

According to Kontz, reaching out on National Telephone Day can be as simple as sending a message like this:

•Just checking in. How are you doing?

•Thinking about you today – how’s it going?

•Doing OK at school? Feeling good about finals or do you need some support?

•Haven’t talked in a while and wanted to say hi!

•I hope you’re having a great week!

Adults who suspect a teen may be considering suicide should ask the teen about it directly. Asking the question will not plant the idea of suicide in a teenager’s head and can give them permission to open up, says Kontz. If a teen replies that they have been thinking about suicide, Kontz recommends thanking them for their honesty and then asking questions about how they’ve been feeling and why. Experts recommend validating the teen’s feelings while being careful not to be dismissive, pass judgement or act like the teen is being dramatic.

If a teen is in immediate danger of self-inflicted harm or of acting on suicidal thoughts, call 911 or take the child to an emergency room. If the teen is not in immediate danger, create a plan to get help by calling Teen Lifeline or seeking a referral to mental health services or counseling.

While waiting for services, be sure to minimize suicide risks by locking up all medications, sharp objects and poisonous chemicals and securing all firearms, including storing ammunition separately.

For more information, visit TeenLifeline.org.

Stress

High cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity and obesity. Most of us are familiar with these as major risk factors for heart disease. But what about stress? Is there a connection between stress and heart disease? Not all stress is bad but chronic stress associated with a medical condition or feeling pressured over a long period of time can be, explains Dr. Mark Callesen, Chief Medical Officer for Jewish Family & Children’s Service.

“Chronic stress can lead to impaired cognitive function, increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. It can also impair the body’s immune system and exacerbate any existing illnesses,” says Callesen

Research shows that chronic stress can increase inflammation, and inflammation is linked to high blood pressure and lower HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) which can harm the heart. Chronic stress can also increase the risk for heart disease in more subtle ways. “When you’re constantly stressed, you tend to not sleep well,” adds Dr. Callesen. “You’re also more likely to eat high-fat, high-cholesterol foods or engage in other heart-damaging behaviors such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol or using drugs. By both defusing stress and managing the unhealthy behaviors it triggers, we can help minimize our body’s heart-damaging reactions to it.”

Want to turn your chronic stress around and help protect your heart in the process? Dr. Callesen recommends these five simple tips:

• Focus on the things you can control: This helps us to stay positive and laugh more. Laughter has been found to help reduce artery inflammation and increase “good” HDL cholesterol.

• Exercise: One of the best ways to melt away stress and lower your blood pressure is through regular physical activity.

• Practice mind-body techniques: Meditation, yoga and tai chi activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the brain and body.

• Strengthen and maintain relationships: Having a strong support network can reduce your stress level and help you take better care of yourself.

• Take a break from electronics: You can’t escape from stress when it follows you everywhere. Unplug from your phone, computer and TV, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

If you’re struggling with stress, Dr. Callesen suggests talking to your primary care provider to discuss treatment options for treating high blood pressure or sleep issues or getting a referral to a mental health professional. Most importantly, realize that stress is a normal human reaction that happens to everyone, even the experts.

“I absolutely get stressed, but doing something active helps me to relax,” says Dr. Callesen. “I find walking my two dogs, Emmett and Stella, helps me to decompress. It forces me to get outdoors and all three of us sleep better at night.”

For more information, visit https://www.jfcsaz. org/.

This article was submitted by Jewish Family & Children’s Service.

Combatting Depressive Feelings

As promised in last month’s article, Blessed AND Depressed, I’m back with 6 ways to combat depressive feelings:

1. Start a gratitude journal by writing down 3 things each day for which you are grateful. It’s all about perspective! If you want a more structured approach, visit ThePsychoeducationAcademy. Thinkific.com for a free GLAD exercise.

2. When negativity comes in, redirect your attention to the positives in your life. Look back at your gratitude journal for reminders. Take some deep breaths and picture the positives in your life or some other scene that makes you happy.

3. If you’re a person of faith, you can pray for positive thoughts, redirection or some other relief and tell the devil to get behind you.

4. Ensure that you’re physically doing what you can to fight depression. Make sure you’re getting the right number and type of calories, drinking

plenty of water, exercising and getting adequate sleep.

5. Talk to someone about how you’re feeling. Maybe a different perspective or a more objective look at the situation can help you reframe things in a more positive–or at least less negative–way.

6. Get out of yourself by helping someone else, like going on a mission trip or volunteering at a soup kitchen, disabled veterans’ association, homeless shelter or other agency that helps people who are struggling. This can also serve as a reality check, reminding you of the good in your own life.

For more ideas, search “depression antidotes” on www.doctorbellingrodt.com. If you’re depression has you thinking you don’t want to be alive anymore, seek immediate medical attention by dialing 911 or dial 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24/7/365.

DISCLAIMER: Material is for informational purposes and not intended to be a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed professional. Material is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with written permission of Dr. Bellingrodt.

Submitted by Jennifer Bellingrodt, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist.

Submitted by Jennifer Bellingrodt, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist.

Yum Yum

To help ring in spring and celebrate the possibilities of citrus, try this standout Lemon Loaf starring Sunkist lemon juice and zest, ideal for brunch, dessert or an afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Loaf

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups cake flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Zest from 2 Sunkist lemons

Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Zest from 1 Sunkist lemon

Directions

* Preheat oven to 350F and line your 8 x 4” loaf pan with parchment paper.

* Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add in your eggs one at a time and vanilla extract. Into a smaller bowl mix together your flour, salt and baking soda. Alternate adding your dry ingredients with your sour cream. Fold in fresh lemon juice and zest and mix until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

* Bake in oven about 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare glaze by mixing powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest together until smooth.

* Remove loaf from oven and let cool completely before topping with glaze.

Spring Cleaning

As you’re doing your spring cleaning, how about taking inventory of your family’s prescription medications: Do you have expired prescriptions you no longer need? Many fire and police stations will accept medications for safe disposal. It’s also a good time to organize a list of the medications in your family’s medicine cabinet, in case there’s a medical emergency, according to Danelle Readinger, Emergency Services Director at Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear.

“What if you or a family member were rushed to the hospital, would a loved one be able to provide a current list of your medications to first responders or the Emergency Department? What if it was your child or parent? Would you know the names and dosages of their prescriptions? How about any non-prescription medications?” she asks. “It’s important to know, because not having this information may cause a delay in care, as paramedics or hospital staff try to confirm current medications before providing that information to the physician.”

Health care professionals from Abrazo hospitals throughout the Valley say that keeping your list of medications and health history up to date can help patients avoid adverse effects from dosing errors, omissions, duplications and drug interactions. Some of the important things to keep track of include:

• Medications, including name, dosage and whether it was completed or is ongoing.

• Medical history. This may include chronic conditions or recent illnesses.

• Allergies to medications and foods and the type of reaction.

• Vitamins, supplements, and other over-thecounter items, and dosage.

• Other pertinent health information, including immunizations.

There are some common sense ways to help keep this information: Each time you make a change, note the date. Ask your pharmacy (or pharmacies) to print out a list of medications filled in the last year. And make sure someone in your family or circle of friends knows where you keep your medications list.

Submitted by Abrazo Health

Samurai Sudoku

This samurai sudoku puzzle is a great way to engage the brain and help develop logic skills. To solve this Samurai puzzle use standard sudoku rules for every 9x9 grid: each digit from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and 3x3 box. Good Luck!