Health Cube [#1] {Vitamin A}

A new feature at Silvercublogger! Health Cube will be articles discussing health. I thought it would be a great idea to go through all of the vitamins and minerals, one at a time. I take vitamins every day, so I’ll be learning too. Here we go!

Vitamin A, also called retinol, helps your eyes adjust to light changes when you come in from outside and also helps keep your eyes, skin and mucous membranes moist. Vitamin A mostly comes from animal foods, but some plant-based foods supply beta-carotene, which your body then converts into Vitamin A. It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.

Early information from scientific studies suggests that beta-carotene might help people who already have Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). The American Heart Association doesn’t recommend taking supplements of beta-carotene until more is known, however.

Some people take mega-doses of fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin,meaning stored in the fat tissues of the body for a few days to up to six months. If you get too much of a fat-soluble vitamin, it can be stored in your liver and may sometimes cause health problems) which can lead to toxicity.

Eating a normal diet of foods rich in these vitamins won’t cause a problem. Remember, you only need small amounts of any vitamin. In the case of vitamin A, over-consumption has been linked with an increased risk of fractures in postmenopausal women.

Some health problems can make it hard for a person’s body to absorb these vitamins. If you have a chronic health condition, ask your doctor about whether your vitamin absorption will be affected.

What’s Cooking Cube? [#5] {Summer Baking!}

I’ve been spending a bit of time making cakes and cupcakes during summer break, and it’s never been easier thanks to Duncan Hines. They have so many interesting recipes on their website.

One of the cakes I recently made, the carrot cake, was quick and easy requiring only 3 ingredients. It came out really well and it was gone by the next day. Probably would have tasted even better with icing but I’m trying to cut down on the sugar, lol.

It was definitely a moist and tasty cake. The carrots and raisins turned out pretty well, and were not too dry. I would definitely get this cake mix again (and just did today!). Try it out sometime even if the thought of carrot cake sounds gross, you just might like it!

The second mix I made was a whole grain chocolate chip muffin mix. These were also easy to make, but I don’t know if I would get them again as they had a weird aftertaste to them. Could be the whole grain flavor I suppose, not quite sure. Still, it’s nice to have something fresh and homemade. : )

The Circle of Life [#10] {You’re Unique}

The world can be very depressing! Here’s a little tip to help you make yourself a little more happy.

Nancy E. Krulik writes: “Do you like yourself? You should! You’re a one-of-a-kind special person – full of promise and possibilities.

So every morning, before you go off to face the world, look in the mirror and say, “I like myself!”

Watch your face as you say those words. A smile is sure to spread.  In fact, it’s practically impossible to say “I like myself’ with a frown.”

The Circle of Life [#9] {Like Yourself}

For those unfamiliar with the Circle of Life series, these articles are about personal advice to help make life less stressful. They are all taken from Nancy E Krulik’s book “Don’t Stress!” which I received in 4th grade (a long time ago).

One of the more prominent issues that stands out in society to me is that many individuals don’t like some things about themselves and it causes a variety of issues – from depression, anti-social behavior, or even worse, suicide.

Nancy E. Krulik writes: Imagine waking up every morning and discovering a list of all the things that make you great. Well, don’t just imagine it… do it! Make a list of all the things you do well: Maybe you’re a good friend, amazing at tennis, and helpful around the house. Be sure to list every single one of your most wonderful attributes. Then hang the list on your wall. And be sure to read it every morning before you leave your room to start the day.

If you or anyone you know might be contemplating on suicide, please feel free to contact me anytime. Your life is precious… there is only one you. No one can replace the void if you were to leave this world.

Until next time, peace and love. Together we can change this world.. just a smile can help.

The Circle of Life [#8] {Grades}

As a full-time college student, grades are something that are brought up every now and then. I was one of four students in the Men’s Division to make the Dean’s List last semester. While an A in a class would be nice, sometimes it’s not going to happen. Here’s some thoughts from Nancy E. Krulik on grades:

It’s Just A Letter… Why Grades Don’t Tell The Whole Story

Let’s face it. It would be nice to pick up your report card and see a list of A’s staring back at you. But it doesn’t always happen that way.

And sometimes getting less than an A can be pretty disappointed. The truth is, people put far too much emphasis on grades. School isn’t for acquiring high averages. It’s about learning. School is a place where you prepare for life. And just because you are not a great test taker, or raising your hand in class makes you nervous, doesn’t mean you don’t have a huge  store of knowledge in your hand – knowledge that is sure to come in handy someday.

More important than what your grades say is what your heart says. Do you go to school each day eager to gather new information? Do you try your hardest to study, pay attention, and do the work? Are you satisfied with your work? If you can answer yes to those questions, then you’ve got a 4.0 average where it really counts.

The Circle of Life [#7]

It’s only been four months since I last wrote an article for this feature.

Basically, these articles are about personal advice to help make life less stressful. They are all taken from Nancy E Krulik’s book “Don’t Stress!” which I received in 4th grade (a long time ago).

I thought it would be great to discuss about making mistakes. There is an article that touches well on it:

Don’t let history repeat itself.

No matter how many ways you find to avoid them, some problems do hit you head-on. And sometimes you will make mistakes in how you handle them. The key is to learn from your mistakes and vow not to make the same errors again. That way, as you deal with the consequences of your blunder, you can keep saying to yourself, “At least when this is all over, I’ll never have to go through that again.” Learn from your mistakes! : )

As for me, I certainly have made some mistakes in the past, and learned from all of them. Most of the time I take extra steps to make sure it does not happen again. Problem is, sometimes it has to do with people’s personalities and it is a bit harder to deal with. It’s something I have to work on.