How to deal with your pet's mood swings

(Photo:uk prom dresses ) Have you ever observed unexplained crying, excessive lethargy, depression, anxiety etc. in your pet? If yes, then your pet could actually be suffering from mood swings. Shocked that even pets could suffer from these difficult-to-deal-with syndrome?
Tanya Kane, pet behaviourist, feels that mood swings happen either due to hormonal imbalance or physiological reasons. She says, "When they enter a new environment, or there's a new pet on board or a new baby or they get separated with the owner they are attached to, or there's a shift of residence, a change in family dynamics etc, they start sulking, grieving or get destructive and disinterested in food. In a state of such mood swings, the pet needs to get active again to build back his/her confidence."
Dogs are the most fascinating animals in the world. With them around, it's tough to feel lonely or depressed. But on their days of emotional upturn, more often than not because of the lack of the power to voice, they start feeling lonely and behaving in a weird way. Pet owner Medha Iyer says, "My dog is very sociable. But, suddenly one day she stopped eating. Then she started biting and acting moody with us. She wouldn't even play with her favourite toys. When we took her to the vet, we realised it was because I'd just delivered. Obviously, my attention had shifted from her to the baby. She couldn't accept that."
Just like humans, animals have extreme days and unexplainable emotions. When this happens, owners should get more involved with them, communicate with them and, if required go for alternative treatments. Dr Vinay Gore, owner of pet care centre, says, "Generally puppies are not affected by mood swings too much since they are very playful and their needs are fulfiled. When they react weirdly if unwell, I don't call them mood swings. During mating or when the male sees a female passing by, they might get aggressive. But just like humans, even pets have mood alleviators like anti-psychotics and ayurvedic medicines called behaviour modifiers for their hormone related mood swings."
The reasons of mood swings could be gender related. If it's a female, it could be when she's going through her monthly cycle. If it is male, this could happen if there's a female in the periphery and they want to copulate. But another huge reason for mood swings is Diwali as they have high sensitivity to noise. Trainer and dog owner Vicky Sharma says, "Dogs get very sensitive, anxious and destructive during Diwali. They curl up under their beds or have mood swings. I know of many people who communicate amazingly with their pets. When this happens, the pets feel more secure and confident. Medication is not the solution always." Dr Jeya Bharath, a veterinarian, says, "Diwali is the time when most pets go through mood swings as they are not used to crackers. We need to understand that dogs are very adaptive, but take time to come out of a bad phase. Also, pets understand our moods very well. We need to understand them too. I always encourage my clients to speak to pets looking directly into their eyes. This way they understand things better. Be patient and try to understand they they they need your time."

If a dog owner, remember that male dogs are more aggressive than females and the female ones are experts at that dirty look! Though it does not make them any less lovable, try to communicate well, understand them and love your pet when s/he acts weird. As they say, love breaks all boundaries and has the power to heal. Read more here:cocktail dresses london

The metrics of hiring right

(Photo:short prom dresses uk ) Personality and behavioural assessments could be the key to avoiding wrong hires
A recent survey found that India figures in the top four countries of the world in making wrong hires! It costs Indian companies heavily (upto INR20Lakh in IT industry) for each bad hire that they make even at the lower levels of the organisational hierarchy.
Another survey found that 46 per cent quit within 18 months of their hire. Attitudinal reasons amounted to 89 per cent of such failures and only 11 per cent was due to lack of skill (which is anyway assessed in the regular abilities and skill assessments). The attitudinal deficits included lack of coachability, low levels of emotional intelligence, motivation and temperament. A bad hire wastes hisher as well as the company's time and resources. Such a candidate also causes an impact on the team's morale and achievements. More importantly it negatively influences the business in terms of revenue and productivity. The brand value of the organisation for probable aspirants also diminishes.
To tackle such issues, organisations are beginning to use psychometric assessments of behaviour and personality to facilitate better hires. Psychometric assessments can be used in their hiring process as a measure to get the best fit for their work culture and organisation.Whether it is the position of an entry level position or senior management, various types of scientific assessments are available to find the best fit for the organisation and its culture. In addition, for top management roles, competency based interviews measuring individual, managerial, interpersonal and motivational competencies provide tangibility to insights acquired by interviewers. Assessments also addresses the issue of attrition by identifying employees with low risk taking behaviour, high commitment to organisation and perceived job fit to help reduce attrition.
Further, occupational psychology also extends itself to the management of the life cycle of an employee at an organisation. It helps not only the recruitment process but can also influence promotion and career enhancement. Behavioural assessments relevant to work place can be used to effectively make informed decisions rather than promoting personnel based on previous work performance and supervisor feedback alone. There is no guarantee that an employee performing well in a particular role can transition to the next role equally well (eg: individual contributor to a team management role or internal team handling to contract team handling). A rating scale constructed on the job performance dimensions based on job analysis gives a clear and structured approach to evaluate performances. The results obtained can be further used for tracking performance, training purposes or for mere documentation.
Psychometrics plays a vital role in identifying employees who are dissatisfied with their job roles, are a misfit in the organisation and also identify the employees who seek stability and have a tendency to be low on risk taking behaviour. Personality development programmes aimed at enhancing a host of workplace competencies and tech-enabled training in workplace help employees achieve higher performance, groom high-potential employees and enhance team effectiveness.
Such high-potential employees are the future leaders at the organisations. There is a marked difference between management and leadership. Management involves administrative tasks and organising work environments dealing with complexity, planning, budgeting, staffing, controlling and problem solving while a leader typically inspires followers and works towards shared organisational culture and values dealing with initiating and adapting to change, setting direction vision, communicating, motivating and aligning people to shared goals. Psychometric assessments are once again effective in identifying these potential and effective leaders by measuring specific traits such as high intelligence, high self - motivation, high dominance, compassion, influential and persuasion skills.

Adopting psychology as part of everyday work life is now much needed. Read more here: red cocktail dress

Beauty benefits of curd

(Photo: purple prom dresses) Known to cure any kind of skin or hair-related problems, curd has a number of beauty benefits.
The wonders of curd are not just restricted to soothing your system and help digest food. Curd also works are a marvelous beauty recipe and is used by many women to treat various skin and hair problems at home.
So, before you decide to go in for all those expensive beauty treatments, here's why you must pick up the bowl of curd lying in your refrigerator.
Treat hair frizz: Those who have curly hair end up with a frizzy hair texture. To make it more manageable, consider using curd on your hair at least twice during the week, depending on how frizzy your hair gets. You can apply the curd on its own or also mix lemon juice along with it that will make your locks soft and silky.
Cures rough hair: All those expensive hair treatments during the dry winter months can make your mane look unruly. To make sure that your hair stays smooth and soft, use a curd pack once in every week to solve this problem.
Treat dandruff with curd and lemon: An excellent cure for dandruff, a curd and lemon pack applied once or twice every week will take care of your dandruff concerns.
Curd and besan for smooth, acne free skin: Curd and besan also helps reduce the occurrence of acne. In addition to this, it also helps keep your complexion clean and smooth.

Reduces tanning: A plain curd pack also treats tanning. Whether the tanning is mild or severe, you can apply a base of plain curd on your face and neck every day to keep your skin clear. Read more here: long prom dresses

Blankets and pillows put babies at death risk

(Photo: cocktail dresses uk ) Soft objects and loose bedding - such as thick blankets, quilts and pillows - can obstruct an infant's airway and pose a risk of suffocation, according to a research.
Nearly 55 percent of US infants are placed to sleep with bedding that increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), reveal the findings from a research campaign called "Safe to Sleep", which was conducted by the US National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other institutions.
"Parents have good intentions but may not understand that blankets, quilts and pillows increase a baby's risk of SIDS and accidental suffocation," said Carrie K. Shapiro-Mendoza, the study's first author and senior scientist in CDC's Division of Reproductive Health in the US.
Relatives may give parents quilts or fluffy blankets as presents for the new baby and they feel obligated to use them.
"But babies should be placed for sleep on a firm, safety approved mattress and fitted sheet, without any other bedding," Shapiro-Mendoza added.
"Soft objects, toys, crib bumpers, quilts, comforters and loose bedding should be kept out of the baby's sleep area," Shapiro-Mendoza said.
Based on responses from nearly 20,000 care givers, the researchers reported that although the usage of such potentially unsafe bedding items declined from 85.9 percent in 1993-1995, it still remained high at 54.7 percent, in 2008-2010.
As part of the survey, care givers were asked whether infants were placed to sleep on such items as blankets, bean bag chairs, rugs, sheepskin, cushions or pillows.
Care givers were also asked whether the infant was covered with bedding materials such as blankets, quilts, comforters, sheepskin or pillows.

The "Safe to Sleep" research campaign results advise against blankets or other coverings, recommend sleep clothing, such as one-piece sleepers, and keeping the room at a comfortable temperature. Read more here: sexy prom dresses

Youth getting into meditation

(Photo: floor length dresses) Gone are the days when meditation and yoga were the business of the elderly. Today, many schools and colleges are organising optional yoga and meditation classes for children to cope up with increasing stress.
And the best part is that the younger generation actively takes part in it. "I joined a meditation class and it has completely changed my outlook towards life," says Shubhangi S, a third year college student. Shubhangi joined the meditation course after she saw a sea change in her friend who pursued it. She adds, "After the course, my friend used to bustle with energy every day and her outlook towards life changed completely. Her confidence levels shot up, and this is what attracted me to the course." She also says that the practising the breathing technique changed her life.
Dhanya Sundar took up yoga two years ago. In her third year of engineering, she found it difficult to manage her studies and personal life. "I thought that my life was going everywhere and I lacked focus," she says. Dhanya heard about the course through her cousin and initially didn't like the idea of meditation. Finally, after much persuasion, when she tried it out for herself, she says she could "feel the difference".
Even the techniques of meditation and yoga have changed, maybe to cater to the increasing number of youngsters. "Meditation is not just confined to chants; we have a lot of fun activities interspersed with powerful meditation techniques," says Shubhangi. Dhanya confirms, "Even at my yoga class, we have games and other activities. That keeps it lively." From organising trips to luncheons, meditation today is no longer boring.
Kamala Ravi, a final year college student who has been practising yoga, says, "I can feel the difference; I am active throughout the day." She adds, "Apart from mental well-being, I feel healthier physically; it's a great workout too."

"Problems like stress, low self-confidence and self-esteem, peer pressure, etc. can be easily dealt with through yoga," explains Gautham, a yoga instructor. According to him, urban environment can easily cause chronic stress to children, which can be tackled through meditation and yoga. He stresses, "Yoga gives children space, a place where they can let their guard down and understand their own private experience. They don't need to be wary and careful all the time. They can learn to explore their inner lives." Read more here: SheinDress purple prom dresses

Why you need to stop counting calories

(Photo: evening dresses london) The idea that all calories are created equal, irregardless of the food or drink they come from, is just not true. Quite simply, your body processes the energy (calories) from different foods in completely different ways.
First of all, when you eat based on calorie content alone, you are in no way taking into account the nutritional quality of your food.
People who eat a "low calorie diet" put themselves at risk of missing out on some incredibly nutrient-rich foods, like nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish – all of which are relatively high in calories, but are ALSO packed with important vitamins and minerals, as well as good sources of fat.
Yes, I said fat. Some naturally high-fat foods are among the healthiest we can eat in terms of reducing our risk for diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other chronic illnesses. They keep us full, help our body absorb the nutrients from other food, and can actually boost our metabolism. Yep – eating fat can actually help you burn fat.
Let's look at a specific example of two foods with the same calorie count, but incredibly different health profiles: a handful of raw almonds and two slices of white bread. Both contain 200 calories, but almonds offer skin-boosting vitamin E andmagnesium, plus fibre and fat, while white bread only really contains a bit of vitamin B that's been artificially added during processing.
(Photo: sexy prom dresses) It's not only their nutritional profile that makes them different, there is also a significant difference in the way our body processes them.
Firstly, protein (which almonds are packed with...white bread is not) takes double the energy to process as carbohydrates. In other words, the body uses twice the number of calories in digesting and metabolising it. The result? Half the amount of calories left to be potentially stored as fat. If you're overweight and are trying to get to a healthier weight, this is extremely important information.
Secondly, almonds (and other plant-based, unprocessed foods) are packed with fibre. Fibre slows the release of calories into your bloodstream (specifically, when you eat 200 calories in almonds, your body is only going absorb around 160...see why calories are such a fickle thing?). Some of the calories end up in your intestines to fuel the good bacteria in your gut, essentially feeding the process of digestion. But refined white breads (and other sugary and processed foods) have had most, if not all, of the fibre stripped from them. Your body will absorb all of the calories in these foods. In other words, your body can use the almonds as efficient energy. The white bread? Not so much.
Thirdly, these two foods have very different effects on your appetite and feeling of satisfaction. Protein generally reduces appetite more per calorie than fat and carbohydrates. Two hundred calories of protein-rich almonds are likely to fill you up better, and for longer, than 200 calories of white bread.It is also important to understand that zero or low-calorie food and drinks do not necessarily equate to weight loss – this is a common misconception that needs to be broken. In fact, studies have shown that regular consumption of "calorie-free" artificial sweeteners can actually contribute to weight gain. According to a studypublished in the journal Obesity in 2008, people who regularly eat artificial sweeteners in diet drinks and other low-calorie products are more likely to gain weight. Why? Partially, because gram for gram these sweeteners can be up to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar, increasing sweet cravings that lead you to eat more overall.

So what can we learn from all of this? Mostly, that we should not view food as a collection of calories. Not only does it take away any sort of enjoyment away from eating, but it is also a highly ineffective and unhealthy way of approaching our diet. Instead, we should aim to reduce our intake of processed, carbohydrate-rich foods, and increase the amount of protein, fibre and healthy fats. Less focus on numbers, and more on eating real food.

Shoebox Project Niagara provides hope to women in need

Shoebox Project Niagara Co-ordinator Alison Earl is asking residents to fill boxes with personal items for women in need. The boxes can be dropped off at several local businesses and will be distributed to the Women's Place of South Niagara and Gillian's Place. Sarah Ferguson/Fort Erie Times/QMI Agency Niagara
(Photo: formal dresses for women) A few luxuries such as makeup, soap, or scented lotions can help a woman feel special during a difficult time in her life.
As the holiday season approaches, Crystal Beach resident Alison Earl would like to brighten the spirits of women in need. For the second year, Earl is organizing a collection of shoeboxes filled with a variety of items including gloves, hats, scarves, chocolate, hair brushes and phone cards.
The fundraiser is part of the Shoebox Project, a non-profit initiative that collects small gifts and gives them to women living in shelters. The boxes collected by Earl will be distributed to Women’s Place of South Niagara in Welland and Gillian’s Place in St. Catharines.
“Last year, the support from the community was amazing. I needed about 50 shoe boxes and I ended up with 78 boxes.”
Because the response from the community was so great last year, “It meant that the outreach programs offered by the shelters were given shoeboxes to give to women in need outside of the shelter.”
“This year, I am hoping to have enough boxes so I am able to donate some to the YMCA,” Earl said.
The Niagara Shoebox Project appears to be “resonating with people.”
“People really like it, women like it. It’s fun to shop for someone else at Christmas and it’s not a huge cost but it does have a big impact on the community,” Earl said.
The Shoebox Project for Shelters began in 2011 when Caroline, Jessica, Vanessa and Katy Mulroney made it their mission to collect and distribute gifts packaged in shoeboxes to women in shelters across Canada to raise awareness about the risks women and face that can lead to homelessness.
The project delivered about $500,000 worth of gifts to 10,000 women at about 200 emergency and transitional shelters in 26 communities across Canada.
Earl is hoping members of the community will fill a shoebox with at least $50 word of items. If there is any question about what to fill a box with, Earl recommends to “think about all of the things you as a woman have touched in the last 72 hours.”
Donations of items will be collected until Dec. 14 and the items will be distributed to the shelters on Dec. 19.
Drop off locations:
Yoga Joy, 395 Derby Rd., Crystal Beach
Boggio and Edwards Pharmacy, 307 Ridge Rd., Ridgeway
F8 Hair Salon, 31 Jarvis St., Fort Erie
Dr. Ordinario, 1138 Garrison Rd., Fort Erie.
Boggio Pharmacy, 200 Catharine St., Port Colborne
Boggio and MacKinnon Pharmacy, 6680 Drummond Rd., Niagara Falls

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