National Blueberry Month

Yummy! July marks National Blueberry Month!

(Image found at: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2W0tvEjsp-thVzIGhwZv3VQxar2NFBh_lHuS1h7NNTutATiCEmbU1W9yaR9kLWLZw_HfLd4WWh9PfRglrzn7Gtfeintj0zB0NEQrv-ss1_bJu68M9gz9Rl5rRfpxYlZhJiDQdJm5VP59/s1600/blueberries.jpg)

National Blueberry Month was designated in 2003 by the United States Department of Agriculture. 

As you can see from the official Proclamation of the month-long celebration, blueberries are found in many States, and have produced (no pun intended) a significant industry. Blueberries are in such high-demand there's even a North American Blueberry Council! I mean, who can blame them? Blueberries are one of my favourite fruits. I have many memories both from my childhood, and early adult years picking blueberries (although not in the U.S.). There's just something so satisfying about it all! But, what makes blueberries so great? Well...

• The are native to North America, but now grow in many areas globally.
• They are loaded full of antioxidants, and other important nutrients.
• They are believed to have tremendous positive impacts on both the nervous system and overall brain health (including memory retention).
• They are one of the best foods for diabetics, due to their naturally occurring levels of low sugar.
• They are good for eyesight.
• They are one of the foods that are naturally blue (hence the name blue-berry!).
• They are one of only a few foods that do not need to be prepared, peeled, pitted, or hulled.
• They are the official berry of Nova Scotia, Canada (my home province!!).
• They are good in muffins, pancakes, salads, jam, and on their own!

(Image found at: http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQX3r995doRwPFEIuiIKRTQxuYhObqgc6X3AMEy4WGrzk_r2yrk)

(Image found at: http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRM5O6bEa3MUH3D-dKNwWSjlGH4AG7ojKVsyLxCBlWJmulQkNw_Zg)

(Image found at: http://www.theprovince.com/cms/binary/8595024.jpg)

(Image found at: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/blueberry-jam-2-550.jpg)

What other reasons do you actually need? I mean just look at how beautiful they are!

(Image found at: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/PattsBlueberries.jpg/800px-PattsBlueberries.jpg)

So, eat up, folks! Mash as many of these delightful little fruits into your mouth while you can! It's blueberry time! 

Information for this post was found using the following sites: http://www.nabcblues.org/, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8, http://www.2020site.org/fun-facts/Blueberry-Fun-Facts.html, http://www.freshforkids.com.au/fruit_pages/blueberry/blueberry.html

Anti-Boredom Month

So the first theme of July is Anti-Bordom Month! Hmmm... considering my boredom is been removed by my completing this post, I think, is fitting!  

What is boredom, anyway? Well, boredom can be defined as "an emotional state experienced when an individual is left without anything in particular to do, and not interested in their surroundings." Apparently there are three known types of boredom: 

1. Prevention from engaging in an activity we want to  

2. Being forced to participate in an activity we don't want to 

3. An inability to maintain engagement in a particular activity, for whatever reason 

Interestingly, 'cures' for boredom include sleeping and thinking creatively, or daydreaming. (I must be bored a lot, because I daydream constantly...) Another cure for boredom is to try something new! When we find ourselves in routine, it makes it difficult to find motivation to continue with the activity in question. However, if we can switch things up a bit, it can renew a sense of excitement, and thus, remove our boredom! 

Listen, there are countless ways to remove the boredom from our lives, but this is something that is personal and that varies from person to person! I like to watch a movie, read, or go for a drive. I also like to sleep. The point is, everyone's different. So, this month, I challenge you to find new ways to remove the boredom from your life! 

Here's a fun anti-boredom campaign commercial!

Note: We do not recommend you try this 'cure' for boredom, despite how much fun it looks like it would be. 

June Monthly Poll

The end of the month is here! Vote on the June Monthly Poll by clicking here! Remember the Poll is opened until the end of the following month (July). Results will be released (hopefully) soon after! 

Potty Training Awareness Month

Oh Potty Training Awareness Month! Where have you been all my life?! 

…does anyone else find it odd that we need a whole month to become aware of potty training?!  

Well, apparently potty training is a difficult thing to do…both as trainer and trainee. To be honest, I have never been in the trainer position, and I don’t remember my trainee days, but since I can successfully use the toilet, I’d say I did alright! 

Look, I get it, having to show the many little peanuts how to use a bathroom is pretty difficult. I’ve heard of an array of nifty tricks, such as the use of Cheerios as “target practice” for boys. The thing is, and I’m pretty sure this is not the aim of Potty Training Awareness Month, this is actually a luxury that we take for granted. Not everyone has access to a toilet, and therefore we should probably take a minute to appreciate how lucky we are to have the facilities and the parents/caregivers with enough patience and free time to show us the way. In fact, this is actually a pretty big sharing of knowledge when you really think about it. So, congrats to everyone who has successfully completed training, and an even bigger congrats to those of you who have provided training!

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

Yum! June marks National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, and I gotta tell ya, I’m pretty excited about this one!

(Image found at: http://foodarc.ca/blog/3137/)

For the past three years (this is my first summer away), I have been living in the greatest area for producing fruit in vegetables in Canada. Nova Scotia’s valley is the birthplace of endless supplies of fruits and veggies, from apples to carrots to Brussels to peaches and strawberries and squash and cukes and kale and tomatoes and, well, I could go on for a while here. The point is, fresh fruit and vegetables are pretty much the greatest things ever. Don’t believe me? Try living in a place where you can pretty much wake up, walk for ten minutes and have all of these amazing things freshly picked in your hands! It’s pretty wonderful! Plus, the benefits of eating these tasty items are another reason why they’re so good. You get lots of nutrients, vitamins, and just the plain ‘ol joy of happiness when you eat them.

(Image found at: http://growingnovascotia.ca/opportunity-profiles/horticulture-industry)

This month, I challenge you to try a new fruit or veg each day! There’s so many to choose from, and many even have multiple varieties, so you have no excuse to not take me up on this! Eat up, my friends!

National Drive Safe Month/National Safety Month

June is home to National Drive Safe Month AND Nation Safety Month. Perhaps this is because the weather starts to get nicer at this time of year, and so we become a little bit reckless. 

Interestingly, when I looked up the history of National Drive Safe Month, the only results I found relating to the theme were “teen safe driving tips.” This, to an extent, I can understand, but I think it’s awfully naïve of anyone to assume they are the only unsafe drivers. From my own experience, it’s those of us who have been away from drivers-ed for an extended period of time that are the most reckless. However, I have also witnessed my fair share of “invincible” teen drivers. I just think it’s important to recognize that we all have moments; no one is exempt from this!  

Now, aside from driving safe, we should just be safe in general, hence National Safety Month. According to the National Safety Council, the purpose of this theme is to “bring attention to key safety issues.” The theme for this year is “Safety: It takes all of us.” This basically surrounds ideas of risk reduction from preventing drug abuse, to “slips, trips and falls,” to the Council’s bonus theme of summer safety tips! This by no means suggests we need to wrap ourselves in bubble wrap, but, it does attempt to make us aware of our actions in relation to the level of risk involved. So…just be safe, okay?

National Great Outdoors Month

Ah! What a great way to start the month of June – a celebration of the great outdoors! That’s right, June marks National Great Outdoors Month! 

(Image found at: http://home.messiah.edu/~js1690/)

There are many benefits to enjoying nature and well, just life in general, outside of four walls and a ceiling! For one, it can reduce stress, which can lead to a decrease in adverse health effects. The reduction in mental stress alone is worth the trip outside. There’s something about the smell of fresh air that calms me, and I would like to assume it has the same effect on others. It usually leads to higher levels of activity, as many use the outdoors as an outdoor gym! And why not – it’s free! The outdoors, if used during the daytime, comes with an added bonus – sunshine! Sunshine provides us with Vitamin D, which helps decrease the chances of a number of diseases, as well as boosting our moods! 

These factors, I should hope, are enough to convince you to drop what you’re doing right now (I mean…finish reading the blog!) and head outdoors! Get out there and go for a walk, play some Frisbee, do some push-ups, whatever – just go outside and enjoy the world around you! 

Not to be confused with: 

(Image found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Outdoors_(film))