(Family Features) For those with asthma, understanding what can trigger symptoms is a part of getting the condition under control. Some of the same things that cause allergies can worsen symptoms, but not every allergen is a trigger for everyone with asthma. The places where you live, learn, work and play can expose you to common asthma triggers like pet dander, dust mites, pests like rodents and cockroaches, mold, cigarette smoke, pollen, air pollution and more. Managing triggers is just one part of controlling asthma, however. Work with your health care provider to make an asthma action plan and keep track of your symptoms and where you are when they occur. Learn more at nhlbi.nih.gov/BreatheBetter.

SOURCE:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.

https://stmdailynews.com/

Mental Health

(Family Features) People with outward appearances of success, productivity and happiness often still deal with internal struggles. Mental health challenges continue to affect Americans, with nearly 3 of 4 (73%) U.S. adults reporting struggles with mental health in 2023.

These findings come from a mental health survey commissioned by RedBox Rx, a telehealth and online pharmacy provider, and conducted by Morning Consult.

“Mental health remains a struggle for many Americans,” said Dr. Daniel Fick, RedBox Rx’s chief medical officer. “The findings from this study demonstrate more resources and support are needed to help individuals manage their mental health, especially younger adults. We are focused on fulfilling this need by offering easy-to-access, affordable, discreet and convenient telehealth care and treatment for those struggling with mental health.”

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, consider these mental health trends identified in the survey:

1. Younger Generations are More Likely to Report Mental Health Struggles, Worsening Mental Health
Gen Zers and Millennials are more likely to report having mental health struggles and more likely to say those struggles worsened in the past year. In fact, 41% of Gen Zers and 36% of Millennials reported more mental health struggles in the past year compared with 21% of adults ages 45 and older.

2. Specific Life Events Affect People Differently
Some life events appear to affect people differently. For example, getting divorced or separated and becoming pregnant or having a child are linked with both worsening and improving mental health. Getting engaged or married and using a dating app are equally likely to be linked with both positive and negative impacts on mental health.

3. Younger Generations Endure Life Events Linked with Worsening Mental Health
Gen Zers and Millennials more frequently experience life events having the strongest links to worsening mental health. They more commonly report loneliness and a failure to achieve life goals, stressors also linked to worsening mental health. For example, 53% of Gen Zers reported feelings of loneliness and 52% shared feelings of failure to achieve life goals, compared with 39% and 34%, respectively, of all adults sampled.

The research also found recent life experiences, whether relational or personal, are linked to the state of one’s mental health. Those suffering from worsening mental health were more likely to have experienced:

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• Being a victim of verbal or emotional abuse
• Being a victim of physical violence
• The lack of a healthy home environment
• The lack of a healthy work environment
• Attending college or university
• The breakdown in a relationship with a close family member

According to the study, if you’ve experienced verbal or emotional abuse – which is 12% more prevalent among Gen Zers – you are more than twice as likely to report worsening mental health.

4. Despite Mental Health Struggles, Most Americans Aren’t Seeking Professional Care
Even though mental health struggles are widespread among American adults, more than 6 out of 10 (63%) with consistent or worsening mental health struggles have not sought professional care, such as therapy or medications, in the past year.

Those not seeking care tend to downplay their situations or cite the cost of care as a barrier. Through its discreet, low-cost service model, RedBox Rx’s online platform makes it easy for patients to quickly schedule telehealth visits and privately meet with licensed medical providers to get help with treating a variety of mental health conditions including anxiety and depression, adult ADHD and insomnia.

“Telehealth offers an effective and convenient way for patients to easily access care for mental health conditions,” Fick said.

To view the full report, access infographics from the study and find more information about mental health therapy and medical treatments, visit RedBoxRx.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (woman using tablet)

SOURCE:
RedBox Rx

STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.

https://stmdailynews.com/

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(Family Features) Embrace the color and flavor of tradition this holiday season with new twists on red velvet desserts. These variations on the classic cake can take your celebrations to new heights by throwing it back to childhood with a little bite of the past.

Traditional Holiday Ideas

Take a trip down memory lane with “Cookin’ Savvy” and her delicious takes on tradition: Red Velvet Bundt Cake, Red Velvet Cake Balls and Red Velvet Cookie Cutouts, all of which make it easy for the entire family to join together for some fun (and rich homemade flavor) in the kitchen.

Find more “Cookin’ Savvy” recipes at Culinary.net.

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”

• 1 red velvet cake mix
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick melted butter

Frosting:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• white sanding sugar (optional)

1. In mixing bowl, mix cake mix, flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend in milk, eggs and butter.
2. Grease bundt pan with butter and pour in batter. Bake according to package instructions for bundt cakes then add 10-15 minutes. Let cool before icing.
3. To make frosting: In bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Slowly blend in powdered sugar.
4. Ice entire bundt cake or place frosting in piping bag and pipe with back and forth “drip” motion. Sprinkle sanding sugar for sparkly snow appearance, if desired.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”

• 1 red velvet cake mix
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick melted butter

Frosting:

• 1/2 stick softened butter
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1/8 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, plus additional for rolling, divided

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. In mixing bowl, mix cake mix, flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend in milk, eggs and butter.
3. Grease 9-by-13-inch pan and pour in batter. Bake 45 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and use fork to crumble cake then place in large bowl.
5. To make frosting: In bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Slowly blend in powdered sugar. Mix frosting into bowl with cake.
6. Form cake mixture into balls then roll in powdered sugar.

Red Velvet Cookie Cutouts

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”

• 1 red velvet cake mix
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 stick melted butter

Frosting:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 1 package (8 ounces) softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• white sanding sugar (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. In mixing bowl, mix cake mix, flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend in milk, eggs and butter.
3. Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Pour half the mixture onto each sheet. Bake 25-30 minutes.
4. Let cookies cool then freeze 1 hour. Use cookie cutters to make desired shapes.
5. To make frosting: In bowl, mix butter, cream cheese and whipping cream. Slowly blend in powdered sugar.
6. Using knife or piping bag, frost cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar for sparkly snow appearance, if desired.

SOURCE:
Culinary.net

At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.

Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.

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