It’s already clear that modern students are familiar with and eager to use existing and emerging technology. As teachers, this brings up a lot of exciting chances for teachers to integrate their teaching methods with specific forms of technology. Along the way, teachers may find that their jobs are at least a little bit easier, and students may be more engaged in the learning process. Are there other benefits as well?

Increased Student Engagement

Before moving on to a few of the many benefits of bringing technology into the classroom, take a closer look at how student engagement is improved. One great example of this is the variety of tools that allow teachers to ask a question and receive answers from every student in the class and, in some cases, even students who aren’t in the physical classroom. Similarly, students can ask questions without posing them in front of the rest of the class and receive answers from the teacher.

Improved Retention of Information

Interactive presentations are visually appealing and capture the interest of students who are used to speedy clips of information. These presentations may include virtual field trips to art museums, underground caves, magnificent examples of architecture, courtrooms, music halls, and scientific laboratories. In addition to field trips, this technology makes it possible for biology teachers to take students deep into the human body and for astronomy teachers to give students glimpses of outer space. When students are interested and engaged in the learning process, they are more likely to remember what they’ve learned.

Preparation for Use of Technology

At least one of the goals of education is to prepare students for entering the workforce. In today’s environment, familiarity with and comfort using technology is a must. Students must be prepared to put together presentations, understand and send emails, practice appropriate online etiquette, fill out forms, and recognize reliable sources of online information. Experienced teachers may find that they are learning along with students when it comes to these skills.

Logistical Convenience and Time Savings

Online word processing programs allow teachers to receive student papers without worrying about the assignments getting lost or students leaving their names off the pages. Instead of writing notes on the chalkboard for students to copy, notes can be sent directly to students. Teachers could also choose to lecture while students type notes directly into their computers. Assigning and correcting assessments is also simpler when delivered online. Digital records of student performance can also help a teacher show parents the progression of their students’ efforts and results.

For many teachers, one of the most impressive benefits of modern technology is the chance to work with students individually, so they can learn at their own paces. There are so many ways for students to learn that teachers are often required to present information in a variety of formats. Modern tools and resources offer solutions for this challenge.

Better Use of Teachers’ Time

Of course, teachers’ time is extremely valuable. With so many hours spent at the front of the classroom, it’s hard for teachers to find enough time to correct assignments, prepare new information, and engage in their own continuing education. With modern tools that simplify tasks such as preparing grades and creating presentations, teachers have more time to devote to related, outside of class activities. 

The internet and related technology have drastically changed the ways people teach and learn. As emerging generations of students are already engaging in the use of technology, it’s crucial that teachers keep pace. The benefits of using modern tools include better results, increased retention (and scores), time savings, and more convenience for teachers. Are you already using modern technology in your classroom? What benefits have you experienced?

Diet trends come and go. You can’t miss them on the front pages of grocery store magazines and Google. You may have seen the story of a Massachusetts doctor that shed an impressive 125 pounds over the course of 18 months. Dr. Kevin Gendreau had life-changing results and attributes his success to the 16:8 intermittent fasting diet.

The 16:8 diet is a time-restricted fast that requires participants to fast for 16 hours a day, but then feed on whole foods the remainder of the time. It is always important to consult a doctor before starting any intermittent fasting regime. It is especially true for individuals with diabetes and is ill-advised for expecting mothers or women that are planning on getting pregnant. Keep in mind that there are other intermittent fasting plans that don’t limit you as much as the 16:8, and may be easier on your body type and fitness level.

Another success story was the case of beauty influencer Janelle Wright, who lost an awe-inspiring 65 pounds in 6 months. These success stories are growing in numbers, which has other hopefuls adopting intermittent fasting as the holy grail of diets.

Americans are obsessed with diet and exercise crazes. And why wouldn’t they be? Many of us are at least “overfat,” and there is nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel better or have a flatter tummy or firmer biceps. Only trouble is, the vast majority of people refuse to grasp the reality that these trends may not be good for their health.

Not all diets or exercise routines are created equal. There is no magic pill or ten-minute workout that will transform you overnight. A healthy and balanced physique takes time and an acute understanding of what your individual body needs. Your body and biology is entirely unique. While a plant-based diet or circuit training may work wonderfully for the person on the treadmill next to you, it doesn’t mean that it is what’s best for your genetic makeup or build.

Personal biology aside, women and men should have slightly different diets and fitness routines. It goes without saying that men are hormonally different from women, and are genetically keyed to respond differently to certain exercises and nutritional plans.

Fasting – A Tale as Old as Time

Different ritualistic styles of fasting have been practiced for millennia. Both Gautama Buddha, Pythagoras and Confucius were hip to fasting. It is rarely known that they were all contemporaries, and it is even rumored that Pythagoras traveled a great distance to meet with Buddha. Imagine that swapping of wisdoms.

They all lived long lives, with Buddha passing at around 80 years of age. That is quite the feat of longevity considering life expectancy in 400 B.C. was 35. So what did these wise men understand about fasting that made them embrace it as a discipline?

Fasting was mostly a spiritual pursuit that was said to cleanse the body and clear the mind and spirit. It was only until the 14th century that fasting took on a more medicinal purpose. Renaissance doctor Paracelsus coined fasting as the “physician within.”

Whether you subscribe to fasting for the sake of weight loss, religious or meditative purposes, fasting is a practice that has merit. But how beneficial is this new-age spin on fasting for our long-term health?

The Long and Short of IF

Let’s begin with the more promising and less confusing benefits of intermittent fasting (IF). Studies are rolling out new findings on intermittent fasting daily because of its popularity. The great news is, most of it is positive.

Basically, the act of fasting temporarily rewires your body to pull energy from stored fat supplies, rather than what is readily available in your stomach or gut. Hibernation could be considered an act of fasting, but in this instance the participant is active and awake. Hibernating mammals survive almost entirely on stored fat supplies while they hunker down for long periods of time.

Several things take place when you fast. Intermittent fasting modifies the function of cells, genes and hormones. Your body, being the cleverly crafted enigma that it is, signals for a cellular repair response and begins changing hormone levels to make stored fat more accessible. That is another reason why women should be cautious of intermittent fasting. Hormone levels change dramatically during fasting. This may not be ideal for some female candidates, depending on age and overall fitness level.

Certainly not recommended for expecting moms.

You can count on a few things happening when you are intermittently fasting.

• Insulin levels significantly drop. Which triggers the fat burning phase of fasting.
• When intermittently fasting, the human growth hormone kicks into overdrive and skyrockets to as much as 5 times its normal presence. This hormone promotes muscle gain as well as fat burning.

• Cellular repair might be one of the most astonishing occurrences to happen during intermittent fasting. Your body induces the cellular repair process and begins to actually remove waste material from cells.
• If cellular detoxification didn’t dazzle you, fasting also changes genes and molecules that are responsible for longevity and your body’s ability to fight off disease.

Understanding & Establishing Healthy Eating Habits

Nowadays it seems that most foods are designed to work against us, even if we have the best intentions. Fast foods, processed ‘diet’ foods and sugary juice cleanses are all conspiring to confuse us and derail our minds from understanding what a healthy diet looks like. Simply put, we all should be eating more vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Whole foods are at the very center of a balanced diet. Just because you’ve decided to pick up intermittent fasting as a way to drop extra weight, doesn’t mean that you should continue to eat high carbohydrate meals or overdo it on the refined grains when you are eating. Always steer clear of processed sugar like energy drinks and sodas. Swap them all out with water. Water is your friend.

Fasting does sound rather extreme if you’ve never tried it before, but there could be an easier approach.

How do you get the benefits of intermittent fasting without the strict regimented guidelines?

Well to start, don’t eat late into the night. This is an avoidable bad habit.

Fasting doesn’t have to be a labor intensive drag. It really boils down to using your better judgement and applying a little discipline to your routine. Consider the times of the day you are most active and eat within that time frame.

Eat whole fruits, vegetables and grains during the times you are not fasting. Drink plenty of water, and you may even want to take short walks after meals. Set a time to stop eating in the early evening and stick to it! If you are most active between the hours of 7AM-5PM, whittle out a block of time before 5PM to get all your nutrients in and adhere to that timeline. It is best to space your meals out and not have your full calorie allowance in one sitting.  

All signs mostly point to intermittent fasting being a productive way to rewire the body to burn fat in a different way. Find a version of fasting that works for you, your body and schedule. There is no point in starting a fasting routine if you are unable to practically accomplish it.

Proceed with Cautious Optimism

Many of us are searching Google for information on intermittent fasting for the sake of weight loss. But it is extremely important to be acutely aware of your body, your goals and how the strain of fasting will impact your overall health. With all of these astonishing biological occurrences flitting about, it is easy to get overly sold on the idea of intermittent fasting to drop some winter weight.

It is important to reiterate one glaring truth. Intermittent fasting isn’t a foolproof science. It affects everyone differently, and the long term research hasn’t yet surfaced to concretely say that fasting is beneficial or detrimental to the modern human body. Some medical professionals warn against the strain fasting has on the heart and other organs. While there have been studies, we are still existing in that gray area.

One of the pitfalls that most people tend to overlook when beginning intermittent fasting is overeating during the feeding cycle. This varies for everyone though. Just because you fasted earlier, doesn’t mean you go heavy on the sauce, so to speak. The purpose of intermittent fasting is to trigger biological shifts in the body and to burn fat reserves. By over consuming during times when you aren’t fasting, you are putting added strain on your system and defeating the purpose of fasting in the first place.

Women should be especially cautious when engaging in intermittent fasting. Because of the significant fluctuations in hormone levels, some women have complained of missed periods, moodiness and even early onset menopause. Hormones that are regulating important functions like ovulation are hypersensitive to energy intake. To be on the safe side, contact a qualified healthcare professional before moving forward with any drastic weight loss regime.

For the time being it looks as if intermittent fasting is here to stay. And it does work wonderfully in the short-term for many people. Just remember to be aware of any negative shifts in mood, sleep patterns, fatigue and don’t overeat during times when you aren’t fasting. If you stay vigilant and follow a well-balanced diet when you do eat, you should be well on your way to enjoying some mental clarity while also cleansing your body of unneeded fat.

To avoid nutrient deficiencies, remember to eat a plentiful variety of nutrient rich foods and don’t load up on carbs. If you are unsure of what types of nutrients you need more of and which ones you should limit, you can easily take a nutrient test to better understand the wants and needs of your body.

If you’re looking for a great profession with a recession-proof demand and upward mobility for those dedicated to education and professional development, there are a lot of opportunities in the medical field. For many, nursing represents one of the most accessible careers in the field, because nurses are always in demand and the wide range of roles they play provides graduates from Grand Canyon University Nursing with a broad selection of career opportunities when they get into the workforce.

Continuing Education and Advancement

While you can get into the profession with a two-year training program and degree, nursing involves a depth of medical understanding that relies on the continuing education of nurses. For some, that just means staying on top of the professional development that keeps you up to date on protocols and best practices. For others, it means crafting a degree path that opens up opportunities for teaching, greater managerial responsibilities, or even an eventual role as an independent nurse practitioner. The upward mobility of the career means you can not only carve your own path through the profession, but you can also rise to any level you wish with the right ambition and timing.

A Career That Matters

From nurses who care for the seriously ill in hospital and residential settings to those who help with outpatient procedures and maintenance treatments for the chronically ill, nurses are responsible for helping patients access the care they need at every level. They are often the primary point of contact between patients and medical institutions during stays, and they also provide doctors with important information about the development of a patient’s individual case. It doesn’t matter if that case is minor recovery after a procedure or an ongoing fight for health, your career matters. So does the place you go for training.

Features of a Great Nursing Program

With all the options for your education and career training, you need to know how to tell the best of the offerings from the rest. Here are the key features of a well-designed program you should look for when picking out the schools you want to apply to.

• Continuing education for those seeking advanced degrees in nursing
• Career placement in the community
• Accessible locations to your home and the community you want to work in
• Experiential learning opportunities at all levels

Grand Canyon University nursing professionals find themselves well-prepared for the various roles they take up because they know to seek out a program that allows them to reach their dreams through education, support, and professional mentoring. Whether you’re looking for a program in the area or seeking one in a community elsewhere in the country, the model for a good nursing program remains the same.

Keep Searching for Your Best Fit

Not every program is suited to every applicant. Some great schools only offer very traditional schedules for those pursuing a full-time degree. Others specialize in fitting the program to your schedule, allowing you to keep your current career active until you’re ready to make the switch into nursing. It’s all a matter of what fits your life right now. If you’re trying to figure out whether a program is going to work for your schedule and lifestyle, you need to develop questions to ask when you query for more details. Keep these in mind as you search:

• How flexible is the scheduling?
• What internship opportunities are available?
• What experiential learning opportunities are there beside the mandatory hands-on classes?
• Which employers draw from the applicant pool?
• Are there any specializations the school excels with? Are they the ones you want?

There’s no replacement for having the right information when you apply, but you need to start with the right questions. Begin your search today.