Q: Processed and pre-packed foods that contain many ingredients that can be inflammatory. There are also ingredients that are added to foods during processing that can cause inflammation. Focus on foods that are unprocessed and not packaged. Try shopping on the outer perimeter of the grocery store so you can avoid packaged foods like instant noodles, cookies, bottled sauces and cooking mixes. The more food you can prepare and cook yourself from scratch, the less processed and pre-packed ingredients you will consume. Whole foods are processed and refined as little as possible and should not cause inflammation. Check the labels of foods at the grocery store to confirm they contain very few basic ingredients and the ingredients are all natural. Foods that do not contain additives or preservatives should not cause inflammation. Check food labels and the listed ingredients on food items to ensure there are no additives or preservatives. Rather than have a meal with white rice or refined pasta, go for a meal with brown rice and whole grains like quinoa or couscous. You may want to read up on how to make quinoa properly and how to prepare brown rice.
A: Look for unprocessed foods. Go for fresh, whole foods. Select foods with no additives or preservatives. Have brown rice and whole grains.

Q: Avoid ruminating, or dwelling, on your situation too much, which can make you feel worse by making you feel stuck in a negative cycle. Rumination can prevent you from thinking effectively and problem solving. It also has a strong link to depression. If you find yourself stuck in a certain pattern of thinking, try distracting yourself with other activities or thinking about things that are in your immediate surroundings. For example, look around you and notice the lighting, or buildings on your way to work. Try to refocus your thoughts on what you can change or influence. This can remind you that you're in control of your situation and your own happiness. Reframing is a term counselors use to get you to look at your situation in a new light or from a different angle. You might try looking for the silver lining in your situation, remembering what you've learned, or finding humor in a less than optimal situation. Or, if you are just in an odd mood and feel grumpy, you can remind yourself that not everyday is a cheery day and that tomorrow will be better. For example, if you’re sad after a breakup, you might remind yourself that although the end of the relationship has been painful, you learned a lot about yourself through the process. Gratitude is an attitude, a moral outlook, or even a daily practice that shows thankfulness. It can also mean showing appreciation and repaying kindness. Try being grateful throughout the day by setting a reminder on your phone. When prompted, take a moment to be thankful for one thing that day. Or, just notice things throughout the day to be grateful for. These can be small things, like finding a close parking spot or seeing a beautiful sunrise. At the end of the day, write down 3 things that you were thankful for that day.  Being grateful can put you in a mood of thankfulness and optimism. Studies have shown that it can also improve your well-being and interpersonal relationships. Studies have also shown that gratitude can make you feel more optimistic about the future and improve your outlook. Set aside time to spend cuddling or petting your dog or cat. Or, spend time with your pet by playing a game, if you prefer being active. Research shows that pets and spending time with pets can alleviate poor moods. In fact, spending time with a pet improved mood just as much as spending time with a loved one or significant other. Not only will cuddling your pet cheer you up, but it can also strengthen your bond with your pet.
A: Stop thinking about your situation. Reframe your situation or mood. Practice gratitude. Cuddle your pet.

Q: Long and short-term goal setting are important skills to learn in order to achieve success in school and in your career. Help your teen to set daily, weekly, and semesterly goals to keep them on track with their school work.   For example, a short-term academic goal may be to raise their history grade from a C to an B this grading period. A long-term goal may be to eliminating C’s from their report card or getting a few A’s in their strongest subjects. Have the teenager write them down and evaluate progress as the semester continues. Teenagers are often motivated by incentives. Brainstorm some possible daily, monthly, or semesterly incentives to help them stay on track with their schoolwork.  Pay them for their report cards. Pay a set dollar amount per A on your teenager’s report card. Offer them a weekly allowance for staying on track with their schoolwork. Treat their schoolwork as a real job. If they do their job, they get paid. Consider extending their weekend curfew as a reward for improved grades on their report card. It is hard for teenagers to understand why they need to learn all of the things that they learn in high school. Many of them can not understand how algebra will help them once they graduate from high school or college. Your job is to make the connections between the school work that they do today and their success in the future. Be prepared to answer questions like, “Why do I need to learn algebra? I don’t want to be a math teacher and no one else uses algebra every day.” Give them clear examples of the algebra that you use every day, like when you pay your bills or do your taxes. Praising your teenager’s work and improvements is a natural response as a parent. However, offering them encouragement instead of praise can often motivate them to continue to do a great job. Offer them encouragement on things that went well and things that need improved upon.  Instead of saying, “Great job on your science fair project!” say something like, “Look at that science project! I can tell that you spent a lot of time making it look so great. Doesn’t it feel good to get such a good grade?”
A:
Help your teen set goals. Give them incentives. Help your teenager see the bigger picture. Offer them encouragement.