Blog - ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC

Posted November 27th, 2020 by ALLEGRA & filed under Community Health, Education, Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Professional Development.

The word Research imposed over colered puzzle pieces

We live in interesting times when “experts” provide us with information about virtually every aspect of our lives—the foods we eat, how we should sleep, what we can do about climate change, and what public health guidelines we should follow. Many people use the term “…it’s a fact,” or “it’s based on science” when they are trying to prove a point. While most individuals do not consider where the information they receive comes from, in these days of “fake” claims, being able to understand where “facts” are obtained and understanding why science matters is vital to our health and the health of the world around us.… Read more »

Posted November 9th, 2020 by ALLEGRA & filed under Holistic and Integrative Health, Management and Leadership, Mindfulness, Professional Development, Uncategorized.

Watercolor splashes with the word Compassion written

Mindful communication means listening and speaking with intention, compassion, and awareness. It means being present. Intimate, complex, and necessary for our very survival, mindful communication can profoundly affect our overall health and wellness. Mindful communication not only transmits information, it helps us relate to each other as human beings in a context of relationships, cultures, families, organizations, and nations. What we say, how we say it, and what we mean are important and can be life changing.

To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else.

Posted October 12th, 2020 by ALLEGRA & filed under Mental Health, Stress Management, Wellness.

For most of us, the last 12 months have been harrowing. While the global COVID-19 pandemic has been deadly for tens of thousands across the globe, the simultaneous impacts of climate change have rocked many to their core. The United States has experienced thousands of devastating wildfires, catastrophic flooding, and the hottest temperatures ever recorded. Australians saw horrific wildfires destroy thousands of acres of bushland and kill an estimated half a billion animals. Many people have lost their lives, homes, neighborhoods, and livelihood.… Read more »

Posted July 3rd, 2020 by ALLEGRA & filed under Community Health, Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Wellness.

Since the first signs of the new respiratory virus called 2019 Novel Coronavirus (which causes COVID-19) made headlines in December 2019, the world has experienced its fifth pandemic after the 1918 flu pandemic. Originally traced to a wet market in Wuhan City, China, the virus has now (as of this writing) infected over 9 million individuals in over 213 countries and territories around the world. More than 480,000 people have died (Liu, Kuo, & Shih, 2020; Worldometers, 2020).

There are reports of asymptomatic infections (detection of the virus with no development of symptoms) and pre-symptomatic infections (detection of the virus prior to the development of symptoms) but their role in transmission is not yet known.… Read more »

Posted June 12th, 2020 by ALLEGRA & filed under Food, Nutrition, and Health, Meditation, Men's Health, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Wellness, Women's Health.

Self-care is one of the most important things we can do, and it is also one of the easiest things to forget to do or put aside in favor of tending to others or when responding to challenges. Yet compassionate self-care is vitally important to our health. It is not difficult. It just involves small habits that, when done regularly, can greatly enhance our body, mind, and spirit. When we care effectively for ourselves, we benefit and so do others in our life.… Read more »

Posted December 2nd, 2019 by ALLEGRA & filed under Behavioral Health, Brain Health, Integrative Mental Health, Mental Health, Stress Management, Violence Prevention and Awareness.

Laurie struggled with anxiety for most of her life. She was frightened in school, felt pressured to get high grades and go to college, and began drinking and using drugs while in high school. She attempted suicide her first year in college, at a time when she felt especially alone.

Each and every day across the world, between 800,000 and 1 million people die by suicide—one every 40 seconds. In the United States, that number is approximately 45,000—one every 12 minutes.… Read more »

Posted November 15th, 2019 by ALLEGRA & filed under Cultural Competency, Violence Prevention and Awareness, Wellness, Women's Health.

Now more than ever, it is critical for all individuals to stand up and advocate for women and the environment. Imagine a world where the earth is cared for and there are no toxic chemicals in our homes, communities, or our environment. This vision is possible to achieve. We must act now if we are to create a planet where it is safe to live, work, and play and where all beings have a chance to thrive.

Women play a critical role in managing the resources of their family and their community.… Read more »

Posted September 11th, 2019 by ALLEGRA & filed under Cultural Competency, Education, Healthy Aging, Mental Health, Spirituality, Health, and Healing.

Sad polar bear on dwindling chunk of ice, with trash in the water

Ecological grief describes individuals who experience deep emotions related to loss of the environment and nonhuman life, loss related to the degradation of landscapes and ecosystems, and loss of cultures, livelihoods, and ways of life. Ecological grief also involves the experience of anticipatory grief for what is likely to come with continued climatic and environmental changes (Cunsolo & Landman, 2017).

Last October, the United Nations released its report on climate change. In it, the U. N. warned that without “unprecedented action,” catastrophic conditions could arrive by 2040 or earlier.… Read more »

Posted August 12th, 2019 by ALLEGRA & filed under Brain Health, Men's Health, Stress Management, Wellness, Women's Health.

“…There never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them…”

–From “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce

Many of us think that material possessions and symbols of affluence (such as designer clothes, expensive cars, etc.) are great predictors of well-being and happiness. There is, however, another type of affluence that is a much better predictor of how happy and content we are. It is called time affluence. Time affluence is the feeling that we have enough time to pursue activities that are personally meaningful, to reflect, and to engage in leisure activities that we enjoy.… Read more »

Posted March 8th, 2019 by ALLEGRA & filed under Education, Food, Nutrition, and Health, Wellness.

Grassland turning in to barrens, illustrating climate change

All human societies have had to adapt to challenges created by climate change. No matter where people live, how they earn a living, what they eat, or how they access food and water, human health and well-being has been intricately connected to climate. The connection between protecting the natural environment and safeguarding human health has been recognized for a long time.

While shifts in climate have occurred throughout history, these changes have occurred very slowly and gradually, allowing humans and other life on earth to adapt.… Read more »