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Wednesday, 25 March 2020 12:23

Keeping Spirits High - YouTube Selections

Keeping your spirits bright when life is going along smoothly doesn't seem that hard, but what about when life goes 'off course' and negativity obstructs our path?

As daily routines shift and the world adjusts to a new normal, maintaining a positive attitude is essential in order to keep going. The question then becomes: how do we keep our spirits high in challenging times like these?

Well, we can listen to inspiring people like the ones on the list below! If you're looking for inspiration and motivation, then this selection of YouTube channels will get you thinking. If you're more of a podcast listener, then click here.

Christian Guzman & Heidi Somers: Well, talk about couple-goals! These amazing fitness YouTubers show how they run their successful fitness businesses and share workouts and healthy tips with their viewers. 

Bob & Brad: Physical Therapists Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck offer great advice, tips, and information on how to stay healthy, fit, and pain-free. Together they have over 50 years of experience and knowledge as physical therapists and fitness experts.

The Dave Ramsey Show: Do you want some life-changing financial advice? This show is for you, as it will help you make smart decisions moneywise, learn about budgeting and much more! 

Marie Forleo: If you want to turn your dreams into reality, you’ve come to the right place. Marie Forleo will train your brain to think more creatively and positively in the face of setbacks and help you realize your greatest potential and use your unique talents to change the world.

Luka Hocevar: He is an entrepreneur, author, strength/fitness/business coach. His YouTube channel features great fitness videos and bodyweight exercises that promise real results. 

Ekhart Yoga: With over 3,500 classes in different styles guided by over 40 world-class teachers, this is Europe’s biggest online studio. Get ready for positive change and genuine transformation through different styles of yoga. 

High Intensity Health: This channel features interesting interviews with a variety of different topics, including low-carb (ketogenic) diets, gut bacteria health, sleep, building muscle, and science. 

Mike Thurston: This British guy who moved to Dubai aims to educate, motivate, and help viewers optimize their body composition, whilst making the process as enjoyable and sustainable as possible.

Hanna Oberg: This Swedish fitness YouTuber shares with viewers free workout routines, recipes, fitness advice and much, much more! Also, she just had a baby and shows what parenting it's like. 

Boho Beautiful: Through their Boho Beautiful Yoga Classes, Vegan meal prep/cooking vids, mat-based Pilates or Fitness, and Boho Diaries, these two yogis wander the earth, creating positive content as they go.

Stephanie Buttermore: With a Ph.D. in pathology and cell biology, Stephanie Buttermore mixes science and fitness into all facets of life. Her channel brings informative content to the world of fitness, training, beauty, lifestyle, food challenges and nutrition all with a scientific twist!!

Jeff Nippard: Stephanie Buttermore’s boyfriend is a natural pro bodybuilder and internationally-qualified powerlifter with a BSc in biochemistry. His channel is also dedicated to providing science-based training and nutrition information.

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: The Daily Show is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning program that looks at the day's top headlines through a sharp, reality-based lens. Trevor Noah covers the biggest news stories in politics, pop culture and more.

Pick Up Limes: Foodies, minimalists, travelers, and all views will get inspired or find a calm and relaxing space with the collection of videos that help to nourish the cells and the soul.

All of the recommendations have been ‘tried and tested’ by our friend and contributor Eleni Maria Georgiou. Thank you, Eleni!



About Eleni Maria Georgiou

Eleni Maria Georgiou is an independent writer and publishing professional devoted to creating books that are creative, original, and modern.  

Passionate about Athens and all the city has to offer, for four exciting years, I co-managed XpatAthens. This experience inspired me to write my first book, Eleni’s GREEK PHRASE BOOK: A Beginner's Guide to Greek Culture and the Greek Language in 2018, sparking the birth of Lenacke Press. I continue to write, think about, and publish creative and original books, adding to the Lenacke Press collection

In addition, since 2004, I have been running fixyourenglish.com, a business that provides Editing, Proofreading, and Translation services.

I currently live in Athens, Greece with my husband and two kids. I am fluent in both English and Greek and interested in learning more languages. I like organizing and attending community group events, reading, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, writing, lifting weights, and going hiking.

 

The Museum of Cycladic Art invites guests to explore a series of online activities by visiting the museum's website.
 
Here visitors can gain in-depth insight into the Cycladic, Ancient Greek, and Cypriot cultures. Remember some of the museum's greatest temporary exhibitions through images, videos, and exclusive backstage material. Explore the museum's entire collection. Watch interesting lectures and choose from a variety of e-books to read online. 
 
 
At this time, the museum has a special digital exhibition focused on how therapeutic practices have changed and developed over time. From the dawn of its existence, humanity has struggled to maintain health and searched for the causes of the diseases afflicting us, attributing them sometimes to external factors, such as magic and divine wrath, and sometimes to internal causes, such as an imbalance of the elements of our constitution until we finally established the medical model. Guests can get acquainted with ancient Greek medicine from the comfort of their home and discover medical practices and methods, some of which are still used today, through fascinating documents, artifacts, images, and other great historical sources. See the exhibition here.
 
Below is an Orphic Hymn to Hygieia from the emblematic exhibition Health, Illness, Treatment from Homer to Galen that was presented in 2014, today the Museum of Cycladic Art invites guests to explore the exhibition digitally.

"Queen of all, charming and lovely blooming, 
Blessed Hygieia, mother of all, bringer of prosperity, hear me.
Through you vanish the diseases that afflict men, 
And through you every house blossoms to fullness of joy, 
And the arts thrive; the world desires you, O queen, 
And only soul-destroying Hades ever loathes you. 
Ever youthful, ever beloved, you are a heaven for mortals. 
Apart from you all is without avail for men: 
Wealth, sweet to those feast, and giver of abundance, fails, 
And man never reaches the many pains of old age, 
For you are sole mistress and queen of all. 
But, goddess, come, ever helpful to the initiates, 
And keep away the accursed distress of harsh disease."

With this Orphic Hymn to Hygieia and the emblematic exhibition Health, Illness, Treatment from Homer to Galen that was presented in 2014, the Museum of Cycladic Art invites guests to explore their website for a series of online activities.

This content has been sourced and prepared by Codico Lab.

Tuesday, 24 March 2020 18:20

5 Yoga Exercises To Do At Home

If you are looking for ways to maintain your fitness routine from home, you can start doing yoga from the comfort of your living room!

Doing yoga on a regular basis can be extremely beneficial for your flexibility, help you boost your strength and improve your overall health. If you would like to practice your downward dog from the comfort of your living room, visit Lynn Roulo's youtube channel for some great videos and live sessions.
 
This video includes some simple exercises to get you started!  


Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.

Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start-up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons. She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece.

And so she did. We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.
Mobile phone owners in Greece were startled to hear multiple loud beeps on their mobile phones last week. It was a notification message from the Greek Civil Protection Service to warn citizens about the measures and precautions they should take against the virus. The SMS messages were written in Greek and English.
 
To date, the Greek Civil Protection Service has sent 3 alert messages prompting people to stay at home on the first sign of infection, to abide by the government regulations to avoid putting themselves and others at risk. However, the Civil Protection Service has confirmed that 10% of mobile phone owners did not receive the alerts. Here is how to activate this functionality and begin receiving these messages.
 
How To Activate Citizen Alert Messages On A Smartphone
 
If you haven't been receiving the alert messages on your smartphone, all you need to do is upgrade to the latest version of its operating system and make sure your device is set to receive CB alerts.
 
How To Activate Citizen Alert Messages On A Conventional Mobile Phone
 
If you don't have a smartphone, you can register here or by dialing 112 to receive alerts via one of the 3 following channels:
  • Via Text Messages (SMS). If you don't have a smartphone, you can receive text messages. The message sender will be 112.
  • Via Email. Receive an email that you can read on your cellphone, tablet, or computer. The email sender will be 112.
  • Via Voice Messages. You will receive a phone call on your cellphone or landline number. The caller will be 112112. When you answer the call, you will hear a recorded or text-to-speech voice message

For further information, please visit: 112.gr
Wednesday, 25 March 2020 07:00

March 25th Amid Covid-19 - A Reason To Smile

Although it may feel like our days are all full of depressing events and statistics, that’s not the only picture. There are a lot of pretty amazing things happening in the world too and our friend and contributor Lynn Roulo has shared this list below to give us a wonderful reason to smile on today's special March 25th Greek holiday.
  • The Goo Goo Dolls’ lead singer held a porch concert to help local small businesses impacted by the coronavirus.
  • Formula 1 race car teams work with UK authorities to repurpose their expertise to build ventilators, which are required and in short supply for those with serious cases of COVID-19.
  • Fashion designer Christian Siriano and Dov Charney repurpose their workshops to make face masks and medical gowns.
  • 300 Chinese doctors and 31 tons of medical supplies arrived in Italy from China to help the Italians battle the coronavirus.
  • Spanish police sing to families in lockdown in Mallorca.
  • L’Oreal starts a solidarity initiative and is arming health care, pharmacy, and food distribution workers with hand sanitizer to help fight the coronavirus.
  • Tesla CEO Elon Musk is gearing up to donate 250,000 N95 face masks for hospitals and to begin production of ventilators with the goal of having 1,000 ready by next week. 
To read this article in full, please visit Lynn's website

Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.

Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons. She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.

We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.
Tuesday, 24 March 2020 16:52

The Coronavirus: A Yogic Perspective

The coronavirus (CO-VID19), which originated in 2019 in Wuhan, China, has been spreading globally.

It is a serious threat, less because of the raw numbers involved (as of March 24, 2020, there are more than 423,600 known infected cases with a global population of over 7 billion people) but more because the trajectory is dangerous, the spread is exponential and the growth occurs very quickly.

The virus contained would not have been that big of a deal. The virus spreading is a big deal. It is now clear the virus is spreading far and wide quickly. The main issue is that the hospitals in affected areas don’t have the capacity to treat the huge spike in coronavirus cases. We have already seen this in Italy: people are dying because there are not enough ventilators and other medical resources to keep them alive. This is essentially a timing issue.
 
Yogically, we are trained to make decisions from a place called “neutral mind.” There are three yogic mind centers: positive mind, negative mind, and neutral mind. Ideally, we activate and use all three minds, but the best decisions come from a place of neutrality. This neutrality helps maintain balance.

Below is an overview of these three mind states and how they might influence your decisions relating to the coronavirus.

The Negative (or Protective) Mind is given for survival. It is reactive, protective and searches for potential danger. It is sensitive to pain, and it seeks to shield you from the forces that may disrupt or destroy.

The negative mind might say:

  • I’m buying toilet paper, bottled water, face masks, surgical gloves, and rations for the next six months. I’m hiding all these rations and developing a plan to fend off my neighbors. If I hear that hospitals are short of face masks and surgical gloves, I’ll ignore it. I need to keep these things for the future. Things are probably going to get ugly–I need to take care of myself first and worry about my community later.
  • The virus is increasing in my area so I’m going to leave and go outside the city to sit things out for a while. And if the new place gets too many cases of the virus, I’ll leave there too…My plan will be to stay a step ahead of the virus and leave whenever I notice the number of confirmed cases is getting high.
  • I’ll check the local and national news from the big mainstream sources every hour to get an update on the spread of the virus. I’ll update my Facebook feed each hour with whatever I learn. And I know if I add lots of exclamation marks, more people will read what I wrote so I’ll make sure each post starts with "READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!".
  • I know the virus can travel through the air so I will stay indoors with the windows closed and the blinds down until the virus is contained. Despite the fact I have a private, enclosed backyard, I won’t use it or even look at it. You just never know..
It is easy to see how our negative mind can spin out of control. The worldwide spread of the coronavirus is extremely serious. Panic and over-reactivity are not just counterproductive, they are potentially dangerous. Hoarding resources when others are in dire need may cost lives. Undermining government efforts for containment is dangerous and may cost lives. If free movement hasn’t been taken away in your area, it means you need to be even more diligent and responsible for your actions. Your poor judgment may cost lives.

The Positive (or Expansive) Mind searches for pleasure, fulfillment, and possibility in how you can utilize things in your experience. It is constructive, risk-taking and active.

This mind might say:

  • Self-isolate/shelter-in-place means I can work from home. Apart from that, I can still go out and do my regular things. I’ll try to rally my running group for a run and since most restaurants are closed, I’ll invite my friends over to my house for dinner. If I do this right, shelter-in-place can be a great socializing tool!
  • I feel 100% fine. There is no way I have the virus. And if I get the virus, then I get the virus. I’ll risk it. I’m healthy and young so I’m going to carry on with my business as usual. Vulnerable people should stay in but since I’m not in that category, I’m going to take a more relaxed attitude.
  • I don’t personally know anyone who has the virus. I understand it is an issue, but I don’t think I have it in my community or my social groups. And keeping our mental wellbeing is important too. I’m going to continue to hold my events until someone I know falls ill.
In the environment of the coronavirus, the Positive Mind can be dangerous. It is important to understand the big picture and how your positive mind might actually endanger other people during this period. We are in the middle of a serious worldwide crisis battling the infectious disease. It is everyone’s job to get educated, accept the reality of the situation and exercise personal responsibility. Lives are at stake.

The Neutral (or Meditative) Mind is the mind that judges and assesses without attachment in relation to your own purpose and reality. The Neutral Mind observes the actions of both the Negative and Positive Mind and judges both in relation to your higher self.

In order to maintain balance, this is the mind we need to use when making decisions. The neutral mind might suggest:

  • I’m taking self-isolation seriously and not going out unless it is a mission-critical task. I’m keeping my immune system healthy, keeping a rhythm to my days and staying as productive as possible. This too shall pass, but it might be months, not weeks…
  • I’m studying the virus growth trends but not obsessively. I want to stay informed, but I understand focusing on bad news I can’t control over an extended period of time is bad for my immune system. Instead, I’m exercising extreme self-care. I’m eating well. I’m making my environment comfortable and nurturing. I’m working out and staying connected with people who are close to me through video and calls. In fact, I’ve even reconnected with some people I haven’t spoken with in a while. I continue to be mindful of my news sources as I read about the virus. I’m not getting pulled into sensationalism by going mainstream news sources to get an update on the coronavirus. That would be misguided. I’m triangulating sources between the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and my own county or country’s health organization to stay current on the spread of the virus. And when I want to hear a doctor’s perspective, I follow someone who is posting on the situation daily, like Dr. John Campbell.
  • When I get invited to do something by someone else, I remind them that I am staying in because I understand the gravity of the situation. I remind them:
1) The fact they are “feeling fine” is irrelevant. The virus can pass asymptomatically (with no symptoms)

2) The virus can live on surfaces in excess of 72 hours and

3) The virus can pass through the air for over 3 hours.

I understand that unless I’ve extremely careful, I might start the day without the virus and end it with the virus because of someplace I went or something I touched.   
                                                                                                                                                                                           
I don’t yell and scream at my friends who want to get together, but I help them understand the situation more clearly. And most importantly, I  am staying in.
  • I understand the virus can pass through the air but I’ve done my research carefully and I understand I go outside, alone and maintaining appropriate distance from other people. I’ll try to use my own yard as much as possible but if I exercise the right precautions, I understand I could take a walk outside while minimizing my risk.
  • I’m trying to find ways to be useful and of benefit during this period. Lots of people are struggling. I wonder if I can help them.
  • I’m realistic this virus has ushered in a new way of life. I’m focusing on how I can succeed and thrive in this new environment. I’m researching new ways to do business online, and I’m using this time to sharpen my skills. I’m not focusing on when we can get back to “business as usual” because I understand there no longer is business as usual. I’m staying open and alert for opportunities that are heading my way as a result of this new world we are in.
There seems to be a worldwide mix of the negative mind in overdrive and the positive mind in denial.  The coronavirus also gives us a great opportunity to exercise more balanced thinking. Scientists predict more situations like this over the next decades from extreme weather and natural disasters, to widespread disease and epidemics.  If we are going to survive and thrive in this new world we’ve created, we are going to need to learn to access, cultivate and exercise our neutral mind.

This content was originally published at LynnRoulo.com.

Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.
 
Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start-up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons.  She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.
 
We're thrilled to collaborate with Lynn as an official XpatAthens Content Contributor! To learn more about her and all the great things she does in Athens please click here.
These days my 7-year-old daughter wants to play 'hospital' all the time. We pretend to be the nurses helping patients who are infected with the coronavirus and have to be operated. At first, no one survived; everyone died at once. "We can't go on like this, I need to change the scenario," I thought to myself. As I was given the role of head nurse, I changed the story, and from that point on, everyone recovers from their illness! Hooray!

News about the coronavirus is everywhere, and children hear it all. Our new living conditions, the fear of what has already happened topped with the fear that "we haven't seen the worst yet," affect them directly. You need to talk to your child in a way that makes him or her feel safe so that they don't get more scared than they may already be. So how are you going to do this?

First, you start with an open discussion about the virus. After all, your child does see people in masks and gloves. It's an excellent opportunity to talk about precautions and to put things into perspective. Don't forget that you're the one filtering the news for your child.

You give information according to your child's age. Talk to him or her about their concerns. Ask them about what they already know, what they believe will happen, and how they feel about it. Maybe they have questions. Your answers need to be honest.

If you are concerned about the situation, make sure you calm down first before you talk to your child. Panic doesn't help anyone.

As children are self-centered, it's easy for them to think they will get the virus. If this is the case with your child, reassure them by saying that children cannot catch the virus as easily as adults and go through the precautions they need to take. Children feel empowered when they know what to do to protect themselves.

Follow a routine, especially now that schools are closed. Routine gives children a sense of security. Regular meals and sleeping hours help children stay healthy and happy.

Keep the communication channel with your child open. It is perfectly ok to admit that you do not know everything, that you do not have the answers to every question, and that you will keep your child up to date on any critical developments.

Remember, you're setting an example for your children. That's why you're staying home!

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If there’s a topic you’re interested in and would like to learn more about you may contact me via email. For more information about me and my work check the XpatAthens Directory or visit my website. Because this is your life!

 
Tuesday, 24 March 2020 02:18

5 Coronavirus Myths

There's so much information circulating regarding the Coronavirus disease that it's imperative to be able to distinguish what's true and what's not.

The senior director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins puts things straight to keep you and your family can stay healthy and well.



1. A vaccine to cure COVID-19 is available.

FALSE.
Right now, there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus. Even though scientists have already started working on one, developing safe vaccine will take many months.
 
2. You can protect yourself from COVID-19 by swallowing or gargling with bleach, taking acetic acid or steroids, or using essential oils, saltwater, ethanol, or other substances.
 
FALSE. None of these practices will protect you from COVID-19; in fact, some of them can be very dangerous. CLICK HERE to find out how to stay protected.

3. The new coronavirus was deliberately created or released by people.
FALSE. It is a known fact that viruses can change over time. Occasionally, a disease outbreak happens when a virus that is common in an animal undergoes changes and passes to humans, which is likely how the new coronavirus came to be.
 
4. Ordering or buying products shipped from China will make a person sick.

FALSE.
Researchers are still studying to find out more about how the coronavirus infects people. Scientists have noted that most viruses like this one do not stay alive on surfaces for very long. Consequently, it is not likely to contract the virus from a package that was in transit for days or weeks.

5. A face mask will protect you from COVID-19.

FALSE. Specific models of professional, tight-fitting respirators can protect medic as they care for infected patients. For the general public wearing disposable surgical masks is not recommended. However, people with a respiratory illness can wear these masks to lessen their chance of infecting others.

Article Source: Hopkins Medicine
Monday, 23 March 2020 07:00

4 Recipes To Boost Your Immune System

There's no better time to give your immune system a boost; with vitamin and nutrient-packed food that will help you stay healthy and strong!

These 4 recipes from BBC Good Food are easy, delicious, and super healthy. See below for detailed instuctions.
 



1. Coconut & Banana Smoothie
 
Serves: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Ready in: 5 minutes
Ingredients
  • 100g coconut yogurt
  • 3 tbsp milk of your choice
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 3cm piece of fresh ginger peeled
  • 1 small ripe banana
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 tbsp oats
  • juice of ½ a lemon
Method
 
Add the coconut yogurt and milk to a blender then add the turmeric and fresh ginger. Add the remaining ingredients and then blend until smooth. Add some ice if you prefer a colder drink.
 
2.Curried Squash, Lentil & Coconut Soup
 
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Ready in: 35 minutes

Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
  • 200g diced carrot
  • 1 tbsp curry powder containing turmeric
  • 100g red lentils
  • 700ml low-sodium vegetable stock
  • 1 can reduced-fat coconut milk
  • coriander and naan bread, to serve
Method
 
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the squash and carrots, sizzle for 1 minute, then add the curry powder and cook for 1 more minute. Add the lentils, vegetable stock, and coconut milk and stir. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for another 15-18 minutes. Use a rod blender to blitz until smooth and creamy. Season with chopped coriander and serve with naan or fresh bread.
 
3. Broccoli Lemon Chicken With Cashews
 
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Ready in: 15-25 minutes
 
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 340g of chicken breast fillet cut into thick strips (goujons)
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 200g tender stem broccoli stems halved if very long
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 1 heaped tsp cornflour
  • 1 tbsp clear honey or 2 tsp golden caster sugar
  • the zest of half a lemon
  • juice of a whole lemon
  • a large handful of roasted cashews
Method

Heat the oil in a large frying pan; add the chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the garlic and broccoli. Stir fry for about a minute, then cover and cook for 2 minutes more, until the broccoli is almost tender.
 
Mix together the stock, cornflour, and honey or sugar and then pour into the pan stirring until thickened. Add the chicken into the pan, then add the lemon zest and juice, and cashew nuts. Serve straight away with basmati rice or noodles.
 
4. Zesty Salmon With Roasted Beets & Spinach
 
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Ready in: 1 hour and 10 minutes
 
  • 4 small fresh beetroots, about 200g
  • 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
  • 2 skinless salmon or trout fillets
  • 2½ small oranges, plus the zest of 1 and juice of half
  • 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 4 handfuls baby spinach leaves
  • 1 avocado, thickly sliced
Method
 
Heat oven to 180C, 160C fan. Trim the stems of the beetroot and reserve the tender leaves for the salad. Cut the beetroots into quarters, toss with 1/2 tbsp oil, the coriander seeds, and some salt and pepper. Place on a large sheet of foil and wrap up like a parcel. Bake for 45 minutes or until the beetroots are tender, then top with the salmon fillets, scatter half the orange zest, and put back into the oven for 15 minutes.
 
In the meantime, cut the peel and pith from 2 oranges and then cut out the segments with a paring knife. Work over a bowl to catch the juices. Finely grate the garlic and stir into the orange juice and remaining oil and season to make the dressing.
 
Remove the parcel from the oven and carefully lift off the fish. Place the beetroots into a bowl with the red onion, remaining orange zest, pumpkin seeds, and spinach leaves and toss. Gently add the orange segments, avocado, and beet leaves. Pile onto plates and top with the warm salmon; drizzle with the dressing and serve warm.

To find these and even more immune friendly recipes, please visit: BBC Good Food
What are you watching tonight? This seems to be a very common question these days and in the weeks to come, parents will have to get really creative about keeping their children entertained! 

How about some family-friendly documentaries!? They can be just as exciting and entertaining as narrative films but at the same time they're educational and powerful. This list of documentaries for kids will entertain, teach, captivate, and hopefully generate a lasting interest on the subject matter. Happy watching!

1. Planet Earth, Ages: 6+

Narrated by David Attenborough, each 50-minute episode in this 11-part, Emmy-winning series features a dazzling portrait of a geographical region or wildlife habitat. The far-flung locations and impossible moments with some of the world’s most astonishing creatures can help inspire respect for our planet and the desire to preserve our fragile ecosystem.

2. March of the Penguins, Ages: 6+

Narrated by Morgan Freeman, this blockbuster documentary tells the story of the emperor penguins in the South Pole, and their yearly mating ritual and harsh journeys to build a family. The imagery is stunning, the penguins adorable, and the story will help children understand animal behavior. Expect to cry, expect to feel deeply moved, and expect to hold your own family close.

3. Bears, Ages: 6+

This breathtaking documentary follows a mama bear and her three cubs as she teaches them how to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. What’s incredible about this film is that cameras go inside the bears’ den, allowing us to witness her cubs’ first moments. This is a great film for kids because it reinforces the mother-child bond in a way they’ve likely never seen. 

4. Spellbound, Ages 8+

This documentary follows eight competitors participating in the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee, showing how much kids train to compete, and how much families sacrifice for their wunderkind spellers. 

5. Mad Hot Ballroom, Ages: 8+

Mad Hot Ballroom documents the lives of a few New York City students who are in a dancing competition sponsored by the American Ballroom Theatre. The kids learn how to dance and share their lives with the viewer. The film won a few awards and is funny, heartwarming, and legitimately dazzling. 

6. The Last Lions, Ages: 8+

This African nature documentary film follows a story of survival, as a lioness faces an arduous battle to preserve the lives of herself and her three cubs. Emotional, eye-gripping, and magnificent it focuses on the burdens of parenthood in a lion family.

7. In the Shadow of the Moon, Ages: 9+

This documentary film about NASA's moon missions includes live interviews with the extraordinary astronauts who manned them, intertwining both history and science. The captivating movie is filled with magnificent footage from the most famous space journeys and it's sure to fascinate both you and your science-loving kids.

8. Life in the Undergrowth, Ages: 6+ 

Join David Attenborough on his ground-breaking exploration into a spectacular miniature universe never normally seen, but teeming all around us. Open your eyes to the bizarre, ferocious, and surprisingly beautiful world of the invertebrates and get acquainted with incredible life-forms and startling behaviors!

9. How It's Made, Ages: 7+

How It's Made is a documentary television series explaining how common, everyday items including clothing, accessories, food, industrial products, musical instruments, and sporting goods are manufactured. Curious kids and adults will learn a lot from the show, and some segments can really broaden their perspective. 

10. The Incredible Human Journey, Ages: 9+ 

This five-part documentary series tells the incredible story of how humans left Africa to colonize the world. The fascinating series undertakes five epic journeys across the globe, tracing the ancient routes of our early ancestors to reveal the extraordinary and brutal challenges they faced. Using the latest genetic and archaeological evidence, it shows how humans gradually adapted, culturally and physiologically, in response to their environment.

Originally posted in Greek on InfoKids.gr
Translated by Codico Lab
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