IF YOU HAVE AN ACTIVE child, you know just how busy life can be with added practices, team meetings and planning. Not only do we have to get the kids to practice, but we have to get food on the table, help with homework and meet the needs of other family members as well.

Even though our active kids know they have to feed their bodies, they may have no idea what to eat or when to eat it to maintain performance and their overall health. When we add very influential input from coaches, teachers and peers, there can be a great deal of conflicting advice. The same issues come up time and time again. Many sports dietitians agree and have offered their advice for avoiding these common fueling myths and misconceptions.

Myth: If they’re eating, they’ll get all the nutrients they need.

According to Heather Mangieri, Pittsburgh-based registered dietitian and author of “Fueling Young Athletes,” one of the most common mistakes she sees is when an athlete puts more focus on what to eat before, during and after activity than what to eat each day. She warns that “eating a perfectly planned recovery meal will never take the place of meeting daily nutritional needs.”

This makes a lot of sense considering that nutrient deficiencies don’t just happen overnight. “Deficiencies that could negatively impact sports performance, like deficiencies in iron or Vitamin D, can occur when the athlete fails to get adequate nutrition over time,” Mangieri says. “That’s why it’s so important to incorporate nutrient-rich foods into every day, not just on game day or after training.”

Clint Wattenberg, director of sports nutrition for the UFC Performance Institute, calls this attention to eating well throughout a season “proactive fueling.” He suggests that this is a key factor to developing a performance nutrition mindset that practices building nutrition into the foundation of performance. “Inconsistency and reactive fueling leads to a crumbling foundation undermining training adaptation, thus hampering athlete development and ultimately performance,” he says. “The more solid your nutrition foundation, the sturdier, more sustainable and consistent your performance becomes.”

Myth: Snacking isn’t necessary.

“One of my biggest pet peeves, is when an athlete forgets to fuel up before after-school sports,” says Wendy Sterling, a registered dietitian and team nutritionist for the Oakland Athletics. “Kids may eat lunch at 11:30 and then not eat again until after sports are over at 6 p.m.,” notes Sterling, who is also the co-author of “How to Nourish Your Child Through an Eating Disorder: A Simple, Plate-by-Plate Approach to Rebuilding a Healthy Relationship with Food” and “No Weigh!: A Teen’s Guide to Positive Body Image, Food, and Emotional Wisdom.” “Missing this critical after school pre-workout opportunity leads to tired, sluggish athletes on the field who often can’t get through practice – and if they do get through practice, it’s likely on fumes,” she says.

Much like her pro athletes, Sterling tells younger athletes that to elevate their training, they should plan to have an easy-to-digest, pre-workout snack that’s rich in carbohydrates and contains some protein. The amount of food varies based how much time the athlete has to eat, but some of her favorite basic options for after-school fueling include smoothies, yogurt with granola, apple and peanut butter, peanut butter-filled pretzels plus a banana, or half of a sandwich.

Myth: Drinking water on the way to practice is enough.

Hydration isn’t just a common discussion in my sport nutrition sessions, it’s a hot topic I broach with all my active clients. Whether I’m working with a recreational athlete or a professional, fluid intake is a key conversation for performance and overall health.

Sterling warns that kids should not expect to make up for poor hydration right before practice starts – by then it’s simply too late. “Chugging too much water before practice won’t sit well in the athlete’s stomach; it can often be felt sloshing around as they move,” Sterling says.

Like fueling well throughout the day, good hydration should start in the morning and continue on from there. Sterling recommends using urine color as one way to assess hydration status, “aiming for a light pale-yellow color, like lemonade, (which) indicates a good level of hydration, whereas a dark concentrated urine, like apple juice color, indicates dehydration.“

Mangieri says that “even with the best intentions, staying hydrated can be a challenge for kids. Some schools do not allow kids to carry water bottles to their classes, so they are relying on trips to the drinking fountain to maintain a healthy hydration status during the day.” She reminds young athletes to stop and gulp every chance they get. “Six large gulps of water is 6 ounces, so they should try to do that between every class,” she says.

When working with teams, Mangieri reminds coaches that they can also help keep young athletes hydrated by encouraging kids to drink fluids often and offering several water breaks throughout practices. “There is no cheaper, simpler or more effective way to help performance and protect health than staying hydrated during exercise,” Mangieri says.

Myth: Focusing on weight is helpful.

Time and time again, young athletes tend to focus on things they have little control over. With a dieting culture that’s overly focused on weight even though it isn’t a behavior, young athletes can impair they’re health and performance when trying to manipulate their weight.

“Many athletes and coaches mistake body weight and body composition for a controllable variable (especially when attempting to develop performance),” Wattenberg says. He points out that weight and composition are one of many adaptations to training that are a result of a variety of behaviors including training intensity, duration and frequency, as well as nutritional habits, stress, sleep, genetics and an individual’s medical or nutrition history. And just like training adaptations, such as strength, speed and endurance, body weight and composition are an adaptation to these stimuli, he says.

Wattenberg, who is very familiar with weight-class sports, warns that young athletes can get into trouble when they (or their coaches) prioritize weight and body composition as a representation of performance. He cautions that when a priority is placed on body weight and composition, those negative weight control behaviors can undermine all other training adaptations and performance. Wattenberg recommends young athletes, parents and coaches instead “focus on behaviors that impact performance and allow body weight and composition to naturally optimize to support performance.”

Sports nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. Like most areas of health, fueling young athletes requires planning things like family meals, having fluids on hand, packing snacks, getting enough sleep and allowing for adequate recovery time.

While nutrition is a key factor in growth, development and performance, so is realizing that young athletes can be great without an over-focus on body weight or shape. Fueling young athletes well and teaching them to appreciate the strength of their unique bodies can be a life-long victory. 

Planning children’s meals during the school week can be made simple when providing nutritious foods. Alicia Beltran, research dietitian at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, maps out healthy meals and snacks to feed your child before, during and after school.

Breakfast

Protein fills you up for longer, so you should always include protein in your child’s breakfast. Eggs are a perfect and flexible meal that keep your child full, especially if you incorporate vegetables, which adds more fiber to the meal. Another simple morning meal is a quesadilla with chicken and cheese. Make this with a whole wheat flour or corn tortilla for more fiber and less fat. Serve this with a side of fruit and milk to give your child energy for school.

For a quick breakfast, you can give your child yogurt with fresh fruit and granola so they get their dairy and grains. You can also make them a fruit smoothie. According to Beltran, parents often serve their children orange juice, which is simple sugar since you are not incorporating the fiber of a fresh orange, and is not filling. Instead, make a fresh fruit smoothie with no added sugar to get more nutrients that will keep them full.

Lunch

Make sure you always include protein, whether it’s baked or grilled chicken or low-sodium deli meat. For adequate dairy intake, pack cheese, yogurt or milk in your child’s lunch. Be careful when purchasing yogurt, as many of them contain added sugars. Fruit flavored yogurt also can double as dessert for the meal. It’s important to always include fresh fruit or vegetables in their lunch – preferably both. Talk to your child to learn which produce they prefer, and pack them for lunch daily.

Parents often choose easy meals over nutritious foods for their children’s lunches. Buying processed foods seems easier, but you spend more money purchasing this instead of taking time to prepare healthier meals for lunch. Beltran suggests making tuna or chicken salad with Greek yogurt instead of the traditional fatty mayo. Children can enjoy this in a sandwich with whole wheat bread or in a whole wheat wrap. You can also change it up and serve it with crackers. You can use the same protein in different recipes, depending on what your kid prefers.

Avoid packing sports beverages or juices that are not 100 percent juice, since they contain added sugars. Chocolate milk should not be their main source of dairy for the meal, but can be packed as a dessert or treat. Pack plain milk for dairy. Children should drink water throughout the day. If they want flavor, try adding fresh orange slices or other fruits to their water. Make sure your child always has water and can refill their bottle at school.

“Add a little treat or note for dessert. It’s ok to pack a small cookie or piece of chocolate from time to time. Just choose wisely,” Beltran said.

After-school snacks

Children should eat a snack after school to keep energized for homework and extracurricular activities. Beltran lists nutritional snacks that will keep kids full until dinner:

• Cheese sticks or string cheese
  • Cut up fruits and vegetables
  • Raisins
  • Trail mix
  • Plain popcorn
  • Fruits they can easily peel, such as citrus like mandarins or cuties
  • Carrots with hummus or low-fat ranch
  • Small peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a small amount of jelly

Refrain from giving children sugary cereal, candy or other snacks that are high in sugar after school. These snacks will not fill them up or hold them over for dinner. They will grow hungry and cranky quickly.

“Plan ahead. Making lunch doesn’t have to be a nightmare,” Beltran explains. “Take your kid to the grocery store and involve them in the preparation. This makes it fun for them, and they will enjoy it more.”

Tablets, smartphones, laptops, adapters and Bluetooth devices weren’t always on back-to-school shopping lists.

But there’s no way around the fact that technology is a much bigger part of our children’s lives than it was for most of us when we were their age. Whether your child is in middle school, or flying the coop for college, there’s a good chance they’ll be taking devices with them.

Consider adding some of these cybersecurity best practices before the first day of school:

1. Familiarize yourself with the school’s device policies

This one’s more for parents (and college students). Most educators acknowledge and accept technology’s role in learning, but not all educational institutions take the same approach to device management.

Some public schools prioritize putting laptops or tablets in the hands of every student free of charge. Others might rent out devices or allow students to bring their own devices for learning purposes.

Whatever the case, make sure you’re up-to-date on the school’s device policies. For starters, find out if there are any restrictions on device usage to avoid confiscation. If the school provides the device, ask if you’re responsible for installing cybersecurity software, downloading certain apps, having a data backup, etc.

Also, it never hurts to ask the school what they’re doing to keep kids safe online.

2. Phishing: The other ‘stranger danger’

From email accounts to social media, your children will inevitably come into contact with phishing scams at some point. These manipulative or deceitful messages trick users into giving away sensitive information and downloading malware.

Social media platforms and email providers have gotten better at flagging and quarantining phishing attempts, but it’s still important to make your children aware of their existence, and how to spot them. That means encouraging them not to engage in conversations with strangers online. If they’re into online gaming or active in another digital community, they may already be in contact with strangers. In that case, tell them not to give out personal information. Tell them to avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown senders. Caution them against responding to emails that use urgent language (“Reset your password NOW!!”) or are rife with misspellings.

Phishing scams like fake coupons and untrustworthy links in emails promising “big savings” are prominent during back-to-school shopping season, so be vigilant.

3. Have a backup

Say your high school student gets ransomware on his or her laptop. First, you can tell your kids not to pay the ransom in this situation, because there’s no honor among thieves. Who’s to say they’ll keep their word?

You can tell your kids to create backup versions of key documents. And if they don’t know how, help them. Encourage them to save important documents (college essays, homework assignments) to the cloud. Google Drive, Apple, DropBox and others offer free and inexpensive secure storage options.

4. Public Wi-Fi: Beware all ye who enter here

Make sure your kids know that “free” Wi-Fi isn’t always free. Your elementary school student probably won’t bring her laptop to the cafe down the street to write a research paper, but your 16-year-old who recently got her driver’s license might.

Man-in-the-middle attacks and fake Wi-Fi hotspots posing as say, a Starbucks network, can easily lead to data theft. Encourage your kids (and other adults for that matter) to stay off public Wi-Fi. And if they must use public Wi-Fi, encourage them to use a virtual private network (VPN).

5. Keep your passwords to yourself

That’s passwords, plural. Each account your kids create will ideally use a unique password, preferably one that’s 15 characters long and contains numbers and special characters (read more about password best practices here).

We realize that’s a lot to remember, but if one password gets hacked, then all the passwords go with them. We recommend using a free password manager to make it easier to keep track of them.

Other password tips:

• Caution against sharing passwords with friends.
• Encourage kids to lock their devices with a fingerprint or face scan when the option exists.
• Consider physical passwords – that is, cable locks to keep laptops secure.

6. Have a frank talk about cyber responsibilities

Parents often give children devices so they can do their homework, work on school projects and collaborate with other students. Digital devices also help students learn more about technology, which has become integral to functioning in society.

Still, kids will use their devices for entertainment and other functions that extend beyond school. Parental-control tools can help you blacklist certain content, and in some cases even log call and text history. But they aren’t substitutions for communicating the risks of poor security hygiene.

Caution your kids against sharing information with strangers online the web. Make them aware of the signs of cyberbullying on social media and encourage them to notify a responsible adult if they see it happening. With middle-schoolers and high-schoolers especially, remind them that anything they share via text or social media can easily end up on the internet, and once it’s there, more often than not, it’s there for good.

It may be a touchy or even contentious subject, but technology is part of our world, and we need to encourage its responsible use among our children – in school and in everyday life. Don’t shy away from having these conversations with your kids.

Yes, kids can handle – and even benefit from – weightlifting and plyometrics. But if you get a pit in your stomach when you see a nine year old walk into your gym, read this to learn how you can help kids strength-train safely.

As a trainer, as a parent, or as both, you may hear questions and statements like these:

“Kids can’t do strength training; they’ll get injured.”

“Won’t too much fitness training stunt my kid’s growth?”

“How can I safely help my kid train to be better at soccer?”

Yes, while strength training can be dangerous for children if not done properly, here’s the truth:

Kids can strength train.

And they can benefit from it.

Don’t stop reading this article until you’ve seen the science and learned the techniques to keep kids safe when you’re training them.

(At end of article, you can also share the infographic of 12 exercises for kids as a starting point toward strength training).

Fitness is important, but it also needs to be age-appropriate. The latest research tells us that strength training is not only NOT dangerous for kids, it’s actually good for them if done properly.

But wait, you can’t start a five-year-old out with a twenty-pound clean and press, right?

Training for kids is only safe and beneficial when it’s age-appropriate, when it’s progressive, and when they’re taught and monitored for correct form.

With childhood obesity on the rise, youth training programs have become increasingly widespread and popular. You need to know what to recommend to parents who want to get their kids started in fitness or conditioned for a sports team.

Where Does a Trainer Start With Children?

Just as adults need to build a foundation for strength training with exercises in balance and proper form and movement, children also require practice and strategies that match their age and fitness levels.

A 2015 study by Lloyd et al describes a plan known as the Composite Youth Model, which provides an appropriate progression of skills specific to foundational motor skills, muscular strength, psychomotor ability, and sport specific skills for kids beginning at age two.

Phase 1: Ages 2 to 4

In this earliest phase, children are just learning fundamental motor skills and building the neuromuscular pathways they need to coordinate movements.

The simplest exercises are appropriate at this age, for example, bouncing a balloon from one hand to the next.

Also important at this age is making movement and exercise a positive and social experience.

Phase 2: Ages 5 to 12

During the middle phase, children should be introduced to multiple sports and activities.

Placing emphasis on just one might be tempting, but it can lead to burnout, boredom, and repetitive motion injuries. This is the time to teach kids fundamental skills for movement, agility, strength, endurance, and hypertrophy, as well as specific sports skills.

This is when you can start basic strength training.

Phase 3: Ages 13 to 20

In the third phase, teens can get into more advanced strength and conditioning training, but focus should also be placed on socializing, building self-esteem, and developing a regular and consistent workout or sports routine.

Emphasizing the importance of regular activity develops an attitude that will carry over into adulthood and prepare teens to live active and healthy lifestyles. It is crucial to remember that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be used with children because in any age group there will be different talents, abilities and maturation rates.

Really? Strength training at age 5?

Here’s what the experts say.

Kids don’t need to be lifting weights or learning any complicated moves before age 5.

But during Phase 2, you can start to introduce strength training and other more targeted exercises to improve conditioning, movement, and overall fitness.

Studies support this…

Study: Can kids benefit from more than striker clinics?

A group of eight- and nine-year-old soccer players were put through strength training and high-intensity conditioning a couple times a week in addition to soccer practice; this included squat jumps, weighted jumps, and sprints. The control group added more training, too – but their additional training was just more time spent on their usual soccer-specific training.

What they found:

All of the boys were tested before starting the new routine and several weeks after. Those doing weights and intense conditioning showed significant improvement compared to the control group. They were more flexible, could jump higher, had increased power, and showed greater endurance.

IMPORTANT: Strength training, weight lifting, intense conditioning, and plyometric exercises can benefit children, but it must be done progressively and with proper instruction. The children in these studies were taught proper form, started out lifting light bars only, and were always monitored.

Reps and sets: Do you know how much kids can handle?

Kids can’t and shouldn’t do the same workouts full-grown adults do.

The primary goal is to keep the repetitions higher and sets lower to first create muscle memory.

This ensures that kids develop proper form.

Only when a child has the form down should you add weight and additional sets.

When you have a child lifting with good form, you can determine an appropriate weight by testing increasing weights with ten repetitions.

When the child starts to lose form or can’t complete ten reps, you have gone too high and need to step down to a lower weight..

Why Should We Put Kids Through Strength Training at All?

Research has proven kids can train safely and that doing so improves certain fitness measures.

But do we really need to train kids this way?

Why not just stick with playing sports and having fun?

Yes, it will take more time and effort to teach a child to properly do Olympic-style lifts and plyometric moves, but the benefits are worth it. Here are just 4 of them:

1. More complex exercises put more emphasis on multiple joints, flexibility, and complicated muscle coordination, which is powerful for growing bodies.
2. Strength training improves many measures of fitness that are important to sports like soccer, basketball and volleyball.
3. Strength training and plyometrics can be fun too. It’s all about attitude. Make it fun for kids, and they’ll have fun while being healthy – even if there’s no game involved.
4. This kind of training sets kids up for making a lifelong habit of strength training and good fitness.

Intense training can make kids better at sports, but that’s not the only reason to do it.

Weight lifting, plyometrics and conditioning are good for adults and kids alike. It makes us fitter and healthier.

Some athletes have begun to abstain from drinking fluids during hot weather workouts, in hopes that the deprivation might somehow make them stronger. A new study suggests it doesn’t.

But the new study finds that it is likely only to make them more physically stressed. And very, very thirsty.

Working out in the heat is inherently difficult, as any of us who exercise outside in summer knows. When ambient temperatures are high, we generate internal heat more quickly than if the weather is cool.

To remove this heat and maintain a safe body temperature, our hearts pump warm blood toward the skin’s surface, where heat can dissipate, and we sweat, providing evaporative heat loss.

These reactions become more pronounced and effective with practice, a process known as heat acclimation (also referred to as acclimatization). During heat acclimation, which can require several weeks of sultry exercise, we begin to sweat earlier and in greater volume.

This and other changes help our hearts to labor less, so that, in general, the effort of being physically active in high temperatures starts to feel less wearing. A run on a sizzling summer day in August should feel easier than a similar run on an equally hot evening in June, if we have been running outside in the meantime, because our bodies will have acclimated to the heat.

But athletes being athletes, some of them and their coaches began to wonder in recent years whether, if heat acclimation taxes the body and makes it stronger, would exacerbating the physical difficulties of acclimation lead to greater adaptations, in approved Machiavellian style?

They settled on not drinking fluids during exercise in the heat as the way to increase efforts, since mild dehydration is known to be hard on the body.

They had some evidence to back up that plan. At least one study, from 2014, had suggested that athletes adjusted more quickly to the heat if they avoided fluids during the first days of acclimation.

But Joseph Costello, an exercise physiologist at the University of Portsmouth in England who has long studied the effects of heat and cold on athletes, was skeptical. He and his colleagues suspected that this so-called “permissive dehydration” would be stressful for athletes’ bodies, but not advantageous.

So for the new study, which was published recently in Cytokine, he and his colleagues had a group of eight, fit young men complete two different courses of heat acclimation.

Both heat acclimations took place inside, in a physiology lab with the thermometer cranked up unpleasantly high. There, the men rode stationary bicycles at increasingly higher intensities for 11 consecutive days.

On most of these days, they rode for 90 minutes, but on several days, the exercise was briefer and the lab’s temperature higher to test how well they were acclimating.

The scientists drew blood and weighed riders at the start of the study and before and after each ride.

The only difference between the two 11-day acclimation sessions (which took place three months apart) was that, during one, the men drank plenty of fluids before and during each ride, downing 1.75 liters (almost 60 ounces) in every workout.

In the other 11-day session, the cyclists permissively dehydrated, drinking no fluids before or during their exercise. They did drink afterward, swallowing the same 1.75 liters as in the other acclimation program and more if they still felt thirsty.

The scientists then checked a variety of blood markers of stress, inflammation and heat acclimation.

They found that markers of inflammation mounted in the men after rides in each session, suggesting that the process of heat acclimation strains the body, whether people hydrate while exercising or not.

But, more interesting, they also found that levels of cortisol, a hormone that indicates physiological stress, rose only when the men acclimated without also hydrating.

The riders also reported feeling quite thirsty.

There were no signification differences in how quickly or fully the men’s bodies acclimated to exercising in the heat, whether they drank often while riding or drank nothing.

So, in effect, not drinking during hot workouts had caused “more physical stress but no particular physical benefit,” such as faster acclimation, Dr. Costello says.

The extra stress might also contribute to heightened risks for infections like colds or general fatigue, he says.

Of course, this study was small and involved only men, all of whom were young and in shape.

“Women and older people thermoregulate, or control their body temperature, slightly differently than young men,” Dr. Costello says.

But there is no reason to think that anyone is likely to benefit from deliberately desiccating themselves during workouts, he says.

“Have a drink before you exercise in the heat,” he says, and carry and consume fluids throughout the activity.

“I would suggest that everyone try to stay hydrated when performing in the heat,” he says.

Reprint from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/well/exercise-water-drink-hydration-heat-summer-dehydration-athletes.html

Summer heat — especially during exercise — can be hard on the heart. That’s because your heart plays a big role in keeping you cool. The added workload of exercise only increases the demands on your cardiovascular system.

The load on the heart increases with activity and exercise, especially in hot weather. For every degree the body’s internal temperature rises, the heart beats about 10 beats per minute faster. The result is a dramatic increase of stress on your heart.

Keeping your cool

Your body sheds extra heat in two ways: by perspiring and by radiating warmth, says exercise physiologist Michael Crawford, MS, who works in cardiac rehabilitation and preventive cardiology.

You radiate heat through the blood flowing in your veins and arteries. On a hot day, your cardiovascular system ramps up its efforts to radiate heat to cool you down.

Your heart beats faster and pumps harder, and may circulate two to four times as much blood each minute as it does on a cool day.

When temperatures soar, perspiring can put a strain on your cardiovascular system, too. When you sweat, you excrete sodium, potassium and other minerals that your body needs to contract muscles, transmit information via nerves and maintain a balance of fluid. Your body takes steps to hold onto its fluid and minimize loss of important elements.

“The demands are much greater during the hot weather,” Mr. Crawford says. “Your body needs to get rid of excess heat and it does that is by dilating the blood vessels peripherally. To get the blood around, your heart works harder.”

Keep your heart cool while you exercise

Mr. Crawford recommends exercising in the cooler morning or evening hours to minimize thermal stress, as well as these other tips for safer hot weather exercise:

Slow down on hot, humid days. Reduce your exercise pace on hot days with high humidity. If the temp is above 80 degrees and humidity above 80 percent, it’s best to postpone your activity until it cools off.

Keep extra-hydrated if exercising more than 30 minutes. Drink 8 to 12 ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before exercise, plus 6 to 12 ounces more every 30 minutes of exercise to prevent dehydration.

Wear heat-appropriate clothing. Don’t wear clothing like rubber suits or long-sleeved sweat-suits that prevent sweat evaporation and interfere with your body’s ability to cool itself. Wear loose-fitting cotton T-shirts, shorts and a brimmed hat while exercising outside.

Take caution even for normal activities

Mr. Crawford says take precautions even if you’re simply out in the sun for an extended period.

“If you’re in the heat and begin to feel fatigue or your heart rate going up, find some shade or go indoors for air conditioning and stay hydrated,” Mr. Crawford says. “It’s important to work to get your core body temperature down.”

Reprint from:

https://www.sharecare.com/health/types-exercise/how-exercising-hot-weather-affect

Traveling the world is one of the greatest joys a person can experience. Between visiting historic places, meeting new people, and eating new kinds of food, travelers can learn a lot about themselves and their place in the world.

That being said, traveling can be a gateway to stressful and dangerous situations. Losing luggage, getting lost, getting robbed, food poisoning, and social awkwardness are just some of the threats travelers face every day.

Thankfully, there’s a range of digital solutions to common travel questions that can help you make the most of any trip you take — wherever you might be going.

Planning ahead and traveling smart are the best ways to make sure every journey you take is fun, memorable, and safe. Below is  a list of some travel hacks so you can spend less time on logistics and more time kicking back and sipping your drink of choice.

Use Mobile Passport to speed through the security line

You know how frustrating the security check can be at the airport. The long lines and slow service are everyone’s least favorite part of the trip, so imagine how convenient it would be to cut the process in half.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has released an app called Mobile Passport that greatly speeds up the security process. When you use it, you’re essentially filling out your declaration forms in advance. The app lets you fill out profiles for you and your family, then asks you a few brief questions about your trip. After that, it submits the info to CBP and gives you a barcode for the airport.

When you arrive at customs, you’ll now have access to a “fast lane” that’s dedicated only to Mobile Passport users. This line is significantly shorter and can help you get on your flight faster (so you can catch some shuteye before you land, hopefully.)

The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

Check your airline’s apps for alerts, flight delays, and standby options

These days, your airline offers more than just complimentary meals and in-flight movies.

One of the best parts about air travel in the smartphone era is the presence of apps from each of the major airlines. These programs offer plethora of useful features like flight check-ins, delay updates, and mobile boarding passes.

Depending on your airline of choice, every app will have different features to help you optimize your trip. In the United Airlines app, for example, you have the option to book tickets in the app. Seat availability updates are live, so in the event that you have a voucher due to a flight change, you might be able to snag a first class ticket on standby if you’re fast enough.

Most important are trip notifications, which alert you to changes or delays in your flight. In the United app, the notifications are stored in the inbox. There is a way, however, to get notifications directly to your phone’s lock screen — so you’re right on top of your flight even if you’re not in the app.

To access your notification settings on iOS, open the Settings app and tap Notifications near the bottom of your screen. When you’re in the Notifications menu, scroll until you see the name of your airline’s app. Tap it and select Allow Notifications.  This will push any notifications from the app to your home and lockscreen.

To change notification settings on Android, open your Settings app and tap Apps and Notifications. Then, tap Notifications. In this menu, you can scroll until you find your airline’s app. Tap it and enable notifications in the next menu.

To get the app for your airline of choice, open the iOS App Store or Google Play store and search your airline’s name. It should be the first result that appears.

Speaking of Google, use Maps and Translate to get around

If you’re traveling to a foreign country and don’t speak the native tongue, Google has a free travel companion for you, which you can use on your smartphone or computer. Go to translate.google.com, enter the text, and you’ll get your English translation. You can also use it to reverse translate, from English to another language, which comes in handy for very important questions.

Then, use Google Maps to navigate to “die toilette.” Google is adding features to its maps app all the time. Use offline maps before you leave for your trip to download local maps; that way if you don’t have cell service, you’ve got your map on your phone.

Google maps is packed with bus, light rail and even Uber and Lyft estimates that estimate distance, travel time and even costs.

Exercise while traveling

For many runners and cyclists, finding the time to run or cycle while traveling is as essential as a morning cup of coffee. Things just aren’t right without logging a few miles, no matter how busy your schedule.

If that describes you, you might find that Strava is a must-have travel app. Strava will track your run, map your cycling route, analyze your training and let you upload and share your stats — all for free. Think: social network for runners and cyclists.

The reason it’s so great for traveling is because Strava allows you to see which routes are most popular and where the good stops are along the way. With Strava Local, travelers can see a guide to major cities around the world with data sourced from a pool of millions of users. Download for free for iPhone and Android.

Get cheaper tickets with Google Flights

Google always manages to worm its way into our lives in some form or another — but this particular feature is worth it. Google Flights compiles a ranking of the best deals for whatever journey you’re planning and lists it below the space where you buy tickets. This lets you compare and contrast ticket prices in the moment — allowing you to make smarter decisions when booking flights.

Google Flights also includes a handy meter below your list of rates that shows how typical prices are for your given trip. That way, you’ll know if you’re actually getting a deal or not before you click buy and complete your order.

Google Flights is free to use, but keep in mind Google’s penchant for data harvesting. If you’re buying tickets through Google, advertisers and other tracking entities will know your travel destination. Use Google Flights in an incognito window, or clearing your search history once you’ve finished buying tickets for maximum privacy protection.

Travel smarter with these 3 clever apps

Make the most of your own smartphone technology (even if you aren’t set up to make calls abroad.) There’s a huge variety of useful travel apps, but we’ve selected three of our favorites.

XE Currency is a free currency conversion app that includes the most up-to-date exchange rates and clean, simply menus for calculations. You can convert multiple currencies at once, as well as see how exchange rates are currently trending. It’s available for both Apple and Android smartphones.

Dark Sky goes above and beyond other weather apps to deliver “hyper local” weather conditions, temperatures, and forecasts. This lets you see the current climate in more remote areas, such as mountains — making hiking or skiing much easier. It’s available for both Apple and Android gadgets.

Wi-Fi Map might be one of the most useful travel apps around. This program lets you scout for free-to-use networks in your general area, allowing you to connect while you’re abroad. This is great if you don’t have a phone plan and are relying on apps like WhatsApp to contact your loved ones. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices.

Headspace

Don’t forget about mental health! With the popular meditation app Headspace, users complete one meditation session every day for 10 days, and there are six series: Foundation, Sport, Health, Relationships, Performance and Headspace Pro. Each series after the introductory series has difference categories and meditation tasks for you to complete as you progress.

Headspace also offers meditation sessions called “Singles” for users to do on the go when they don’t have time to complete a full session. Some of the “Single” sessions include: SOS, Sleeping, Sport On The Go, Fear of Flying, Commuting, Walking and Running.

They also now offer an in-flight channel and audio exercises to help you relax, get some sleep and learn to meditate while flying – perfect for anxious travelers. The service is offered on 11 airlines. Download for free for iPhone and Android.

Use Twitter for direct customer support and feedback from your airline

Twitter, one of the most popular apps in the world, isn’t just for arguing online or sharing animated gifs. It’s a useful tool for directly engaging your airline when you have complaints, comments, or questions.

Twitter allows you to notify other users in the form of a mention. This is done by making a tweet and using the @ symbol followed by the username you’re trying to contact. Once you’ve tagged the airline’s username, you can type out your question or comment, and hit send to post the tweet to your profile.

The real power of Twitter as a channel for customer complaints in any industry is that it is a public channel. Your complaints (and compliments, let’s be fair) are there for all eyes to see. Brands hate seeing customer complaints aired on social media. JetBlu and Virgin (part of Alaska Air) are the quickest to respond to tweets, according to a study by Conversocial; they respond within 5 minutes. United was one of the slowest, taking longer than 5 minutes.

Almost every major airline operates a Twitter account. If you’re not sure about the exact username, you can perform a search in the search bar in the upper left hand of the website. If you’re in the app or on mobile, it’ll appear at the top of your screen.

Keep in mind: airline social media teams respond to a large volume of comments and requests. Due to high demand, it may take some time before they respond. Thankfully, the public-facing design of Twitter displays your comments on your airline’s profile, so it’s in their best image to respond as promptly as possible.

That’s the beauty of Twitter support. It’s like having a direct line to Customer Service — minus the elevator music, of course.

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate America’s independence and enjoy family and friends. With all of the celebration going on, it can be easy to let your guard down. We’ve got some tips for what to look out for to help you all have a safe and happy Fourth.

Consider Ear Protection

Fireworks can be very loud to a baby’s delicate ears. Not only can the noises scare your little one, in certain cases it can even damage your child’s hearing. If you’re going to a large display, bring along a pair of noise-canceling headphones or good ear plugs to protect your little one.

Apply (and Reapply) Sunscreen Liberally

If your baby is older than six months, sunscreen is a must. Depending on what activities you and your little one are up to, sunscreen should be reapplied at least every two hours. If you’re swimming or sweating, sunscreen should be applied about every 45 minutes. A small dab is not enough, make sure you’re using a good amount to coat all of your baby’s skin–and yours too! Keep younger babies in the shade of trees, sun hats, and light but long clothing.

Temporarily Tattoo Your Tyke

If you’re going to a parade or festival, put a temporary ID tattoo on your child. Kids who are mobile can wander off and can quickly become lost in a crowd. If you’re not 100% confident that your child can say his or her full name and phone number during a scary and stressful situation, these tattoos can be a lifesaver.  If you can’t find ID tattoos, use a sharpie to write your phone number on your child’s arm, then seal it with some liquid bandage.

Keep your pet safe

If possible, take the dog somewhere where it’s not going to be that noisy. If that’s not possible, other things that you can do are turn the TV or stereo on pretty loud and try and create a lot of ambient noise so it is not as disturbing to the dog.

You can also give them a place where they feel safe and you stay with them and give them some security.

Sometimes there are medications or supplements that can be used for sedation and anxiety. This is something that people should speak to their veterinarian about as to whether or not this is a good idea to do in your individual dog. Sometimes the problem with giving dogs medications… is the dog doesn’t understand or know that they’ve been given something. Then what happens is there is a stressful event like fireworks and then they start to feel weird because you’ve given them something like a Xanax and that actually creates more anxiety because they don’t understand why they don’t feel right.

Never Leave Children Unattended with Sparklers

Sparklers are great fun at night; and almost every adult has memories of twirling sparklers and writing their names in the air. While sparklers are often considered safe, it is still possible to get burned by their fiery tips. Keep an eye on any child’s sparkler until it is safely out—then dip the remnants in water to be extra-certain of its being out.

Watch Your Drinks

Kids are naturally inquisitive, and a Fourth of July party is a perfect chance to try and taste a swig of alcohol. Leaving cups, cans, and bottles around at the barbecue can be asking for trouble. Smaller children are often unaware a half-filled cup is a mixed drink, so keeping any adult beverages safely in your hand or in the trash is the best way to prevent a child from purposely or accidentally swallowing anything they shouldn’t.

Nominate or Hire a Lifeguard

If you’re having a pool party this Fourth, find a responsible adult or two to be honorary lifeguards. It’s expected that adults will likely have some alcohol, but if children are going to be in the pool you’re going to need some watchful and dedicated eyes. If you ask your friends ahead of time and nobody is comfortable keeping an eye on the swimming pool, call your local YMCA for a list of any lifeguards for hire, or do an internet search for lifeguard companies in your area.

Keep Children Away from Barbecue Grills

There’s nothing better than a Fourth of July cookout, but those grills get hot, and stay hot. Always be mindful of where grills and fires are located to be sure that your child is nowhere nearby. Coals and grills stay hot long after the fire is out, so best to avoid allowing your child near them altogether.

Put Away Your Perishables

There are so many amazing side dishes to be had at a Fourth of July celebration, but be wary of anything left unrefrigerated for more than an hour. Food poisoning is not a fun way to celebrate America’s birthday. If you want to keep your spread out for longer than an hour, consider separating dishes into two servings and rotate them into the refrigerator every 45 minutes or so. Otherwise, chuck the leftovers.

Stay off the Road

If you can do one thing to keep your family safe, staying off the road on the Fourth of July is the most important thing you can do. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that the Fourth of July is the day with the highest rate of road fatalities. If you must drive, be sure you’re sober, be aware of your surroundings. Generally, if you can muster the energy, the best time to drive for minimal traffic is late at night or early in the morning. If you won’t be able to hit the road until the actual holiday, try to leave between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. to minimize time spent in traffic. If you can wait to leave the fireworks display until after 11 p.m., you can avoid traffic blocks on the way home.

The worst time to be on the road is the mid-afternoon, when everybody else is trying to get to their various events. If you can make your holiday last longer, roads around the country are less crowded on July 5 and 6.