9 Feng Shui Tips for a Calmer Kitchen
Everybody wants a little more health and prosperity in their lives. Kitchen feng shui is one of the ways to do it and it isn't as difficult as you might think. In feng shui, the kitchen symbolizes wealth and prosperity. As the place where your food is prepared, it also symbolizes nourishing and sustaining life. Try incorporating these 9 kitchen feng shui tips into your home. With good Chi energy flowing, things just might take a turn for the better. 1. Location : If your house is already built, you can't do much about the location of your kitchen. But if you're building a new home or planning to remodel, keep these location-related kitchen feng shui tips in mind. If you're remodeling in anticipation of a sale, read this blog for more ideas. The best location for the kitchen is not the same in every home. Feng shui principles consider the age of the home and the direction (on the compass) that the house is facing. They even consider astrological elements at the time of the home's construction. Because of this complexity, choosing the right location can be very difficult. It is best to ask for the recommendation of a reputable feng shui practitioner. 2. Colors : Feng shui has something to say about the color scheme that you choose for your kitchen. You want your kitchen to have a warm, inviting feel and good energy to it. An easy way to accomplish that is to pick the right colors. Yellow is an excellent kitchen feng shui color as it is thought to be good for digestion. Choose a shade anywhere from soft butter to vibrant squash. Many people like the freshness of a white kitchen. You can do it, but make sure you balance it with something warm, like warm wood tones. Earth tones make great, soothing kitchen colors as well. For an energetic pop, try combining earth tones with a gentle sky blue. It's easy to overdo the blue, though so take care. In an existing kitchen, it's easy to repaint the walls. And something as simple as adding your own tile splashback (in the right color, of course) can really change how the room looks. 3. Balance the Elements : The materials that you use when building your kitchen are important. In most kitchens, 4 of the 5 Chinese elements will appear naturally. These are: Fire Earth Metal Water Wood The stove brings fire and granite or tile countertops bring the earth. Many appliances are made of metal and there's water running from the sink. If you have real wood cabinets, you've got all 5. If you don't, it's as simple as bringing in a potted plant to balance them all. 4. Keep Things Working : The golden rule of feng shui is to ensure that Chi energy is flowing well. This is the universal life force and it is the power behind feng shui. In order to keep the energy flowing well in your kitchen, keep things working. If you have a leaky faucet, fix it. Check to make sure cabinet doors swing open properly. You should even take it so far as to throw out chipped bowls or cracked dishes. Plus, make sure your knives are sharpened. Taking care of your things helps good energy flow and helps you take care of yourself. 5. Keep it Clean : Along the same vein, you should keep your kitchen clean. There are several important tasks you should do every day. Keep the counters cleared off and clean. Only store appliances you use every day on the counter. We'll talk more about this in a minute, but your stove is important in feng shui, so keep it spotless. Wash the sink often and keep the fridge clean. On occasion, you'll need to do a deep clean. Pull everything out of your cabinets and clean out the back corners. You may even want to put down new shelf liners if necessary. 6. Keep it Orderly and Organized : As you put everything back, organize it. Put similar things together. For example, put sweet spices together on one side of the cupboard and savory on the other. Adjust the shelves to make the most of your storage space. Put taller items together in a tall space and fill a short space with little items. If you don't already have them, add some space savers. Lazy susans, stacking shelves and tray racks are all helpful items. Toss out items that you don't use any more. What is the point of cluttering up your cupboards with unnecessary stuff? 7. Fill It Up with Healthy Food : Promote health and wellness by filling your kitchen with healthy food. Organic, fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent choices. Not only is the nutrition good for you, but also they bring healthy healing vibrations from the earth. This type of energy is very good for your body. 8. Add Some Life : Bring life into your kitchen by setting out something living. This helps to bring positive energy into the mix. A petite potted plant, a vase of fresh blooms, or a bowl of fruit all work nicely. 9. Use a Mirror Over the Stove : In feng shui, the stove is a very strong symbol. Not only does it represent fire, but is a very powerful symbol of wealth. Treat your stove with respect by keeping it clean. Promote the flow of Chi energy by using all of your burners. To further magnify the effect, hang a mirror over your stove. This is a great way to effectively "double" your store's presence in the kitchen. Proper Kitchen Feng Shui : Proper kitchen feng shui is an important element in feng shui for your home as a whole. Thankfully, just following these simple tips will help Chi energy to flow more freely, enriching your home and your life. Try a few and let us know how it works out in the comments. We'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to check out our home and garden section for more great tips! Read Also : 10 Unique Kitchen Hacks To Save Your Time In Kitchen And Cooking 4 Tips For Choosing A Good Kitchen Tap Installing A Kitchen Tile Splashback – The Basics
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10 Helpful Kid Closet Organization Hacks
Every parent knows how hard it is to keep their kid's room clean. In a matter of minutes, a perfectly clean space and be destroyed by little hands. This applies to closets as well. But the good news is there are things you can do to keep your child's closet more organized. We've gathered the top 10 helpful kid closet organization hacks you can try out at home. Check them out below! 1. Start with the Essentials : When doing any sort of home or DIY project, you have to make sure you have all the supplies you need. This totally applies when it comes to kid closet organization. The good news is that you don't have to spend a lot of time creating or assembling things. Most of these items are available at local stores and are simple to implement. Here's a basic list of things you may need: Kid-sized hangers (Adult ones are too big and will lead to disorganization) A hamper Storage baskets Drawer inserts Hooks for the wall Shelf dividers Head to your local home decor store and you will be on your way to complete closet organization. 2. Utilize Storage Bins : Another kid closet organization hack is to add extra storage. As you've dealt with your child's closet, you probably have noticed that there's not enough storage space. This is a common problem. But there are many solutions! The biggest thing is choosing what kind of storage solution that you need. Do you have young children who can't reach their hangers? Or do your kids have a lot of toys and nowhere to keep them? Perhaps you have two kids sharing one closet. No matter what, adding storage is your solution. Here are some potential options: Bins Baskets Extra wire shelves Rubbermaid containers 3. Have a Designated Place for Shoes : Have you ever walked into your kid's room and found pair after pair of little shoes lying around on the floor? This is a common frustration for many parents. One way to solve this problem is to have a designated place for shoes in your little one's closet. You could have a specific basket on the floor of their closet that your kids can easily access. Another way to organize their shoes is to have a specific shelf that they can reach that is for shoes only. 4. Develop a Hanging System : It can be hard for kids to pick out clothes when there is no organization system in place. One way to fix this problem is to come up with a hanging system. One idea is to hang them by category. You can split things up according to these styles: Short sleeve shirts Long sleeve shirts Tank tops Dress shirts Dresses Shorts Pants Pajamas And any other categories they have You could also coordinate them by color if this system is too complicated. Either way, this is a great kid closet organization hack. Your kids will know exactly where to put their clothes, whether they're Nicki's Gucci for kids or their pajamas. 5. Another Kid Closet Organization Hack: Go Vertical : Some closets are so small or are so packed already that there's no room for extra shelves or bins. In this case, consider going vertical with your storage. One great way to do this is to utilize the door. Pick up an inexpensive shoe organizer that hangs on the back of the door. This can be used to store a variety of things, including shoes, clothes, and toys. If you have a baby, you could keep diapers, wipes, or onesies in a shoe organizer as well. And the best part is that you're not taking up any shelf space with it! 6. Label it All : With so many bins and baskets, it can be hard to keep things straight. That's why labeling is a great idea. If you have a label maker, this is super easy. Just create different ones for toys, shirts, pants, etc. If you don't have a label maker, that's totally fine as well! You can create them just using paper. Then just glue or pin the labels to each storage container. This will make your life much simpler! 7. Double Your Hanging Space : Many apartments and homes only have one closet rod and, usually, it's up high. For little ones, these are often impossible to reach. That's where closet doubler rods come in handy. You can install them below the normal rod and they're not that hard to do. Having this means your kids can reach their clothes easier but it also doubles their amount of hanging space. 8. Color Coordinate Bins : If your kids can't read yet, labels will do very little to help them organize. Instead, consider color-coordinating their storage bins. For example, red could be for books, blue could be for toys, and yellow could be for shoes. Whatever you decide to do as far as colors, help your child understand the difference between the various containers. 9. Keep Two Extra Containers in Their Closet : If you're like most parents, you have a lot of clothes for your child. Some they have outgrown and others they haven't grown into yet. These can cause a lot of clutter in your kid's closet if you're not careful. That's why it's a great idea to always keep 2 large containers, one for each category. That way it's all organized. This is especially great if you have more than one child. This makes organizing hand me downs much easier. 10. Stop Sibling Fights : Did you know that the average pair of siblings fight or argue 3.5 times every single hour? As a parent, you want to do everything you can to stop this from happening! One great way is through keeping their closet organized. If you have kids that share a closet, divide the space. Make a clear division between their clothes to avoid unnecessary contention. Final Thoughts : Now that you've read through these closet organization hacks, it's time to implement them! Choose your favorites and try them out. Have questions? Feel free to contact us. Want to discover more parenting hacks? Check out our blog! Read Also : 10 Effective Homework Tips For Your Kids Things Every Employee Ought To Know About Medical And Family Leaves
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10 Tips for Saving on Prescription Drug Costs
Per capita spending on prescription drugs is higher in America than anywhere else. This is primarily due to the increase in brand-name prescription drug costs. For anyone dealing with ongoing health issues on a strict budget, this is a big concern. Many people in this situation end up going without much-needed drugs. Unfortunately, even with health insurance, many drugs can still be rather expensive. It's becoming more and more necessary for people to seek out ways to reduce costs while still staying healthy. This may seem impossible, but there are ways. In fact, there are more ways than you may realize. If you need to cut your prescription drug costs, keep reading. We're going over ten options that will help you save. 1. Take Advantage of Samples : Before you start a new medication, make sure you ask about samples. This way you don't pay for anything upfront while you test out the drug to make sure it's right for you. Doctors usually have plenty of sample packets of drugs, especially new ones. Pharmaceutical reps provide them when visiting offices. Drug manufacturers also offer 30-day samples for some drugs. Instead of paying for an entire month's supply, ask your doctor about samples. This is perfect if you have a short-term illness, or aren't sure the drug will work. 2. Always Ask for Generic : Prescription drug costs are always higher for brand-name options. However, many drugs have generic alternatives that aren't as expensive. The same manufacturing standards are applied to these generic versions, but they don't carry the same advertising and research costs. Essentially, you're getting the same drug for much less. Make sure you ask your doctor about generic alternatives to all drugs you're on. If you're skeptical about them, ask about their effectiveness and if they'll have the same effects as the name brands. 3. Get 90-Day Supplies : You can often save on prescription drug costs by opting for 90-day supplies instead of the standard 30-day. Many times, local pharmacies will offer discounted rates if you go with 90-day. Your insurance may also offer reduced prices and even provide free delivery. If you're trying a drug for the first time, it's a good idea to stick with a 30-day supply first to make sure the drug works for you. If it does, look into 90-day refills going forward. 4. Always Compare Prices : You may not realize this, but drug prices fluctuate between pharmacies. Instead of using the pharmacy closest to you, call around to different ones in your area and ask what they charge for the drug you need. This is especially helpful if you don't have insurance, as name brand drugs may have significant price differences from one pharmacy to the next. Once you find the pharmacy with the best deal, make them your go-to source. That way they have your information on file. Remember to always check pharmacies in grocery and retail stores. 5. Shop Online : When it comes to reducing your prescription drug costs, you have to consider shopping online. Web-based pharmacies have gained popularity over recent years, and for good reason. They carry most major drugs at low rates. For example, pharmacies have a user-friendly database of available drugs with price comparison and medication information. You should also look into mail-order pharmacies. Some insurance companies offer discounts for using them. 6. Split up Your Doses : A great technique for cutting down prescription drug costs is splitting your pills in half. It may be possible to get a higher dose of a drug from your doctor and then cut the tablets in half so you're still taking the proper amount. If the price for the higher dose is the same, you'll be cutting your cost in half. You also won't have to bother with refilling your prescription every month. It's crucial that you talk to your doctor about doing this first, as this isn't safe with some drugs. 7. Patient Assistance Programs : Some drug manufacturers offer aid for individuals on a budget. These assistance programs provide discounts for certain drugs. When you're searching online for these, make sure you enter the name of the drug you're on in your search query. Some of these programs come with conditions, such as only being available for a few months' worths of the prescription. But when you're trying to say money, every little bit helps. People on Medicare usually aren't eligible, so make sure you look into the details. 8. Seek Alternatives : There's a good chance a completely different drug is just as effective at treating an illness as the one you're on. And, it may be much cheaper. Many times, doctors aren't aware of the cost of certain drugs. That's why it benefits you to ask if something else could provide the same treatment. You may find that an alternative is much cheaper. 9. Discount Cards : Look into whether you're eligible for prescription drug discount cards. Some insurance providers will offer them, even auto insurance. Other organizations like AARP sometimes provide discount cards to members. Search online for pharmacy discount cards. You should always ask your pharmacist if they have any coupons available. Another place to check is the drug manufacturer's website. Sometimes you can request to have coupons mailed to you for certain medications. 10. Don't Rule out Over-the-Counter Drugs : It's important to stay on top of the treatment options for your illness. There may be an over-the-counter option that can effectively treat your symptoms. In fact, some prescriptions medications were once over-the-counter. If you're on multiple prescriptions, ask your doctor about the possibility of supplementing one of your medications with an over-the-counter drug. This could drastically bring down the cost. You also shouldn't rule out holistic treatment options. Don't Get Buried Under Prescription Drug Costs : The cost of visiting your doctor is high enough as it is. Even if you have health insurance, co-pays can add up. Add the high cost of prescriptions and your medical bills start becoming intimidating. Take some of the stress off by using the tips discussed above. You may be able to save some cash without giving up a healthy life. For more articles on living a healthy lifestyle, check out our blog. Read Also : What’s It Like In A Drug Recovery Center? How Does Smoking Weed Affect The Society How To Choose The Right Online Pharmacy
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10 Weird Facts About Antidepressants
People are working longer hours, have less time with family, and are constantly battling stressful situations. In addition, being constantly inundated with the news through social media can make anyone depressed. There's not enough time for daily yoga and meditation. As a result, many of us are turning to antidepressants to get us through these stressful times. But antidepressants come at a cost, and it's important to know all the facts. Some of these facts aren't common knowledge, and often your doctor won't even discuss them before prescribing antidepressants. Here are 10 weird facts about antidepressants that will surprise you. 1. We Don't Know How Antidepressants Work: Antidepressants have been around for a long time, and yet, we still don't know exactly how they work. And since everybody's depression is different, we don't know how well they work for varying degrees of depression or if they sufficiently treat depression at al. In fact, we don't even know if they're safe for long-term use. 13% of Americans take antidepressants, some for other illnesses like anxiety and fibromyalgia. Yet studies -- mostly paid for by pharmaceutical companies -- include only a few thousand people. Many of us have been told that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, but we don't really know if that's true either. What most studies look at is our brain's level of serotonin. However, neither lowering nor increasing the level of serotonin in the brain reduces the symptoms of depression. If low levels of serotonin were the cause of depression, then antidepressants wouldn't take several weeks to work. They would work immediately, or at least within a few days, once the levels of serotonin increase. But they don't. Another interesting fact about antidepressants is that some don't even increase serotonin and still work as well as any other antidepressant. 2. All Antidepressants Are Equally Effective: It's a known fact about antidepressants that pharmaceutical companies spend a lot of money pushing one pill over another. Doctors aren't pharmacists and tend to push whatever antidepressants they're most familiar with. At times, they're buddies with the pharmaceutical sales rep. A fact about antidepressants is that there's no evidence that one antidepressant is more effective at treating depression than another. What a person needs to weigh is the cost and side effects, which can vary greatly from one person to another. There are over 30 different kinds of antidepressants available. They all work on different parts of the brain, inhibiting or increasing receptors of certain hormones. They have different side effects, and they all are equally effective. Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. 3. They Don't Work Immediately: All antidepressants take several weeks before they're fully effective. It can take anywhere from two weeks to a month before you know if it's the right antidepressant for you. One unfortunate fact about antidepressants is that many people have to cycle through several kinds of antidepressants, suffering from a variety of side effects before they find the right one. That's a long time for trial and error. And eventually, the effectiveness wears off over time. Many people build up a tolerance, and signs of depression return. Then you need to try a different antidepressant, and the trial and error process begins again. This could make anyone depressed. Fortunately, there are other treatments like TMS which don't require you to take any medication at all. 4. Dosage Makes No Difference Either: Many doctors start their patients off with a low dose and then gradually increase over time. There's no evidence that this is necessary or that higher dosages are more effective. Since this is the case, you're better off taking a low dose and having less negative side effects. It's a myth that a person will get better quicker if they are on a higher dosage of an antidepressant. 5. Antidepressants Can Help Your Sex Life: It is a pretty well-documented fact about antidepressants that one side effect is a lowered sex drive. That said, depression itself can lower your sex drive too. Interestingly, this low-libido side effect can have its benefits by helping men with premature ejaculation. Antidepressants can delay ejaculation, and for men who suffer from premature ejaculation, the delay can be a big help. One study found that men who took an SSRI a couple of hours before intercourse had longer ejaculation times compared to the placebo group. 6. Animals Get Depressed Too: Americans spend an estimated $15 million a year on medication for their depressed cats and dogs. Depression symptoms for animals aren't too different than those for people, so it's fairly easy to detect. However, it's difficult to treat animals with therapy. Instead, some veterinarians are treating pets with antidepressants. Zoo animals are on antidepressants too. They are being used to treat everything from aggression to obsessive-compulsive disorder. 7. You'll Feel Worse at First: Not only do antidepressants take a while to kick in, but your symptoms may be exacerbated. It's not uncommon for you to feel more tired, less hungry, less ambitious, and sadder. Things will get better. It just takes a while. In addition, the side effects don't help either. This is why doctors usually start a person off with a low dose, to reduce the intensity of side effects, before they find the right medication and dose. 8. Antidepressants Can Be Harmful: Antidepressants come with a long list of side effects, many of which mirror the symptoms of depression, lethargy, insomnia, nausea, anger, violence, and even suicidal thoughts. The side effects can sometimes be more debilitating than the illness it's treating. A person needs to seriously weigh the pros and cons. Often a person can mistake a side effect of the medication as a symptom of depression. Since we don't know how the drugs work, it's hard to know. Another fact about antidepressants is that once you start, it's not safe to quit cold turkey. A person should wean off of them slowly, and many aren't willing to do this. Quitting antidepressants quickly can be dangerous. 9. You Can Overdose on Antidepressants: Too much of a good thing can be too much. As mentioned, more isn't always better, but often people have prescribed higher doses of antidepressants anyway. You can overdose on antidepressants, and the symptoms of overdosing on them aren't always obvious. Zoloft overdose symptoms can include lethargy and nausea, which may be confused with ordinary side effects. Other, less obvious overdose symptoms include high blood pressure or inflammation of the pancreas, which can be mistaken for a cold or flu. However, if a person seems agitated, confused, or is vomiting, that's not normal. If someone taking antidepressants has these symptoms or becomes incoherent or unresponsive, call a doctor immediately A Zoloft overdose also can lead to a life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrome can occur when dangerously high levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin build up in the brain. 10. Antidepressants Can Interact with Other Drugs: It's very important to tell the doctor prescribing antidepressants if you're taking other drugs. It's also essential that you're honest about your use of recreational drugs and alcohol. All of these can have harmful interactions with antidepressants. Don't ever share your medication with anyone, especially if you don't know what other medications they might be taking or if they are using recreational drugs. Interactions can be deadly. Facts About Antidepressants Revealed Now that you know more about antidepressants, you can make a well-informed decision about taking them. Depression is debilitating, and some people battle with the disease their whole lives. For some, antidepressants are a last resort, and for others, they're hoping for a temporary solution that will give them an opportunity to have a better perspective. No matter the reason, there is no shame in being depressed or needing treatment. However, there are other methods of treating depression that can be used in conjunction with medication, such as therapy, exercise, diet, and natural remedies. Many of these have been proven to be equally effective. For more great articles about staying healthy, visit our blog. Read Also : 3 Ways To Connect With Nature And Quiet Your Mind Your Guide To HRT For Men All That You Need To Know About Dandy-Walker Syndrome
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Tips from the Pros: Creating the Perfect Tweet
We apologize now if the title brought you here under false pretenses because, just as there is no perfect book or no perfect painting, as with any art form, there’s no perfect tweet. However, while perfection may be unattainable, there’s still pretty darn good. In this article, I’ve picked the brain of James Williams, the digital marketing manager at one of the world’s most instantly recognizable brands, to bring you tweet-worthy insights on everything he has picked up in over ten years in the job. Here are his top tips... 1. Keep it brief : With a 140 character limit, tweets have to be short, but research has shown that using just 100 characters is actually the optimum length for a tweet. In fact, tweets with less than 100 characters get a 17 percent higher engagement rate, showing that short is definitely sweet. However, brevity should not come at the cost of clarity. You must use as many characters as you need to make your message clear and include a hashtag if there’s an obvious trend to attach to. 2. It’s not just the job of your marketing team : Research has shown that customers trust businesses more if the CEO tweets. It’s a fact of life that we all trust people more than faceless entities. If a company’s tweets come from the CEO, or even someone writing on behalf of the CEO, then their idiosyncrasies, sense of humor, language, and tone will all come across. This can really help to make the content stand out. 3. Respond to queries quickly : If you open up your Twitter for customer care then you need to make sure you respond to queries quickly or you risk doing more harm than good. Responding quickly in a way that really helps the customer can boost the way you are perceived and help to build trust online. If you can’t commit the resources to review and reply to tweets quickly, you’re better off not using Twitter for customer services at all. 4. Don’t tweet ‘cold’ : When using Twitter for outreach purposes, never tweet potential publishers and bloggers without building a relationship first. Simple things like following their accounts, re-tweeting, and sharing their content all increase the likelihood of a positive response when you do choose to contact them. It might take a bit of time but it’s far better than just barging in. 5. Keep it light on self-promotion : Nobody wants to follow a Twitter account that’s all about you. It’s like the boastful kid in the playground. There’s an often-quoted rule on Twitter that 80 percent of your tweets should be ‘other’ content and just 20 percent should be about you. The other content you post is extremely important and should inform, educate and entertain your audience. If it doesn’t, don’t post it. What are your best Twitter tips? Please share your thoughts with our readers in the comments section below. Read Also : 8 Expert Ways To Build Your Personal Brand On Twitter! Using Social Media To Promote Start-Up Businesses How is Social Media Playing A Role In Career Building?
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3 Ways to Connect With Nature and Quiet Your Mind
Living near nature can help women live longer, with women in the greenest areas living as much as 12 percent longer than women who live in more built-up areas. You need to connect with nature to stay fit and healthy. Although male mortality rates do not show as much of a clear link, making time to connect with nature has many positive health benefits for both men and women. In fact, a range of studies have shown that regular contact with nature can improve everything from pain control to eyesight, as well as reduced stress levels and less anxiety. But, that's not to say that we all have to move to the countryside to take advantage of these health benefits. Simply making time to connect with whatever natural surroundings you live close to is enough to refresh your mind and improve your health and well-being. Here are three ways to connect with nature and quieten your mind. 1. Create Time Alone in Nature : It's great to experience the beauty of nature in the company of friends or family. But, when we're with other people, we tend to talk. This may be because we worry about what the people we're with think of us. Or we might just feel the need to fill the silence with chatter. However, the best way to connect with nature is by experiencing it alone. Being alone in nature allows us to focus on what we can hear, see and feel in these natural surroundings. Whether it's blades of grass between our fingers or the rush of water from a nearby river, you'll become much more aware of what's around you. So, if you go for a hike with friends, ask for an hour by yourself. Or head to the park or even out into your garden and emerge yourself in the sensory experience that nature offers. Other than hiking, traveling different beautiful locations is always a great way to behold the true beauty of nature and fall in love with it all over again and again. If you have the love for travel, you should consider traveling as much as you can and plan to visit some of the most naturally beautiful countries in the world. Some naturally beautiful places include the fjords of Norway, the Greek Islands, Islands of Maldives, Switzerland, Kashmir in India, Nepal and so on. 2. Find Your Special Spot : You'll find that as you spend more time in nature, especially alone, you'll start finding special places that you're drawn to. It could be a tree you like to lean against when you visit your local park, or the rocks you often sit on to watch the ocean waves crashing on the shore. Wherever you feel most connected to nature, take the time to really get to know it. Go there in the heat of summer and the midst of winter, know it by day and by night. Noticing the small changes in nature as well as the contrasts between seasons helps you put things in perspective as you become more aware of how you are a part of something bigger than yourself. 3. Sleep Outdoors : Since Americans spend around 93 percent of their time indoors, it's important to actively seek out ways to experience longer periods immersed in nature. There's no better way to get in touch with nature than by waking up to a stunning sunrise, the sounds of birdsong and the smell of fresh morning dew. It certainly beats your alarm clock! Make Time to Connect with Nature : Whether you live in an urban area or in the middle of the countryside, it's important for your mental and physical health to take time out to connect with nature. Do you feel that you spend enough time in nature? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below, or contact us for more information. Read Also : 5 Ways You Can Be Inhibiting Your Fitness Top 10 Muscle And Strength Building Exercise At Home Choosing A Diet Based On Your Personality Type
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5 Ways You Can Be Inhibiting Your Fitness
When it comes to fitness, you might be your own worst enemy. If it feels like you’re doing everything right, but still not getting the results you want, why are you still sticking to the same routine? There are many ways you might be getting in your own way and getting to the bottom of it starts with honesty. Are you really being honest with yourself when it comes to diet and exercise? Are you diligently tracking these figures—or are you over-obsessing? Too much in either direction can be dangerous. Here are five ways you might be inhibiting your own fitness and what to do about it: Not counting every bite if you’re looking to reduce fat. It’s not as simple as calories in, calories out, but sometimes it is. If you’re sticking to a certain caloric intake every day, make sure you count every single bite—and beverage. Alcohol is packed with calories and lowers our inhibitions, which is all part of alcohol’s lethality when it comes to diet goals. Count those calories, but keep in mind that there is an emerging eating disorder in which people “save” calories for alcoholic beverages. It’s been dubbed “drunkorexia”, and can lead to even more dangerous eating disorders. Getting too obsessed with the scale. Unfortunately, the scale can lie. Like a watched pot, it’s not going to give you what you want if you’re checking it daily—or multiple times per day. Doing so is a slippery slope and can lead to dangerous habits. The scale can only tell you weight, which doesn’t account for muscle or water retention. If you really want some numbers to help guide you on your fitness journey, use a tape measure. Measure the biggest part of your upper arms, the largest part of your chest, the smallest part of your waist, widest part of your hips, and largest part of your thighs and calves. All of these areas, especially the belly, can also fluctuate throughout the day. However, it’s a much safer (and saner) number system than the scale. You don’t push yourself at your workouts. Many people aren’t honest with themselves when it comes to their workouts. Could you be doing a harder level on the cross ramp? When the spin instructor tells you to empty the engine on a power interval, are you? If you’re working on muscle mass, do you really tap out between eight and twelve reps or could you do more (and increase the weight)? Working with a personal trainer can help you avoid cheats, as can working out in a group setting. It can be too easy to compromise when you always workout solo. Plus, group settings or a personal trainer can bring out your competitive spirit. Not getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to weight gain. Since most Americans are chronically fatigued (and overweight) there’s a clear correlation here. One of the best things you can do is get enough rest. This will depend on you and your body, but ideally, you’ll be able to wake up without an alarm. If that isn’t doable, see about squeezing in a power nap mid-day. It’s seemingly one of the easiest ways to keep your weight in check. It also helps you get the most out of your workouts. You can’t give your all when you’re exhausted. Be realistic with rest days and cheat days. These days don’t mean you can go all-out on a binge. Some people find a cheat meal is safer. Others re-learn how to gauge their fullness. Cheat days can be helpful because they give your body what it’s craving, but it still needs to be in moderation. A rest day doesn’t need to be a complete rest, either. You can go on a walk or take a gentle yoga class. Again, honesty with yourself is key. If you’re getting in your own way, you’re also the one who can stop it. Pinpoint your biggest struggles and see what you can do to put yourself first. Read Also : Your Guide To HRT For Men How Does Smoking Weed Affect The Society Things To Pay Attention To When It Comes To Servicing Ultrasound Probe
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10 Effective Homework Tips for Your Kids
It has been already been proven how important the role of a parent is in a kid’s performance in school. If a parent takes an active interest in their child’s studies, it makes them realize the value in what they are doing. This is especially true with homework, which is one of the areas where kids struggle in the most. These are ten of the ways for kids to be more encouraged to do their homework: 1. Set A Good Example : Before anyone else, the parent is the first role model kids will look up to. With this logic, it is important for parents to show that they value learning. Giving advice is not enough. You can start by showing them that you are reading a book while they are making their homework. It will help a lot because you are helping set behavioral expectations for the child. 2. Leave Them To Do Their Work : One of the basic things parents always forget is that they should leave the child to learn on their own. Let them finish their own homework. Never mind that they make mistakes. Making mistakes is part of learning. Of course, as a parent, you still get to make suggestions and help out. But the majority of the task must be carried out by your kid. 3. Make Your Home Conducive To Homework Making : There must be an area in your house that will be used for making assignments. This place must be well-lit and comfortable enough for the child. It is also a must for the area to be filled with the right supplies so that it will be easy to finish homework. This includes scissors, pencils, papers, glue, and others. 4. Minimize Distractions : One of your biggest enemies as a parent in getting your kids to do their homework is the distraction that external factors provide. This can affect the focus that the child is putting on their school work. As much as possible, there should be no devices when doing homework. This means no television, computers, smartphones or tablets. Even loud music may have to be banned. 5. Assist Them In Making Plans : Proper planning makes conquering homework more manageable for the child. Parents can help out in teaching their child planning to achieve this. As an example, it would be smart for your child to divide their homework into portions that will be easier to tackle. Also, teach them to take into account possible breaks. Fifteen-minute breaks may be enough. These breaks should be incorporated into the schedule they set for making their homework. 6. Schedule Regular Study Time : The key to the kids being used to doing homework is by doing it regularly. There is no cookie-cutter approach to scheduling regular study time. What parents need to understand is that what works for others may not work for your child. Just because study time after dinner is best for another child does not mean that afternoon study breaks are inappropriate. 7. Meet Up With Their Teachers : Parents should have a strong relationship with their children's teachers. Both parents and teachers have certain expectations as to how the kid must perform. As your child's second parents, it is important for both parties to have a dialogue to ensure the academic success of your child. 8. Motivate And Monitor : Parents must be monitors and motivators. Encourage them to study and finish their homework on time. Ask them about their day at school and if there is anything that they should know about their school work. Exhibit some control over their studying without being too repressive. 9. Do Not Forget To Praise Them : Children will be more motivated if you praise them. If they do well on an exam, compliment them and post their exam results for everyone to see. If relatives visit your home, do not forget to mention their achievements. 10. Get Help : If the parent has done everything they can to improve the homework habits of their child, they need to seek help. Start by talking to the teacher so you can get another perspective. If they exhibit learning or attention problems, you may also have to visit a child psychologist. Conclusion : Apart from applying these useful tips, you can introduce various learning and education apps to your kids if they are capable of learning things themselves with the help of apps. Say, for example, the top tutoring app can be a perfect solution to all the study related problems of your kids. If you are an android user, this has this Google Play study app on your phone and give your kids access to this app. If you are an iPhone user, this cool learning English iTunes app can be a great fit. Read Also : Transform Portals Of Learning What Is Somatic Psychology And How Does It Work? English As A Second Language: Ways To Find Great Teaching Materials On A Budget
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How Easy It Is Hiring A Story Board Artist?
Here we are talking about the easy ways by which you can hire a storyboard artist. But before getting into that let us tell you about exactly who are storyboard artists and what role they play and what is the agenda behind discussing them. A storyboard artist is a type of artist that makes a sequence of animated things that make it a film or a video which is used for the entertainment process. Storyboard artist usually is hired for the purpose of making animated short films or videos that are displayed before children. The process of storyboarding and evolution of storyboard artist emerged or was produced at the Walt Disney productions in the animation studios in the year 1930 and since then the animated movies are being made and for the sole reason of entertainment. Now if we talk about the purpose of making these movies in the earlier times these movies were telecasted on television but as far as today’s time is concerned, these movies are made for a special cause. Cause of hiring storyboard artists : We all are aware that today a lot of people are suffering from cancer and some of them even don’t have enough time or chance to combat the disease and they very well know the fact that one day they would be facing death. From those many people are also some kids that also suffer from cancer and have no expectation left of getting cured and have very less time left for embracing death. Hence it is our duty to make these children happy and also full the rest of their life left with happiness and as much as entertainment we can fill in their life so that they never feel afraid of their disease. This is a very noble cause as it imparts happiness to children and enables them to live a happy life. If you want to hire a storyboard artist you can just type famous frame artists and click here on the link provided to you. Hiring famous frame artists for a noble cause : We all know that kids love entertainment and animated movies hence by hiring storyboard artist we can make them watch the fun and entertaining animated movies which will fill their lives with happiness and this step would definitely impart a sweet smile on their face. Many NGO’s have already taken such steps to unite the public with such artist so that they can help the cancer patients in fighting the dreadful disease they are living and feeling in them daily. According to me this step taken by the socially active people who love serving mankind is extremely good and praiseworthy. Every child is special and a gift of God to mankind. And if in case they are going through any such condition their not is the duty of every individual to help them and encourage them to live their life with happiness and do something entertaining every day.
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10 Unique Kitchen Hacks to Save your Time in Kitchen and Cooking
Not all mothers have the time to spend countless hours cooking meals for their families. This is why a lot of moms resort to ordering take-out or prepared food as doing it themselves can occupy a big slot on their schedule. There are, however, ways to still be hands-on with cooking for your family. 10 Unique Kitchen Hacks to Save your Time in Kitchen and Cooking These ten are proven kitchen hacks that can cut back the time you spend on cooking and preparing meals: 1. Keep A List for Grocery Shopping Let us admit it: shopping can be incredibly time-consuming. Remembering all the things that you need at home can be difficult especially with your busy schedule. This is why keeping a shopping list is a smart thing to do. To save more time with shopping lists, come up with the most important items that you buy every week. This will form the core of your reusable shopping list. Just customize the list on a weekly basis by adding some special items that you may want for a particular period. This will also help you ensure that you are able to buy all the things you need. You will no longer have to go back to the grocery store just because you forgot something. 2. Make A Meal Plan It may seem like meal planning is a boring thing to do but it actually helps you save time. To make sure that you do not spend too much time on it, it would be best if you do it along with your shopping list. Not only is meal planning helpful in cutting back on the money and time spent on food, but it also assists you in ensuring that the food your family is eating is healthy. Through meal planning, you can balance the nutrients that your children are receiving. 3. Organize Your Cabinets Well Sometimes, one of the reasons why moms take too much time in the kitchen is because of how disorderly the area is. This is especially true when you do not know where you put your ingredients and kitchen utensils. By becoming more organized in the kitchen, not only will you be able to allocate more hours on other matters, but you can also easily detect if it is already time to stock up on some items. 4. Keep Your Pantry Well-Stocked Unexpected trips to the grocery store can be such a hassle for mothers. This is why as much as possible; moms should make sure that the kitchen is well-stocked with the items that they always use. You no longer have to go out just to buy a single item missing from your recipe. Another advantage of a well-stocked kitchen is it gives you the flexibility to change your mind about what meal to cook. Since you already have everything you may need, you can just do a different meal on a whim. 5. Prepare Your Ingredients In Advance To make cooking much faster, it would be best if you juice, chop or peel your ingredients before you start cooking. You can even wash and cut vegetables days ahead so you can just get the portion you need when you are already cooking. Having the best spice grinder can help you prepare your ingredients nicely and quickly without much effort. 6. Cook Simple Meals It may be tempting to cook complex meals to impress your family. But that will take up much of your time for sure. As much as possible, cook meals that have six ingredients or less. Even better: choose dishes with ingredients that are already in your cabinets or fridge. This will make your life so much easier. 7. Do Not Hesitate To Use Leftovers Leftover food is a blessing for moms. There are a lot of things you can do with leftovers. In fact, if you can, make enough food so that there will still be leftovers for the next day. Put the leftovers in the refrigerator. You can just reheat the leftover food if someone is hungry. For example, leftover fried chicken can be re-used in so many ways. You can use it to make the sandwich filling. Or you can add it to some greens and vegetables to make a salad. 8. Use A Slow Cooker Slow cookers are a gift from mom heaven. You can just put the ingredients for your meal early in the morning and attend to your other tasks. You can even start slow cooking in the evening! 9. Get Some Easy Snacks Ready On The Fridge Feel like you are going to have a busy week? Prepare easy snacks and put them in the fridge so your family will just get some if they are hungry. 10. Cook Breakfast The Night Before Do not want to wake up too early in the morning to cook? Cook what you can in the evening so that you will have less to do for breakfast. Bring some fruits and milk into the blender. Once done, store it in the fridge so that you will just take it out in the morning. Of course, this does not work for all types of food. But if there are meals that can be prepared beforehand, which you can just reheat for breakfast, this is definitely a good tip. Conclusion These are some very useful kitchen hacks that can help you prepare food without much effort. But you always need the best kitchen tools and appliances to ensure everything goes as planned. Read More : Home Hacks: Stuff You Can Clean in One Hour or Less. Kitchen Renovations Must be Done at Regular Intervals.
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Essential Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
The advantages of coconut oil are on everyone's tongue. It is a special blessing from God as it has many benefits. It has uncountable uses, some people use coconut for better hair growth, few people apply it on the skin for moisturizing purpose, some of them add them in scented candles for aromatherapy and last but not least few people add coconut oil in their smoothies and diet to enjoy its magnificent health benefits. Coconut Oil Kills Bacteria : Coconut oil is anti-microbial oil that fights against bacteria, viruses or micro-organisms. Coconut oil has saturated fat that contains lauric acid as fatty acids which are known for their ability to fight against bacteria. If you add coconut oil to your diet, it combines with enzymes to form monoglyceride which enhances the property of coconut oil to kill bacteria such as Candida Albicans or Staphylococcus Aureus. Coconut oil Promotes Heart Health : The saturated fat in coconut oil increases the number of High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) is good cholesterol responsible to carry fat lipids to the liver so that they can be removed. These fat lipids are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol that can build in your arteries and can lead you to experience high blood pressure issues. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol fights against low-density lipoproteins cholesterol which reduces your chances of experiencing cardiovascular diseases. Coconut oil Improves digestive system : Do you know that coconut oil can help you improve your digestive system? Coconut oil makes your gut flora healthy by fighting against bad bacteria and maintains a healthy environment. Coconut oil also fights against bacteria that cause a decrease in stomach acids which helps indigestion. Tip: By adding omega fatty acids while taking coconut oil in your diet will enhance the result. Coconut Oil and Weight loss: Eating coconut oil can play an effective role in helping you to lose weight. Coconut oil improves your immune system because the chain of lauric acid in the coconut oil fights against bacteria and creates a hostile environment. Coconut oil also contains energy creating abilities and it naturally reduces your appetite that further aids in maintaining blood sugar level. In addition to this, the caprylic acid in coconut oil also helps in improving thyroid function, contributes to burning fat and controls heart rate. Due to its antimicrobial properties, it also helps in avoiding or treating stomach ulcer. Type ii Diabetes : As discussed prior that coconut oil helps in regulating blood sugar level. Similarly, coconut oil reduces the risk of diabetes type two. When your body stops accepting insulin and energy from glucose. Coconut oil promotes the production of insulin in cells which provides continuous energy by preventing insulin resistance. Coconut Oil Helps In Preventing Alzheimer Disease : Our liver is responsible to produce ketones which provide energy to our brain. The energy source for brain cells is derived from glucose by the help of insulin that is produced by the brain itself. People experiencing form Alzheimer brain loses their ability to produce insulin. However, the Medium-chain triglycerides MCT's in coconut oil increases the production of ketones by the liver which provides energy to the brain to improve its function. In addition to this, if you have a weak memory, the medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil will also improve your recalling power as the brain cells get stronger. Coconut Oil for Anti-aging : Coconut oil is antimicrobial oil that promotes the level of antioxidants in the body which further aids into the slower aging process as it reduces oxidative stress on the liver and promotes better liver function. Healthier liver leads to a healthier body and skin. Prevent Osteoporosis By Using Coconut Oil : Free radicals and oxidative stress are two causes of osteoporosis. Many people use coconut oil as a natural remedy for osteoporosis because it promotes absorption of calcium by gut flora which saves them from loss of bone structure and increases bone volume. Coconut Oil for Hormone Imbalance : To balance hormones, one should reduce the intake of sugar and grain and load up on healthy fats. Therefore, the saturated fats in coconut oil have a positive effect on estrogen levels. It can be one of the best fats that can be taken during menopause. Hope this evidence would help you to make a wise decision of taking coconut oil in your diet. Read Also : 8 Home Gym Systems You’ll Want To Try Out All That You Must Know About Prenatal Vitamins Choosing A Diet Based On Your Personality Type
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How Does Smoking Weed Affect The Society
The debate over the effects of smoking marijuana on the society is all the rage currently. Whether you refer to this magic plant as cannabis, marijuana, Ganja, pot, kush just to mention a few, the point is that whatever you refer to it, folks are discussing it now more than ever which is a great thing. The truth is that over 60% of Americans use marijuana. Hopefully, the following positive ways in which smoking marijuana affect society will encourage you to puff even more. Reduces deaths : Statistics indicate within a decade over a million folks have died from using prescribed medicine that is approved for use by the FDA. On the flip side, zero deaths have been attributed to marijuana use over the same period. Within the same period, many other people lost their lives because of the food that they consumed. The chances are that pot is safer than the medication approved for use by the FDA as well as some of the food that we consume daily. Minimizes trips to the hospital : No matter how controversial the topic of how smoking marijuana affects society is, we can't deny that the plant has fantastic medical properties. The list of conditions and disease marijuana can fight is endless. Gone are the heydays when you had to make several journeys to the hospital and spend lots of cash treating diseases like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, nausea, concussion, bipolar disorder among others that can be cured through smoking or using marijuana products. Helps fight evil : Crime is an unfortunate fact of life, no matter where you reside. Nonetheless, if most people smoke weed in the society, then crime rates will reduce significantly. If the pot is readily available, criminal gangs won't make lots of cash from it. This means that they won't have the notes to fund other criminal activities. In fact, statistics indicate that states that have legalized marijuana are much safer than states that have a high demand for illegal marijuana. Grows the economy : Yes, you heard me right! With many folks smoking marijuana, those who supply smoking equipment like bongs/dab rigs, glass blunts and the rest will make a kill because their products will be in high demand. The government will also make money because they will receive tax from each of the products sold. Without any doubt, smoking grass creates jobs and develops the economy, which is a good thing. Enhances creativity : Research in consciousness and cognition discovered that marijuana makes users more creative. With more productive people in society, people with coming up with new and innovative ways to make money, not through crime. The study was done on a hundred and sixty users when they were sober and when intoxicated with cannabis. It revealed that weed heightened the verbal creativity of non-creative users to that of high creatives. If you wish to make your smoking experience better you can consider the products sold in luxe products in the USA. So if you have not been smoking marijuana it's time to start and hope that many other folks around you follow suit for a better society. Read Also : What’s It Like In A Drug Recovery Center? All That You Must Know About Prenatal Vitamins How To Choose Workout Supplements
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