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Key Features of the Latest Bedroom Furniture Collections

By
Elizabeth Williams

Every year, designers are creating new and unique bedroom furniture. If you’re someone who loves to have the latest fashions in everything, you’ll certainly want to check out the newest furniture collections. Here are some of the features you’ll currently find in the new bedroom collections.

1.Upholstered Headboards and Footboards

Upholstered beds are nothing new. What’s new is how popular they are recent. People love the comfort of being able to lean back against their headboard and feel the softness of cushioned fabric instead of hard wood or metal. They also enjoy the sophisticated look of an upholstered headboard and footboard. Button-tufting makes these beds even more luxurious.

2. Geometric Patterns

Beds, dressers, and nightstands with geometric patterns have a special appeal for today’s furniture shoppers. The patterns may be carved into the pieces, added with mouldings, featured in fabrics, or painted on for an interesting effect. Black and white geometric patterns are stunning, and colorful designs bring warmth and cheerfulness into the room.

3. Gently Curved Designs

Gently-curved shapes are becoming extremely popular these days. Bristol County homeowners often like to visit this furniture store in Mansfield to find the newest pieces shaped this way. For example, sleigh beds usually have curves, anyway, but now, the curves may be softer and more rounded. Headboard top rails may have a pleasing gradual swoop that sets these furniture designs apart from past options. Dressers with serpentine fronts also fit into this intriguing category.

4. Matte Black Finishes

Black as a bedroom color seems to be more in fashion at some times than at others. Currently, fashion is not just black, but matte black finishes. The flat color has a more subtle look than a gloss black finish. At the same time, your bedroom will be a restful place to sleep because of the more calming effect of the deep, non-glossy color. And, if you want to add a little excitement, you can do it with contrasting pieces or colorful accessories.

5. Pops of Warm Colors

While neutral colors are still in vogue for bedroom furniture, the current trend is to add pops of warm color in your bedroom. You can often find bed sets that have accent colors painted into the detailing of their finishes. Or, you can add the colors with contrasting pieces. Accessories like brightly-hued comforter sets, pillows, throws, and artwork can bring even more vivid life to your bedroom décor.

6. Natural Materials

As people become ever more environmentally conscious, natural materials are taking their place as the most sought-after materials for bedroom sets. Solid woods with authentic woodgrain finishes fit in beautifully with this theme. Look for natural fabrics in upholstered pieces. To complete the all-natural look, add potted plants in your bedroom. 

If this is your year to buy bedroom furniture, you’ll be happy to know that all these features are available from online furniture stores. Choose a reputable furniture company and browse through all the bed sets they offer. You’re sure to find the right pieces for your home so you can stay up to date and be a true trendsetter.

How To Stay Mentally Strong After Rehab

By
Elizabeth Williams

When you are trying to recover even after rehab, you need to think about how you can stay mentally strong. There are some tips below that will help you with your recovery because you need to make sure that you have thought about how your mental recovery plays into your new life. You can make a new routine, try some new things, and change the way that you approach your sobriety. Employ all these tips when you are recovering and remember that you should do the thing that feels the best to you.

Where Is Your Sponsor?

A drug and alcohol detox center in Northern California will allow you to recover at your own pace, but you need to come home with a mentor. The people that are helping you out when you are trying to get better, you will be much happier about the fact that you can live a normal life. You can lean on these people during the day, and you can ask them for advice if you are not sure how to move forward with your recovery.

Be Mindful

There are many ways for you to be mindful, and you should try yoga or something like meditation to ensure that you can remain mindful during the day. You can even use an app that will teach you how to be mindful. It makes sense that you might feel a little bit scattered after rehab, and you can change all that if you are able to clear your mind at least once per day. You also need to consider how you are managing your feeling. This could lead to a meeting with a therapist who can help you.

Go To Therapy

Going to therapy is a great way for you to deal with your emotions and manage your recovery. You can go to a therapist who specializes in addiction, and that therapist can help you grow as a person. You need to remember that this could take some time, and you might even go to therapy if you feel fine. This is a safe way for you to learn about living sober, and your therapist can be another sponsor or mentor who will help you learn to grow.

Change Your Routine

You need to change your routine so that you are not going to places that are tempting. Most people who go back to old patterns will start using again, and they need to make sure that they have a new routine that will make it that much easier for them to avoid substances. You may not have thought about this, but you need to ask your friends to help you create new patterns especially when you go out.

You can stay mentally strong when you are using these tips and working with the people in your life to ensure that you can change your life and your routine. The people that are helping you can give you the advice that you need, and you can even go to therapy to manage your sobriety.

A Guide to All the Different Engagement Ring Settings and Styles

By
Elizabeth Williams

If you are looking to get an engagement ring, there are some things worth knowing. Click here to learn all about engagement ring settings and styles.

The most popular month to propose in the US is December, which makes sense. It’s a jolly time, all your loved ones are gathered together, so why not pop the question?

December’s coming up soon, so you may be planning on proposing to your loved one in the near future. But with so many ring settings and styles, how do you know which one’s the right one for your honey?

Here’s a guide to all the different engagement ring settings and styles so you pick the right one for your soon-to-be fiance.

Types of Settings

In this section, we’ll give you an idea of the types of settings you can get for your sweetheart’s engagement ring!

Prong

This is by far the most common type of setting for engagement rings. The metal wraps around the diamond(s) like a claw. The types include flat, pointed, or v-shaped.

You can either get 4 or 6 prongs. While 4 prongs will make your stone more prominent, 6 prongs will hold it down better.

Bezel

The prong setting takes first place, and the bezel setting comes in second. The stone is surrounded by the metal, which holds it in place.

This setting is great for people who live an active lifestyle since with prongs, it can easily catch on clothes and other things. The bezel setting won’t snag, plus it has a simple, modern look.

Tiffany

This setting is named after the famous jewelry store Tiffany & Co. The Tiffany setting is a 6-prong setting that gives your engagement ring stone maximum shine.

You may have to spend a pretty penny to get the Tiffany setting since they’ve trademarked this setting. But you can definitely get a similar setting at any reputable jewelry store for less.

Tension

If you’re looking for a unique setting, then this is it. The tension setting holds the stone in place through the tension in the metal. Not only is this option special looking, but it’s also typically less expensive.

If you don’t trust that the gemstone is secure in a tension setting, then you can go for a tension-style setting instead. This gives the illusion of a tension setting ring, but uses either a hidden prong or bezel to hold the gem in place.

Channel

A channel setting engagement ring will definitely catch the attention of everyone around. In addition to a larger stone in the middle, smaller stones are embedded all throughout the band.

This setting doesn’t use prongs, so you won’t have to worry about it catching on your clothes.

Pavé (or Bead)

“Pavé” is the French word for “to pave.” Like the channel setting, the pavé setting is pretty flashy.

In fact, it’ll be shinier than the channel setting since there’s barely any metal showing. Instead, it’ll just look like stone after stone.

Halo

The halo setting highlights the center stone by placing smaller stones all around it around the band; thus, you get the “halo” effect.

You can use this setting to get creative. Instead of having a uniform color all across the band, you can consider having different-colored stones for the halo to further emphasize the middle gemstone.

Cathedral

This setting is named for how reminiscent the design is to the arches of a cathedral.

From the band, several “arches” rise up to hold the gemstone. This is a great setting to really draw attention to the main attraction. However, because of its high arches, this type of ring can catch on clothing easily.

Bar

With other settings, smaller stones placed next to one another can blur together since they don’t have anything separating. But with the bar setting, you’ll get a really clear look at each stone.

In this type of setting, each stone is partitioned with a vertical metal bar. If you only have one stone, then it has a vertical metal bar on either side.

Flush (or Gypsy)

In the flush setting, the stone is hammered into the band so it sits within it. This can put more emphasis on the band.

However, because there’s hammering involved, we don’t recommend using softer stones. They may not hold up well.

Three-Stone

As the name suggests, the setting utilizes three gemstones right next to one another. These are put together with prongs.

It can be a very romantic gesture to propose with a three-stone setting ring, since it’s said to represent your past, present, and future together.

Cluster

This is an interesting setting to give the illusion of a large gemstone. Instead of one single stone, you “cluster” up several small ones in the middle.

With the cluster setting, you can experiment with different shapes and sizes. This can look great on people with smaller hands or fingers.

Types of Styles

Perhaps you want to stray from the usual diamond engagement ring. For instance, an aquamarine engagement ring can be quite striking.

But what style should you get? Below, we’ll discuss the popular types of engagement ring styles.

Eternity Band

These bands are “eternal” because the entire thing is decorated with small gemstones. You can use prong, bezel, channel, or flush settings on these types of rings.

Split Shank

The “shank” is the part of the ring that goes around your finger, or the band. A split shank band can give you more metal and gems to work with. As a result, you can get a pretty unique looking ring.

Vintage

If your honey’s into vintage things, then they’ll love a vintage style ring. Many jewelers can mimic Art Deco, Victorian, or Edwardian styles.

Often, they’ll utilize filigree and milgrain to give it that retro look.

Know Your Engagement Ring Settings and Styles

Before you walk into the jewelry store, make sure you know your engagement ring settings and styles. If you don’t, you can easily be overwhelmed in the store, which can lead to you either making a hasty decision or walking out empty-handed.

By reading this article, hopefully, you’ve learned a bit about engagement rings and know what you want to get your future spouse.

To learn more about love and relationships, consider taking a peek at the rest of our blog!

 

Things to Consider When Choosing a Good Rental Booth for the Next Las Vegas Trade Show

By
Elizabeth Williams

Las Vegas is more than just resort hotels in fancy neon lights, extravagant casinos, and sophisticated bars lining up the main street. The area has a growing reputation of being one of the friendly market-oriented cities in Southern Nevada that hold the best trade shows across the globe. 

Planning to promote your business through trade shows requires adequate knowledge and resources. For some investors, they find it pretty practical to rent a booth rather than spend a significant amount of time planning and designing the booth alone.

If your company has been looking for good exhibit booth rentals Las Vegas, consider these following points:

Experience In the Industry is Very Important

Trade shows present a great opportunity to take your business to a specific audience. So see to it that the design of your booth gives justice to the quality of your brand. In evaluating design companies, always consider its reputation with regards to appealing exhibits that still produce positive results. 

You can also ask them about the displays they produce yearly. Also, inquire how much of their business dealings are from customers who repeatedly asked for their service. Always remember that the number of repeat customers is an excellent determinant of the design firm’s quality service. 

Consider Some References 

Getting references is one way to get honest reviews about the services of booth rental companies. Here are some questions that you should bear in mind when you talk to a previous customer:

  • Was the booth rental company able to maintain the agreement regarding the budget and your allotted deadline? 
  • Were there any issues that arose during the process? If so, how did they manage to handle it? 
  • What, in particular, are the customer services were they able to give you?

Knowing the experiences of their previous customers will help verify the reliability and credibility of a particular rental organization.

 Request For Their Portfolio

 For you to have a better evaluation of the company’s services, find time to visit their website. For sure, some photos of the design work that they produce will be available for viewing. The kind of portfolio that they have will mirror the quality of the services they provide. 

 Their portfolio is a great way to know if they can give you the kind of service that you hope for your business. Website pages are typical when you consider to exhibit booth rentals in Las Vegas. Use this to your advantage.

Knowing The Actual Place Where Your Booth Will be Built and Designed

 More often than not, designers that have no manufacturing facility will have the work subcontracted. That means you would not be able to know the people that are getting your booth designed. It is crucial that when you agree with an exhibit designer, you should request for on-site meetings.

 On-site meetings will allow you to personally meet the people who will build the exhibit booth for the trade show. 

 Looking for an excellent exhibit booth rental in Las Vegas might be finicky. However, it will surely help a lot in promoting your business and invite potential clients if you choose one that could respond to your needs as an investor.

How to Train Yourself to Sleep on Your Left Side?

By
Elizabeth Williams

Let’s make one thing clear right away:

Hugging a pillow on the left side is more beneficial for your health than sleeping in any other position, experts say.

It helps relieve snoring, reduces the risks of heart attack, and prevents heartburn and reflux.

These are only the most common advantages. So, it’s no wonder why more and more people want to train themselves to sleep on the left side.

If you’re one of them, here are some tips that will ensure a fast and smooth transition to left side sleeping, whatever your current pose is.

#1 Revise Your Mattress (Or Get a Mattress Topper)

If you haven’t replaced your mattress in years, it might just be not suitable for side sleeping anymore.

Side sleepers typically need more contouring for their hips and shoulders so that they could keep their spine correctly aligned. However, old mattresses tend to sag over time, which makes them incapable of supporting the spine properly.

Also, if you used to sleep on your back or stomach before, you probably have a firmer bed, which isn’t the best choice for side sleeping either.

So, ideally, you need to head to a mattress store and get yourself the best side sleeper mattress. Not all people can do this right away, though. If that’s the case, you can refer to a temporary solution — a mattress topper.

Toppers are an affordable way to alter the overall feel of your mattress and make it more suitable for your new sleeping style. They can give you just the right amount of cushioning and proper support for your spine.

As a starting point, you can choose one of these mattress toppers if you sleep on the side and see how it turns out.

#2 Upgrade Your Pillow (And Don’t Limit Yourself by Having Only One)

Along with upgrading the mattress, you also need to choose a more suitable pillow. Studies show that getting the right pillow can help you maintain the natural cervical curve and relax strained muscles. This, in turn, can make your sleeping on the side more comfortable, especially if you’re just starting to implement this habit.

So, what makes the right pillow for a side sleeper?

  • It’s thick and fluffy. Side sleepers typically need the highest pillow to make sure their neck is parallel to the mattress. Tight and moldable pillows made from solid memory foam or shredded foam work best. Or, you can choose a pillow with an adjustable loft and change it to your liking.
  • It sleeps cool. Side sleepers tend to sink deeper into their pillows, which means they are more prone to getting hot during sleep. So, opt for natural materials, such as buckwheat hulls or down, or choose pillows with gel-infused materials.
  • It’s durable. The ability to maintain shape and offer support for years is crucial for every pillow. Choose high-quality and certified materials, as they have a longer lifespan and will withstand active exploitation better.

Also, don’t limit yourself to just one pillow. Additional pillows between your knees or under your hands, if you like to stretch them out, will remove the strain from your muscles and support the spine alignment. This, in turn, will make your side sleeping more comfortable and therapeutic.

#3 Try Sleeping on the Sofa (Or Facing the Wall)

If you used to be an avid back or stomach sleeper, it might be a real challenge for you to change your sleep habits even with the right mattress and pillow.

Fortunately, you can try these recommendations to help yourself transit to side sleeping:

  • For back sleepers: try sleeping on the sofa. A narrow sofa just won’t give you enough space to turn around. To make this temporary sleeping spot a bit more comfortable, you can use a mattress topper and trim it to fit your sofa’s width.
  • For stomach sleepers: sleep facing the wall. Lie on your left side facing the wall. Perhaps you will need to move your bed to another place in the room so that when you try to turn on your stomach, you will face the wall and keep sleeping on the side.

Note that while you’re transitioning to side sleeping, the quality of your slumber may not be that great. So, it’s better to take a vacation or do this on weekends so that the sleep quality wouldn’t affect your productivity.

#4 Be Consistent (And Keep Going at Your Own Pace)

Finally, don’t fall into despair if you can’t switch to side sleeping right away.

Approaching your goal by small but consistent steps may work for you better.

It may be helpful to work on your bedtime routine and develop relaxing rituals and techniques that will allow you to fall asleep in any position and any place.

Consistency is key here. So, keep putting effort into changing your sleeping style, and one day you will form a good habit that will keep you healthier and prolong your life.

How to Choose a Massage Mobile Therapist Service?

By
Elizabeth Williams
Massage Mobile Therapist Service

Introduction

Mobile massage therapist service means a massage therapy service in which people will contract to have a massage with a professional over the mobile phone. This service is an instant one. Professional will give you a scheduled time in which he will be at your home to provide you a massage. This is a home service. So, you don’t have to go to the massage center to have the service. You can have it on your home comfortably. But you need to follow some basic grounds before choosing a mobile massage therapist for yourself. In this article, we are going to discuss about this. Here are 10 ways to choose a mobile massage therapist service given below: 

Be Transparent about what they do

They will be honest with you. They will tell you everything about their methods to make you comfortable with it. They will try their best to make you relax and keep you satisfied with their work. They won’t hide anything from you. They will tell you about their each and every move before going to the next one. If you are having a massage from this type of guy, then be sure that you have hired the perfect person for yourself. This is the way of choosing a mobile massage therapist service.  

Evidence their Qualifications 

They will also discuss about their qualifications. If you ask them about their degrees and other qualifications, they will surely tell you all about their academic details. You can even take evidence of their qualifications from them. They won’t mind or hesitate to share them with you. You can choose a mobile massage therapist service through this. 

Be registered with an Association

He will surely be registered with an association. He will provide his service under a massage service. Famous massage service center will try to hire him before anyone because of his skills. A professional therapist will be aware of all the methods of massage. He will possess a vast knowledge over the topics and issues of massage. So, he will be able to deliver the best possible service to the targeted clients. This is why he should be registered with an association. To make an appointment with this kind of professionals you need to book a mobile therapist.

Continue Professional Education 

Doing massage is a kind of art, but it also need education for it. You can’t stop your education once you finish it. You need to be updated. You must have to be familiar with all new methods and inclusion of topics regarding massage. You have to continue your professional education first and after joining any massage center, you have to come forward to continuing professional education again to get updated with every new ideas and theories of massage.

Work in a Clean Environment 

A professional won’t work any dirty or unclean environment. He will surely work in a clean environment. You will have a good vibe just by entering into his room where he will provide you a massage. The environment will feel you neat and clean. You will feel better to get a massage from a clean environment by a professional. Clean environment should be his first and foremost preference. A professional will provide you a healthy massage. All of his works will be clean and perfect. Anyone would love to get a massage from him.

Gain Informed Consent – advise you of the treatment plan including what areas will be massaged

A professional will look into your physical report before going in action. He will also learn from you about your physical condition and if you are having issue then they will learn the spot where you are facing issues. They are doing these for years. They know a lot of techniques to deal with this kind of situation. They know how to get consent of the client to give a pure massage. He can make your wound, injury, or pain go away by his massage. He can even give you massage through your muscles because he is also well aware of the tissues of your body. He can give proper massage to your damaged tissues also to make it comfortable and fine again. So, you can take a phone and call a mobile therapist.

Always Drape Appropriately

Professional do drape appropriately. They don’t miss a thing. They mostly do the perfect work. They try to do less errors. They know what they do and they are the best of it. They won’t enter the room until you open your clothes and wrap up yourself with the towel properly. They will make sure you are wearing underwear also. They won’t touch any of your sensitive parts to instigate you. They will take care of all these things so that you don’t feel uncomfortable while taking massage. They will surely drape appropriately all the time.

Be Experienced in Massage, and Care About You

You should try to find a guy who is experienced in massage. You can hire a professional in this case. He will be the best guy for you. He will be experienced and well aware of the ways and systems of a massage. He can surely provide you the best massage. He can also take care of your body. He won’t let your body hurt by any of his movements. You will be relaxed by his service. He will provide you a top-class massage service. You should hire a professional who will be experienced at his job for several years.

Conclusion

You can surely a therapist to get a service like the above-mentioned system. All the mobile massage service will be able to provide you those service.

Green Tea & Weight Loss – What does the science say?

By
Elizabeth Williams

Green tea is commonly known as a beverage with a variety of health benefits, including weight loss benefits. If you are curious as to why you should try to include green tea in your diet, check out all of the health and weight loss benefits below.

Green tea is a simple drink with a shocking number of health benefits.

What is Green Tea

Green tea is a type of cured, hot beverage made with boiling water and tea leaves. Green tea comes from the same plant as other teas, such as black and oolong teas. These teas from a species of plant known as the Camellia Sinensis.

The difference between the teas is how they are prepared and the variety of Camellia Sinensis from which the leaves are picked. Green tea is made by taking fresh leaves from the plant and then lightly steaming them. Green tea typical comes from the Camellia Sinensis Sinensis, which is smaller than the black tea plants.

The green tea plant usually has smaller leaves, and it is typically grown in China. It grows best in mountainous regions and has developed a tolerance for colder weather and climates.

Oxidation is also significant in the processing of green tea. During oxidation, the tea plant leaves are exposed to oxygen, which slowly turns the leaves from green to black or brown. Green tea leaves have little to no oxidation process.

After being picked, the green tea leaves are usually heated and steamed quickly; then, they are dried immediately to reduce the amount of oxidation that occurs during the heating and steaming process.

Oxidations also change the flavor of tea leaves, which is significant when thinking about the taste of tea. Green tea, because it is not exposed to oxidation, retains its light green color and does not have a strong flavor. Therefore, green tea often tastes more herbal and plant-like than black teas, which can be malty, smoky, fruity, nutty, citrusy, or sometimes bitter.

Green teas can taste grassy, sweet, and sometimes similar to seaweed.

Historically, the top two producers of green tea are China and Japan. This makes sense since China is the origins of green tea, and Japan has a long spiritual and medical practice of using green tea.

Why Is It Good For Weight Loss?

Green tea has been used for thousands of years as a herbal remedy and its medicinal properties. Numerous studies have shown its health benefits, but one of its popular uses is for weight loss or weight management.

Drinking green tea may help you achieve your weight loss goals for a few reasons. The following are just some of the weight loss benefits of green tea.

Increase in Metabolism

Researchers suggest that green tea and green tea extract can change body weight and body fat indexes by improving metabolic rates. Scientists say green tea “modulates genes related to energy metabolism.” The combination of green tea with exercise improved the body’s ability to expend energy and use energy that is consumed.

Not only are basal metabolic rates are improved through the consumption of green tea, but it also helped the body utilize stored and consumed energy, which leads to decreased body weight and smaller bodyweight indexes.

Burning Fat

Unlike other teas, green tea has lower levels of caffeine, so its primary fat-burning properties do not come from its caffeine stimulant. Instead, green tea is a great source for antioxidants.

Teas are full of polyphenols, which is an antioxidant that helps reduce damage to cells int eh body while detoxifying them. Teas have more polyphenols in them than fruits and vegetables. Most teas have 8-10 times the polyphenols of fruits and vegetables.

More importantly, green tea contains EGCG, which is a compound that has been shown to increase fat oxidation both during rest and during exercise.

Calorie Restriction

Some studies show that a compound found in green tea can help suppress hunger and increase feelings of fullness. In fact, in combination with pepper extracts, green tea reduces overall energy intake while promoting weight loss and improve heart rates.

Green tea may be used as a way to suppress hunger or feel fuller while reducing energy intake.

Help Lose Abdominal Fat

Green tea can help reduce bloating, along with minimizing abdominal fat and waist size. One study showed significant decreases in waist circumference in individuals that consume green tea daily.

Drinking four cups of green tea each day decreased overall body weight, reduced waist circumference, and decreased systolic blood pressure. Green tea drinkers had a 1.8% decrease in weight. More significantly, these users of green tea had a 4.4% reduction in waist circumference.

Green tea can help improve digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties. It can help reduce bloating and gas while at the same, enhancing your ability to burn fat and reduce the size of your waist and stomach.

Green tea and/or extract green tea can often be found as one of the primary ingredients in fat-burning supplements.

Other Health Benefits

Aside from weight loss, green tea has shown a long list of health benefits. Below are just a few of the health of drinking green tea:

  • Improve brain function
  • Increased alertness
  • Lower risk of heart diseases
  • Reduce the risk or effects of type 2 diabetes
  • Lower cholesterol
  • Reduces inflammation of the body
  • Reduces the risk of stroke
  • Can sooth arthritis
  • Can reduce acne or flare-ups
  • Reduce the effects of allergies

How Much Green Tea Should I Drink a Day to Lose Weight?

While studies suggest different amounts, the best number of cups of green to drink per day is 3-5. Drinking more than this can create an acidity imbalance in the stomach, which can lead to gas, bloating, and diarrhea.

Drinking 3-5 cups per day reduces the risk of creating a chemical imbalance in the body while promoting all the health benefits of green tea.

In the previous study mentioned, patients found that four cups of tea a day produced the best health results, including reduced weight, waist, and body fat index.

What is the Best Time to Drink Green Tea for Weight Loss?

While green tea can be consumed at any point of the day, it is best to drink green tea at intervals. You can drink one cup of tea in the morning. Your metabolism is boosted in the morning, so adding more boost to it can be beneficial. It may also reduce your chances of overeating during breakfast or snacking before lunch.

You can also drink tea 2-3 hours before or after a meal. Drinking tea before a meal can help you absorb it and feel fuller when you sit for a meal. This means you will consume less or metabolize the energy you eat quicker. You can also drink it after a meal if you become hungry after a meal or want to reduce bloating.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, then you should not drink it before bed. If you drink it in the evening, you may consider drinking it a few hours before you plan to sleep.

The Bottom Line About Green Tea

Green tea has a variety of health benefits, with little to no side effects or negative results. Not only can it help you reduce your body fat and reach your weight loss goals, but it can also improve your overall health.

It is very easy to implement in your routine. You can drink a cup of green tea with your breakfast or between your meals when you usually want a snack. It is swift and easy to brew. With so many health and weight loss benefits, it’s difficult not to try a few cups each day for a few months. It may just give you the boost you need.

References:

Hodgson, A. B., et al. (2013). The effect of green tea extract on fat oxidation at rest and during exercise: Evidence of efficacy and proposed mechanisms. Advanced Nutrition, 4(2): 129-40. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649093/

Mousavi, A., et al. (2013). The effects of green tea consumption on metabolic and anthropometric indices in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Journal of Research and Medical Science, 18(12): 1080-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3908530/

Mulhollem, J. (2014). Research suggests that green tea, exercise boost weight loss, health. Penn State News, https://news.psu.edu/story/310179/2014/04/02/research/research-suggests-green-tea-exercise-boost-weight-loss-health

Reinbach, HC, et al. (2009). Effects of capsaicin, green tea and CH-19 sweet pepper on appetite and energy intake in humans in negative and positive energy balance. Clinical Nutrition, 28(3): 260-5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19345452

Children’s Social Skills In Kindergarten Matter More Than Their Academics

By
Riley Cooper
Children’s Social Skills In Kindergarten

Well, if you thought that your five-year-old’s ability to read the list of 100 most frequently used words by the end of kindergarten guaranteed him/her success as an adult, know that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

One study published in 2015  has shown that social skills are more important to the development of  children at this age than academic skills.

The researchers found “statistically significant associations between measured social-emotional skills in kindergarten and key young adult outcomes across multiple domains of education, employment, criminal activity, substance use, and mental health.”

So, there you have it. Children’s social skills in kindergarten are a way better predictive of success in adulthood than early academics.

So, while a lot of schools and parents may be feeling the pressure to reduce social interaction and play so that children can have more time to devote to developing academic skills, it’s, in fact, the social skills which are more predictive of success in adulthood.

Following are 5 essential social skills you can foster in your child:

1.How to solve problems.

Yes, you are great at solving problems since you get so much practice as a parent. Well, your child needs to get some of that practice as well.

So, the next time, your kid has a problem, make sure you ask them to participate in the problem- solving process. Ask them to tell you what’s happening and suggest solutions to the problem.

What’s important for you to know is that by teaching your kid how to problem-solve, you also teach them how to make a mistake and try again. You teach them that we can learn from our mistakes and improve ourselves.

2. How to name and identify feelings.

Kids that are perceptive when it comes to noticing and understanding the feelings of those around them are more able to get along with other people. You can foster this skill in your child by teaching him/her how to label and identify feelings.

You can do this in your home (“You looked so thrilled when your team won the match. Your face beamed with happiness!”) but also by commenting on the emotions of characters in stories, too, (“How do you think X felt when the accident happened?”).

3. How to play with others.

By playing with other kids, and grown-ups as well, children learn to share, take turns, solve problems, experiment, and negotiate. You can help your kid develop these skills by making time for interaction and play with other kids.

While football practice and dance class dates have their own value, kids need a lot of time engaging in play with other kids where they’re not instructed by adults.

4. How to control their impulses.

Impulse control is a part of the functions which are controlled by the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This region of the brain doesn’t fully develop until you’re well into early adulthood, but some of the fastest development occurs in early childhood. That is the reason why kids need opportunities to practice this skill.

For instance, movement games, such as Simon Says or Red Light/Green Light, are a good way to practice these skills as they require a child to control their impulses to move.

Additionally, pretend play is a good way to develop these skills as by assuming a new character, kids have to take turns, plan before acting, set rules to follow, and most importantly, act as they believe another person would, rather than just acting in accordance with their own impulses.

5. How to help others.

Being willing and ready to help other people requires kids to recognize the needs of others and look beyond their own.

You can foster this skill by giving your child a simple task in which they could help within your family, such as setting the table for lunch, throwing away the garbage, or watering the flowers, and then compliment your child for their helpful behavior.

Nutritional Psychiatry: The Diet – Mental Health Treatment Connection

By
Riley Cooper
The Diet – Mental Health Treatment Connection

You might find the saying, “You are what you eat” awkward, but there’s a lot of truth in it. Not only does a healthy diet positively affect our physical health, (I’m sure you’ve noticed that you feel a lot better when you eat healthy food), but it also has a positive impact on our mental health.

Indeed, when it comes to treating different health conditions, food can be your best friend or greatest enemy. Anyone that has reduced their arthritis symptoms or reversed their type 2 diabetes by adopting a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet or eliminating refined sugar from their diet can confirm this. So, it’s no wonder that food is very commonly referred to as medicine these days.

Nutritional psychiatry is an emerging field of research which focuses on the use of food to provide important nutrients as part of an alternative treatment for mental health conditions.

But, nutritional approaches for mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are not commonly accepted by mainstream medicine.

Instead, treatment approaches tend to be limited to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines that recommend taking antidepressants and therapies.

When it comes to antidepressants, it’s alarming that the use of antidepressants has more than doubled in the last years. And what’s more distressing is that more and more children and young people are using antidepressants.

According to Dr. David Healy, a professor of Psychiatry in Wales and internationally respected scientist and psychopharmacologist, the use of antidepressants does more harm than good.

Namely, at a global health conference in Aberdeen, Dr. Healy said that in 29 clinical trials of antidepressants – every single one didn’t produce any benefit. The use of antidepressants actually made children become suicidal and this wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t been prescribed these drugs.

And when it comes to the effectiveness of the use of antidepressants in adults, antidepressants are believed to have unpleasant side effects and create dependency.

Nutritional Deficiencies and Poor Mental Health

A lot of mental health disorders are caused by inflammation in the brain. This inflammation starts in our gut and it’s related to a lack of nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, probiotics, fiber, minerals and vitamins which are all important for the optimum functioning of our bodies.

One study has revealed that food supplements, such as magnesium, zinc, vitamins B and D3, and omega 3, can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve people’s mood as well as the mental health of people suffering from Alzheimer’s.

So, for all those that haven’t responded to antidepressants or that can’t tolerate their side effects, nutritional approaches can offer hope for the future. The use of food supplements has the potential to greatly improve the mental well-being of all age groups.

And last but not least, it’s time for psychiatrists and GPs to take nutritional psychiatry seriously so that they know as much about its important role in mental health treatment as they do about physiology and anatomy.

You May Be A Tough Woman, But You’re Also Allowed To Be Weak Once In A While

By
Riley Cooper
You May Be A Tough Woman, But You’re Also Allowed To Be Weak Once In A While

You are a strong, brave woman.

You are a fighter who is not afraid to face everything life throws your way. You’re a warrior who is not afraid to conquer every evil in the world and fight for what you deserve.

You don’t fear challenges. You live for them.

You don’t fear changes, too. Your life without them would be meaningless.

Whenever life throws problems and pains your way, you reach down and find the inner strength to get through them.

Whenever life knocks you down, you manage to pluck up the courage to pick yourself up, shake off your pain, and move on.

And you know what? You are a kind, compassionate, and caring person, too. People rely on you. They turn to you for help and support. They love the wise pieces of wisdom you share with them. They look up to you. You are their comfort. Their strength. Their guiding light. Their shelter. Their guardian angel. Their hope.

Yes, you are a strong and amazing woman – always remember that. But, always remember, too, that you are allowed to be weak once in a while.

You’re allowed to take off your armor.

You’re allowed to take a break and not be everyone’s shelter, crying shoulder, and guardian angel. Because you can’t solve everyone’s problems. And you don’t have to carry other people’s burdens on your shoulders.

You May Be A Tough Woman, But You’re Also Allowed To Be Weak Once In A While

Yes, you are a tough, brave woman, but sometimes it gets overwhelming and exhausting being strong all the time. Sometimes you simply need to slow down and rest. Sometimes you need to forget about the needs of others and focus on your own instead.

And you know what? That’s okay. It’s okay to be weak. It’s okay to lack strength. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed when you can’t handle all the chaos and drama going on in your life.

It’s okay to be fragile. It’s okay to feel sad and cry. It’s okay to be vulnerable. Why?

Because being weak once in a while doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you. It doesn’t mean you’re worthless.  It just means you are a human being made of flesh and blood. It just means you are exhausted. It means you need to take a break.

So, go ahead, brave woman, and take that break. Take a break from all the negativity and madness existing around you.

Show everyone that taking a break from the chaos you’re surrounded by is not a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of strength.

Because this shows that you’re not afraid to let your feelings flow freely. It shows you’re not afraid to put your shield down and show everyone that you’re vulnerable. It shows you’re brave enough to be who you really are. It shows that you accept and love yourself for who you are.

And most importantly, it shows that you understand that your strength and courage are not defined by how many times you’ve felt weak.

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