Tag: Lifestyle

Rocks To Rock At Rock Bottom Prices

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Most girls love to adorn their bodies with beautiful stones and precious metals. Jewelry has been part and parcel of many cultures, throughout time. Today, among modern societies and developing places alike, you’ll find this sort of bodily decoration to be extremely popular. In the recent past, these items would be too expensive for most people to own. But, in recent times, they’ve become much cheaper. This means that for those willing to are willing compromise on diamonds or other expensive stones, real bargains can be found. To help you with this, this post will be going through some of the best gems and rocks for visual and wallet appeal.

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A lot of people like expensive stones because they have very interesting visual features. For example, light dances within a diamond differently to any other stone. And, this gives it a very unique look. But, a stone’s price doesn’t dictate how special it is. In the case of the Tiger’s Eye, you’ll be surprised to see how beautiful a cheap stone can be. Usually, this rock is a mixture of light and dark shades of grey, in formations which almost look like strands. It looks best with a highly polished finish. And, it can be applied to almost any sort of jewelry to look nice. It’s rare to find such a fascinating stone of these colors.

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For some, the Tiger’s Eye may not seem girly enough. And, although it is elegant, it makes sense that it might not be everyone’s thing. A rose quartz is a very different stone to a Tiger’s Eye. This sort of stone is, as its name suggests, pink. These stones grow in crystalline structures, with great detail and precise lines. But, they can also be polished to shine and look smooth. Like a Tiger’s Eye, this sort of stone is great within any sort of jewelry. A local jeweler should be able to help you to find this sort of stone. And, they may even be able to suggest some for you.

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This next rock isn’t actually a rock. Instead, it’s part of a natural process used by oysters and a few other types of mollusk. When a foreign object, like a grain of sand, enters the oyster’s, it has to protect itself against infection or damage. To do this, it creates a smooth shell around the object. And, this is the pearl you wear. These jewels of the ocean have been commonplace in most societies with ties to the sea. And, they can be found in the highest of society out there. The best sort of options for a stone like this are things like handmade pearl earrings or necklaces. A lot of the examples you find from automated factories are made using substandard pearls to lower their price.

Hopefully, this will inspire you to start saving some money on the rocks you wear. A lot of people like to use this sort of accessory to add some color to their outfit. It gives you the chance to make something more interesting. Or, you can use it as an accent to the clothing you already have.

 

 

 

Fast Ways To Eliminate Stress

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Stress is something that we all go through at one time or another. It is that uncomfortable feeling of being under pressure and not knowing whether you will be able to come through and achieve what you want. Unfortunately, stress is an ever-present part of modern life, and this doesn’t look as if it’s going to change anytime soon. However, there are some things that we can do to manage our stress in the here and now. Read on to find out what they are.

Meditation

Meditation is a great way to manage stress. This is because it is all about focusing in the now. The point is to just experience what is happening right at the time without controlling it, something which can help alleviate stress. By just letting it be you give it the chance to work itself out, and pass, instead of clamping down on it and making it stay for longer. 

Meditation can also help you slow down and listen to your own thoughts. This is useful as you can make calm decisions even if you are feeling stressed. Something that can help you get a positive outcome no matter what your internal state is.

Exercise

Exercise is also a good quick remedy for stress. When we are under pressure our bodies often coil and constrict as if they are ready to pounce into action. This is because stress stimulates the old fight, fight, or freeze response that comes from our lower brain.

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Exercise can help alleviate this, as it provides somewhere for all of that nervous energy to go. So next time you are feeling stressed take a walk, or head to the gym and work out some of the symptoms physically. You will be surprised by how good it can make you feel.

Water

Drinking lots of fluids can also help you beat stress. This is because your brain is 85% water, and if it’s not properly hydrated it’s not going to work right. Also when we are stressed the body releases a hormone called cortisol. By drinking lots of water, we can keep this diluted in our bodies; negating some of the effects.

But what sort of fluids should we drink? The answer is and always will be water. Why? Well, water is the most natural fluid. As well as the purest, especially if you use a system like this Everpure water filter to remove any contaminants from the stuff you get out of your taps.

It’s also easier on the body because you actually have to use more fluid to expel caffeinated drinks than you gain from drinking them. Something that often leads to dehydration.

Therapy

Lastly, if stress is a constant issue in your life, you may want to consider some counseling or therapy. This is because many people suffer from what are known as cognitive distortions, or a skewed way of looking at the world.

This can cause them to interpret situations as stressful when they are not. However, by learning to recognize these issues, you can have a more balanced reaction to them, decreasing your stress.

 

 

Eating Together as a Family Is More Important Than You Realized

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Food is a huge part of life; not only does it provide us with sustenance to live but for most people, it can be a very social thing too. We all know the importance of teaching our children to make healthy decisions, but did you know that it’s not just what’s on their plate that matters? Experts suggest that eating dinner as a family is highly beneficial too. Not only does this help us to teach our children good habits with food but it keeps families close and bonded as well. Plus children who eat with the family tend to consume healthier foods with more vegetables and less salt, sugar and saturated fat. If family meals have fallen by the wayside, here are a few tips for getting back on track.

Keep The Atmosphere Light and Friendly

Try to keep heated debates and discussions away from the dinner table. Keeping the vibe light and friendly will make family dinner times much more enjoyable, rather than something the family shies away from. If you have any serious topics to discuss with your kids or partner, call a family meeting rather than doing it over dinner. Switch off the tv, and instead put some music on low if you want a bit of background noise. Make a rule that there are no phones or tablets at the dinner table, it should be a place without distractions where you can chat and enjoy your food.

Aim To Eat At Least One Meal Together on Most Days

When everyone is busy and has different schedules, eating together every day probably isn’t going to be practical. But you should aim to eat together most days, whether that’s in the morning or the evening. It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy, for a weekday breakfast a couple of cereal options and a bowl of fresh chopped fruit everyone can spoon on top should do the trick. Or a few slices of toast with some tea and juice. The act of getting everyone together to enjoy this time is beneficial, it doesn’t have to be over a feast each day.

Dine Out Together

Dining out as a family is a wonderful treat. Tasty food served with no dishes to tackle afterward- bliss! While it can be expensive, it’s so nice to do every once in a while. If you look at online menu prices before deciding on a venue, you can work out roughly how much it’s going to cost. As you can see from Dave and Busters menu, there are some lower cost dishes as well as more expensive options, so it all depends on what you’re looking to spend. Just about everyone enjoys a meal out, so the perfect way to treat the family and get some all-important bonding time in.

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Get Everyone Involved

Younger children will usually be more open to foods they have helped to prepare. When time allows it, you could have them help you wash vegetables or do a couple of simple tasks in the kitchen. Different family members could take it in turns to set the table or pour drinks. It helps to teach responsibility and helps you to all get into a routine when it comes to mealtimes.

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Alternative Methods of Managing Chronic Pain

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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If you are suffering from chronic pain and you haven’t been able to find much relief from medication, or if the medication has helped, but you don’t like the side effects, why not try out some alternative pain management techniques?

They don’t work for everyone, and you might have to try a few different methods before you see any results, but there is nothing to lose by at least trying some of the following alternative treatments for back pain, so what are you waiting for?

Acupuncture

Opinion is still divided on acupuncture’s ability to manage chronic pain, but many people who suffered from conditions like chronic back pain, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis swear by the ancient Chinese practice of having needles inserted under the skin, and if something works, you don’t really question the how’s and the whys, you just get on with it. So, give it a try and see how you feel.

Exercise

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I understand completely that exercising is often the last thing that you want to do when you’re suffering from intense pain, but there is good evidence to suggest that physical activity can have a positive impact on chronic pain levels. This is thought to be because to the endorphins that are released when we exercise, but it could also, in some cases, be that exercising the affected area (carefully) can help to minimize pain.

Chiropractic Treatment

Many people with chronic pain swear by their chiropractors and see them regularly, despite the fact that some quarters have expressed skepticism over chiropractic manipulation. People suffering from lower back pain, in particular, have found great relief from the simple adjustments made by their chiropractors. So, if you’re suffering from back pain, it has to be worth a try.

Supplements

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Numerous studies have found evidence that adding fish oil to the diet can reduce the pain that is caused by swelling and many more have found that capsaicin – an ingredient found in hot chilies – when applied to the chronic pain caused by back issues, arthritis and other chronic pains can reduce symptoms. However, you should never take a supplement without first okaying it with your doctor.

Therapy

Most people think that therapy is only useful for mental illnesses and emotional problems, but there is some evidence to suggest that it can be beneficial to people who are living with chronic pain. You see, it’s natural for people who have chronic pain to develop depression and depression can reduce one’s tolerance for pain, so by dealing with the depression, you can also reduce pain symptoms, at least a little.

Yoga

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There is an increasing amount of evidence to suggest, that when practiced correctly and in a suitable way for your particular illness, yoga can and does help to reduce chronic pain. The gentles stretching of the body and the relaxation of the mind is a boon to people who are in pain, and it can be practiced any time anywhere with a little instruction from an expert.

Do you suffer from chronic pain? Have you found any unusual ways of managing your symptoms?

Coping With The Top 3 Worst Travel Troubles

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

In an ideal world, every trip will go as smooth as can be. There will be no problems, and we travel with complete confidence and no hiccups. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world, and things go wrong all the time.

So, here’s my list of the top travel troubles and how you can cope with them:

(Pexels: http://bit.ly/2qR2cfE)

Cancelled Flights

When your flights get cancelled, it can ruin your travels. It prevents you from getting somewhere on time and can cause a great deal of stress. Especially if it’s your flight home, as you end up lost in a foreign country with no way of getting home.

It’s hard to cope with this travel trouble, but there are some things you can do. Mainly, try and have a plan B wherever possible. This doesn’t mean you should book multiple flights, but more that you should prepare for the worst. For example, reserve a room at a hotel near the airport for the day of your flight. Then, if your flight gets cancelled, you have somewhere to stay for the night. If your flight isn’t cancelled, you can cancel the reservation free of charge (check with the hotel that you can do this, most allow you to, but some don’t).

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Lost Luggage

Losing your luggage is one of the worst travel troubles out there. When an airline loses your stuff, it can put you in a really bad position. All of your clothes and precious belongings have gone, leaving you stranded with nothing.

Thankfully, you can cope with this problem in two ways. Firstly, you can prevent it from happening by avoiding paying for hold luggage. Try and only use hand luggage, and you can keep your bags with you at all times. This may be hard for some people, but you can always pay for extra hand luggage too if you can’t keep it all in one bag. The second idea is to help you cope with the aftermath of some lost luggage. What you should do is buy travel insurance to protect you when this happens. There are loads of places like GoBear that compare travel insurance so you can find the best one. Once you’ve done this, you’ll be protected if any of your luggage goes missing or gets damaged. You can claim compensation and get replacements or money for anything you lost.

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No Cash

Most of us like bringing foreign money with us when we travel. This is because it can cost a lot to use our cards, and our banks may see activity in a foreign country and block our account as a security measure. This leads to a long phone conversation as you prove who you are and get the account unblocked. So, we use cash, but what happens when we run out? It can cause a big problem for us, particularly if we didn’t bring our card at all.

Well, coping with this issue is easy. First, always bring more than you need, just in case! Secondly, get a travelcard and load it up with money. You can use this card at ATMs to withdraw cash without being charged fees!

There you have it, three travel troubles complete with ideas on how to cope with them. Now, you can travel with confidence this summer.

 

 

How To Completely Change Your Look In 4 Steps

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Whilst the thought of improving your appearance drastically always sounds like a pipe dream, that’s just the negative voice in your head getting you down. We’re programmed to criticize ourselves; don’t ask me why, but it’s the way things are. Still, you don’t need to put up with that. You don’t need to look in the mirror and sigh as you dream of the way in which you wish you’d look.

Healthiness and happiness should be the motivator to change your appearance and your life in general, so you need to push away vain thoughts. Wanting to look good for shallow reasons is never a good motivator because the negative voice in your head will always find something to say to put you down. You need to change your look for you, and it needs to be for the right reasons. Here are 4 steps to get you on the right track.

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Your body.

Your body is probably your worst enemy, as it is for most women. Our heads are filled with so many conflicting ideas as to what constitutes the perfect body. Some people say we should be as skinny as a rake, but other people say we should have voluptuous curves. It’s an absolute headache, and it’s all rubbish.

You don’t “have to” look any particular way when it comes to your body other than the way you want to look. In fact, to be more exact, you should look the way that makes you feel comfortable. Don’t starve yourself, and don’t over-eat. A healthy body should be your priority because there is no ideal size. If you eat a consistent diet and keep active on a daily basis then you’re doing everything right.

Your face.

Another aspect of your appearance that you want to keep healthy in a practical sense as well as in terms of its appearance on the surface is your face. Frequent moisturizing is crucial to avoid dry, cracked skin, and a clean face is absolutely essential when it comes to avoiding acne and other blemishes. There’s nothing wrong with a little make-up, of course, but try not to let your face become too oily during the day.

Mental health also affects appearance, so through practicing positive thoughts about your appearance you’ll reduce your stress and, in turn, your acne; it’s a positive cycle. You should also be looking after your dental health; your teeth shouldn’t just look white but actually be healthy. Look after your gums, in particular, by flossing and ensure that you brush your teeth two or perhaps even three times a day.

Your fashion.

Ah, fashion. It’s a love-hate relationship. We love pretty clothes, but we hate it when they don’t fit us or we think they don’t look quite right on us. If you’re lacking in confidence with regards to the fashion department then you could go on a shopping spree with your pals so as to have a team of advisors on what looks good or bad. You could also browse through online sites offering sleek and modern dresses for women because you might be selling yourself a bit short with your current wardrobe.

Again, don’t put yourself down; a good fashion sense isn’t some elusive concept that you can’t quite grasp. What’s most likely is that you never had the confidence to wear the pretty dresses or outfits you saw in shops or on other people; you need to rid yourself of these doubts and take a risk. Self-esteem is absolutely the key to changing your overall appearance, as we’ll discuss in the final step…

Your confidence.

This is the final step to looking good. Whether you want to try parting your hair on the other side or completely changing the color of your hair altogether, everything will come together if you just work it. People pick up on positive energy and confidence. You look more attractive when you feel more attractive, so you should be making yourself look the way you want to look; that way, you’ll be happier about your appearance, and this will make you look more attractive to others.

Need-To-Know Wedding Planning Tips

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

So, he’s finally popped the question, you’ve told everyone you know the good news, and the reality of it all is finally setting in. You may have had countless ideas about what you want your dream wedding to look like ever since you were a little girl. Now, you’re finally going to be able to make these daydreams a reality! When planning your big day, there are a number of things you should know, and others that you have to know. If you’re about to get stuck in with the planning, here are some essential tips to bear in mind…

Your Guests Come First

Well, obviously, you come first. However, when you sit down to start planning, your guests are the first thing you should worry about. First and foremost, get a firm handle on the number of guests you’re going to invite. This will make it easier to settle on details such as the wedding invitations and the venue. As a general rule of thumb, you should make sure you have around 25 square feet of space per wedding guest. That might sound like a lot, but remember you need to account for the tables, the catering staff, the band and of course the dancefloor.

Figure Out No-Go Dates

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There’s nothing worse than marking a date on your calendar, beginning to count down the days to your wedding, and then finding out that you’ll need to postpone it. Start investigating a rough time when you’d like to have your wedding, and find out if there are any no-go dates around the same time. Trade conferences, charity walks, and other local events, can all have a dramatic effect on both traffic and the availability of hotel rooms. Rule these out, and you’ll ensure your big day goes as smoothly as possible.

Think About the Weather

To make sure your big day is enjoyable and memorable for all of your guests, you need to start thinking about any potential annoyances that mother nature might throw at you. It’s fairly common for wedding guests to leave early from events held in blistering summer days, and winter receptions with inadequate heating. Bugs such as gnats and mosquitoes will swarm around some areas in certain times of the year, so take precautions against these pests if the wedding or reception is going to be largely outdoors. If a sunset is essential to your perfect ceremony, make sure you check what time you’ll need to say your vows. You don’t want the reception to start too late in the day!

Leverage Plastic

Weddings are among the most expensive private events anyone will have to pay for. However, you can take advantage of the high cost of your big day, by applying for a good rewards credit card. Whether it pays off in air miles or excellent shopping deals, trying to consolidate all of your wedding purchases with the right card will help you acquire countless reward points. These can be an absolute godsend when you two are on your honeymoon!

Have a Meal Plan

From Pixnio

Feeding everyone who’s coming to your wedding is another major expense that you’ll have to account for. Before you sign any contracts with your vendors, just make sure you’re not expected to serve the same meal to them as you’ve got planned for your guests. You don’t want to have to pay for twenty extra lobster tails at short notice! Start looking for affordable, but equally satisfying wedding meals to serve them instead. You’re going to have to call your caterer in advanceand let them know precisely how many vendors are going to need feeding. Don’t forget the people who often slip through the net, such as roadies and photography assistants.

Leave Some Emergency Cash

We know, your big day may be completely wrecking your bank account as it is. Flowers, attire, music and entertainment, food, transport… the list goes on and on! However, if you want to be 110% sure that the event’s going to go off without a single hiccup, you also need to leave yourself an emergency cash cushion. As a general rule, this should be around ten percent of the necessary, non-negotiable expenses. This will be for surprise costs, such as getting extra invitations made up due to mistakes, supplying umbrellas for a rainy day, or even little décor frills. Hopefully, everything will go according to plan, and you won’t need to touch this emergency reserve. Still, it’s better to have this money and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

Set a Kids Policy

When children and weddings mix, it can make a large and complex event even more hard to manage. You have a few options for dealing with this. You can tell everyone that kids are welcome, make it an adults only event, allow immediate family only, or organise some kind of childcare solution for your guests. There are many childcare services that will accommodate for weddings, basing themselves either in the reception area, a function room, or at a family member’s home. Obviously, you don’t want to avoid hurt feelings, so try to avoid letting some guests bring their kids and then disallowing others.

Take Things a Step at a Time

Planning your perfect wedding is a massive project, and even though you’re excited for the day itself, all the different aspects of planning can quickly turn it into a long and difficult stress-fest! To keep yourself from pulling your hair out, break down all the work ahead of you into several manageable steps, sorted into a logical schedule. Figure out the tasks you need to complete, and tackle them one by one, preventing it all from snowballing out of control and casting a gloom over the happiest day of your life. Don’t hire any vendors or services before a date is set in stone. Don’t design your cake until you’re certain on the flower arrangements. Don’t choose entertainment before you know how much space you’ll have. Move things along in a logical, manageable order, and you’ll take a lot of potential stress out of the situation!