Gina A. Herrera

In today’s society, more and more people are concerned with their overall health and wellness. People from all walks of life are learning more about how they can educate themselves and implement a wholesome lifestyle that will bring wholeness on a grand spectrum.

When you think of being well as a wellness enthusiast, you want to think of it as being well in every area of life, mentally and physically. If you’re not well in one area of your life, there’s a good chance that another area of your life/body is suffering and you should be able to fix it.

If you’re someone who is beginning to learn more about how you can adapt to the wellness attitude that most enjoy today, you’ve probably heard about several alternative solutions. These alternative solutions are remedies that balance both your mind and body and help you to stay fit and healthy.

We asked our experts what were some of the best ways to help our readers achieve this and they shared these five ways you can stay fit and healthy while applying a consistent wellness regimen.

#1 – Determination

When you speak about wellness and wholeness, you are speaking about both the mind and the body. Someone doesn’t just wake up one morning and start applying lifestyle changes they know nothing about.

The first step in your wellness regimen is you. It begins in your mind and you have to adopt several changes you probably never thought about before.

First and foremost, you have to have consistency and commitment. The two “C’s” of a wellness lifestyle begin with both of these words because they stem from an emotional position in how you perceive things around you.

Have you ever had a bad day and just wanted to have that piece of chocolate? Have you ever been stressed out from work and go home and eat an entire pizza? Little things like this can mean a big difference in terms of wellness and determination is key.

If you are committed to bringing a wellness lifestyle change to yourself and your families lives, you are ready to go. There will be days when you feel a little weak, but the people who plan for these days are the people who succeed in getting through them.

Understanding that you are a human and you will make some errors along the way, but never let the … Read the rest

CBD and Food

One of the most popular ingredients currently available for all of your recipes is CBD. If you want to learn more about the health benefits for numerous issues including anxiety, insomnia, inflammation, pain, and nausea there is lots of info online to help you along.

Although it is incredibly simple to drizzle CBD over foods, you can incorporate it right into your recipes. When you add CBD to your food, you are amplifying the benefits while making your CBD even more efficient. This is because CBD works in conjunction with the therapeutic benefits of numerous spices, herbs and vegetables. The best tips for using CBD with your food are detailed below.

Avoiding Excessive Heat

When you cook with CBD, you need to avoid using excessive temperatures. CBD will lose potency when too much heat is applied because it will evaporate.

This is why so many individuals choose to use CBD as a finishing touch for their dishes. You can drizzle CBD oil over a lot of different foods such as eggs, pizza, avocado toast or even mix it right into your pesto.

Eating on a Set Schedule

You will enjoy even more benefits when you use CBD on a specific schedule. If you are having difficulty falling or remaining asleep, try eating a light snack containing CBD before bedtime. If you have pain generally becoming worse during the evening, use CBD for your lunch.

Prior to preparing anything using CBD, figure out when you need the benefits the most. If you want CBD to become part of your regular routine, add it to your coffee in the morning.

Masking the Bitter Taste through Infusion

You may have noticed an earthy and bitter taste to your CBD oil. This is usually found in broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD products because they are different than CBD isolates. Both broad-spectrum and full-spectrum CBD oil contains a lot of healthy compounds.

The reason the taste is stronger is that they are derived from the cannabis plant. According to research, CBD works incredibly well with these compounds to offer you even more health benefits than just CBD by itself.

You probably prefer an earthy taste when the result is additional nutrition and benefits. You can take advantage of the benefits without noticing the flavor. Try adding your CBD oil to both savory and sweet dishes. Not only will you not notice the … Read the rest

There are few luxuries in life as wonderful as the taste of a delicious chocolate cake, or the sensation of whipped cream on your tongue. Food is just amazing, and it’s no wonder that we are obsessed with it.

But of course, food can have a downfall too: when we eat the wrong foods or not enough of the right foods, our bodies are impacted in different ways; usually, these ways are not positive.

There is, of course, the other side of enjoying food that we don’t talk about a lot, and that’s when our age, the drugs we take, and our lifestyle can all impact the way we get to enjoy food and the taste sensations.

Let’s explore why these three things can impact our taste buds in a negative or positive way.

Your Age is Not Just a Number

While it’s lovely to think about aging gracefully, the reality is that over time, our bodies stop working the way they once did, and our senses begin to break down. Most notably, our eyesight and our hearing becomes reduced, but also our touch, response time, and of course, our taste. As we age, our tastes change.

When you are middle-aged, your palate may become more refined, based on the foods you eat. As you age into your senior years, however, you may find that the foods you once enjoyed are not cutting it anymore.

This is because our bodies are slowly dying. It’s not a fun thought to think about, but it is a true one.

Medication Can Cause Problems for Your Taste buds

Another interesting side effect of aging is that we tend to take more medications. As our bodies age, they require more care and upkeep. Even very young people sometimes need medications or drugs to keep their health in good working order, but the side effects of those medications can cause problems with our taste buds.

Cancer patients, for example, may report having lost an appetite for food – even their most beloved dessert choices.

People who use cannabis or CBD products on a regular basis, either for pain or for recreational purposes, often report that their tastes have changed as a result of using those products. It’s not a secret that smoking (anything) can change the way you smell and taste and experience the world.

Your Lifestyle May be to Blame for Your

For foodies from around the world, the UK is the place to be. Every year, at least 15 separate culinary events are held across the country’s national parks, many of which are dedicated to specific cuisines.

If you plan to attend a food festival in England this year, nothing can put a damper on your adventure more than a lack of safe, clean, comfortable lodging. Read on to learn how to book a hotel for a culinary festival.

1. Book the Hotel In Advance

Attending a food festival cannot be a spontaneous decision. At least this is true if you plan to stay in the area for more than one day.

Given that food festivals draw attendance from around the globe, you may want to book your hotel well in advance. To ensure that you get the rate and room you need, book as far as a year in advance if possible. Six months ahead of the food festival is the latest point at which you should make your arrangements.

2. Do Your Research

Since food festivals take place in large cities, the area is typically populated with hotels. If you want to enjoy comfortable accommodations as you satisfy your inner foodie, do some research about the hotels you’re considering.

Don’t book the first hotel in the area that you find through a Google search. Look at each hotel’s accommodations closely, and narrow your search down to three or four choices.

Pay attention to the following factors of elimination:

• Poor reviews from hotel customers
• Prices far outside your budget.
• Not enough information on the hotel’s website.

If your lodging budget matches rock-bottom hotel prices, you are bound to come across some lemons. If you come across any hints of bedbugs or other serious issues with accommodations, cross those hotels from your list immediately.

3. Book a Place Close to the Food Festival

How far do you want your hotel to be from the event itself?

Food festivals are crowded. Driving with a car or even taking a ride share to and from your hotel can be a nightmare. You may also want to partake in night-time festival events, which makes distant hotels inconvenient.

If possible, booking hotel accommodations that provide a shuttle service to and from the food festival. Even if the hotel doesn’t have a consistent shuttle service, it may provide transportation for the duration of the festival.

If … Read the rest

There’s more to Kratom than just helping with pain relief. Keep reading for kratom guide: 5 essential things you should know about kratom.

Kratom has been steadily gaining in popularity over the past few years, and is a viable contender for one of the most popular psychedelic forms of pain relief. However, the newness of the drug means that it isn’t always easy to find straightforward information on how do you take Kratom and if you should.

In this article, we’ll put that to rest by providing you with a Kratom guide that lists five important things you should know about the drug.

1. It’s Not Legal Everywhere

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that Kratom isn’t (yet) legal in all locations. Although federally legal, the drug is still illegal in a number of states. These states include Rhode Island, Vermont, Arkansas, Alabama, Indiana, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C..

In addition, a few select cities have banned the use of Kratom within their municipality. These cities include but are not limited to San Diego and Oceanside in California, Denver, Colorado, and Sarasota, Florida. Obviously, don’t use Kratom in any of these locations, but also keep in mind that you will not be able to have the drug shipped to you if you reside in any of these locations.

2. Kratom Comes from Southeast Asia

The scientific name for Kratom is Mitragyna Speciosa, which makes it a part of the evergreen family. The plant itself is native to Southeast Asia, and primarily only grown there and then shipped worldwide. However, as long as a tropical climate exists, the drug can grow.

The answer to what does Kratom look like is complicated because it starts out as a plant, but typically ends up as powder in green malay Kratom capsules, once processed.

3. Only Trust Lab-Tested Kratom

Unfortunately, it is not yet mandatory for all sellers of Kratom to carry only lab-tested versions of the drug. However, you typically can’t trust those sellers that don’t lab test their drug.

After all, the only reason to not test the drug is that you either want to save money on production costs or because the powder you process isn’t up to par. Obviously, as a consumer, you want to avoid companies in either situation.

4. Multiple Different Types of Kratom Exist

There isn’t only one type of Kratom. In fact, … Read the rest

A few years back, nobody played escape game rooms. Murder mystery dinners were the big trend then.

Nowadays, however, it’s impossible not to find an escape room nearby. Even movie stars, like the cast of the Avengers, get into escape room games.

But why are get out rooms so popular? What makes people like them and why should you give them a try?

Here’s what makes them tick and why you should consider getting into one with some friends:

1. Satisfies and Trains the Brain

Who doesn’t feel accomplished after successfully solving a difficult riddle or puzzle? There’s a rush of instant gratification once you figure something out. Not only does it feel good but it also helps keep the brain sharp as you get older.

Escape game rooms tickle this fancy. They’re all about solving one puzzle after the other. Getting out is the ultimate reward because it proves you and your team are smart and organized.

2. Interactive Game

Books and movies are great mediums for entertainment but they’re static by nature. Video games go one step further but they’re still not a tangible form of fun. Escape rooms are like video games in the sense you interact with the puzzles and story but now you get to hold things in your hands.

3. The Thrill

Ever wondered why people love horror movies even though they tend to cover their eyes while watching? There’s a certain excitement to the tension, a thrilling sensation that many find hard to explain.

The escape room genre thrives on this feeling. They’re so popular because they let people experience that thrill first-hand. You’re not watching people solving puzzles to get out — you’re the one rushing to beat the clock!

4. Built-In Co-Op

Ever wondered what would happen in a zombie apocalypse? No, people won’t suddenly form separate groups to kill each other. Studies show people naturally care for one another and that people would do everything they can to forge a strong community, even in an apocalyptic scenario.

You can see this in games too. Dungeons and Dragons, the king of tabletop games, is all about people banding together to save the world. Online multiplayer games often feature squad or co-op modes too.

The same applies to escape rooms. You get to work as a team to solve the puzzles and get out.

5. You’re the Hero

Perhaps one of … Read the rest

What causes someone to be an alcoholic? Well, there is no easy answer. Alcoholism has many causes and can be influenced by many different factors.

From the disease model to strength-based approaches, there are many theories about what causes a drinking problem and how it can best be treated. Read on to learn more about what makes alcohol addictive.

The Disease of Addiction

The disease model of addiction tells us that alcoholism is a progressive disease. This theory relies heavily on the view of alcoholism as a biological illness.

Many treatment approaches, such as 12 step recovery, hinge on this model. Once the addict has become addicted, biological processes create the desire for more.

The brain, it seems, becomes hardwired to seek out the addictive substance. This desire may seem ill-informed to outsiders. Addicts will repeatedly choose short term rewards despite the long term consequences.

Treatment models may include a drinking problem rehab or 12 step meetings.

Childhood Trauma

Leading researchers such as Johann Hari and Dr. Gabor Mate stress the link between alcoholism and childhood trauma. Alcohol and drugs are viewed as a ‘friend’ to the addict. This relationship always produces a stable and predictable outcome.

In the absence of stability and love, alcohol and drugs can fill the void created by childhood trauma. Advocates for this understanding stress a harm reduction model for treatment. This can include a strength-based approach that meets the addict “where they are.”

Family History

If the family of origin has other members who are alcoholics, the risk of alcoholism increases. This is a matter of both nature and nurture. Scientific research has proven that there are genetic components to alcoholism as well.

While a child may be nurtured in an environment that normalizes excessive drinking, there is proof that children of alcoholics are more likely to become alcoholics even if they aren’t raised by an alcoholic parent.

An Early Start

Children who begin using alcohol early in life are at an increased risk of becoming alcoholics. There are many explanations for this, including the risk of increased tolerance and the impact of alcohol on the child’s brain. While wine may be good for the body of an adult, the same can’t be said for a brain that is still developing.

If a child isn’t receiving adequate supervision, the child may also be experiencing neglect. Neglect and child abuse are also two factors … Read the rest

About 16 million people have the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Besides the high prevalence, COPD is the fourth major cause of death in the US. What’s more, the condition leads to disabilities.

COPD can limit your daily activities. You might not even know you are ailing from the disease until its later stages. When diagnosed with COPD, you should seek treatment immediately.

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has no known cure. Adopting several lifestyle changes and treatments can help. Respiratory therapy is one of the effective treatment approaches for COPD.

If you or someone you know is suffering from pulmonary disease, discover what respiratory therapy is and how it can help.

An Overview of Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory therapy is the evaluation and treatment of chronic cardiopulmonary conditions. The therapy can treat asthma, lung cancer, bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema. A respiratory therapist works with nurses and doctors to improve your condition.

The therapists check your breathing before advising on the right therapy. They can recommend ways to improve your symptoms. You’ll need several sessions for progress monitoring.

Some respiratory patients never follow up on treatment.  The incurable nature of COPD is discouraging. Yet, a change of lifestyle and other therapies can make a difference. Chronic COPD diagnosis should not equate to a death sentence.

Between 2017 and 2018, drug prices in the US rose by 6%. Following the rising cost, alternative therapies are necessary. With the broad nature of respiratory diseases, the therapeutic options are extensive.

Non-pharmacological therapy

Various forms of this therapy include;

Oxygen Therapy

One of conventional respiratory therapy is oxygen. The use of oxygen for patients suffering from respiratory diseases is common in hospitals and homes. This non-pharmacological treatment prolongs the survival of patients and relieves symptoms.

A therapist needs to make an accurate assessment before prescribing oxygen. The severity and nature of the condition determine the method of oxygen administration. For COPD treatment, the flow of oxygen should be low to avoid carbon dioxide retention.

For home-based care, this kind of therapy can be long-term.  Oxygen therapy improves their life expectancy of patients with advanced COPD. There is a need to administer oxygen treatment daily to achieve the intended purpose.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is one of the approaches that help to clear all respiratory secretions. Patients with acute COPD can have irritating bronchial secretions. Forced expiration and postural drainage are some of the physiotherapy techniques used.… Read the rest

“Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great.” Auguste Gusteau (Ratatouille)

That’s the whole premise of the animated movie – in essence, you can cook! But not everyone can run and manage a restaurant. It takes more than a culinary degree to operate a profitable business daily – from updating the interactive food menu to guarding against employee theft.

That does not mean that you cannot pick up a few tricks that professional cooks and chefs for your home cooking.

Everything in its rightful place

If you happen to catch a glimpse of a high-level restaurant kitchen, you can’t help but admire how the cooks and chefs seemed to thrive amidst the chaos, especially during peak hours.

One reason behind that is the mise en place. Essentially, a mise en place is a chef’s basic setup, from the most-used ingredients and spices down to his trusty tools. This allows him to grab everything within arm’s reach without needing to scramble all over the kitchen or pantry.

At home, you can also have your personal setup by organizing your kitchen workspace. Make sure that your most-frequently-used ingredients are readily available, allowing you to breeze past through any recipe.

Keep your knives sharp

Quite simply, a sharp knife is an efficient knife. If you take the time to sharpen your knife sharp, you’ll be able to breeze through prep time, and easily handle just about any ingredient, from veggies to meat.

Invest in the essentials

When you are just starting, it can be tempting to splurge on various kitchen tools and implements apart from your knife.

However, you should stick with the basics first, with a keen sight on the things that will provide you with the most value. These include whisks, tongs, mixing bowls, and sheet pans. As for your pantry, make sure you stock up on essentials that you can use for a diverse array of dishes. These include eggs, quality bacon, pasta, and flour.

Measure twice, cut once

Professionals need to churn out dishes within a limited time, often with significant consideration of the patience of the diners. That leaves them with little room for error.

At home, make it a habit to plan your cook time. This makes things more efficient and prevents untimely trips to the local store for ingredients that you forgot to buy.

Another good way to … Read the rest

Online learning is one of the best things to come out of digital technology. Find out four undeniable advantages of online education here.

The United States Department of Education reported in 2012 that approximately 5.4 million students took at least one online class. That means 25.8 percent of college students were engaged in online education.

The report also stated that approximately 12.5 students took only online classes.

Cyber education is growing in leaps and bounds because the advantages of online education often outweigh the disadvantages. As a result, more students are looking at online options.

Read on to find out why so many people are taking their college classes online and whether it’s right for you.

1. Flexibility

Online education typically requires two things: a reliable computer and a high-speed internet connection.

Even if you do not have high-speed internet at your home, you most likely have it somewhere near you. Evenings at the library around the corner are often preferable to time spent in a classroom at a university.

Online education offers the flexibility that busy people with great aspirations need.

If you’re a mom or dad, you can still spend time with your kids and go to college. Best of all, you’re setting an example for them, showing them how to work hard and earn a degree. If your kids are in school, you can even do your homework together!

2. Cost

Typical college educations require the cost of room and board. While you still need to have a place to live and food to eat, you have more freedom to decide the specifics and you can save money as you see fit.

You also find yourself free of the other pesky fees and regulations associated with living in a dorm on campus.

3. Pacing

All education programs have deadlines. You will need to complete each class by a particular time. However, many online courses offer a flexible homework and class attendance schedule. You may even have the option of completing your course ahead of time.

If you are among the nearly 40 million people in the United States who suffer from anxiety and depression, you will especially enjoy the benefit of flexible pacing.

Online classes are a fantastic option for those who struggle to be around people as you can work from the comfort of your own home and learn at your own pace. And if you … Read the rest

Did you know that over 300 million people suffered from depression in 2017 globally? Depression is one of the most prevalent and well documented mental illnesses in the world.

Many celebrities, including prominent comedians, have spoken publicly about their experiences with depression. Sometimes they have had a loved one who had depression. In other cases, they are sufferers themselves but risked public stigma to talk openly about it.

Three of these are Maria Bamford, Chris Gethard, and Gary Gulman. Want to hear what they had to say about it? Read on to find out.

Maria Bamford

Stephen Colbert described Maria Bamford as his favorite comedian. Despite her comedic successes, she still struggles with depression every day. She has set the goal to use comedy to raise awareness for mental illness and combat the stigmas still attached to talking about them.

Bamford does not shy away from providing specifics regarding her own illness. In her 2009 album Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome, she discusses her mental illness diagnosis.  She describes her bipolar disorder and the breakdown that left her institutionalized.

Chris Gethard

Chris Gethard is willing to go a step farther and discuss the possible source of his mental illness. While many would shy away from revealing a family history of illness, he makes it part of his routine.

In interviews, he discusses the victims of depression in his family including his grandparents. He faces the issue by expressing the damage that stigma and “sweeping it under the carpet” caused to his family.

He even opens up about his struggle with suicidal thoughts. Including an incident when he was 21 that could have led to his death.

Chris Gethard is opening up and telling the world that speaking about even critical mental illnesses is a positive step.

Gary Gulman

Stigmas are difficult to face. This is exemplified by comedian Gary Gulman, who although speaking about mental difficulties from the start of his career, would not initially use the word depression.

In time this has changed and now he discusses depression extensively. Gulman now uses his comedy as a stage to discuss not only the experience of mental illness but also the treatments available. He admits that in doing this, and in the name of education, he departs from comedy to the serious.

In speaking about the benefits of treatment, whether historical or modern methods such as Same Day Psychiatrist, he … Read the rest

The problem of environmental pollution is growing by the day and that’s why many industries who realize this try to make their business as green as possible. So does the beauty industry as well.

The importance of using natural, reusable, recyclable and sustainable products and packaging is of key importance to preserving our resources and prolonging their abundance on our planet. When you make your beauty routine more eco-friendly you not only help the environment but also look beautiful, fresh and healthy.

1.   Mind the packaging

When talking about ways to green your beauty routine, we start from the basics and the first thing we see when we buy a certain product – the packaging. Always try to search for packaging that you can refill, as every time you refill a certain product you’ll save the environment from one plastic packaging.

And imagine doing this for every product you own (statistics say the women own 40 beauty products on average). And times every person on the planet. That’s quite a number. Another option is to buy products in recyclable packagings such as glass, metal or cardboard.

Recycle everything you can. You can put up separate bins for recycling in your bathroom to make it easier for you to separate them. Countries such as Australia, state 58% of recycled waste in 2014-2015 and 46% of Municipal Solid Waste recycling. And these numbers are growing by the day.

2.   Reusable alternatives

Many tips on making your beauty routine more green suggest getting rid of single-use products as they tend to end up polluting our environment. For example, think about face wipes and makeup-removing wipes – we use them on a daily basis and throw them away, also on a daily basis. Instead of these single usage products think about the reusable alternatives such as washable makeup removing cloths. You can use these many times if you take proper care of them and wash them regularly. This is just one example, but there are many reusable alternatives out there for many disposable products we use every day. You can find many shops that sell these green alternatives in Sydney for example, and you can also order them online.

3.   DIY skincare

Some popular ways to make your beauty routine more eco-friendly include using DIY products. In that way, you are sure that you’re using only natural products, without toxic and harmful ingredients. … Read the rest

Are you living in a cluttered mess? Here is a quick guide on how to organize your home room by room with labels.

Are you always saying to yourself…if I could just get organized, my life would be better? Well, you would definitely have more time. On average, people spend a year of their lives looking for items because they don’t know where they put them.

Do you not have the faintest idea on how to organize your home? Where do you start? What’s a good first step?

Do you need advice on how to organize your home office? Is that your problem? Or are you looking for advice on how to organize your desk at home?

If you are tired of living in a disorganized mess, stick around to learn how to organize your home room by room using labels.

How to Organize Your Home Room by Room Using Labels

Do you have that one friend who swears by her label maker? Well, with all of the DIY blogs, labeling has been kicked up a notch. Let’s look at how labels can help you get a handle on home organization.

1. What Can Be Labeled?

Organizing craft supplies? Organizing your pantry, your garage, your home office or your linen closet?

Any place in your home that has different categories of items, can be organized and labeled.

For things that you have all the time and the contents don’t change, use permanent labels like stickers or use a paint pen to label the container.

2. Using Labels in Your Kitchen

From your spice cabinet to your pantry to under your sink. You can use containers and labels to keep everything neat and orderly.

Put all of your spices in glass spice jars, label them and put them in your spice drawer or spice cabinet in alphabetical order. Next time you are cooking, finding the spices you need will be a breeze.

Label and shelf your pantry items. Group similar items together. If you are a DIYer when it comes to cleaning products, make whimsical labels and put them in bins under your sink.

3. Label Your Accessories in Your Closet

Have bins and labels for accessories like scarves and belts, the clothes that are out of season, and maybe smaller items like camis.

As you switch out winter and summer clothes, just change the label to reflect the contents … Read the rest