The Healthiest Foods You Can Eat

There are hundreds of dieting tips around these days, and with the week of Christmas looming it's harder to pick a great diet we can stick to. We should try to stay healthy all year around of course, but there’s something about Christmas that just begs us to eat more and more. So, instead of more dieting tips, here are some great healthy foods you can use to supplement the usual stuff; this way you won’t feel so bad over Christmas.

Dark Chocolate

What! I hear you cry. Dark chocolate, in moderation, i may add, contains flavonoids, antioxidants shown to reduce bad cholesterol, meaning it can be good for your heart. Just one fourth an ounce daily can reduce blood pressure. Dark chocolate is made directly from the seed of a cocoa tree and contains healthy amounts of fiber and iron, so next time you decide to have some chocolate perhaps reach for the dark chocolate instead of the sugary kind.

Shakes

Mixing up a great shake can save you ingesting high quantities of fat. Going for shakes can significantly reduce meal preparation time and provide you with a great alternative, there’s a great site for meal replacement shakes here http://topratedweightlossshakes.com/shakeology-information/. You can also use shakes to blend together a bunch of your favorite fruits or vegetables, by doing this you can hit your five a day much more quickly and it saves you the time of having to eat it. If you’re training in conjunction with a diet then you could also take protein shakes, these can help heal your muscles at a faster rate.

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Swap Out Your Regular Potato For A Sweet One

Sweet potatoes aren’t eating nowhere near as much as its usual counterpart, but they can offer some great benefits. A sweet potato can contain 66 micrograms of cell-building folate, about the same amount found in one cup of spinach or broccoli. See, it’s some great stuff. It also has

almost eight times the amount of cancer-fighting and immune-boosting vitamin A you need daily. If you’re training, you should eat the potato at a cooler temperature, studies have shown that if you do this it can help you burn close to 25 percent more fat after a meal, thanks to a fat-resistant starch.

Sardines

Usually some of the less eaten fish, but they harbor less toxins than bigger fish like cod and salmon. Sardines are one of the best sources of heart-healthy, mood-boosting omega-3 fats, and they’re packed with vitamin D. You can use them in a variety of salads and other dishes, there are some recipes for you here.

Swap Out Your Fatty Breakfast For Oatmeal

Oatmeal is full of great fiber and eating it can contribute to lowering bad cholesterol. It can also be great if you eat it a few hours before exercise. It releases its carbs slowly, meaning your insulin does not spike like it does when you eat toast. Insulin tells your body to store fat, so as it isn’t spiking your body burns more than it stores, meaning you will see your exercise pay off .

Re-Think The Way You Tackle Christmas Shopping With This Guide

With only a few weeks to go before Christmas, many of us are feeling the pressure to pull some amazing gifts out of the bag. Even though the festive season is truly about spending time with the people we love, it cannot be denied that sometimes, the buying and giving of gifts can take over. Plus, getting the right gift for your loved one can often be harder than it looks. After years of buying socks for your uncle and skin care for your mom, you might feel it's time to shake things up a bit with your gift-buying. But as with trying anything new, it can be a little intimidating to step out of your comfort zone. We all want to give a gift that we know the other person will love, especially what with Christmas being such an expensive time of year. If you are struggling to find suitable presents for your loved ones, take a look at this guide to make sure you get it right every time.

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Bring back lists

Most of us stop making Christmas lists when we are out of our teens. This is partially because many of us feel as though it is juvenile - and other people genuinely can't think of anything they want for Christmas! But this kind of attitude can lead to the giving and receiving of many gifts that simply don't ever get used. As well as being a waste of money, it can be pretty disheartening to know that a gift you bought somewhere won't ever see the light of day. Suggest to your family that this year, you actually right old-fashioned lists again - or at least give each other some inspiration.

Read product reviews

Most of the time, we're all in such a rush to get our Christmas shopping done that we simply click 'add to basket' when we see something remotely suitable. But even if you have limited time left, it is always worth reading consumers choice reviews. A product that looks great on the website may actually be totally impractical in real life. The manufacturers are obviously not going to say anything about this, so it is best to rely on the opinions of the general public. This way, you are likely to get a much more accurate view of the product, which can help you to decide whether you should spend your hard earned cash on it or not.

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Buy experiences, rather than 'things'

Ever noticed how around Christmas, you simply end up with so much 'stuff'? Sometimes, it can get to the point where we have to throw out old possessions just to make room for the new ones! If you subscribe to the idea that you can have too much of a good thing, you may want to go down a different route with your gift buying this year. Gifting an experience, rather than a physical object, is often much more personal and gives the recipient something they will remember forever. There are plenty of different things to choose from - such as luxury spa experiences or high-octane motor experiences. So, you are sure to find something suited perfectly to your loved one.

How to Keep Your Home Smelling Fresh

Homes are full of things that create an unpleasant odor over time. It happens no matter how well you vacuum and keep surfaces clean. The fact is, cooking smells, clothing, pollution, and even our own bodies contribute to the overall air quality in the home. And if the home is sealed most of the year to keep temperatures steady, that means there's little in the way of fresh air to clear out the atmosphere.

You may spray air fresheners, light candles, vacuum the carpets, but it doesn't seem enough. Here are three easy ways to refresh the air quality in your home without going overboard.

Homemade Air Deodorizers

Image via Flickr by Mark Morgan

Washing the carpeting and furniture is a chore that's not taken on lightly. Which means you might wind up cleaning them once or twice a year. Deodorizing them on a regular basis becomes important if you want to keep air quality up and smells down. One easy way to deodorize is to make your own spray. A mixture of baking soda, a favorite essential oil, and distilled water is a great place to start.

Baking soda absorbs odor, and essential oils are highly concentrated which means they spread further when used in a spray. There's an added bonus when using natural ingredients in that they dissipate and break down without harming you, your family, or the environment.

Check Your HVAC System

The HVAC system in your home tends to pick up dust and lint in its corners, curves, and crevices. The same goes for the air filters attached to the units. While you can usually change the filters on your own, you'll have a harder time getting into the ducting. This kind of job is best done with the help of a qualified HVAC technician.

An HVAC tech has all of the proper tools to get into the system and get out the dust. He also changes your filters, including ones you may not know about. There's an immediate improvement in air quality once the dust gets removed. 

Keep Clothes Fresh While in Closets or in Drawers

Clothes are one of the biggest culprits of odor. When not in use, they collect odors from their surroundings, then release them when a drawer or closet door is opened. Get proactive with scents by putting items like dryer sheets, sachets, cedar blocks, or scented drawer paper in your drawers to keep clothes fresh. When clothes smell good, so does the air. 

Closets are a little trickier, but not impossible to keep fresh. Pomander balls make for an excellent air deodorizer and give clothing a unique scent that air fresheners can't imitate. Making a pomander is quick and easy. Once finished, simply hang it in the closet and let it do its job. 


These are just some of the ways to keep air in the home fresh without having to resort to sprays with a chemical edge. The DIY nature of making your own fresheners adds a a new level of satisfaction to the whole cleaning process. It saves money, reduces waste, and lets you control what goes into the air in your home.

How to Keep Your Home Cool in the Summer ... and Save Money

Gulf Coast summers — and any hot summers anywhere — mean busy air conditioners, which can equal higher utility bills. This summer, follow these tips for increasing your comfort without dipping into your vacation funds.

Know What’s Comfortable

It’s rarely necessary to keep your thermostat below 78 or 80 degrees. If you’ve set it lower, turn the thermostat up to 78. Then increase the temperature by 1 degree a week until you find your personal comfort threshold. Check your air conditioner’s fan settings as well, since low speeds decrease humidity more effectively.

Seal All Gaps

Every opening to the outdoors increases the area your air conditioner needs to cool and the amount of energy it uses. You know about sealing doors and windows, but have you looked for gaps around your electrical outlet covers? When did you last inspect the foundation and walls for cracks? If you have a fireplace, are you sure that the damper is tightly closed?

You can also take measures to keep summer heat outdoors by closing blinds at midday, especially on south-facing windows. Plant shrubbery for shade, and consider painting your roof a sun-reflecting white to keep out all possible heat radiation.

Let the Air Flow

Image via Flickr by www.homejobsbymom.com

While you want minimal air exchange between indoors and outdoors, leaving inside areas open to each other can increase your home’s cooling potential. This works best if you aren’t relying on the HVAC system alone. Install a fan in every major room to improve circulation and evaporation. Remember that fans are more effective when they’re mounted higher and in the center of the room.
Turn fans off and close the door when you’re not using a room, or you’ll waste energy on unnecessary cooling. On cooler nights, you can keep the air circulating by turning off the air conditioner and relying on the fan alone.

Take Cool Showers

You needn’t take hot showers year-round. Instead, warm days deserve cool water. Try turning up your home’s thermostat several degrees before showering to reduce the outside chilling effect. Then leave the temperature at a higher setting for at least 30 minutes afterward. Showers have a residual perceived-temperature effect, so you won’t need additional cooling for a while.

Consider Vacancy Temperatures

Leaving the air conditioner off in your absence can save energy, but you might worry about returning home to a miserably hot and humid house. Luckily, technology offers the ideal solution in the form of budget-friendly programmable thermostats. In addition to raising the temperature while you’re away, some experts recommend that you set the thermostat to lower the temperature to 71 between 3 and 5 a.m. This may minimize humidity buildup and introduce some cooler air to counteract the afternoon’s heating effect.

Keep Up the Maintenance

Change or clean your air filters regularly, and consider switching from replaceable to reusable filters to cut costs and reduce waste. Don’t forget to schedule professional HVAC maintenance as well. This can easily pay for itself by increasing your energy efficiency, extending your HVAC life, and helping you catch minor problems before they become major ones.


Energy bills should never cause major problems. Save your money and enjoy the summer when you follow these tips.

All About Cornhole #fungames #corntoss

Anyone who has been to an outdoor party in the Midwest may have seen someone playing cornhole. The game has gone from not existing at all to being one of the most ubiquitous party games in the country. I always loved playing the game when I was a kid and watching my kids play at parties with their friends over the years. 

It's simple 

The simplicity of the game is what's driving its exponential growth. Each team has two players. They both stand behind boards with a hole cut into them. The cornhole boards are set about 20 feet apart. Players then toss bean bags at the opposing board. In each round, getting a bag into the hole is worth 3 points. If the bag lands on the board and stays, it's worth 1 point. Teams can also knock the other team's bags off of the board to get rid of their points. The rules are similar to shuffleboard. The first team to get to 21 is the winner.

Anyone can be good

The game requires little physical exertion. All that's needed is good hand-eye coordination. Anyone can play, and anyone can learn. Much like a Milton Bradley board game, it is fun for ages 8-80.

Equipment 

You don't need a lot of equipment, just the two game boards and enough 6x6" bean bags to keep the game going. There are professional regulation boards, but you can get whatever size you want. Some people even make their own cornhole sets. You should look into a company like this if you are wondering where to buy cornhole bags. 

Where to get a cornhole set 

If you are interested in playing, get your own set. Customer Corn Toss is an example of a company that provides these. They are even customizable. I am thinking of getting one made in Kansas City Chiefs colors because I'm obviously a fan of the team. Any school could also get one customized with their school colors for carnivals, PE class, fundraisers, etc. There are more basic versions for people who don't want to add any flair to their game set. 

Why you should get your own set 

Getting your own boards and bean bags is affordable. Enthusiasts of the game like having a home set because they can practice whenever they want. They say practice makes perfect. Even if you aren't trying to be a professional, it feels great to beat your friends.

Cornhole is a simple game that's getting increasingly popular. Its popularity is growing because anyone can play it and anyone can learn it. There are now professional leagues forming for the game. I don't see it slowing down anytime soon.