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Anti-Inflammatory Foods To Try This Winter

February 21, 2022 1

While it can be easy to spend the summer grazing on healthy fruits and veggies, winter does not lend itself quite as nicely to a fresh foods diet. As the weather turns chilly, people often turn to high-carbohydrate and starchy foods. And without the necessary balance of nutrients, the body can be prone to more inflammation. For the 50 million people who have arthritis especially, this can be painful and can lead to further health conditions.

“There are times when inflammation actually helps us,” Dawna Stone writes in Mind Body Green. “For example, it can be the body’s natural response to eliminate or repair an injury or the body’s response to harmful bacteria. But when things get out of balance and inflammation becomes chronic, it can increase the risk of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis and cause symptoms like fatigue and joint pain.”

Fortunately, winter is not totally void of inflammation-fighting foods. The following are some seasonal ingredients that you can cook with to boost your health this season.

  1. Brussels Sprouts
    These bunches of green goodness are packed with both fiber and vitamin C. They are also rich in glucosinolate and folate, so they can fight inflammation while keeping you healthier overall. Roast them in the oven to eat as a side or toss them in a salad.
  2. Kale
    This superfood has earned its name, offering high doses of vitamins A, C, B6, and K. By munching on these leaves, you are also helping your body’s ability to eliminate free radicals. Try kale raw or cooked in any of your favorite winter dishes.
  3. Butternut Squash
    When it comes to eating the rainbow, butternut squash is one of the best ways to get the color orange. Full of fiber, as well as vitamins A and C, this sweet seasonal veggie can add antioxidants and fiber to your diet.
  4. Turnips
    While these root veggies may not frequent your dishes, turnips are a tasty way to maintain a low cholesterol diet. They also offer a boost of Vitamin C, which can help protect your immune system this season. Don’t just stop at the root though; turnip greens are tasty as well.
  5. Citrus
    Stock up on oranges this time of year. These juicy fruits are in season during the Winter, giving you all the more reason to get your full supply of vitamin C.

By combining anti-inflammatory foods with other care methods, you can control your join pain and other aspects of your health this winter. For example, about 89% of consumers cite massage as an effective pain-management technique. Remember that much of your own well being is in your hands, so try various methods out until you feel your best.

How to Choose a Venue for Your Eco-Friendly Wedding

February 17, 2022 0

Couples are putting more and more importance on being eco-friendly and green in their everyday lives. As well as home and travel choices, any major events should follow this ethos too. According to The Green Bride Guide, 400lbs of rubbish are created by an average wedding. For context, that’s almost as much as 4 people produce in one year, generated in just one day.

A green wedding may sound like a daunting thing to pull off, but it doesn’t need to be. There are plenty of options to make your big day planet-friendly and sustainable. A key factor to success starts with selecting the perfect venue to help you create your dreams. Below are some tips on how to find the perfect place for your eco-friendly wedding.

Select a venue that can host both your ceremony and celebration

Try to choose a wedding venue where you can get legally married and then move on to the meal and dancing without having to travel elsewhere. One popular option these days are rustic barn settings, which can serve as a blank canvas for almost any style of decoration. They’re easily transformed into a ceremony space with the addition of a floral or greenery arch, for example, before becoming the perfect setting for the post-‘I do’ shindig.

If you’re hosting a religious ceremony, try to find a reception venue close to your church to limit traveling. Essentially, what you’re trying to do is avoid the need for cars and buses to transport guests over long distances.

Review your venue’s menu options

Sourcing food from further afield is a major no-no when it comes to planning any eco-friendly event. A venue that serves local produce is both good for the planet and your guests, as it will almost certainly make for a fresh, tasty feast as well.

Ask potential wedding venues or caterers where and how they source their food and aim for seasonal produce from local farmers. Some venues will even offer unusual additions to their menus via foraged foods, including local berries and mushrooms, as well as unusually flavored beverages. Why not consider including a bottle of locally-sourced drink in your wedding favors as well?

Find out whether your venue follows sustainable practices

A truly eco-friendly wedding venue should use energy-efficient lighting and be conscious of using sustainable materials where possible. Recycling should also be widely available – a must if you’re looking to open gifts or get rid of menus and table plans the day after your wedding.

Ideally, you’d also be able to enquire about any extras that the venue has installed, like energy-efficient windows and solar panels, as well as check the green credentials of guest toiletries. An eco-friendly venue will usually be vocal about its achievements and will be able to present you with any information you are looking for before you make your decision to celebrate your big day there.

Being eco-friendly is becoming more and more important in peoples’ lives. Your wedding should be no different – from the start of your journey, where you selected an engagement ring with green credentials, to the day itself. Choosing a venue with solid, planet-friendly ethics is a beautiful way to start your life as a married couple.

Cooking With An Air Fryer, Delicious And Healthy

February 17, 2022 0

The Air fryer is a small appliance growing in popularity in recent years. It uses hot air and a tablespoon of oil to cook your food, resulting in meals that are up to 80% less unhealthy than those cooked in a traditional fryer. You can use your air fryer for cooking a variety of foods, including chicken, fish, fries, and even cake!

The Benefits Of Using An Air Fryer

Air fryers are a great way to cook healthier meals without sacrificing flavor. By using this appliance, you can reduce the amount of unhealthy fat in your daily diet while still enjoying delicious food. Here are some of the benefits of using an air fryer:

  • Air fryers are electricity savers. They use far less electricity than traditional ovens or fryers, making them a more eco-friendly option.
  • Air fryers are versatile. You can use them for cooking a variety of foods, including chicken, fish, fries, and even cake!
  • Air fryers are easy to use. They come with a variety of presets that make cooking a breeze.

How To Use An Air Fryer For Cooking Healthy Meals

Being eco-friendly by saving electricity, these tiny appliances are also super easy to use. Most air fryers come with a fry basket inside to hold food and an attached handle, which makes it easy to take the basket in and out of the air fryer. For example, you can quickly cook oven-fried chicken wings by simply sprinkling some spices onto them before placing them into your greased basket. Then place it into your hot air fryer for about 20 minutes for perfectly crispy chicken that is delicious yet still low in fat!

Tofu chips are also super easy to make using just your air fryer – they even taste like potato chips if you season them right! To make these tasty treats, simply cut tofu squares, sprinkle with spices (salt, pepper, garlic powder), arrange on a baking sheet or cooling rack, then place into your hot air fryer. That’s all there is to it!

So if you want some alternatives to the fried food that we’ve come to crave and love so much, try cooking in an air fryer and see for yourself just how easy it is. Then, of course, your family will be begging for more of these tasty foods while asking, “Is this healthy?” at the same time!

Give These Air Fryer Recipes A Try

Your air fryer can be used to cook various meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert! There are endless possibilities for recipes that you can cook in your air fryer. Here are a few of our favorites:

Air Fryer Chicken: This recipe is delicious and straightforward and is a great way to cook chicken breast or thighs.

Air Fryer French Fries: Who doesn’t love fries? These French fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Air Fryer Fish: This recipe is perfect for fish lovers! Cook your favorite type of fish in your air fryer for a healthy and delicious dish.

Air Fryer Cake: Yes, you can even make cake in your air fryer! This chocolate cake is moist and delicious.

Air Fryer Baklava: You can find many recipes on how to make baklava, online, so you will have no problem experimenting with how to cook this delicious treat in your own air fryer! Just be sure that you grease up the cooking sheet before placing the dough on top.

Make Sure

An air fryer is a great way to prepare your daily food. So, with all this information at hand, it’s time to get yourself an Air Fryer today!

Tips For A More Eco-Friendly Home & Family Life

February 15, 2022 0

You and your family have the opportunity to make the world a better place for everyone to live. Be glad to know you can do so in and around your home and by altering your lifestyle.

It will require some knowledge and an extra effort on your part but your hard work will pay off in the long run. You may not only find that you save money and energy but will be glad to know you’re positively impacting the environment. Here are tips for a more eco-friendly home and family life to get you started.

Be Mindful of Your Purchasing Habits

If you want to make your family life and home more environmentally friendly then be mindful of your purchasing habits. Bring your own bags with you to the grocery store and only buy what you will use so you don’t have as much waste. Consider getting products that have the least amount of packaging or that are eco-friendly in nature. Avoid disposable products and think about buying second-hand whenever possible. Also, when you want to clean or declutter your home then donate any items that are in good shape and someone else can use. Avoid buying bottled water and try to eat less meat in general.

Attend to the Outside

Another tip for a more eco-friendly home and family life is to pay attention to the outside and exterior of your property. There are steps you can take to help you achieve eco-friendly lawn care, for example. You should get in the habit of fertilizing right away, reducing pesticide use, and mowing the right way. What this means is that you shouldn’t mow too low, that you must keep your lawnmower blades sharp, and follow the rules of thirds.  Keep your tools and gear in good shape by taking care of them. Should you need it repaired then find a trusted lawn equipment repair company to help.

Install A Smart Thermostat

If you’re going to make your home more eco-friendly then you should consider installing a smart thermostat. You can keep better control over and monitor your heating and cooling systems when you have a programmable one to use. Your home will not only be more eco-friendly for you doing so but you’ll likely save on energy bills and costs as well. For instance, you can choose to have your HVAC run less while you’re gone for the day and you’ll, in turn, use less energy. Program it to kick in right before you return home so that you’re comfortable right away when you enter.

Start Recycling

You can create a more eco-friendly home and family life by starting to recycle. Encourage it among your kids and family and make it easy for everyone to do. Talk to your kids about it and have a conversation about reasons why it’s good for the environment and how they can help at home. Get a recycling bin so you’re more conscious and aware of taking the time to place glass bottles, paper, and other items in it that can and should be recycled. Consider placing out trash and recycling bins in several places in your home so that you remember to do so and don’t always have to go to the kitchen to correctly dispose of items. 

Focus on Lighting

Get in the habit of always turning off the lights when you leave a room or aren’t using the space. Also, unplug unused electronics to create a more eco-friendly home environment. Turn off as many lights as possible when you leave your home for the day or night too. You can save on energy by switching out your light bulbs for a more eco-friendly option too. The incandescent light bulb is one of the least energy-efficient types so be sure to turn them off when they’re not in use. You may also want to consider using sensors if you tend to always forget to turn your lights off. Regardless, you should consider switching to LED light bulbs in your home since lighting accounts for a decent portion of your home’s energy use.

Conclusion

You now have the information and advice you need to get started in your journey to living a more eco-friendly lifestyle at home. Keep these tips handy and in mind and be sure to review them with other family members so you’re all on board and on the same page. Remember that a lot of small changes can add up to having a big impact on our world, the Planet, and the environment overall. 

How To Make Sure Your Garden Is Eco-Friendly

February 15, 2022 0

If you have an outdoor space you’ll want to make it as beautiful as possible. When you’re making improvements to your garden, it’s important to keep sustainability in mind. These five tips will help you to improve your garden while keeping things green.

1. Permaculture gardening

If you’d like to create an eco-friendly garden, you should focus on permaculture gardening methods. The method focuses on reducing waste, utilizing dead plants, and growing crops, all using natural processes. The approach relies on several key principles such as:

  • Create a zone for wildlife.
  • Choose plants that suit the climate.
  • Rainwater will nourish the plants.
  • Consider where shade and sun fall in your garden.
  • Let Mother Nature do her work.

2. Grow your own foods

Growing your own food is the best way to create an eco-friendly garden. When you grow fruits and vegetables you’ll improve your diet; reduce your carbon footprint; and create a sustainable garden. The first thing you’ll need to do is to check out a few tips and tricks. Read books about growing vegetables, download apps, or check out podcasts. According to Simply Gardening, some of the best vegetable growing books in 2022 include:

  • The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible By Edward C Smith
  • The Suburban Micro-Farm by Amy Stross
  • Epic Tomatoes by Craig Lehollier

3. Choose the right garden furniture

Creating a beautiful garden isn’t just about plants and flowers, it’s about choosing the right garden furniture and accessories. When you’re choosing garden furniture, here are several things to keep in mind:

  • Choose comfortable and eye-catching furniture; deep corner sofas are the best way to create a beautiful outdoor living room.
  • Make sure that you are choosing eco-friendly materials (bamboo, hemp, reclaimed wood, etc).
  • Making your own garden accessories is a great way to keep things green.

4. Make your own compost

The best way to create an eco-friendly garden is to make your own compost. Start by recycling your food waste, then you can add garden waste too. It’s best to purchase a compost tumbler, to store your compost. A compost tumbler allows you to keep your compost pile out of the rain, plus it’s easier to aerate your compost. Here are a few tricks to help you ensure that you create healthy compost:

  • Make sure that you balance green and brown materials in equal measures.
  • Prevent your compost from becoming too moist.
  • Use a tumbler or a garden fork to aerate your compost.

5. Eco-friendly pest control

If pests are attacking your plants and flowers you’ll want a fast and effective way to get rid of them. If you can help it, it’s best to stay away from chemical-heavy pest control solutions. Opt for something natural. There are many natural pest-control solutions for plants including:

  • Neem oil
  • Diatomaceous earth
  • Garlic spray

If natural pest control isn’t working, and pests are making their way into the home, you may need to look into different solutions.

Using these five ideas you’ll create the perfect eco-friendly garden space. When you make the best of your garden you’ll create an extra living space to use for your leisure. Gardening has so many health benefits, from exercise to relaxation. When you keep things green, you’ll create the best garden possible.

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