I was looking forward to sharing this fab recipe from our sponsor Sarah at Body Balance 365. It is the perfect morning treat and who says that being dairy and gluten-free means you cannot still enjoy your favorite baked goods? This bread is full of healthy Vitamin C, E, and K from the cranberries, you should probably make two loaves. Merry Christmas Everyone!!! xo
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature (not cold)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil, or vegan butter
- ½ cup orange juice
- Zest of 1 large orange
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3/4 cup diced fresh cranberries (or sub dried cranberries)
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 1/2 x 4 ½ loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: eggs, honey, melted coconut oil, orange juice, orange zest, and almond extract.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon to combine. Fold in diced cranberries and walnuts. Add batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread out evenly, smoothing the top. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan before removing it.
It’s that time of year again….New Year’s Eve festive dressing time!!! Here is an awesome round-up of great outfits!! It’s your time to shine……
- These are my go-to sandals. They are perfect with all outfits, jeans, white jeans, long and short dresses.
- How cute are these feather pants?
- I love this sequin blouse!!
- I have these multi-colored sequin earrings. They are so festive!
- This gold dress is fabulous!!!
- This cardigan with jeweled buttons is fabulous!!
- I tried this bow dress on and it could not be cuter!!
- I love these red earrings.
- And these pearl drops too!
- I have been looking for platform gold sandals forever!
- I bought this top and it’s amazing. I wore mine with leather pants!!
- This is the sweetest top!!
- I also love this green dress.
- The perfect pair of velvet pants.
- I also love this top…..the gold and pink combo is sooo pretty…
If you’re ready to have more energy and be happy and healthy then it’s up to you to modify your habits for the better. The good news is that there are practical ways to make improvements to how you’re living currently that will make a big difference in how you feel.
Avoid making and focusing on the reasons or excuses for why you can’t change and instead put effort into the areas that are in your control. Live a healthier lifestyle and feel great with these tips and pieces of advice.
Address Health Concerns & Ailments
You should avoid putting off health concerns and ailments for another day. Instead, address them head-on and determine what the culprit is and the best course of treatment for you. In this case, it’s important you secure a primary care doctor through practices such as https://www.inspire-texas.com/plano/ so they can take a look at you and you can work together to feel better fast. If you let certain issues drag on for too long they may turn into more significant and uncomfortable problems down the road.
Challenge Your Body & Move More
Exercising daily should be at the top of your to-do list if you want to live a healthier lifestyle. Challenge your body and muscles by mixing up your workouts and doing cardio as well as some weight lifting. In addition, you should make it a point to move more throughout the day. Reduce screen time and sitting time and get and stay on your feet more often. Be and stay physically active and increase your heart rate while also taking the time to track the number of steps you take daily to keep up with recommendations from health experts.
Closely Monitor Your Diet
It’s not just about moving your body more but also about what you eat when it comes to staying healthy. Closely monitor your diet by journaling your food intake and reducing your sugar and alcohol intake. It may help you to get into the habit of cooking for yourself at home so you have more control over the ingredients and your portion sizes. It’s also important that you drink plenty of water and are hydrated. Be patient because it can be difficult to eat differently but once you start taking in more of the right foods you’ll have more energy, can lose weight, and will feel your best.
Get Enough Sleep Each Night
Not enough sleep can lead to low energy and motivation levels as well as other health issues. You may feel tired and sluggish daily and be moodier when you are lacking sleep. Therefore, you can live a healthier lifestyle and feel great by going to bed at a decent hour. Get enough and better sleep each night by creating a comfortable bedroom and sleep environment and trying to stay on a sleep schedule. It will also help you feel more tired and you’ll be ready for bed when you are active during the day and limit your screen time right before bedtime. Instead, read a book, drink a cup of warm tea, or take a bath.
Aging is inevitable; thus, bodily functions keep happening at their pace. It is natural for human beings to think of all the things that might occur in their body due to aging. Generally, it is the significant health challenges such as heart disease or diabetes that come to a person’s mind.
However, it would help if you did not forget that your bones are living tissues meaning that your body breaks down and rebuilds a new bone throughout your life. As you age, the body begins to lose more bone mass than it produces, thus, reducing the strength in your bones.
Therefore, like other health issues, you must also be aware of osteoporosis. It would help if you consciously build bone strength as you age. You’re on the right page if you’re looking for tips to keep strong bones in older age. This article mentions some practical tips to ensure your bone health. Read on!
Get a Health Checkup
Bone strength reduces mainly after the age of 35 in men and women. Therefore, getting a complete health checkup is suggested after entering your thirties. The doctors will be able to guide you accordingly in your health journey. These days, telemedicine has made it even easier to get treatment for any health issues.
For instance, many men struggle with low testosterone, which directly impacts bone health. So, if your symptoms and health reports suggest so, your doctor can recommend the proper treatment for you according to your current health status.
One of the most common treatments is TRT for men, which includes medicines and supplements to increase testosterone levels in the body and reduce the harmful side effects. Likewise, for women, there could be low hemoglobin, hormonal imbalance, and other issues that need treatment to ensure more muscular bone health in the later stages.
Increase Your Vitamin D intake
Vitamin D plays a significant role in strengthening your bones. Unfortunately, lifestyle changes have made it harder to absorb natural vitamin D. Most of the time; people stay indoors, work late, or have no time to spare for their health.
However, you must increase your vitamin D intake at the right time. A lack of Vitamin D means your body will take calcium from the bones, thus reducing strength. Also, it can refrain your body from making new bones.
Therefore, you must consume at least 600 IU of vitamin D daily. Moreover, you should consult your doctor to nullify any underlying disease caused due to lack of Vitamin D. They may also give you the right supplements considering your health reports.
Workout to strengthen muscles
There are not enough words to emphasize the importance of exercise in your daily life. It helps strengthen muscles and bones and maintain balance in the body. With regular training, you can also prevent fractures and promote the development of new bones.
You can pursue any exercise, but it is better to consider speaking with a personal trainer and getting personalized workout plans to achieve your health goals. If you can not go to the gym, you can follow a home workout routine with minimal props.
In addition, several online programs run classes on different platforms for their audience so that you can join them too. Also, you do not have to exercise for 2 hours; a minimum of 20-390 minutes for five days a week shall be helpful. Ensure that you do strength training to build your body’s mass health.
Cut Back on Toxic Habits
They are called toxic habits for a reason. Many people are addicted to alcohol and smoking in their lives. They do not understand how adversely these habits are affecting their bodies.
Smoking augments your risk of lung cancer but also heightens osteoporosis risk because it slows down the growth of bone-producing cells. Likewise, alcohol can also weaken your bones. More so, it increases the risk of falls, thereby fractures. Hence, according to the Centers for Disease Control, moderation is the key to a healthy life.
However, if you are an addict, it is better to consult a rehab center to eliminate the toxic habit. Excess of nicotine or alcohol is not healthy for the body. So, take control of your health and make the required changes.
Bottom Line
It is significant to understand that taking care of your bone health is essential, especially after your 40s. Several factors, such as diet, exercise, and other lifestyle measures, affect bone density in humans. Therefore, you must get regular health checkups and consciously make efforts to improve your bone density.
Road trips are really fun and a great part of life, you could enjoy them alone, with your friends or even do it regularly with your family. It is something that can be adapted to everyone planning a road trip is one of the most exciting parts of traveling. The only thing better than planning your trip is actually doing it, but if you’re not prepared for all that goes into making sure everything goes smoothly and safely, things could get pretty stressful (and even dangerous). If you haven’t been on a road trip before or aren’t used to driving long distances with multiple people in the car, here are some tips:
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a must for any road trip, especially if you’re headed out on a cross-country journey. No one wants to worry about the unexpected when they’re in the middle of nowhere and need medical attention—but that’s exactly what could happen without travel insurance. Many people neglect travel insurance because it feels like an unnecessary expense, but it’ll protect you from having to pay for unforeseen expenses such as lost luggage or medical bills.
Travel insurance can cover things like:
- Lost luggage or personal items
- Medical expenses (including emergency evacuation)
- Emergency dental work
- Rental car damage costs caused by theft or vandalism
Route map
If you’re going to be taking a road trip, it’s a good idea to have a map with you. You can print one out from Google Maps or Mapquest and laminate it, but if all else fails, your smartphone will probably have an app that can do the same thing. Make sure that the route is up-to-date when planning your trip and don’t forget about any tricky turns along the way!
Emergency money stash
You should always have an emergency fund on hand. The amount you need depends on the length of your trip, but it should be enough to cover a night in a hotel and/or a flight home—and it should be in a separate account from your regular bank account. The last thing you want is for someone else to access this money and use it for something else (if you’re traveling with others, set up individual accounts for each person too).
Your emergency money stash should be in small bills so that you can use them easily at ATMs or gas stations along the way. It’s also smart to keep some coins on hand, as many restaurants and hotels still accept cash payments in coin form instead of credit cards.
Accommodation bookings and itinerary
Booking accommodation well in advance is the best way to ensure you end up with a comfortable place to stay. You’ll want to book the whole trip, not just one leg of it, so your options aren’t limited by when you start your trip.
This also means that if something changes later on (e.g., an unexpected delay), then it won’t throw off all your plans for finding accommodation along the way.
If possible, try booking accommodation through a website with a cancellation policy instead of directly with a hotel or hostel itself. That way if there are any problems or issues with what they offer and how much they charge at that time, you have recourse against them as opposed to being stuck without any sort of recourse should anything go wrong later on down the line!
GPS Tracker
It’s a good idea to keep track of your route, and if you have a GPS tracker, it’s easy. You can track your car and make sure that you don’t get lost. If you have kids or pets that are riding with you, they can still be tracked through GPS even when they’re not in the car.
If there are items in the trunk or backseat of your vehicle that need monitoring while on the road trip (for example luggage), then it might be useful to use a GPS tracker as well so that no one accidentally leaves something behind in case of an emergency situation such as a flat tire or breakdown in traffic.
Two-way radios
Two-way radios are a must-have on any road trip. If you’re going to be driving long distances, it’s important to have some means of communicating with other drivers—and being able to call for help if something goes wrong. These devices can be used for many purposes:
- You can use them to communicate with the driver of a tow truck or other emergency vehicle if you break down or get into an accident.
- You can also use them to communicate with other drivers in case of emergency (like when there’s heavy traffic).
- You can even use two-way radios as a way to contact law enforcement officers if necessary (in case someone gets pulled over, etc.).
Car manual, plus any other necessary documents
It’s always a good idea to carry a car manual in case you need to reference it. You’ll want to keep this on hand if anything goes wrong with your vehicle, or if you’re traveling long distances and tire pressure is an issue.
Other documents that will be helpful include:
- Your registration and insurance card
- Your driver’s license (or international equivalent)
If you are driving a rental car, make sure you have the rental agreement with you in case you are pulled over by authorities for any reason.
Emergency Supplies and Tools
Since you can’t predict what will happen on your road trip, it is best to be prepared in advance. Along with first aid kits and other emergency supplies, pack auto repair tools like jumper cables and an extended Slim Jim unlock tool in case your car doors accidentally lock and you are unable to call AAA. Also, bring along a portable fire extinguisher and a flashlight with spare batteries in case of low-visibility conditions.
Having a touch-up paint kit in your emergency supplies and tools is a smart idea, as it can easily repair minor exterior scratches on your vehicle. Keeping one handy means you can quickly and easily fix unsightly scratches, ensuring your car always looks its best.
Travel journal/camera kit and entertainment
Take pictures. A camera is a great way to capture the beauty of the world around you, and it also helps keep your memories alive by allowing you to revisit them later on. You can get a special backpack to keep it safe. If you share your content online from road trips or want to take your pictures and videos a step further you could get a drone like the DJI Mavic classic.
Keep a travel journal. Don’t just take pictures; write down what happened, too! Whether it’s something funny that happened or just thoughts running through your head at any given moment, writing things down can be a great way to remember all the things that made this trip so special when it’s over. Plus, there are tons of benefits for people who keep journals: It helps with stress relief and self-reflection; it gives you something to do when bored, and having an actual physical object (like paper) instead of just digital entries makes remembering easier because there is no need for searching through endless files full of data.
Clothes for every weather type in your trip location
The first thing you should do when deciding what to take on a road trip is to think about the weather. You want to be prepared for anything, so you should pack clothes for every type of weather—rain, hot weather, cold weather, windy conditions, and more. Be prepared for anything by having these items in your car when hitting the open road: A first aid kit with bandages/painkillers; bottled water; an extra gallon of gasoline if possible; jumper cables and tire jack if applicable; AAA membership card (not required but highly recommended). Also, remember that if possible internet access while traveling would be nice too!
We hope this article has helped you prepare for your next trip to the great outdoors. If you have any questions about the things we’ve mentioned in this post or any other travel-related queries, feel free to contact us. Also, don’t forget to check out our blog for more great tips on how to make your travels go smoothly!
Pregnancy planning is perhaps the most exciting phase of life for couples looking forward to parenting. However, it may also be overwhelming as you experience the fear of the unknown. You want to do your best to conceive and bear a healthy baby, but genetic disorders can thwart your good intentions and genuine efforts. Such disorders can pass to the baby from either or both parents if they have some risk factors. However, genetic counseling can show you the way and mitigate your fear. A counselor can help you assess your risk factor, provide support, and prepare you for the contingency of having a child with special needs. Let us explain why couples may consider genetic counseling while planning a baby.
You and/or your partner are over 35
Some couples willfully delay pregnancy to fulfill other priorities before starting a family. However, it may not be the best choice because older people are at a high of passing certain genetic disorders to their babies. You must be aware of the chances of having a baby with autism and Down syndrome. Statistics indicate that these conditions may be linked to increased parental age.
Your prenatal test results are abnormal
Abnormal prenatal tests are a reason to worry for all parents, but further investigations can eliminate the guesswork and curb your worries. Doctors recommend several tests during conception planning and pregnancy to check the baby’s development. You must see a genetic counselor if the reports show abnormal readings. The specialist can identify potential issues and recommend early treatments.
You have an inherited disease
Couples with either or both partners having inherited diseases in their families should also consider consulting a genetic counselor. In fact, conditions like fanconi anemia may even be more prevalent in some ethnic groups, such as Ashkenazi Jews and Afrikaners. With genetic counseling, you can understand your risk of inheriting a disease or passing it on to your children. You may also learn about caring for a baby with an inherited condition, which may otherwise be a parenting challenge.
You already have a child with a genetic disorder
Another reason to visit a counselor while planning a pregnancy is when you already have a child with a genetic disorder. You will definitely want to know whether your next child is at risk and if there is a way to eliminate the possibility. Moreover, you may even consider giving up the idea of having another baby and focus only on the kids you already have if the risk is dominant.
You have a history of miscarriages and/or stillbirths
A history of miscarriages and/or stillbirths makes you a candidate for genetic counseling, and your doctor will surely recommend it. The specialist can assess your risk in future pregnancies by using the medical information from the failed ones. They can also guide you about taking measures to reduce the chances of miscarriage and stillbirth and have a healthy pregnancy and full-term ahead.
Genetic counseling is the best choice for a couple dealing with the fear of inherited conditions in their families. But you may also consider it in one or more of these situations as it ensures realistic expectations and better planning.