Five Tropical Fruits That Will Help You Live Healthier and Longer

Although we could all benefit from a tropical getaway, our bodies can benefit from the fruits of those regions on a daily basis. By adding tropical fruit to your diet, you not only increase your daily value of vitamins but also can prolong your overall health and well being.

These fruits can mostly be found in the produce section of your local market. You may also find them in the frozen section as well. The particular fruits discussed in this article are considered among the healthiest and most beneficial for the human body.

Mango

The mango is a stone fruit because of the inedible stone-like seed found at its core. The yellow fleshy meat is very soft and juicy. Mangos are cultivated in Southeast Asia, the West Indies, and Mexico, but the largest source comes from China.

This magical little fruit is overflowing with goodness and nutrients, including vitamins A and C, B6, Iron, Folate, Zinc and vitamin E. The high amounts of A and C can replenish the skin and reduce signs of aging. Vitamin C plays an important role in the elasticity of your skin. Vitamin A is needed by your cells for growth in your hair, skin, and nails and helps to protect them from the damaging elements found in our environment.

Just like most fruits, mangos don’t have to just be consumed raw. They can be used in a variety of ways such as ice cream, sauces, and even mango syrup.

Papaya

The papaya is probably among the least common and probably the most overlooked. The papaya originated in Mexico, more specifically in Chiapas and Veracruz. Now they are grown in both South America and Central America but enjoyed worldwide.

In Asia, papaya is used as a post-meal fruit due to the high amounts of fiber it contains. This helps aid in digestion and in several studies has shown to improve constant constipation. Daily consumption can aid in weight loss as well.

Papaya contains 200% of the daily requirement for vitamin C, combined with the fiber and natural antioxidants, it can prevent cholesterol build up in your arteries.

Papayas are great served in sauces, desserts, and puddings.

Banana

This wonderful fruit is not monkeying around when it comes to your health. The aromatic banana can be found growing all over Central America in such countries as Panama, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Costa Rica.

Bananas are a very common fruit here in the US, but you may not realize that these fun little fruits are team healthy body all the way. The banana is a powerhouse of potassium. Potassium helps to prevent muscle aches which is especially beneficial during the hotter months of the year. In fact, a medium-size banana contains 422mg of Potassium and 3 grams of dietary fiber. There are many recipes for easy desserts using banana such as a No Bake Banana Pudding Pie.

Pineapple

The pineapple comes to us from Brazil and Paraguay. Pineapple comes from the Bromeliad Family. Bromeliad is a cluster of berries that grows around one central point. That means that each scale of the pineapple is actually an individual berry and can be pulled off in pieces.

Pineapple contains 75% of the daily value of manganese which is essential for normal brain and nerve function. Manganese also supports strong bones and connective tissue. Pineapple is often used as a natural decongestant and also contains thiamin and B vitamins.

Pineapple can be used in sauces such as the Asian sweet and sour sauce. For some people, it is perfectly acceptable as a pizza topping.

Avocado

Last but not least, let’s address the tropical superfood, the avocado. Avocados are grown all over Mexico and is a staple in most average cocinas.

This odd little fruit, that could resemble a dragon egg, is a powerhouse of nutrition. Avocado contains vitamins C, E, K, and B6. In fact, the avocado contains 25% of the daily recommended value of vitamin K, supporting strong bones and preventing osteoporosis later in life.

Avocados are best served in salads and on sandwiches. For information on preserving your fruit at its peak in order to make it last, see this article from the New York Times.

Kabillion Review

Disclosure: I received a free Roku stick to facilitate this review.

 

Thaxton just turned 18 months old. He is just getting to the point where he is paying attention to the television; mostly he loves music and will dance to anything!

My husband and I are doing a lot of previewing to find high quality shows for him to watch. We look for anything with music (obviously) and anything related to academic learning or moral teachings. And we are also happy to introduce him to classics we loved as kids.

We recently got a Roku stick are very excited to be able to stream shows for Thaxton to watch. We downloaded the Kabillion app to Roku. Kabillion is an app that features free family-friendly content.

The shows are divided into two age brackets: 0-6 and 6-12.

In the 0-6 categories they have a show called Oddbods. Oddbods is an animated short. It has no voice overs, but has cute and funny sounds and images with funny, easy-to-follow storylines. 

In this category, they also have a super-cute show called Cloud Babies (as seen in the above picture).  This show has fun and cute storylines and is about babies who work in the sky, shining the moon and painting the rainbow.  It has lovely eye-catching colors and images that attract babies and toddlers and is one of my personal favorites on the app.

I was also excited to find that it features the original My Little Pony from the 80s in this category!

As for the 6-12 kids, they have fun shows like Sonic the Hedgehog and one of my husband’s favorites Pokemon!

If you have children and you enjoy streaming shows for them, I invite you to check out Kabillion.

 

Bedroom Redecoration Concepts For You

Decorating Your Bedroom and Having a Total Blast

Redecorating a living space can be a ball. It can be particularly exciting to redecorate your bedroom. Bedrooms are crucial sections of homes, after all. They’re places for rest and serenity. The last thing you want is to design a bedroom that’s the opposite of soothing and welcoming. If you’re thinking about redecorating your bedroom, then you don’t necessarily have to recruit a costly interior designer for the project. That’s because you can just as easily handle things on your own. It’s vital to take all sorts of things into consideration any time you’re redecorating your bedroom as well. You should think about everything from mattresses to art pieces on the walls. The more thorough your design approach is, the better things should be for you in the end. If you have a mattress that makes your back hurt, then you’re ready to swap it out.

Exciting Ways to Redecorate Your Bedroom Independently

Decorating your bedroom without the services of a professional interior designer doesn’t mean that you can’t recruit any outside help. If you want your redecorating project to be thrilling and fulfilling, you can ask your closest friends to lend you helping hands. You can ask your closest family members to do the same. Coming up with design concepts in the company of your favorite folks can be amazing for bonding. It can be a recipe for laughter and smiles as well. If you want to be able to connect with all of the human beings you cherish the most on the planet, then you can have a superb experience decorating a room together. It can make for an outstanding and enriching weekend project for all.

A cozy bedroom is always ideal. If you want your sleep space to be 100 percent cozy, you need to consider lighting elements. Think about the type of lighting you want. Think about task lights, accent lights and beyond. Think about the lighting tone as well. Soft lighting can make you look softer to others. It can also induce feelings of peace. If you want your bedroom to feel cozy to the max, then you need to put a lot of care into the lighting selection process, period.

Flooring should also be high up on your consideration list. Some people prefer to install carpeting in their bedrooms. That’s due to the fact that the carpet is soft and often feels fantastic right next to the feet. If you admire the smoothness of carpeting, yet don’t want to commit to it fully, that’s totally okay. That’s because you can opt for a gorgeous area rug, instead. Area rugs appear in all kinds of wondrous designs, colors, and patterns. They appear in all kinds of sturdy and hardwearing materials. If you want to choose an area rug that can make your exhausted feet feel incredible, then you should test out all sorts of material options in advance.

Furniture selection is always paramount. Think carefully about all of the things you need for optimal bedroom coziness. It’s vital to invest in a tough and firm mattress that can cater to your wellness requirements. If you want to sleep soundly no matter what, then you need to assess mattresses exhaustively prior to completing any and all purchases. Some mattresses aren’t appropriate for specific body types. If you’re particularly tall, then you may want to steer clear of mattresses that are rather small. Twin mattresses in many situations just aren’t suitable for people who have taller physiques. Think in detail about firmness levels. Some people favor mattresses that are remarkably firm and hard. Others favor markedly softer ones. It’s always a matter of simple preference. Nothing can top the coziness of an amazing and well-made mattress, period.

Think about color choices any time you redecorate your bedroom. If you want your bedroom to have an energetic feel, you may want to pick colors that are radiant. If you want your bedroom to be particularly soothing, on the other hand, you may want to opt for colors that are comparatively muted. Tan bedroom design schemes can do a lot for individuals who are eager to establish spaces that can encourage restful sleeping habits each night. If you want to sleep for eight blissful hours consistently, then you may want to think about colors that are particularly pacifying.

Friday Favorites Linky Party – Week 480

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet HomeTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Lisa at Condo BluesTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small ThingsPin

Penny at Penny’s PassionTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas SkyTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Jennifer at Busy Being JenniferTwitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week’s favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week’s linky party! [Read more…]

Maintaining Quality While Cutting Costs

 

Though competition between businesses is typically thought of as fierce, it often creates lovely customer experiences. For companies to stay ahead of their peers, they need to provide quality products or services, top-notch customer service, and competitive prices.

But how can a business offer quality, care, and price while trimming its bottom line?

It’s all about the delicate but essential balance of maintaining quality while cutting costs. Software can be implemented to streamline business practices, such as answering services for medical offices. This is an example of how this can cut costs, but also benefit existing staff, as well as patients, when outsourcing such a task is involved. This can also be applied to a variety of industries.

Develop Strong Relationships with Partners

Handling business areas in-house can reduce operating costs over the long term. However, most companies can’t establish the infrastructure to run every aspect of their supply chain. This is why building productive partnerships with third-party companies is vital to an organization’s longevity.

The more transparent and loyal two businesses are to one another increases the likelihood of effective collaboration, which could manifest in both cost savings and enhanced productivity.

Companies can also save money long-term by not having to spend time looking for new partners and delay parts of their business as a result.

Consider how much your online store would lose in revenue if you tried to switch web hosts away from a free e-commerce website template like Shopify’s and you’ll understand. This is why profitable, steady businesses put great effort in maintaining the relationships that serve their operation.

Lower Customer Acquisition Costs

A lot of metrics go into assessing the pulse of a business, but none are as important as the customer acquisition cost (CAC). This simple formula divides marketing spends over a period divided by the number of customers acquired over that time.

If you haven’t tracked metrics closely in the past, evaluating different marketing initiatives by their CAC may be an enlightening experience. You may find that certain channels are more or less effective than you thought. The good news is there are a lot of ways to reduce your customer acquisition cost. The bad news is they’re not all quick tweaks.

Some essential things to do if you haven’t already are to:

● Develop targeted buyer personas

● Use the 80/20 rule to spend more time on high-level tasks and less time on minutiae

● A/B test everything you do in every channel you try

Hire and Retain the Right Employees

Businesses should be innovative and quick-to-adapt to the industries they operate in, but internally, they must be beacons of stability. Of course, this is easier said than done. Companies of all sizes struggle to find, hire, and retain the right talent for their workplaces. A lack of processes and bandwidth make hiring difficult but ignoring the needs of today’s employees ensures high turnover and wasted operating revenue.

A key component to hiring people that stick around is to be clear about expectations and what a role offers, as well as offering a transparent culture in the workplace. Providing room for growth and the ability to effect change, whether on a team or in a department, are other defining factors for good employees. And any business trying to appeal to younger generations would be remiss not to offer generous time off and flexible working arrangements. Once hires are made, putting employees through a thoughtful onboarding program helps build morale and set a strong foundation for the working relationship.

Maintaining quality while cutting costs becomes necessary more than a few times during any business’ lifespan. Focus on these three areas to make your organization leaner over the long-term.

Should pregnant women stop taking sodium valproate? 

Sodium valproate is a widely used and effective medication for treating epilepsy, as well as other conditions, such as bipolar disorder and migraines. The drug has been used for decades and is generally considered safe for those people taking it. However, there is now growing awareness that sodium valproate can pose very serious risks when used by women during pregnancy. 

 This means that the drug is now usually not recommended for pregnant women, except in exceptional circumstances. The National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that sodium valproate should not be used during pregnancy and if it must be used (where there is no effective alternative for a particular patient) then the lowest possible dose should be used. 

 However, if you are currently taking sodium valproate for epilepsy or another condition, you should not stop taking it without speaking to your doctor first. If you have discovered that you are pregnant and are currently taking sodium valproate, you should therefore seek an appointment with your doctor immediately. 

 What risks does sodium valproate pose to unborn children? 

 Where women take sodium valproate during pregnancy, it has been shown that their children are up to 5 times more likely than average to suffer from birth defects. This equates to 1 in 10 children having a physical birth defect and around 4 in 10 experiencing developmental issues. 

 The physical and development issues associated with exposure to sodium valproate in the womb are referred to as Foetal Valproate Syndrome (FVS). 

 Issues associated with FVS can include: 

 Physical defects 

 Spina bifida (where the spinal cord fails to develop properly causing problems such as paralysis, muscle weakness and incontinence) 

  • Heart problems (due to malformation of the heart) 
  • Cleft lip/cleft palate 
  • Facial characteristic (e.g. epicanthic eye folds and a small upturned nose) 
  • Skeletal issues (including deformation of the feet, contraction of small joints and long overlapping fingers) 
  • Genital issues (e.g. the urinary tract terminating on the underside of the penis) 

 Development issues 

  • Delays in walking 
  • Delays in talking 
  • Poor speech & language skills 
  • Memory issues 
  • Below average intelligence 

Claiming compensation for foetal valproate syndrome 

If your child has been affected by foetal valproate syndrome, this is likely to have a profound effect on their life and yours. Children with FVS often require significant help and support throughout their lives, including medical treatments, physical therapy and ongoing care support.  

While much of this support can be accessed through the NHS, many parents must also fund at least some of the treatments and services their child needs themselves. This is why parents of children with foetal valproate syndrome should consider pursuing compensation wherever possible. 

Foetal valproate syndrome compensation may be substantial, allowing you to cover all of the costs associated with helping your child with their condition and allowing them to live a full, happy life. These claims are complicated, however, so it is strongly recommended to consult with a solicitor specialising in FVS claims to give yourself the best chance of a positive outcome for you and your child. 

Simply Earth Review and Unboxing

Disclosure: I received free products to facilitate this review. Affiliate links are contained herein. The opinions are my own.


I am very excited today to introduce you to Simply Earth.  They offer essential oils at an affordable price.  They also have a fun subscription program called the Essential Oil Recipe Box.  Each subscription box is a $150 value for just $39, and it is a fantastic deal.  For that $39, you get 4 bottles of essential oils,  you also get several recipe cards, and extra materials you need to create the recipes included.

When you subscribe, they also send you an awesome BONUS BOX for FREE!  The bonus box has several bottles as well as other great items like coconut oil, beeswax, and almond oil.  Anyone who’s ever used essential oils, knows that these items are definitely staples, and I think it’s great that they include these bonuses.

And if you order today using my referral link and coupon code: SSHOMEFREE you will also get a $40 gift card! [Read more…]

Friday Favorites Linky Party – Week 479


Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet HomeTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Lisa at Condo BluesTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small ThingsPin

Penny at Penny’s PassionTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas SkyTwitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Jennifer at Busy Being JenniferTwitter | FB | Pin | Inst

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

And if you love all of this week’s favorites, please pin, share, and invite your friends to this week’s linky party! [Read more…]

Three Fantastic Fashion Options for Cool Summer Nights

I love the fact that the warmer weather is now with us. It feels good to be able to get out more and spend time having fun with the family. We like eating outside and staying in the yard after the sun has gone down. With the right yard accessories and clothing, you can maximize everyone’s outdoor time.

Versatile kimonos If you click here you will see that, for SS19, kimonos are very on trend. They are a great item of clothing for donning when the sun goes down and the temperature drops. Kimonos are typically lightweight, very comfortable and available a range of lengths. You can buy them for everyone in the family because they are a unisex item.

Potentially, you can get a lot of wear out of a kimono. They look good pretty much whatever you wear them with. Kimonos are lightweight enough to be taken on holiday and used as an alternative to a summer jacket. They are also ideal for wearing over the top of your swimming costume, at lunchtime. Kimonos are acceptable attire in most cafes and casual restaurants.

Shrugs

If you want to cover up your bare arms without adding an additional layer of clothing over the rest of your body, a shrug is an answer. They are an item of clothing many women never wear. This is a pity because shrugs are far more useful than you think. Once you have owned and worn one, the chances are you will become a bit of a fan. The trick is finding one that works for your body type. This article explains how to find jackets and shrugs that will flatter you and fit in with the way you like to dress.

A wrap

Wraps are a very useful fashion accessory. They are the ideal way to finish off a date night outfit or to wear for a wedding. Provided you choose one that is relatively neutral color-wise, you will be able to wear it whenever you want.

If it is big enough, you can use it as an alternative to a blanket. They are typically made from very lightweight fabric which means that you should not get too warm when using them like this. Plus, you could fold it up and use it to sit on. Just what you need if you have a metal bench or chairs.

It is also worth choosing one that is light enough to be packed for a holiday. You could potentially use it as an alternative to a sarong. If you like to dry out in the sun rather than towel yourself down you could even spread it on the sand

and lay on it. To be able to do that you would need to buy one that is made from a tightly woven fabric. You can read more of my fashion related articles by clicking here. I update this section on a fairly regular basis, so there is usually something fresh and interesting for you to enjoy reading.

4 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Home From Damage Caused By Pests

Buying a new home is said to be one of the biggest investments that most people will ever make in their lifetime. Therefore, as the years begin to roll on, every homeowner must be able to protect their investment so that the overall value will not fall significantly over time. This is also one of the primary reasons why many homeowners take its upkeep, maintenance, and home improvement projects very seriously each year, especially when the owner of the home is identifying ways to protect their family from pests infestations along with the home itself from the unnecessary damages that they cause.

With these and other issues related to pests infestations, here are four things that you should consider as you make provisions to keep the home clean, fresh and updated with modern features and amenities.

1. Be Proactive — Devise a Pest Proof Plan for Your Entire Home

If you really want to protect your family from having to deal with pests infestations, you will need to be diligent about creating a Moxie Pest Control plan for your home to eliminate the possibilities of these little critters taking up residence in any part of its structure. Thankfully, there is a huge amount of information today on devising an effective proactive plan, which includes doing home improvement projects that are designed to keep them out at all cost. For instance, you may want to hire a professional contractor to seal and repair openings. This contractor will assess the home in advance to inspect the basement and other areas for gaps and cracks. These openings can usually be found in virtually any place around the home, including utility meters, exterior outlets, laundry vents and any other areas that will make it easy for bugs and other little critters to come in.

2. Understand What Pests Found in the Home Can Do– Shatters Happy Home Image

Most people may like to think about that cute home with a white picket fence, especially since it is a simple and attractive picture to visualize. Although this is true, this picture can easily be flawed when the family begins to find pests like mice, termites, and bugs in different areas. In fact, it is not uncommon for the beautiful and comfortable looking living quarters to easily turn into a place where you can see a mouse or two running freely in any room of the home. So if you want to restore the image of your happy home, it is important that the necessary steps be taken immediately.

3. What Should the Family Do When They Find Pests in the Home

Though these problems can occur at anytime, you should always know what your family should do to get rid of these problems completely. One of the most essential and highly recommended is to contact professionals in the industry that know how to assess the extent of the infestation so that they can provide a viable solution. Simply stated, if someone in the home spots these unwanted pests, they should call a local pest control professional as soon as possible to keep them from spreading. These pest control specialists are equipped with the skills, experience, knowledge, equipment and the tools to get rid of these pests completely so that they will never return again. This is because the expertise that they acquire teaches them

how to eradicate different types of pests with the best chemical solutions and remedies in the industry.

4. Damage Caused to the Home By Severe Pest Infestation

There are many different reasons for taking care of these problems before they escalate into full-blown infestations. Once some of these pests infiltrate the home’s walls, roofing, furniture and other things that they can hide in, they can begin to do damage that can be seen and unseen. In some cases, the only way to assess the damage that comes from pests is via the use of smart equipment and technology used by professionals in the pest control industry. These professionals can help to identify severe damage that has been done and they will also recommend a solution to make the necessary repairs.