Deck Planters For Creating Flowered Beauty In Outdoor Living

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Bucking the “composite” trend where outdoor decks use synthetic material tread stock, glass deck railing and solar deck lighting, decorative deck planters give 3-season cultivated growing of flowers, herbs or other plants for easy back door access and everyday enjoyment.

What’s The Right Look? Choices Galore. Deck boxes run the gamut of shapes… colors… patterns… materials options… and sizes. Cast aluminum urns with full fluted decorative panels compete with intricately molded concrete… copper… ceramic terra cotta planters in every imaginable shape, size and color. Positioning? Larger deck planters, perfect for flowers, herbs, even small trees have just the right mass to stay put, or smaller deck planters can be screwed into your deck for a semi-permanent fit. Alternatively, deck railing planter designs are sized to complement typical 4in. to 6 in. deck railing systems. Fitments and installation? Easy, with spacer and tensioning hardware.

Self Watering Planter. Trying to keep up with a plant’s thirst needs is no longer a chore or a mystery. New generation self watering planter designs “draw” water from the water reservoir along soil tubes to directly replenish the water needs of plant roots. Keep the water reservoir full… walk away… and your self watering planter does all the “heavy lifting”.

Deck Railing Planters. Getting flowers and other plants off the deck and into better sight line… plus creating a more dynamic design “finish” to your outdoor deck is simple, using latest best-of-breed deck rail planter designs. Installation of most deck railing planters is simple… spacers and toe-anchor locking mechanisms are one of many straight-forward techniques to safely secure your planter box. Materials? Wood… ceramic and terra cotta planters… vinyl… composite… concrete planter designs… even copper planter designs along with cast aluminum planters.

Classic Urn Planter. Classic clay pot planters, shaped in the Grecian urn design tradition, extend their popularity into their 4th millennium. Wide base with hourglass sensuous shaping, along with fluted decorative panels, urn planters offer the best in elegant looks and ease-of-positioning anywhere on your deck. Traditionally shaped urn terra cotta planters recreate the look and ambience of ancient Mediterranean culture. Soft rusted-earth color tones or hard-glazed bold patterned urn planters are offered in heights over 36 inches.

Design Tips For Watering And Care. Varieties on the self watering planter include individual watering balls, suspended on a shaft that you insert into the planter box soil. Result? Your deck planter box waters itself! The natural “drawing” action of the plants will pull the water into the plant’s root system.

Learn More About Deck Planter Boxes, Self Watering, Deck Railing Planters And More To Enhance Outside Living.

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Source by Robin J. Derry

How to Combat Your Clutter

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What is clutter? For starters, clutter is just the general accumulation of junk; items that you have chosen to stow away or place in a general area. Some people may consider this storage; however, it becomes clutter when that room or area has no other purpose than for allowing your stuff to collect dust. If you are running out of walking room in your house, garage or basement, then you may have a problem with clutter. It isn’t always your fault and its nothing to be ashamed of because we are all guilty of it in some way, the issue becomes what do you do about it?

An operation that has been around for a long time, but only recently has it become a legitimate service, is that of your local hauling and junk removal operations. These companies in the past have been those operations that are run out of a pickup truck and operate under the motto that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” However, that assumption is false because there is a lot of work that goes into removing clutter and disposing of the contents responsibly. If you have a basement full of items, some heavy and some still useful, wouldn’t you want to be ensured those items are removed professionally and with respect to your home? Also, wouldn’t you like to know that those items are going to go somewhere other than the dump or your local junk man’s garage sale? Enter a professional junk removal company.

Companies that list themselves in the junk removal category, but are also revered as legitimate operations, will charge a fee to do all the heavy lifting associated with getting rid of your junk, while also finding responsible disposal solutions for your trash and waste. For example, if you had a garage that was mixed full of trash, construction debris with a few items that may still be of use, then you could call a junk removal operation. That company would then load all of those items into their dump truck and separate those items into piles of things that could be recycled, donated, reused and lastly, dumped. This service should cost a fee, but that fee should include the cost of the labor involved, taking the items to appropriate facilities, transfer stations and provide customer with a receipt. This is the typical ebb and flow of legitimate businesses and is now the standard for junk removal businesses.

So, now that we’ve addressed clutter and how to take care of the problem, let’s talk about how to choose the company to do it. In the technological age we live in, contractors are being held to a higher standard due to the variety of outlets that provide reviews. Always seek out a company that appears and presents itself as a legitimate operation and then go look for reviews and testimonials about that company. If you do that, you will be assured to have a smooth and pleasing experience the next time you need to get rid of clutter!

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Source by Bennett Grove

Moving? No Sweat! A Call to Your Local Movers Will Relieve Your Stress and Make Your Job Easier

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Whether you’re moving a few objects across the room or moving your business across the nation, trust your local moving company to professionally pack, load, move, and unpack your items. Your local movers also offer secure storage services. Call today for a smooth move!

Moving can be one of the most stressful things anyone can do. There’s so much to worry about: leases, deeds, tax forms, and other paperwork–not to mention the actual moving part! If you, your family, or your entire business is planning on moving, call your local moving company to help alleviate your stress and spare your muscles.

Using their years of experience with packing, loading trucks, and carefully transporting goods of all kinds, shapes, and sizes, professional movers will make the moving process more bearable. You won’t have worry about lifting heavy furniture or the safety of your expensive equipment, irreplaceable documents, or breakables–leave that to the movers. You may also opt for full replacement value coverage, which will provide you with a full reimbursement for the value of an item that is broken due to mover error. We’re all human, but when you trust your local moving professionals, you’re protected from losses–yet another reason to trust your area moving company!

Check out the array of services offered by your local movers:

  • Storage services – Your local movers provide both residential and commercial storage services, which can safely and securely hold any property that you might need to have stored during your transition. The units can come with features such as temperature control, container storage, and ample space for large equipment, like vehicles! Whether you need storage for six days or six months, your local movers can accommodate you.
  • Local moving – Moving from a dorm to a house? Or just across town? Whatever the case, your local movers are ready to help you settle in. Your full-service moving company understands that each move is different, and they’ll allow you to choose which of their great services you’d like to take advantage of. If you prefer to do the packing and just need help with the loading, or if you want your movers to pack, load, and unpack everything from the Q-tips to the piano, you can count on professional hands and professional attitudes every step of the way. They will treat your possessions with the same care and respect as they would their own.
  • Long-distance moving – Whether your company requires relocation services as they move corporate offices and employees from the Northeast to Tempe, or you’re starting your life over again far from home, your locally based moving company will be there with you every mile, every minute.
  • Home rearrangement – You want to move that giant curio cabinet from the living room to the dining room, but you don’t have the muscles or manpower to get it done without harming your building, furniture, or yourself. What do you do? Luckily, there’s no moving job too demanding or specific for your local, experienced movers.
  • Specialized moving services – If you need to have a small number of items moved, there may not be enough property to justify the use of a truck. For these situations, your local movers offer pack and ship services, which will ensure that your possessions safely reach their final destination.

Your local movers can help you with any moving or storage need, big or small. Whether you need help moving a few feet or across time zones, your local moving company will ensure the safety and security of all of your property so you can start the next chapter of your life on the right foot!

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Source by Rebecca Paul

How to Turn Pets Into An Irresistibly Lovable Marketing Department

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Even better, using pet power the right way boosts sales in spite of market dominance by big retailers.

Of course, the basic premise behind ‘pet marketing’ rests on pet owners first becoming customers, then letting their furry friends do the persuasive heavy lifting for driving more sales.

In a moment I’ll explain the human psychology behind how this persuasion strategy works and how to make it work for you.

CREATING A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE

My first forehead-slapping moment happened when I realized how the marketing power of pets worked on me.

Hey, even a hard-headed research scientist like me has marketing hot buttons.

The experience started when I was searching Google for a solution to a digestive problem my little 11-year-old terrier mix, Dixie, was having.

The pages attracting my attention the most were those where other pet owners were commenting.

I was grateful to find good, heartfelt advice from others who love their furry friends as much as I love mine.

I paid particular heed to products my fellow pet owners were recommending. They influenced me to upgrade Dixie’s food brand and to buy specific supplements.

Problem solved.

Now I’m a loyal customer for products that I hadn’t purchased before.

That story, however brief, is just one particular personal experience involving pet marketing. In this case it was about pet supplies.

It made me wonder about how this strategy might work for other kinds of products.

My thoughts led me to realize how a different personal experience with pet marketing worked on me. This time it had nothing to do with pet supplies.

My family loves to travel. We enjoy taking Dixie and her younger “sister,” 3-year-old Ellie, with us.

Finding good hotels allowing pets, without charging extra for them, can be a bit of a challenge.

That’s how we met Mac. He’s a “spokespet” for a national hotel chain.

He’s cute. He’s persuasive.

Mac is all over the hotel’s website. He talks about how he loves staying there. And how the folks at the front desk tell him he’s a good boy. He welcomes pet owners to come on in with their little buddies and stay a while.

That’s all it took to convince my family to always plan trips around where Mac’s hotels are. That’s the only place we stay when Dixie and Ellie are traveling with us.

So far I’ve described how we became loyal customers for two entirely different kinds of businesses, both driven by pet marketing.

I’m sure I wouldn’t have to dig too deep to realize how other businesses have used this approach to influence me.

I respond to it because I love my pets.

The pull of this strategy goes right to the heart – mine.

Now, as a marketer myself, I realize how ‘pet marketing’ persuaded me. And how it can persuade others.

It raises the question of what other businesses are harnessing the power of pets in their marketing plans.

What I discovered is the psychology behind why this strategy works.

More importantly, I also discovered how any business can implement it for optimum results.

THE UNDERLYING PERSUASION PRINCIPLE

The foundation for pet marketing involves a powerful persuasion principle called social proof.

Social proof is well-known in marketing. Its value is so great that my old colleague, Dr. Robert Cialdini, talked about it in his book, “Influence: Psychology of Persuasion.”

It’s one of his six keys to persuasion.

Pet marketing in particular lends itself to this principle. It’s like a social proof accelerator.

For me, endorsements by other pet owners were a bigger influence than standard testimonials. I paid more attention to other pet owners because their commentary was voluntary and authentic. It appeared on forums, blogs, and social media without apparent solicitation by any business.

[If you’re thinking about generating automatic referrals, then – BINGO!]

By the way, Mac’s hotel endorsements provide social proof in two ways. The first is subconsciously very subtle. Mac comes across as a happy customer, even though consciously we know he’s not really doing the talking.

The second is comments by human visitors to Mac’s posts. They’re unsolicited and persuasive.

Very powerful.

HARNESSING PET POWER

The fuel behind pet marketing is a steady stream of happy customers who own pets.

Getting them in the first place depends on how well your standard marketing strategies are already working.

All of the most effective ways to do that require good marketing copy for every aspect of your digital presence.

It could mean maintaining an attractive website, spreading around plenty of ads, building a strong social media presence, creating effective bait pieces for building a subscriber list, sending out newsletters, recording podcasts and videos, and putting together plenty of blog posts, press releases, magalogs, and eBooks… the list is endless.

Persuasive writing is at the heart of all of it.

Once that’s underway, the following three steps will harness the power of pet marketing.

1) Giving your customers a chance to brag about their pets on social media. They’re going to do it anyway. You might as well have them do it on your company’s social media pages.

Social media outlets are big drivers here.

Videos and images from pet owners are a key source of compelling content.

All you have to do is curate it.

Happy customers showing off their little buddies online is a fabulous attention-getter for any business.

2) Climbing the social proof ladder.

Partnering with an influencer in your niche brings in loads of social credibility.

Imagine being associated with Mannie the French Bulldog. At last count, he had 1.1 million followers on Instagram, 7,600 YouTube channel subscribers, and 1.7 million Facebook fans.

A word from Mannie bears tremendous ‘canine’ social proof from the top dog online.

Mannie covers a wide variety of products. His own website offers drinkware, apparel, art, and face masks. He’s also online promoting supplements, CBD products, and even a car wash.

He’s not alone. A quick search for other pet marketing influencers gives us a good list on Twitter. The biggies at the moment include @remixthedog, @tinkandmeek, @milliegthegolden, and @coconutricebear.

Keep in mind that, even though I’ve been talking about dogs so far, the same strategies work with cats.

To see what I mean, just check out Instagram for ThatLittlePuff, Nala Cat, Venus the Two Face Cat, and Smoothie the Cat for some big-time feline influencers.

3) Answering questions and commenting.

One simple yet invaluable strategy for building credibility and trust online is answering questions on forums and commenting on blog posts. All niches have forums and blog commenting.

If done well, the authority you generate there attracts responses from others. The more the better.

Voila! More social proof.

THE BONUS

What I’ve described here is harder for big online stores to do than it is for most businesses. The big guys rely more on brand marketing. They don’t allocate the resources needed for implementing the power of pet marketing.

Your bonus is a level playing field. Harnessing pet power can give you a leg up against even the biggest online retailers.

GETTING STARTED

So far I’ve merely outlined the basic concepts and strategies for putting your canine and feline sales forces to work.

Of course, as I mentioned earlier, they all rest on a foundation of good marketing copy. That’s what initially attracts the happy customers you want. Social proof from them and their pets takes it from there.

That’s where I can help.

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Source by Dr. Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Roman Chair Hyperextension Bench as Part of a Spine Rehabilitation Program for Back Pain

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To help answer the question of

whether hyper extension exercises on a roman chair are appropriate as part of

your spine rehabilitation program, first let me provide some background information on

the subject. Then, I will describe the muscle control problems that arise

with back pain. Next, we need to establish goals for rehabilitation and

determine the specific training requirements to obtain those goals. And finally, I will describe the inherent problems of traditional roman chairs, followed by a solution.

Muscle Control during

Optimal Health

Research has shown that there are two types of muscles: Superficial

strength muscles
, and deep stabilizing muscles. Each has its own

unique characteristics.

Think of the superficial

strength muscles
as “sprinter-type” muscles. These muscles contain the same

type of muscle fibers that are highly developed in the legs of Olympic

sprinters. They are great for producing speed during a 100 meter dash but poor

for endurance during a marathon. In contrast, the deep stabilizing muscles

are more like “marathon-type” muscles (superior for endurance but poor for

speed).

In healthy individuals, the

primary role of the superficial strength muscles of the lower back and

abdomen is to move the torso. (Torso is defined as: The human body excluding

the head, neck, and limbs. This part of the body is also known as the trunk.

So, these muscles move the rib cage, lumbar spine, and pelvis.) They are also

responsible for controlling trunk posture during high-level activities. These

activities may include: lifting, pushing, pulling, jumping, running, and other

ballistic (fast) movements of the limbs.

In contrast, the deep

stabilizing muscles
of the back and abdomen are used to provide continuous

postural adjustments of the torso throughout the day during low-level

activities. Some examples of low-level activities are: sitting, standing,

moving from a seated to standing position, walking, and slow (non-ballistic)

movements of the limbs.

Muscle Control Problems that Arise with Back Pain

After experiencing back pain, the brain’s strategy for maintaining trunk posture

changes to a simplified, inferior strategy. First, the deep stabilizing

muscles
stop working properly. Second, the superficial strength muscles

of the trunk become over-active and their muscle fibers shorten up to restrict

trunk range of motion.

This over-active/shortening-up

response is recognized by experts as the brain’s attempt to “lock up” and

protect the painful segments of the torso during the acute phase of injury.

This compensation pattern typically continues after it is no longer necessary

during the chronic phase of back pain (when the injured soft tissue structures

have healed).

The strategy of using

“sprinter-type” muscles to try to maintain trunk posture throughout the day is

like forcing an Olympic sprinter to compete in a marathon, instead of the 100

meter dash. Obviously, the sprinter’s muscles are built for speed, not

endurance. So to say the least, this strategy would not be very efficient.

But, other problems arise secondary to muscle fatigue and subsequent muscle

spasm which result in disc & joint compression.

Goals for Rehabilitation &

Specific Training Requirements

Just as the goals and specific training requirements for sprinters are different

than for marathon runners, there are also vast differences in the goals and

specific training requirements for a rehabilitation program versus a core

fitness routine.

In rehabilitation, one of our

goals would be to release the superficial strength muscles. (Remember

that they have “locked up” the injured region of the spine.) This is

accomplished through slow, low-load, pain-free movement patterns focused on

lengthening the superficial strength muscles while relaxed. This is

something I describe to my patients as a relaxed muscle release exercise

(not to be mistaken as a muscle-stretch exercise).

Although it is true that we must stretch the fascia and related non-contractile

tissues, it is important to recognize that muscles must be released while

relaxed. This is required in order to reset the muscle spindles that

control the set-point of resting tone and muscle length.

The idea of a relaxed

muscle release
exercise is definitely a change in mind-set. What it means

is that typical hyper extension exercises performed on a roman chair bench are

not appropriate for the initial stages of rehabilitation for chronic back pain.

If the superficial strength muscles of the back and abdominal wall

are over-active (contracting too much) and the muscle fibers are shortened up to

restrict trunk range of motion, then “strengthening” exercises would not be the

proper type of exercise for rehabilitation.

Our next goal would be to retrain the deep stabilizing muscles in their

role as the primary trunk stabilizers during low-level activities. This is

difficult to achieve in a person with chronic back pain since the superficial

strength muscles
are attempting to perform that role by over-contracting and

shortening up to restrict motion in the previously injured region of the torso.

Therefore, an aggressive exercise utilizing a roman chair that emphasizes the

superficial strength muscles
of the torso and hips may neglect to activate

the deep stabilizing muscles appropriately. A more specific training

approach is required.

One important deep

stabilizing muscle
of the back is called lumbar multifidus.

This muscle attaches at each segment of the lumbar spine down to the sacrum and

pelvis. The specific training that I recommend on a back exercise machine

is a slow, low-load extension movement occurring at each vertebra, instead of

holding the curve of the lower back in a locked position while moving through

the hips. This exercise should be easy enough to perform 30 repetitions

without fatigue.

The Problem and the

Solution

The specific training requirements for lumbar multifidus rehabilitation are not

likely to be achieved as part of a home exercise program on a traditional roman

chair hyper extension bench. The design of the traditional 90-degree exercise

angle is too difficult and not properly designed to promote the specific

training requirements of spine rehabilitation. This type of roman chair will

emphasize the hamstrings, buttocks and superficial strength muscles of

the lower back. It is also likely that training on the 45-degree exercise

angle will be too difficult and not specific enough.

Fortunately, a solution has

been developed that may be designated as a hybrid of the roman chair hyper

extension bench. It’s called the Back Trainer Medic by Kettler

(made in Germany). The Back Trainer Medic was designed to assure the

correct movement pattern, so the individual segments of lumbar multifidus are

trained appropriately. The torso pad is curved and the height of the pad

is adjustable so it guides the user through the correct motion of the torso for

spinal rehabilitation.

The specific exercises that I

show my patients to perform on the Back Trainer Medic fulfill both goals that I

addressed earlier in this article: First, releasing the superficial strength

muscles
of the back (via relaxed muscle release exercises), and second,

retraining the deep stabilizing muscle of the back, called lumbar

multifidus (via a slow, low-load extension movement occurring at each

vertebra). The specific exercises are also demonstrated on a DVD video so my

patients can watch it at home as an additional guide.

The Back Trainer Medic has six levels of difficulty. The easiest level is

easier to perform than the 45-degree exercise angle of a roman chair, so it is

more appropriate for the initial stages of spinal rehabilitation. This

allows the user to progress to higher levels of difficulty while the lumbar

multifidus muscles adapt by improving motor control and increasing in size.

Another advantage is that this machine virtually eliminates the hamstrings from

the exercise so that your efforts are more specifically focused on training the

lumbar multifidus muscles.

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Source by Dr. Howard A. Knudsen

Tips to Upgrade Your Garage

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If you have a garage and it hasn’t been upgraded since you moved into your home years ago then you have probably noticed that there are few things that you would like to change about it. There are few things that you might need to change such as the garage door and storage, amongst others.

Before you upgrade your garage, first make a list of what you want to do. Here are some tips for upgrading your garage.

  • Repair cracked walls. If the walls have slight cracks in them, use Polyfilla to insert into the cracks to fill it then smooth the surface of the wall.
  • Paint the walls. The paint may be faded or it could be dirty from the years of wear. If there are any areas where the paint is cracked and lifting off the wall, check if the walls are damp. If they are damp, remove the paint from the walls and wait for it to dry. Summer would be the ideal time to do this. The heat should dry the walls quickly. Next, apply damp seal on the wall and wait for it to dry. Then you can paint the walls the desired colour. Opt for a paint that is durable and easy to clean so that it can last longer.
  • Revamp storage space. If you are like most people, your garage probably has a lot of clutter. Clear out everything that you don’t need or use anymore. Unpack everything and decide on a storage solution based on what you have. You could build in a cupboard or you can have shelves on the walls. Make sure that it is practical to your daily life. You could make your own shelves or you could buy it, it’s up to you.
  • Repaint the garage door leading into the house. If you have a small entry door to your garage and it leads into the house, then it is probably not in a bad condition because it is not exposed to rain. It may only need a fresh coat of paint to look good as new.

Replace the main garage door. You may want to replace the main garage door because it is either old or no longer functioning properly. Or maybe you want a new modern garage door. A wooden garage door with an interesting design or with some glass designs could give your home a great new look. Because this is such a large door, it will certainly give a facelift to the front of your home.

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Source by Naeema Jada

You Can Do The Hard Things

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Former US President Theodore Roosevelt’s wise words:


“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”

These positive, wise words can, unfortunately explain away negative situations such as “advance aging” because advanced aging is most often the result of backing off from doing the hard things, especially regarding our health.

In life, we are constantly tempted to take “the path of least resistance” because, well, it’s the easiest and usually the quickest way. But easy does not translate to better nor does it translate to growth. Easy translates to lazy. And, when it comes to our health, lazy translates to disease and “advanced-aging.”

An Exchange of Energy –

Have you ever really gotten anything of lasting value in your life without some form of valuable/energy/ monetary exchange? Certainly nothing that has any lasting value comes free because everything is an energy exchange.

When we put a little energy into accomplishing or achieving something, the “little” value we receive back matches. But when we push the envelope and challenge ourselves to do the harder thing, to reach beyond our current limits, our ROI grows expoentially.

There’s no better example of this than lifting weights in the gym – one of the best things we can do to sculpt our bodies and strengthen our muscles. What’s hard today, won’t be after many repetitions. Enjoying the benefits that stronger muscles provides us demands that we continually challenge ourselves by adding more weight.

There is no gain in life without some sort of stretch/pain. It’s called evolutionary growth and all human emotional, mental and physical challenges hold within them the greatest opportunity for growth.

Rather than avoid the “hard stuff,” we need to see the “silver lining” hidden within the hard stuff and stop running away from a race we can never win.

Perceptions are Key

Shifting our perceptions is the starting point. Seeing challenges as opportunities for growth is the clear answer to confronting fear and eliminating its paralyzing effects. Challenges boost our adrenalin and energy output and increase our heart rate but not the same way as a “fight or flight” response would.

Different hormones are released when we’re faced with challenges; we’re more focused and able to access our mental and physical faculties easier.

We’ve become weak as humans, literally and figuratively because we “take the easy way out” too often. This explains the reasons we are currently experiencing a global health crisis.

We want to be healthier but it’s “too hard to lift weights or make time to go to the gym

We want to be healthier but it’s too hard to let go of unnecessary easy things eating up time

We want to be healthier but it’s “too hard” to give up our destructive diet in lieu of nutrient dense foods

We want to be healthier but we don’t want to take time to cook and prep our own meals. It’s too hard and so we opt for “fast foods”… (the only thing fast about fast foods is how quickly they destroy our health).

We want to be healthier but want it as a gift, not something we’ve earned through “hard work” and as a reward for adjusted lifestyles

We want to be healthier without putting forth any “hard effort”

Easy doesn’t push the envelope. Life is not set up to operate that way. Life is set up as a reward – give and take system. What you put in, you get out. It’s really that simple.


Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

-Thomas A. Edison

Pushing challenges aside and continuing to opt for the easy way sends very clear messages to our minds and to our body that we are satisfied with our lot in life. Life returns the same to us and rather than pushing the door to new opportunity wide open or healing us from the inside out, it begins the process of sedentary decay.


The raw truth is, we are either moving in a forward direction by tackling the “hard stuff” or we subtly move ourselves in a negative direction by staying in our comfort zone of safety.

Success at anything is directly connected to sacrifice. Sacrifice most often means giving up something in exchange for something else.


The “good” we’re all searching for in life is cleverly wrapped up in a willingness to tackle the “hard things” rather than wimp through the easy ones. Our current health status is the perfect example and reason to begin tackling the “hard things.”

It’s time we traded our “easy path” false delusions about getting healthy for some real growth “hard solutions” because we cannot move forward or heal completely from any health crisis, personal or global until we address the causes. If we have not focused on and addressed the initial causes, it is only a matter of time before another global health catastrophe reappears cleverly disguised in a “different virus or disease.”

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Source by Carolyn Hansen

Using Clay Pebbles In The Bottom Of Pots

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Clay pebbles can be a very economic alternative for those with home gardens. While they may not be recommended for use in large pots due to their subpar nutrient-lifting properties, they can be quite effective when used in small pots and containers. Also, unlike other fillers clay pebbles can also be rinsed and re-washed indefinitely, usually pH neutral, and their round shape allows for ample ventilation throughout the pot, aerating the roots and preventing them from rotting.

Ideally, clay pebbles should be used with net pots, especially for flood and drain hydroponic systems as the pebbles allow for the free flow of water through the plant roots and allow the nutrients to circulate better. However, a number of gardeners also make use of clay pebbles together with soil-less pot plant blends. However although it may seem like a straightforward option to place permeable substances such as clay-based pebbles in the base of the pot to ensure that water drains away more effectively. Nevertheless although it appears as if it’s a “no-brainer” choice, doesn’t necessarily work like that due to the characteristics of the pot plant blends themselves.

Regardless of whether they are put inside growing pots or in the earth, a very important factor soils and planting blends share is the fact that once the consistency or characteristics of the soil suddenly changes (for example from potting mix to expanded clay) it results in a circumstance referred to as a perched water table. This typically takes place in the bottom of your container or pot, however, if there’s clay there you’ll be essentially setting up an artificial bottom level. Typically the soil which sits on the top of the clay pebbles will stay soaked to a certain level on top of the layer of clay pebbles following watering in the same manner as it might if it had been the base of the pot.

As soon as you irrigate a pot containing clay pebbles and potting mixture, you need to completely saturate the potting soil before the excessive water may circulate to the potting soil and in to the pebbles themselves. And when you do this, the nutrient solution has filled in all of the pores within the soil or pot plant mix which was at one time filled up with air. So dependent upon the kind of soil or blend you utilize, the saturated region may take up a substantial section of the soil/mix. Therefore, the real impact of incorporating clay pebbles will be to decrease the quantity of the growing medium which you boost the percentage of saturated to unsaturated potting mix or soil.

In any sort of pot plant media, the perched water-table is going to have a depth which is very similar for that medium. For example a saturated layer in the bottom which is 1 inch deep inside a high thin container is only going to take up a small part of the entire soil mass. However, if you placed exactly the same quantity of the same type of medium inside a broad, shallow pot measuring only a couple of inches deep, it is going to take up fifty percent of the medium.

Needless to say, there are lots of technical particulars which impact the overall performance of liquid inside containers, but over-all the only real reason to put a really shallow level of pebbles at the base of the container will be to stop the potting soil or mix from washing right out of the water drainage holes any time you irrigate (and also this has stopped being even necessary in some instances).

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Source by Ray McCaskey

Get to Know the Different Types of Bleachers

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Bleachers aren’t just for sitting. The greatest sports moments have been cheered, revered, and idolized from bleachers and grandstands. Having quality stadium seating is essential to creating a top notch athletic field. Aluminum bleachers provide you with the safety, high-quality and durability that are crucial to ensure your sports fans are enjoying a game or event the way it should be enjoyed, safely!

Learn about your bleacher options!

  • Tip N’ Roll: Indoor basketball tournaments are great fundraisers for your school or indoor recreational facility, and it’s even better when more participants and spectators show up than expected! Making sure that you have extra seating on hand for this type of situation is always a good idea! Portable bleachers are perfect for your temporary seating needs and allow you to move from one event to the next with ease! Tip N’ Roll bleachers are easily tipped up onto swivel casters, or attached wheels, for movement while caster brakes keep the bleacher from rolling while in storage. They also have non-marring foot pads that run the depth of the bleacher on either side of the frame which protect your hardwood floors when in use. Portable Tip N’ Roll bleachers are constructed with an aluminum frame to reduce the weight, making for easier lifting. Casters aren’t made for all terrains so Tip N’ Roll bleachers should be used indoors. They require a capable adult to ensure that bleachers are moved safely, and larger units require more than one person to transport them.
  • Non-Elevated: A non-elevated bleacher is a basic seating system with a first seat height of 16 inches. When seated on the first row, your feet are at ground level, requiring no additional walkways or stairwells. They are an outdoor seating system that should be anchored to resist hazardous wind conditions. These bleacher are available in standard, preferred, or deluxe models and may require additional options:
  1. Ground Sills: These treated 2 x 6 boards are suggested to be attached to the bottom of each bleacher frame when a bleacher system is placed on any surface other than concrete. They run the depth of the bleacher frame and prevent the frames from settling into the surface.
  2. Auger Anchors: Used to anchor bleacher frames to any surface other than concrete (asphalt, crushed gravel, soil, etc.)
  3. Concrete Anchors: Used for anchoring bleacher frames to concrete.
  • Transportable: Transportable non-elevated bleachers are designed to withstand the rigors of movement at a top speed of 5 mph, however they are not intended for use on public roadways. They are beneficial for moving bleacher systems from one field of play to another within the same park or recreational area. These bleachers can be moved from field to field according to where your athletic event is taking place. They are fitted with a galvanized steel lifting brace and have extra bracing to stabilize the bleacher during transport. All transportable bleacher units include ground sills, but may need to be anchored to resist hazardous winds. Each seating system includes wheel attachment brackets and horizontal lifting braces. A transport kit (which is not included with the bleacher system) is necessary to move the bleachers, however one kit will move several sets of bleachers. Transportable bleachers are available in standard, preferred or deluxe models and are the perfect solution to adding temporary seating where permanent year round bleachers are not required. All of the above options can be manufactured with either an aluminum or galvanized steel frame. You can also choose a vertical picket or chain-link guardrail with any option as well. The vertical picket guardrail is recommended if being used by small children due to the inability to climb the guardrail and less chance of children getting stuck.
  • Stadium: You’ve spent weeks preparing your football field for the big game. Fans are starting to file in and you realize that the patrons seated on the first row are only able to see the back of the championship team! Stadium bleachers are an elevated seating system that provides better viewing for your spectators, solving this problem. When seated on the first row of these bleachers, your feet are at the height of the elevated walkway. Stadium seating systems come with a standard elevation of 36″ but can be customized to fit your specific needs. These outdoor seating systems are available with or without ADA seating, and are manufactured with a galvanized steel frame providing protection and longevity.

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Source by Meagan Deacon

Hair Loss Remedies for Women to Grow Hair Fast and Naturally

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Many women consider their hair to be a major part of their overall beauty. A knock out hair style can go a long way in lifting a woman’s spirits and boosting her self-confidence. For this reason, women can take it very hard if they notice that their hair is thinning. This can cause women to spend more money than is necessary on treatment after treatment in in a quest to find hair loss remedies that really work.

Causes of Thinning Hair in Women

Thinning hair in women can be caused by changes in hormonal levels, stress, anemia, and the repeated use of hair products which contain harsh chemicals. These factors and other medical conditions which may be causing you to lose hair, should be discussed with a physician. Once an illness is effectively treated, the hair growth cycle may return to normal.

Diet Affects Hair Growth

Certain foods can be effective hair loss remedies for women who have vitamin deficiencies. Many women who are shedding an excessive number of strands are deficient in vitamin B, iron, and/or zinc.

Vitamin B is essential to the hair. If you are not getting enough of this vitamin, your hair can actually stop growing. The strands must have protein in order to maintain their structure and grow. Vitamin B allows the body to produce protein for the strands.

Vitamin B is found in potatoes, liver, wheat germ, eggs, and brewer’s yeast.

Natural Oils

Natural oils are also effective hair loss remedies. Olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, and safflower oil stimulate natural hair growth. They help make the strands stronger and provide them with important nutrients. Massage a natural oil into your scalp to revitalize your follicles and increase the flow of blood to your scalp.

Hair Growth Shampoos

A good shampoo should also be used along with the other hair loss remedies. Look for shampoos which are made from natural ingredients. Shampoos containing horsetail extract and rosemary can help stimulate hair growth.

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Source by Jenna Grey