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Making a vision board is about putting all your dreams and wishes, your vision for yourself and your future, on paper. Besides being a fun DIY activity involving finding inspirational images, drawing, painting, and decorating, you can get really creative with your vision board and make it as elaborate as you like. The idea is that we create our own futures through the power of our thoughts, as expressed by your vision board. Even if you don’t believe that, though, having a visual representation of where you would like to be in life will help keep you motivated in attaining your goals. (more…)

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If you think you’re too busy to get involved in your local allotment, the PTA, or a charity group, you may want to think again. It turns out being involved in a group of any kind can cut your chance of dying in the next 12 months by half. It turns out that social interaction is just as important for your health as a good diet, regular exercise, and not smoking. So get off Facebook right now, and see how you can get involved with people, in ‘real life’. (more…)

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Even those of us who do our best to eat well often end up dehydrated because we underestimate how much water the body really needs. Added to this, the caffeine in tea, coffee and colas acts as a diuretic, meaning when we drink anything caffeinated we need to take in more water than usual. Being dehydrated can affect energy levels, lead to high blood pressure, and interfere with good digestion. Here’s why you should stay hydrated, and some tips on how to. (more…)

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If you think sandals with socks are a good idea, this is for you. A recent survey by a UK money-saving website found that while Americans are the world’s worst dressed nation, we Brits aren’t far behind. And people from the Midlands have the worst dress sense in the UK. Fashion crimes listed by the survey include the strangely popular socks and sandals combo, exposed beer bellies, men wearing tight trunks, women in thongs, sunburn, logo overload and football tops on men. Be honest – you’re probably guilty of at least one of these fashion faux pas. (more…)

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In the name of reducing, re-using and recycling, we try to throw out as little as possible. Lemons are great in all kinds of recipes, but not every recipe calls for using their zest. If you’ve used lemon juice in your cooking, you may not know what to do with those lemon peels. Here’s the answer. Lemons contain citric acid, but have a low PH level, making them perfect for breaking down stains without dulling finishes. They’re also good for home beauty products, and skin brightening lemon juice can be applied straight from the rind. (more…)

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Psychedelic drugs like LSD, ketamine and magic mushrooms could one day find their way onto your prescription if you suffer from OCD, depression or chronic pain. Swiss scientists are claiming more research needs to be done on the effects of psychedelics in helping people with psychiatric disorders. Low doses of these ‘soft’ drugs that are commonly abused are recommended for boosting moods and alleviating pain. (more…)

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Have you ever heard someone say, ‘My husband and I never fight; we get along perfectly all the time’? If you have, you probably thought there was something fishy going on. And you would be right. Relationships without conflict are rarely very intimate or functional. The fact that you fight is less important than the way you fight. So experts offer a variety of techniques for fair fighting that could increase the health of your relationship. (more…)

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In an effort to reduce queuing times, Sainsbury’s stores are considering introducing vending machines that dispense prescription medication. While those in favour of the machines argue that four-fifths of the business at a pharmacy comes from people getting repeats of medication that they’re already using, critics are arguing that dispensing medication with getting a pharmacist involved in the process could have dangerous consequences. (more…)

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When you’re cooking with younger kids, you might want to leave the oven out of the process entirely, keeping them safe and focusing on other easy kitchen lessons like the melting, mixing and stirring processes. Waiting for the cookies to cool requires some patience, but a spoonful or two of mixture should help the time pass quicker. Even if you end up doing most of the making, the kids will love these tasty treats – and so will you. (more…)

Photo: Micah Boy / Flickr

There was a time when you could say with a fair amount of certainty that people’s neighbours were also their family and friends. In some small towns this is still the case, but if you live in the city, chances are your neighbours are strangers you would prefer to ignore. They say that good fences make good neighbours, but it seems like one needs far more than that. (more…)