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Dogs For Adoption In Nunavut

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.Many moons ago we adopted our first dog from our local animal shelter. We named him Linus and the rest is history. Now, we’re life long dog lovers!That being said we want to do what we can to connect others with their future canine pals.When we started searching for a rescue dog we hit up petfinder.com. Fortunately, for us their database covered many shelters and rescues in California.However, when I tried to do the same and search for dogs for adoption in Nunavut, Canada I was unable to find rescues in their database.So what’s dog lover to do?I scoured the internet and only found a few resources for Nunavut dog shelters and rescues but hey! a few is better than none.Below is our short list of rescues, shelters, and others resources for Nunavut Canada.

A Little Bit About Nunavut

Before we get to that list here’s a bit of information about Nunavut.Nunavut is the largest and northernmost territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, which provided this territory to the Inuit for independent government. The boundaries had been drawn in 1993. WikipediaNunavut being the northernmost province in Canada and having a small population of just over 40,000 probably explains why we were unable to find many shelters or rescues in the area.

Dogs For Adoption In Nunavut

Below are all of the organizations in Nunavut from which you can adopt a dog.Please continue on to each individual organization’s website by clicking on their name to see dogs they have available for adoption or to learn more about the organization and their mission.Adopting is a great way of bringing home a dog in need of a loving home.Consider checking with the organizations in your area on a weekly basis if you’re looking for a specific breed before you decide to go out and buy a puppy from a breeder.You know what they say – ‘Adopt Before You Shop!’

Dog Rescues And Shelters In Nunavut

Sorry guys, I was only able to locate the above four rescues in the Nunavut area.Hopefully if you’re looking for a dog you’re able to find one at these shelters. If not, you might expand your search to the other provinces.

FAQs

What Is The 3 3 3 rule of rescue dogs?When a dog is getting used to her new home she will often follow the 3 3 3 rule.- 3 days of feeling overwhelmed and nervous in their new situation. - 3 weeks of settling into their new forever home. - 3 months of building trust and bonding with you. - BEST PUPPY TOY We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs - Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. - BEST DOG CHEW We Like: Bones & Chews Bully Sticks - All of our puppies love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. - BEST DOG TREATS We Like: Crazy Dog Train-Me Treats - We use these as our high-value treats for our guide dog puppies. - BEST FRESH DOG FOOD We Like: The Farmer's Dog - A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer's Dog.Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Read More Source by Read the full article

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Are Antlers for Dogs Safe?

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.Like you, I’m always looking for a great, safe type of chew for my dogs. When choosing, I do some internet research and ask the advice of my dog-loving friends and vet.Antlers have become a very popular item and I was wondering: Are antlers for dogs safe?Many pet parents give them to their dogs to help clean their teeth and keep them occupied.There haven’t been any clinical studies about whether antlers should be given to dogs, so it’s up to us to make the decision.Many of my clients have given them to their dogs with success. I’ve been a certified pet dog trainer for many years. So I investigated whether I wanted to give them to my dogs or recommend the antlers to others.In deciding, I weighed the risks versus the benefits. I have five dogs at the present time. Some are more aggressive chewers than others.

Are Antlers For Dogs Safe?

In this article, I’ll tell you about what I’ve discovered about antlers for dogs and my conclusion.

Antlers For Dogs: The BasicsThere are three types of antlers on the market that are popular: deer antlers, elk antlers, and moose antlers. They’re naturally shed each year, and the animal regrows another set. So no animals are harmed in the making of antlers.Check out this video of a moose losing both his antlers at the same time: Kind of startled him. Can you imagine if that tremendous amount of weight was suddenly lifted from your head? You’d be startled too 🙂The outer layer is a very hard bone and the inner portion is a little softer marrow. Some wild animals in the wild even enjoy them.They can help clean a dog’s teeth and prevent boredom. And the inner marrow has some nutrients that are beneficial.The Hard TruthEach type of antler varies slightly in how hard it is. Reindeer antlers are often harder than other types. Elk antlers are generally softer than deer antlers, but still have a very hard bony exterior. And moose antlers are said to be slightly softer than other antler types. You can also buy antlers that have been slit in half lengthwise, exposing the marrow inside. It’s easier for a dog to eat the marrow part in the split antlers but they still are chewing the harder bony exterior too.Although they may vary slightly in hardness in their bony exteriors, they are all very hard on a dog’s teeth. They also vary in shapes and sizes, as they are natural items. They’re cut up into various sized pieces. So, if you decide to use them, you need to get a size that’s appropriate for your dog to chew. The antler should be large enough that your dog can’t ingest it or choke on it.Benefits of AntlersThere are some benefits that recommend the use of antlers. Of course these have to be weighed against the downside.Antlers have the following benefits:- Happy dog! Most dogs love chewing on antlers. They love the taste and chewing keeps them from getting bored. - Clean teeth! Chewing antlers can help remove tartar on a dog’s teeth. - Nutrition! The antlers provide minerals, including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus. - Low-fat! Unlike some dog chews, such as pigs’ ears, antlers are a low-fat treat. - Long-lasting! Antlers generally last a long time for most dogs if the appropriate size is given to them. - No allergies! As a single source of protein, most dogs with allergies can chew antlers. - Sustainable and humane! Because they are naturally shed, no animals are harmed in the process. And they shouldn’t have any artificial ingredients or other harmful chemicals. - Odor-free! Unlike some dog chews like bully sticks, antlers don’t smell. - Dental risk! Because all antlers have a very hard bony exterior, they may lead to chipped or cracked teeth, abscesses, and infections. Even if a tooth isn’t damaged, chewing may cause your dog’s gums to bleed, leading to potential infection. This can lead to a lot of pain for your beloved canine. And a lot of expense to you if a tooth needs to be removed under general anesthesia. - Internal damage! Chunks or pieces of an antler may break off when your dog’s chewing it. Unfortunately, this can lead to internal damages or blockages. Some owners even see pieces in their dog’s feces. If pieces break off, emergency surgery may be necessary. - Choking hazard! As is true with any chew or toy, antlers can pose a choking hazard. This is especially true if too small an antler is chosen or a piece breaks off. - Intestinal Issues! Antlers can also potentially cause diarrhea and other intestinal problems. - BEST PUPPY TOY We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs - Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. - BEST DOG CHEW We Like: Bones & Chews Bully Sticks - All of our puppies love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. - BEST DOG TREATS We Like: Crazy Dog Train-Me Treats - We use these as our high-value treats for our guide dog puppies. - BEST FRESH DOG FOOD We Like: The Farmer's Dog - A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer's Dog.Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Read More Source by Read the full article

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Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra Smartwatch With 123 Sports Modes, Bluetooth Calling Launched in India: Details

Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra smartwatch was launched in India on Wednesday. The latest smartwatch from the Indian wearable manufacturer sports a 1.39-inch (240x240 pixels) LCD display, and supports Bluetooth calling. The Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra smartwatch comes with support for over 120 sports modes and features heart rate and blood oxygen level sensors. The new smartwatch from Fire-Boltt comes with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.

Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra smartwatch price in India

The Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra smartwatch is priced at Rs. 1,999 and is available for sale via the official Fire-Boltt website and also via Flipkart India.The Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra smartwatch comes in six different colour variants — Black, Blue, Red, Grey, Pink, and Teal.

Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra smartwatch specifications

The Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra smartwatch features a 1.39-inch (240x240 pixels) LCD display. The smartwatch comes with a Bluetooth calling feature letting users make and receive phone calls directly from the watch display. The smartwatch also features support for AI voice assistants like Google Assistant and Siri, according to Fire-BolttAdditionally, the smartwatch also comes with 123 sports modes including running, cycling, and swimming. It also offers SpO2 monitoring, dynamic heart rate tracking, and sleep monitoring, among others. It also offers support for notification mirroring from a connected device. The Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra also has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.The Fire-Boltt Talk Ultra also comes with built-in games. The Flipkart listing for the product claims it can last up to seven days on a single charge. It takes around 120 minutes for a full charge. The wearable has a smart UI Interface with over 100+ cloud watch faces. It also has smart controls that can track the weather, play games, get periodic reminders, along with controls for camera and music playback. The smartwatch measures 46.6x50.6x0.4 mm and weighs 80 grams, according to the company.  Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Apple Files Patent for Full Side-to-Side Glass Haptic Trackpad for Future MacBooks Google Announces Sweeping Changes for Android Device Makers in India After Supreme Court Upholds CCI Order

Featured video of the day Monetise YouTube Shorts Soon - Watch to Know How Read More Source by Read the full article

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ChatGPT Won’t Replace Google Search (Yet)

Even in the relentless news and noise of early 2023, you’ve probably heard about ChatGPT, the GPT-3-powered (technically, 3.5) chatbot that’s eerily able to simulate human-like responses. Consider, for example, this question and answer (created by GPT-3): Is ChatGPT a search engine? No, ChatGPT is not a search engine. It is an artificial intelligence chatbot that uses natural language processing to understand and respond to user input. That’s not bad, and it sounds like something an actual human would write.  GPT (Generative Pre-training Transformer) is a deep learning system that generates text based on predicting language patterns after being pre-trained with a large set of documents. For this post, I’ll be using OpenAI’s Playground with the “text-davinci-003” GPT-3 model, which can be programmed to produce shorter answers and is more reliable than the ChatGPT Beta. The current models are genuinely impressive, including parsing complex questions: How would you explain ChatGPT to a 5 year old? ChatGPT is like a robot friend who can talk to you and answer your questions. It's like having a friend who knows a lot about different things and can help you learn new things. GPT can even mimic human creativity, and make us start questioning our own talents: Write a slogan for a Mars-themed restaurant run by lizard people, in the style of Edgar Allen Poe. "Lizards of Mars, Dine Here In Splendor, Where Dreams Unfurl And Palates Render!” By now, you’ve probably seen dozens of examples, so what does all of this have to do with Google Search and our jobs as search marketers?

Google and the era of natural language

In the early days of search, search engines were built to index words and short phrases and had no ability to process natural language. If you were looking for a new laptop, you might search for something like “laptop” or “buy laptop.” I sometimes joke that, if you walked into Best Buy and just started shouting “laptop!”, you’d probably be escorted out by security. We humans adapted to early search, though, and we dumbed down our language. As search became more sophisticated, we learned that we could use more complex queries, and, especially with the advent of voice search, we experimented with something closer to natural language. As Google adapted, something interesting happened: our queries became questions, prompting Google to realize that sometimes we don’t want a link to a resource — we want an answer. Google has evolved a great deal as an “answer engine,” including building out the Knowledge Graph and surfacing web results as direct answers known as Featured Snippets. If, for example, you search for “How does Google search work?”, you might get back a Featured Snippet (essentially, an attributed answer) like this: This particular example is a little clunky, but it illustrates how the algorithm works. Google is looking for bits and pieces of documents that might answer the question. In this case, it’s obvious that the extracted passage isn’t really a complete answer. Now, consider the same question posed to GPT-3: How does Google search work? Google Search works by crawling the web and indexing websites. When a user searches for something, Google looks through its index and returns the most relevant results. It uses a combination of algorithms and other techniques to determine the relevance of the results. These algorithms take into account factors such as the words used in the query, the freshness of the content, the popularity of the website, and the location of the user. I can nitpick this answer, but all in all, it’s pretty good, and it’s a much more complete answer than an excerpt from a website. The GPT-3 engine has essentially summarized multiple sources. It’s easy to see how this could start to make Google nervous.

Trust and the attribution problem

On the surface, GPT-3 (and especially ChatGPT) can return some pretty human-looking responses. Putting aside ethical questions (including plagiarism and bias, which I’ll cover briefly later), there are some serious practical problems. The Google “answer” has one major advantage: attribution. We can easily go to the source page. This not only provides us more information, but it provides more context, including details about the source itself. Those details can help us trust (or, in some cases, distrust) the answer. Consider, for example, another answer GPT-3 returned for the question above: How does Google search work? Google Search works by using a combination of algorithms and programs to analyze the content of web pages and other online content to determine its relevance to a user's search query. Google Search algorithms look for a variety of factors, including keyword density, freshness, and the number of other sites that link to the page. Google also uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve its search results. This answer also sounds plausible, except that most SEOs would cringe at the mention of keyword density (underlining added by me), widely considered a myth. It’s entirely possible that this piece of information came from an entirely different source, but without attribution, we can’t validate it. While this is a complex problem (machine-generated text doesn’t use sources in quite the same way a human does, or might use dozens or hundreds of sources), hybrid approaches that reduce the number of sources and provide attribution are possible. Consider this answer from Neeva — an alternative search engine focused on privacy (hat tip to Greg Sterling) — for “Should I get a tall latte or a grande?”: While this functionality is in beta and is obviously not operating at Google scale, Neeva attempts to provide primary sources. I’ve purposely chosen a ridiculous example because the stakes are low. Imagine a question squarely in what Google’s calls the YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) realm, such as “Is Bitcoin or Dogecoin better?”: This is a question that could seriously impact my financial future, and knowing where the answer is coming from makes a big difference and allows me to dig deeper and either establish trust or reject those sources. Related to trust is a deeper, ethical issue of whether machine-generated text is a form of plagiarism. While traditional plagiarism generally requires intent and copying sizable chunks of text, machine-generated text is still being built off of the backs of writers and content creators, without — at least in the case of ChatGPT — any clear attribution. In Google’s case, overuse of machine-generated text could discourage content creators and cause us to question whether we want to contribute our efforts to someone else’s machine.

Hallucinations and machine dreams

Without careful constraints, machine learning systems are prone to hallucination. In the case of ChatGPT, that essentially means that the system can generate answers that are not rooted in reality. Simply put, ChatGPT doesn’t understand anything it’s saying — it’s creating new patterns based on human language. Consider this nonsense question I posed to GPT-3: What is Mozart's 1976 hit "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" about? Mozart's 1976 hit "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" is not related to the 2006 film of the same name. It is an instrumental piece that captures the frenetic energy of Tokyo’s streets at night. The song is built around a catchy, syncopated piano line and a driving, upbeat rhythm. While intriguing, there is no such instrumental piece. I’ve asked a nonsensical question and GPT-3 has obliged me with a nonsensical answer (Nonsense In, Nonsense Out). I should point out that ChatGPT already has some constraints built in that address problems like this, and complex models (including OpenAI’s GPT-3 interface) allow you to control “randomness” (high randomness = less constraints), but the core problem is challenging. Again, consider a higher-risk financial question: What's more popular: Dogecoin, Bassetcoin, or Norwegianlundehundcoin? Dogecoin is by far the most popular of the three coins, with a current market capitalization of over $9 billion. Bassetcoin and Norwegianlundehundcoin are much smaller coins with market caps of only a few hundred thousand dollars each. A market cap of a few hundred thousand dollars each is pretty impressive for two cryptocurrencies that (as of this writing) don’t exist. I’m sorry to say that I started this example with Labradoodlecoin, only to discover that Labradoodlecoin actually exists. I’m pushing the engine pretty hard to prove a point here, and modern machine-generated text is much less prone to hallucination than previous iterations. That said, any time you combine multiple sources without regard to their veracity or completeness, there’s a real risk that the end result will be plausible-sounding nonsense.

Scale and the real-time internet

This one’s pretty straightforward: What works at beta scale may not work at Google scale. As the late Bill Slawski would point out, just because Google has an idea — or even patents an idea — doesn’t mean that they implement that idea in search (for many reasons). Another issue is the sheer speed of the internet. ChatGPT is trained on a static corpus — a moment in time. Google crawls and indexes the internet very quickly and can return information that is recent, localized, and even personalized. It’s worth noting that Google has invested massive amounts of money into machine learning. Google’s LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications) is capable of generating complex, human-like text. Google is well aware of the limitations and costs of these models. If they’ve moved slowly in deploying them across search, there are probably good reasons. While the topic of bias is far beyond the scope of this article, scale also contributes to bias issues. Once you move on from a static, controlled corpus and open up machine learning models to the entire world of real-time content, human bias creeps in quickly (including racism, sexism, homophobia, and other destructive biases). At Google scale, reducing bias is a problem that requires a lot of human intervention and resources.

Code red and future threats

None of this is to suggest that Google doesn’t take GPT (including ChatGPT) seriously. Google reportedly issued a “code red” after ChatGPT went viral. While Google is understandably quiet about their internal reactions, it is almost certain that recent developments are accelerating discussions and developments in Mountain View. Another clear threat is that Microsoft is an investor (to the tune of $1 billion) in OpenAI (and, with it, ChatGPT), and rumors are circulating that they may invest billions more. Microsoft has also announced that they will start integrating ChatGPT into Bing search before the end of March, although it’s unclear what from that initial rollout will take. One of the biggest long-term impacts of models like ChatGPT and LaMDA will be in conversational search (including, but not limited to, voice search). Consider the following “conversation” I had with ChatGPT (edited for length): What are the top five three-row SUVs? It's difficult to say which are the top five three-row SUVs as it can be subjective and depend on factors such as personal preference, budget, and location. However, some three-row SUVs that are often considered to be among the best in their class include: - Honda Pilot - Toyota Highlander - Kia Telluride - Hyundai Palisade - Subaru AscentWhich of them is the least expensive? Out of the five SUVs that I mentioned, the Subaru Ascent tends to be the least expensive with a starting price around $32,295. The other SUVs that I mentioned have a starting price around $32,000 - $38,000. However, it's important to note that the final price can vary depending on the specific trim level and options that are selected. Is the Subaru generally considered reliable? Subaru is generally considered to be a reliable automaker, with many of their vehicles receiving high marks for dependability. The Subaru Ascent, in particular, has a reputation for being a reliable vehicle with a comfortable interior and good fuel economy. According to Consumer Reports, the Ascent gets an above-average reliability score. Sorry, ChatGPT can definitely get chatty (and this is the edited version). Note the follow-up questions and how I didn’t need to repeat information or provide context. ChatGPT understood that I wanted to build on previous answers. While this model won’t serve all of the use cases of search, there are definitely situations where the ability to easily and conversationally refine a query could be revolutionary, especially for complex questions, and, yes, complex purchases. Imagine Google being able to serve different ads at each step on this journey toward a purchase. Unfortunately, the biggest short-term threat to Google is that people and companies will likely use ChatGPT to churn out mountains of low-quality content, costing Google time and money and likely resulting in major, reactive algorithm updates. This will also be a serious headache for search marketers, who will have to react to those updates. What’s certain for 2023 is that the popularity of ChatGPT and its accessibility to the general public is going to cause an explosion of investment (for better or worse) and accelerate development. While Google isn’t going anywhere, we can expect the landscape of search to change in unexpected (and occasionally unwanted) ways in the next year. Read More Source by Read the full article

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8 Hidden eBook Gems To Help You Achieve Your 2023 Resolutions

New Year, New Opportunities: eLearning eBooks To Set And Achieve Your 2023 Resolutions

So little time and so much to achieve in the new year. Fortunately, we've gathered a list of the top hidden eBook gems from our library that you may have missed last year. You'll find titles that cover immersive learning strategies, employee onboarding best practices, hybrid learning tips, and much more to cross those 2023 resolutions off your list. 8 eLearning eBooks To Check Out This Month Ready, Learner One? The L&D Innovator's Gateway To Immersive Learning And The Metaverse By SweetRush Wondering what the metaverse is—and what's in it for L&D? Join SweetRush for this guided tour of immersive learning in the metaverse and beyond. You'll discover who (and what) lives in the metaverse, four strong use cases for immersive learning, and what the future holds for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology and immersive learning. Get Fully Ramped In Record Time: Your Guide To Boost Employee Onboarding ROI By eWyse Employee onboarding is instrumental to the success or failure of any business. There is much to gain from onboarding and training a valuable employee, just as there is much to be lost from seeing an employee walk out the door. Turnover is an expensive and disruptive event. This eBook explores how to increase employee onboarding ROI so that you can focus on what is important: the success of your business. Making Collaborative Learning More Inclusive For Hybrid Workers By Brainier As millions of workers return to the workplace and readjust to in-person collaboration, many will remain virtual, at least part of the time. Despite the location, ongoing employee collaboration is non-negotiable for organizations to operate, innovate, and remain competitive in the hopes of retaining top talent. This eBook by Brainier shows you how to empower both in-person and remote employees to contribute at equivalent levels by leveraging collaborative learning. Thriving In The Global Skills Shortage: Your Path Through The Wilderness By Cornerstone People Research Lab Download this Global Skills Report to learn how successful organizations worldwide are using skills to navigate uncharted territory and help themselves and their people thrive in a new world of work. Your Immersive Learning Launchpad: The Ultimate Guide To Launching XR Learning By MindSpring This eBook provides options for learning teams to quickly create immersive learning, including one that allows learning teams to practice using the software simultaneously. Educators' Guide To Overcome Hybrid Learning Hurdles With The Right Virtual Learning Solution By Adobe Connect This ultimate guide for educators is designed to help you overcome common hybrid learning challenges and find the best platform for your organization. We'll also explore how top-tier learning solutions stand apart from the rest and do away with traditional tools' limitations. Insider Secrets To Select The Best Custom Learning Solutions For The Future Of Work By Integra Many organizations hire external providers to handle the development and delivery of training assets, from custom-tailored JIT tools to immersive VR simulations. And, there are a large number of companies that decide to do it all by themselves. What is the right decision for your company? Can you be sure of the ROI of your investment? Selecting the best learning solution is a difficult process, and it's easy to make a mistake that could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars, missed deadlines, dissatisfied learners, and loss of revenue. This eBook walks you through every aspect of the evaluation process so that you can easily choose the appropriate solution for your organization. Your Guide To Creating Your Own Customized Hybrid Learning Success Story By Meridian Knowledge Solutions Successful learning may look different depending on the industry, organization, or even the person completing the learning. Download this eBook to learn how to create your own customized hybrid learning program. Looking For More eLearning Titles? Check out our eLearning eBook library for more must-reads. There are over 400 titles to choose from, penned by industry thought leaders and L&D insiders.

SAP Litmos The SAP Litmos learning platform enables thousands of global companies to deliver training for transformation. Read More Source by Read the full article

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15 Healthy Smoothie Recipes You'll Want to Drink Every Day

Short on time? Looking for a way to pack more nutrients into your day? These healthy smoothie recipes are the perfect solution!

What Goes Into Healthy Smoothie Recipes?

Smoothies are such a great way to get a nutrient-dense meal! They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. But unfortunately, not all smoothies are created equal. It can be really easy for the sugar content to climb up to 50 grams in just one smoothie. That sugar can come from whole foods like fruits or even added sugars. As a result, a blood sugar spike is caused, which will leave most of us feeling less than our best overall. Whether it causes a crash in energy or makes you feel hungry not long after drinking it. Healthy smoothie recipes contain protein, starchy carbohydrates, non-starchy carbohydrates (like greens), and nourishing fats. To do this, you use what I call the Foundational Five. A Foundational Five Nourish Meal is any meal that contains all 5 elements within the Foundational Five formula. This includes non-starchy carbohydrates, starchy and sugary carbohydrates, fat, protein, and the Flavor Factor. If you’re not familiar with my Foundational Five system yet, you can download my free guide where I share more about it! By following this simple template it keeps food flexible, fun, and nourishing. Our Foundational Five Nourish Meals can be found as smoothies or smoothie bowls, yogurts, oatmeal bowls or breakfast bowls, nourish bowls, salads, soups, stews, and many more. All of the healthy smoothie recipes below contain these components to make sure each one is packed with the nutrients you need to feel your best!

The Nutrition Stripped Community’s Favorite Healthy Smoothie Recipes

These recipes are the favorites from the Nutrition Stripped community! You can make them as smoothies or bowls. If you make them as a bowl, be sure to try my Smoothie Bowl Sprinkle for a crunch topper! Almond Butter Pink Beet Smoothie If you’re a fan of beets, you’ll love this different way of including them in your weekly meal plan. Beets are great to incorporate into our diets for anti-inflammatory and detoxification benefits. They have also been shown to lower high blood pressure and improve both digestive health and athletic performance. Strawberry Banana Smoothie I don’t know why this classic combination of bananas and strawberries is so great, but these two flavors pair so well together. What makes this particular smoothie extra nutritious is all of the antioxidants! It’s packed with phytonutrients like anthocyanins, tannins, flavonols, resveratrol, ellagic acid, and catechins from the strawberries alone. Warming Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Warming spices include anything from fresh ginger and ground cinnamon, to black pepper, cayenne, garlic, and horseradish. You can easily add these spices to any of your savory or sweet dishes such as soup, dips, stir-fry, frittata, or a smoothie like this one. The great thing about this smoothie recipe is that it’s also rich in fiber from the pumpkin!  Strawberry Blueberry Kefir Smoothie for Gut Health This smoothie contains all whole-food ingredients that support your digestive health! From kefir (which is a fermented probiotic beverage) and yogurt, to ground flax seeds, beans, and berries. You can thank these ingredients for this smoothie’s amazing fiber and antioxidant content!

Ginger Strawberry Smoothie If you’re not a fan of super sweet smoothies, this one’s for you. The addition of ginger in this healthy smoothie recipe balances out the sweetness of the strawberries. It’s also a great way to give your regular strawberry smoothie a little change! 5-Minute Spinach Smoothie Spinach is loaded with iron, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. It’s a great food item to be eating daily! I’m sharing not only one of my favorite spinach smoothie recipes, but I’m also giving you a template for mixing and matching all of the ingredients. That way you can have slight variations of this smoothie all summer long! The Stripped Green Smoothie The Stripped Green Smoothie is simply a high-quality, nutrient-dense, easily-digestible green smoothie. It’s simply made of organic raw vegetables, greens, and fruits. You can get very creative with using whatever greens and fruits you have in season! Blueberry Banana Crunch Smoothie Bowl This Blueberry Banana Crunch Smoothie Bowl is packed with antioxidants! You have the blueberries and crunchy homemade granola to thank for that. You don’t see it and you won’t taste it, but this healthy smoothie recipe is packed with greens, too! Matcha Mango Smoothie Green tea, especially matcha, offers a smooth, subtle energy boost. It does contain caffeine, but not as much as coffee, making it a great alternative for people who are sensitive to caffeine. Just as you can enjoy matcha in a frothy morning latte, it can also be used in your morning smoothie. This combines the best of both worlds for a quick and nourishing breakfast to take with you out the door! Creamy Ginger Smoothie  This is my go-to smoothie in the spring when I want something filling, but also “light” on my digestion. It also helps to keep my energy levels up when I’m out and about, writing or shooting content. The squeeze of lemon juice and added ginger are great for digestion. Plus, all those healthy fats from the avocado will keep you feeling full, keep your hormones balanced, and keep your skin glowing. Beauty Green Smoothie This smoothie is loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. More specifically, those I target for great skin, hair, and nail health in my daily routine. Not only are you nourishing your skin on a cellular level with this smoothie, but it’s also simple to make and tastes amazing! Coconut Berry Smoothie This smoothie will make you feel like you’re at a tropical resort! Coconut is the star of this recipe, giving the smoothie plenty of healthy fat, fiber, and flavor. Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie This smoothie tastes so good that it could be a dessert! The healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants make it a nourishing choice for any time of the day.   Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie This classic combination of flavors is super satisfying and beyond simple to whip together! Odds are, you have all of these pantry staples on hand already, so you’re free to enjoy this easy peanut butter banana smoothie whenever the mood strikes. Triple Berry Smoothie This is one of my favorite tasting smoothies! It’s sweet from bananas, tangy from the raspberries, and the texture is thick and smooth! Not to mention, this smoothie is very kid-friendly! Anyone opposed to adding “greens” to their drinks will love it. You can’t even taste it here!

Which Healthy Smoothie Recipe Will You Try Next?

The fun part about healthy eating is finding new foods and recipes you love that make it easy and enjoyable for you to eat nutrient-dense meals. So, which one of these healthy smoothie recipes are you going to try next? Pick one to make this week and see if you find a new favorite!

Do You Want to Experience More Balance with your Food Choices?

Then find your balanced eating type! Take this 45-second free quiz to find out which balanced eating archetype you are, and what your unique type needs to maintain balance with the way you nourish yourself. That way, you can finally be free from food and diet obsession, maintain a balanced weight, and cultivate a positive relationship with food and your body.  Take The Free Quiz Now Read More Source by Read the full article

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Africa's Vast Arable Land Underutilized for Both Cash and Food Crops — Global Issues

A new conversation is needed about food production in Africa. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPSby Joyce Chimbi (nairobi) - Monday, January 16, 2023 Inter Press Service - Africa's Vast Arable Land Underutilized for Both Cash and Food Crops Monday, January 16, 2023 - Demography Doesn't Care Monday, January 16, 2023 - African Journalists: More Training & Resources will Boost Climate Change Coverage Monday, January 16, 2023 - High Commissioner reports sharp decline in respect for children’s rights Monday, January 16, 2023 - Economic slowdown may force workers into ‘lower quality’ jobs Monday, January 16, 2023 - The Jewish cemetery of Fez, a symbol of cultural harmony Sunday, January 15, 2023 - Nearly one billion served by healthcare facilities without reliable electricity Saturday, January 14, 2023 - UN chief calls for renewable energy ‘revolution’ for a brighter global future Saturday, January 14, 2023 - Proving who you are: addressing the plight of those with no legal identity Saturday, January 14, 2023 - Pakistani Flood Survivors Welcome Funding, But Demand Immediate Disbursement Friday, January 13, 2023In-depthLearn more about the related issues:

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Add the following HTML code to your page:Africa's Vast Arable Land Underutilized for Both Cash and Food Crops, Inter Press Service, Monday, January 16, 2023 (posted by Global Issues)… to produce this:Africa's Vast Arable Land Underutilized for Both Cash and Food Crops, Inter Press Service, Monday, January 16, 2023 (posted by Global Issues) Read More Source by Read the full article

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Onboarding My Younger Sister To Bitcoin - Bitcoin Magazine

This is an opinion editorial by Santiago Varela, a bitcoin miner and writer from Mexico City.My sister turned 18 years old in the beginning of 2023 and I gave her a very unusual gift during this holiday season. Because I love her, I truly believe that the best gift I can give her is the orange pill.It all started with a letter that I wrote for her explaining the gift I was about to give her. Then, I handed her a copy of “The Bitcoin Standard” by Saifedean Ammous and a hardware wallet. However, that was just the beginning of a long process that we had to go through together if I really wanted to orange pill her.Of course, I was well aware that her first reaction to my surprise wasn't going to include the typical face of an 18-year-old girl opening her presents on a joyful Christmas morning. At first, she seemed more confused than excited. I have no doubt that she was expecting some nice pair of shoes or a cool gadget. I'm sorry sis, but that's how we maximalists roll. In the birthday/holiday letter, I pointed out three reasons why I was giving her this specific gift:- I want to set her on the path to financial freedom - I want her to be a sovereign woman in a fiat world where dishonest relationships have been normalized - As a high school senior who doesn't know what she wants to study in college, she could benefit from Bitcoin which might give her some ideas for what she wants to doThe long process of orange pilling my sister began with a quote from the prologue of “The Bitcoin Standard,” which I consider the perfect starting point. I asked her to read this quote over and over again before beginning the orange-pilling journey:“This book does not offer investment advice, but aims at helping elucidate the economic properties of the network and its operation, to provide readers an informed understanding of bitcoin before deciding whether they want to use it. Only with such an understanding, and only after extensive and thorough research into the practical operational aspects of owning and storing bitcoins, should anyone consider holding value in bitcoin. While bitcoin´s rise in market value may make it appear like a no-brainer as an investment, a closer look at the myriad hacks, attacks, scams, and security failures that have cost people their bitcoins provides a sobering warning to anyone who thinks that owning bitcoins provides a guaranteed profit. Should you come out of reading this book thinking that the bitcoin currency is something worth owning, your first investment should not be in buying bitcoins, but in time spent understanding how to buy, store, and own bitcoins securely. It is the inherent nature of bitcoin that such knowledge cannot be delegated or outsourced. There is no alternative to personal responsibility for anyone interested in using this network, and that is the real investment that needs to be made to get into bitcoin.”In the letter, I told her that I would help her set up the hardware wallet and I would send her a little bit of bitcoin. To begin, I sent her $10 worth of bitcoin. But then, to make sure that she invested time into acquiring the basic, necessary knowledge and to make her understand the proof-of-work philosophy, I promised that I would send her $100 worth of bitcoin for every chapter of the book that she read. Therefore, I prepared a quiz for each chapter to verify that she really read carefully. However, as someone who is deep down the Bitcoin rabbit hole, I knew that making her read the book to stack sats on her hardware wallet wasn't enough. That was nothing, we were just getting started. So, what was next in the orange-pilling journey? Every time that I crossed by any opportunity, I tried to convert that moment into a little Bitcoin lesson. For example, there was such an opportunity after my sister was assigned a project in her high school philosophy class. Knowing that I am a big fan of philosophy, she came to ask me for help. The project consisted of having a conversation with one of your family members but using the famous Socratic method for the conversation. If you don't know what that is, the Socratic method (named after Socrates) is “a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue between individuals, based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and underlying presuppositions.” Obviously, we had a dialogue about Bitcoin and money using the Socratic method.Another thing I did in this orange-pilling journey was to show her a rabbit hole inside of the Bitcoin rabbit hole: bitcoin mining and energy. I love bitcoin mining and the energy aspects of Bitcoin. In fact, I love it so much that we have an ASIC in our garage. It wasn't really hard to make her grasp how passionate I am about home mining. Believe it or not, she had never even seen my ASIC (she had only heard the “brrrrrr”). Consequently, I took her to the garage and she got some hands-on experience. I also have my Bitcoin and Lightning nodes in the garage. That was a lot of fun because with tools like Mempool.Space and LnVisualizer I was able to help her see the tangible side of Bitcoin. This is when I really felt that it all began to come together.As you all likely know, knowledge about Bitcoin can’t be delegated or outsourced. When it comes to Bitcoin, there is no alternative to personal responsibility. Although I’ve told her that I’d love to help her with anything, I can’t guide her down the rabbit hole forever. You have to go down the Bitcoin rabbit hole by yourself. I guided her for a long time but the moment for her to embark on the journey for herself is here. Like Oscar Wilde once said: “Education is an admirable thing. But it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.”So, I began treating her like any other Bitcoin pleb out there and let her go down the rabbit hole by herself. The only thing I did was to send her a bunch of resources (articles, podcasts, videos, books, etc.) and let her go her own way. At the same time, I realized that I could do this with other kids that are about the same age as my sister. Even better, I realized that my sister could help me with this and introduce her digital-native friends to Bitcoin because, if you care about Bitcoin, you should onboard people individually. Accordingly, I’ve decided to turn our garage into a little Bitcoin academy. Although my sister was the guinea pig for this experiment (and, as I am writing, she is the only student that has attended Bitcoin academy), I have to give a big shout out to other Bitcoiners around the world who have shared educational content for anyone to use. For example, Mi Primer Bitcoin (from El Salvador) has an amazing Bitcoin diploma workbook that anyone can download for free. I have no doubt that initiatives like theirs or like Escuelita Bitcoin in Uruguay are what we need if we want a future with sovereign individuals. We need to teach the young. Hopefully, this inspires other Bitcoiners around the world to introduce their younger siblings to Bitcoin. I was inspired by initiatives like the ones mentioned above and by stories like the Denver middle schoolers who became Bitcoin entrepreneurs. With a little bit of luck, the next time I write an article for Bitcoin Magazine, it’ll be about Mexico City middle schoolers who became Bitcoin entrepreneurs. For now, stay humble and stack sats my friends. This is a guest post by Santiago Varela. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine. Read More Source by Read the full article

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Warning Signs That Your Dog Has a Heart Problem| Cesar's Way

Like people, dogs can suffer from heart issues; if the problems are serious, they can even die. Protect your dog’s heart health by knowing the common signs and causes, learning how to keep their heart strong, and what to do if a problem exists. There are several warning signs that your dog may have a heart problem, the most telling being sudden collapse and difficulty breathing. If your dog experiences these symptoms and exhibits other symptoms, such as fever or lethargy, they likely have a heart problem. If your dog does not recover within a day or two, please schedule a vet visit for a complete exam.

Common Symptoms of Heart Disease in Dogs

There are several possible symptoms you may notice if your dog has heart problems. Many can be related to other causes, but if a number of these symptoms present together, heart issues are more likely. Vomiting A poor appetite often accompanies this. Swollen belly Typically from a fluid buildup in his organs — including his lungs. Fatigue Your dog is getting tired more quickly than usual or refusing to play. Fainting Because not enough blood can get to the brain. Fever The normal body temperature of a dog ranges from 99.5 °F to 102.5 °F (37.5 C° to 93.1 C°). A body temperature of at least 103.5 °F (39.7 °C) indicates fever. Increase in heart rate In critical cases, you can observe this by simply laying your hand on your dog’s chest. Excessive coughing Especially while or right after exercising or an hour or two before bedtime. Breathing heavily Showing difficulty breathing or while exercising. Loss of weight Weight loss happens with heart disease because your dog loses its ability to store healthy fat. Discomfort You may notice your dog pacing more than usual and avoiding laying down due to pain. Bluish-gray tongue or gums This is due to the poor flow of oxygen.

Common Causes of Heart Issues in Dogs

Heart issues in dogs can come up for various reasons, some of which are genetic and others that are more lifestyle related. For example, breeds like Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds are predisposed to heart disease because of their size and weight, but smaller species can also get it if they have the wrong diet or suffer from obesity. On the other hand, dogs who lead a sedentary lifestyle with low physical activity levels will be at higher risk for developing heart disease. All of these factors, in addition to the ones below, make it essential to monitor your pet’s weight and activity level so that they can enjoy a long and healthy life.  Old Age Just as with people, the hearts of dogs get weaker as they age. Aging can lead to several different health problems. Injury If your dog is hurt in specific ways, it can damage her heart or cause added pressure that forces the heart to work harder — for example, a broken rib. Infection Various types of infections are known to cause heart damage. These include bacterial infection of the membrane around the heart, parvovirus, Lyme disease, and Chagas’ disease. Diet A poor diet high in fat can make it much more likely for your dog to develop heart problems — especially if you allow them to grow obese. Exercise Dogs need exercise, but you also have to know their limits. If you put too much strain on a dog’s heart, it can cause problems. Breed Some breeds are just more susceptible to heart issues than others. It’s a long list, so consult your veterinarian about your breed or breed mix. The top six dogs on the list, susceptible to three or more likely heart conditions, are the German shepherd, boxer, cocker Spaniel, Great Dane, Labrador retriever, and Rottweiler.

General Tips for Canine Heart Health

Want to keep your dog’s heart healthy for as long as possible? While it’s impossible to prevent heart disease in every case, there are things you can do to decrease your dog’s odds of developing cardiac issues. Maintain Proper Body Weight If a dog is overweight, it means that his heart has to work harder, and it will be more likely to develop issues. Ask your vet for dietary help and suggestions to help your pup lose excess weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Engage in Regular Exercise Consider first your dog’s abilities. Even if you start slowly, work your way up gradually and pay attention to your dog’s specific needs. Regular exercise will make her heart stronger. In addition to a stronger heart, you will notice a decrease in behavioral problems such as chewing, barking, digging, and excessive licking. Pay Attention Watch for the signs and symptoms shared in this article. Your vet should always check for signs of a heart murmur or abnormal rhythm. Be sure to ask your vet about it and follow her advice. Go to the Vet Regular vet checkups are vital to keeping your dog’s heart healthy. Time is of the essence when it comes to cardiac problems. If you suspect that there is a heart issue, don’t delay! Get to the vet immediately for a proper diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment.

Tips for Caring for a Dog with Heart Disease

The sooner the disease is detected, the better chance your furry friend will have of living with little to no pain. Your pet provider can develop a care plan that enables them to enjoy life. Be Mindful of Treats Many dogs with this condition should not be fed human food or a lot of treats. These animals usually have trouble digesting food, and it is best to stick with a set diet. It is also necessary to monitor how much they eat so they do not gain weight which would cause extra stress on their heart. Monitor Salt Intake A side effect of heart disease is swollen belly and water in the lungs. A low-salt diet can help lower this symptom so your dog can sleep and exercise comfortably. Medicine Treatment for dogs with heart disease usually consists of medication to regulate their heartbeat and reduce fluid buildup in the lungs. Your veterinarian may also prescribe additional treatment that could lengthen your dog’s life expectancy, providing them with a healthier lifestyle day-to-day. Pacemaker Some veterinarians may feel comfortable implanting a pacemaker inside your pet’s body to regulate its irregular heartbeat. Pacemakers are most often used for young pets born with congenital heart conditions requiring medication or surgical solutions at an early age. Older pets are not recommended for this procedure because it would be too traumatic for their aging bodies. Supplements Some dogs who suffer from heart disease do exceptionally well with vitamin B supplements. Amino acid supplementation and Vitamin E help them to digest food properly, as well as provide enough energy so they can sleep better. Simple supplements such as these are often available for an affordable price and offer relief for many symptoms of the disorder at any stage of it. Does your dog suffer from a heart problem? How do you help keep them healthy? Source by Read the full article

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Spice up your life with the new Chilli 'Longhorn'

Here at Suttons, our plant breeders are always experimenting to produce ever better combinations of flavour, hardiness and vitality. When it comes to chillies, they recently achieved exceptional results with the new Chilli ‘Longhorn F1’. Here are some of the reasons you should give this exciting cayenne variety a try.  Want to grow several chillies for culinary variety? Browse our full collection of chilli seeds or order high quality chilli plants for a quick and easy shortcut to success.

It’s time to try something new

Are you in the mood for trying something new? Then welcome the Chilli ‘Longhorn F1’ to your veg patch. With a feisty flavour to match its Tex/Mex inspiration, these high-yielding cayenne chillies resemble the pointed horns of the famous Texan cattle from which they take their name. The ‘Longhorn’ is a seriously productive chilli which delivers a punchy 15-20,000 SHU. In fact, at four times hotter than the ever-popular jalapeno chilli, our new offering has enough heat to satisfy the most trigger-happy of cowboys without ever scorching the mouth. The plants can also withstand intense heat and sun without damage to the fruit, but they may need a little support with the weight of all that spicy fruit!

Good reasons to grow your own chillies

Chillies are easy to grow in pots on a bright windowsill and make an unusual and attractive house plant. They can also be grown in a greenhouse or directly in the ground outside. There are many varieties from which to choose. Some are fiery hot while others are mild and flavoursome. As well as tasting absolutely delicious, they offer lots of health benefits: - High in vitamin C – even higher than citrus fruits - Full of health-promoting antioxidants - Very low in calories - High in potassium, vitamin A, and folate - An excellent source of dietary fibre - Spicy chillies trigger the release of feel-good endorphins, boosting your mood and sense of vitality - They can be grown indoors and outdoors

The best ways to cook with chillies

Pick Chilli Pepper ‘Padron’ while green for a mild heat that is perfect for stuffing and grilling Image: Chilli Seeds ‘Padron’ from Suttons If you like a hint of heat in your home cooked dishes, then using chillies picked straight from your plant is the perfect way to add a fiery twist. Incredibly versatile, here are some suggestions to try: - Sprinkle chopped fresh chillies into scrambled eggs, home made burgers, stir-fries, soups, stews or curries. Use as much or as little as you like, depending on the level of spice that you can handle! - Add thin slices to sandwiches – The ‘Longhorn’ isn’t too fiery, so won’t blow up your taste buds when eaten fresh. - Make your own chilli powder – the ‘Longhorn’ works really well when dried and ground. You can even smoke the chillies first to give them an extra rich taste. - Dust homemade chilli powder over avocado for a mild burst of heat and oodles of flavour. - Why not try roasting your own chillies and sweet peppers? It’s super-easy to do in the oven, under the grill or in front of a live fire. It adds a smoky flavour that is so much better than anything you can buy in a shop. Remember, the heat of chillies actually comes from the strip that attaches the seed to the fruit, rather than the seed itself. If you want less spice, simply remove this part. We think you’ll agree the chilli ‘Longhorn F1’ is a bull’s eye for Suttons, and well worth growing at home. If you want some expert tips on how to grow these spicy little fruits, please take a look at our handy Chilli Growing Guide. Source by Read the full article

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Creative Vegetable Gardener:Stop Your Basil Plant Flowering: What to Do!

When you get a whiff of fresh basil, what comes to mind? If you answered, summer, I’m right with you! Basil is up there with tomatoes and watermelon as one of the signature tastes of the summer season. I think basil is one of the most worth it plants to grow in the garden because once it gets going you can return to the plants again and again for harvesting. But, the key to continual harvests is –  you don’t want your basil plant flowering. Luckily, that’s a pretty simple task if you know exactly how to harvest basil to encourage the plant to keep growing it’s tasty little leaves. Let’s dive in and learn some simple steps to take!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. First, let’s back up a little bit and talk about…

Growing Basil From Seed

Basil is an annual herb, which means it needs to be re-planted every season. It’s also very sensitive to frost (it can be damaged at 38 degrees F), so even in warm weather areas like AZ and CA, your basil may get killed by a winter temperature dip. I do not recommend growing basil from seed directly in your garden. Basil needs warm soil temperatures to germinate and it loves very hot weather. I find that my newly planted basil grows pretty slowly until the summer temps get into the 80’s.  So, you should start your own basil plants at home in late winter or plan to purchase seedlings from your local farmers market or nursery in spring. I have an extensive article with plentiful tips for growing basil, including favorite varieties, where to get seeds and plants, and how and when to plant it in your garden. And if you’re feeling excited about starting seeds this year, but aren’t sure where to start, check out my Masterclass – Super Easy Seed Starting.

How to Cut Basil: Trimming Techniques

Once the weather heats up and basil starts growing quickly, you should be able to harvest from the plants once or twice a week (or more if you’re only taking a few leaves) all throughout the season until your first frost. One of the best tips for growing basil is to stop your basil plant flowering. The way to encourage the plants to continue to grow new basil stems and leaves is to just keep harvesting! When harvesting, take a close look at your plant and cut right above the spot where there are two small leaves. Leaving these leaves sets the plant up to grow two more stems that you’ll be able to harvest in a few weeks. You can cut your basil plant down pretty aggressively if you always cut at this point.

Just make sure enough leaves remain so the plant can photosynthesize. Sometimes, I run out to my garden while I’m cooking and harvest just a few stems to use in a recipe. But, when I want a large amount to make pesto or another sauce for freezing, I’ll go through the whole patch and harvest as much as possible. To harvest, you can use regular household scissors like I’m doing in the photo above. I also keep these clippers and these harvest scissors by my kitchen door for quick missions out to the garden while I’m cooking dinner. Again, the best way to encourage your plants to grow new leaves is to continually cut off the flowers it keeps trying to push up. Once plants flower and go to seed their energy shifts away from leaf production and towards reproduction. Basil also has a tendency to turn bitter in taste when you let it flower. If you’re out in your garden and you notice a few basil flowers, but don’t have time to harvest, you can pinch off the flowers as a temporary solution stop your basil plant flowering until you get around to trimming the plant.

Basil Plant Flowering? What About the Pollinators?

If providing food for pollinators in your garden is important to you, that is one thing to take into consideration when you’re deciding whether to remove the basil flowers. I have plenty of other flowering plants to keep pollinators fed and happy in my garden, so I prefer to consistently remove the basil flowers to encourage continuous growth. One option could be to allow the basil to flower toward the end of the season, when you’re satisfied with you harvest amounts. Or, plant a few extra basil plants just for the pollinators! Just know that as soon as you allow basil plants to flower their leaf and stem production will pretty much cease.

What to Do With Too Much Basil

Storing Basil Basil doesn’t like cold temperatures, so if at all possible try not to store it in the fridge. I like to keep it in the garden until right before I’m going to use it. If you do need to store some for a while, it’s better to keep it on the counter in a jar with water instead of in a bag in the fridge. Covering it loosely with a plastic bag will help it last longer. Preserving Basil When the summer season arrives, you might find that you’re basil plants are going bonkers and you have more than you can eat fresh. This is when I go through the bed and do a big harvest so I can spend some time preserving a taste of summer for winter cooking and eating. There are several options for what to do with too much basil, but my favorite is to make some herb sauces and freeze them for later. In this article, I share my favorite recipes and the best methods for how to preserve basil. Basil plant flowering? Now you know exactly what simple steps to take to prolong the delicious summer harvest. This season, make sure you wander past your garden beds on a regular basis to check on your basil and snip off those pesky flowers as soon as you see them. Happy gardening!

Additional Resources for Growing Herbs

FREE MINI COURSE My free mini-course, Getting Started  Growing Herbs in Your Garden, is a small taste of the below Masterclass. The mini-course features 5 videos and worksheets to help you: - Learn why growing herbs is SO easy and worth it! - How to choose which herbs to grow in your garden. - Where to plant your herbs so they’ll be successful. Start watching here. MASTERCLASS My how-to video series, All About Gardening with Herbs: Your Guide to Growing, Harvesting, Cooking With, & Preserving a Bounty of Herbs, is my most popular class! If you’re ready to delve more deeply into the wondrous world of growing your own herbs, find out more here. SHARE IT ON PINTEREST Source by Read the full article

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Why Are Dogs Scared Of Vacuums?

Vacuuming is an easy task. Well, if your dog is not afraid of them!  Have you ever questioned the reason behind your dog’s fear of the vacuum? Is it the movement of the furniture or is it the loud noise? It is commonly known that dogs and vacuums do not get along, but few of us really know why. First, they likely despise the noise. Other than when you’re really vacuuming, has your dog ever heard a vacuum sound? You probably only use the vacuum once or twice a week in a typical home. Therefore, our dogs do not have enough time to become accustomed to and comfortable with the equipment. It can get intimidating, noisy, large and appears to be attacking them.  When exposed to sounds they are unfamiliar with, dogs will experience sound phobia. Your dogs often enjoy running and barking at passing cars or other strange noises because of this. Due to our dog’s extremely sensitive hearing compared to our own, loud noises are much less pleasant.  The emotional responses eventually turn into learned behaviors, and even the sight of the vacuum can cause hyperarousal and barking. Next is the smell. Certain scents that the dog might not be accustomed to could be released into the air as the vacuum is moving back and forth over your carpet and floors. The dog may become nervous around the vacuum because it is easy enough for the vacuum to pick up trash and dust that may bother the dog.  While you may only be able to detect the scent of a freshly vacuumed living room, your dog will be able to detect dust and old particles that have long since settled under your couch.  Given how reliant they are on their keen sense of scent, it is understandable why dogs experience anxiety around vacuums. Lastly, it’s probably the suction. While the exact cause of this behavior is still unknown, some scientists think that the vacuum’s suction is comparable to how dogs react to scents. A dog typically uses its nose to investigate a new area or another animal. Since the vacuum is also “sniffing” like a dog, it’s an action that the dog would recognize. But because the suction is so strong compared to a straightforward dog sniff, the dog can regard this to be threatening.

Can Your Dog Get Used To Vacuums? Your dog can be desensitized to the vacuum cleaner using various techniques. It may be worth trying to progressively expose them while also giving them praise and treats, depending on how severe their phobia is.  First, try turning the vacuum cleaner off and placing your dog in the same room as it. You’ll need to step it up gradually. Start by putting a treat on the vacuum and asking that your dog take it off. Then, move on to turning the vacuum on while your dog is in the room. While it may be irritating, keep in mind that this will take time and that punishing your dog will only make them feel worse. Source by Read the full article

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AVAX surges as Ava Labs partners AWS

Avalanche price soared more than 16% after Ava Labs announced new partnership with the Amazon Web Services (AWS). Avalanche will launch validator tools and its Subnet deployment feature on the AWS Marketplace. Ava Labs joins the AWS Activate and AWS Partner Network (APN). Avalanche price jumped more than 16% on Wednesday afternoon after Ava Labs, the company helping to build the Avalanche blockchain, revealed a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). At the time of writing, the native token AVAX was trading at $14.93, up 16.6% in the past 24 hours. Avalanche is currently trading 31% up over the past week. The upside for the AVAX token followed the Ava Labs and AWS partnership news, with the collaboration between the two companies set  to accelerate blockchain adoption for enterprises, institutions, and governments. The partnership allows Avalanche users access to an easy infrastructure to deploy and manage nodes, the companies said.

Bringing Avalanche Subnets to AWS Marketplace

In a press release published on Wednesday, the companies said the collaboration will also strengthen the layer-1 blockchain network as well as increase its flexibility for developers.   AWS will support Avalanche’s network infrastructure and decentralised applications (dApps) ecosystem, which will include one-click node deployment via the AWS Marketplace. “I’m proud that we’ve implemented a protocol that can accommodate millions of participants with near-instant finality,” said Emin Gün Sirer, founder and CEO of Ava Labs. “Our work with Amazon can accelerate the positive impact of Avalanche,” he added. The partnership also means Avalanche nodes can now run in AWS GovCloud, while Ava Labs joins the AWS Partner Network (APN) and AWS Activate, the latter helping bring the benefits of AWS to the Avalanche ecosystem. “AWS Activate is an excellent resource for developers to bring apps to the masses with Avalanche’s trailblazing speed, security, and scalability at their core,” John Wu, President of Ava Labs, said in a statement. With this affiliation, enterprises, institutions and governments can seamlessly launch custom Subnets, with the process involving only a few clicks, Avalanche wrote in a Medium post. The blockchain platform will make this possible through integration of Subnet deployment, its scaling feature, as a managed service on the AWS Marketplace. Subnets help scale the Avalanche blockchain by diverting traffic, with users leveraging the functionality through the staking of AVAX. AWS connects over 100,000 partners and is available in more than 150 countries. Share this article Categories Tags Source by Read the full article

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What to Do About Back Pain at Night -

Introduction

What to Do About Back Pain at Night. Nighttime back pain can be a real drag. But you don’t have to suffer through it! We’ve got some simple tips that can help you get rid of that pesky ache in your lower back.

Consider your sleep position

Consider your sleep position. Sleep on your side, not your back, to reduce the risk of developing back pain. If you already have a bad back and can’t tolerate lying on the floor or in bed without some kind of support, try using a firm mattress with less give than is typical for most mattresses. This will help keep your spine aligned correctly as you sleep and prevent it from getting out of whack over time. You may also want to consider using something like a pillow between your knees when sleeping in this manner: this will help keep them apart (which decreases strain on the lower back), but also keeps them supported so they don’t twist into an unnatural position while you’re asleep. - Avoid sleeping on your stomach or back when possible; these positions put more pressure on the lumbar area than side-sleeping does, which makes them especially poor choices if you already have lower back pain issues because they can exacerbate those problems rather than fix them

Avoid bad bedtime habits

Avoid bad bedtime habits. There are a few things that you should know about the best ways to sleep and how they will help you eliminate nighttime back pain. - Don’t sleep on your stomach. Sleeping on your stomach can put pressure on the spine and cause back pain, especially when it comes to getting up in the morning. - Don’t fall asleep on your side for too long either! While sleeping on our sides may seem more comfortable than lying down flat, it tends to result in more muscle strain than other sleeping positions do because we tend not to move around as much while sleeping this way (which means we don’t get those all-important stretches). However, if you do prefer this position or find yourself falling asleep with ease while lying down sideways then at least make sure you don’t stay there too long—it’s best if we change positions every few hours throughout the night so our bodies don’t get too stiff from staying still for so long!

Get a new mattress

If you’re having trouble finding a comfortable position on your current mattress, it may be time for a new one. Here are some tips: - Determining if it’s time for a new mattress: If you wake up with back pain more frequently than not, or if you consistently have neck stiffness from sleeping on your side (as opposed to sitting straight), then it might be time for a new mattress. If your mattress is older than five years old, consider replacing it as well. - Choosing the right spring count for your body type: Most people need at least an 8-inch bed (if not 10 inches) to accommodate their weight and size comfortably without bottoming out and feeling like they’re sleeping on top of their box spring all night long; however, how much firmness or softness is needed depends largely on what type of sleeper they are: Side sleepers need firmer mattresses because they weigh more than back or stomach sleepers do and tend to sink into beds too easily with softer models; back sleepers who prefer medium-firm or firmer models should look into getting something between 6-8 inches thick while stomach sleepers should stick with 5-7 inch versions due to their lighter builds and tendency towards sinking into softer surfaces when placed upon them

Find the right therapy

If you are having trouble finding a therapist, consider trying one of the following options: - Ask your doctor for a referral. If you are seeing a chiropractor or physical therapist, he or she will likely be able to recommend someone who specializes in back pain. - Ask friends and family. The people closest to you may know of someone who has had good results from working with a particular therapist. - Ask your primary care doctor (PCP). Your PCP probably knows some excellent specialists in his practice and can help connect you with them if needed. The first step is always to talk with your PCP about what treatment options are available to help alleviate your pain—and then ask him or her which ones might be right for you! - Check with insurance companies that cover care at community health centers (CHCs), which provide affordable services without an appointment necessary because they’re usually part of large networks such as Medicaid managed care plans such as Health First Florida Plus (HFFP) or Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Health Insurance Plan (FHKC).

Get up early or stay up late?

Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, there are plenty of ways to get the rest you need. Your body needs sleep in order to function properly and repair itself. By getting enough sleep, we can reduce our risk for negative health effects such as heart disease and diabetes. The importance of exercise cannot be understated: it not only helps you stay active at any age but also improves brain function—plus, it’s fun! Getting enough water is good for your skin, keeping your joints lubricated so they don’t ache when moving around during the day (or night). Eating a healthy diet helps us maintain strong bones that won’t break easily—and keep those pesky aches at bay too!

Conclusion

A little bit of nighttime back pain isn’t anything to worry about. But if you find yourself struggling with chronic, debilitating pain that keeps you from getting a good night’s sleep, then it’s time to take action. Remember: Changing how you sleep can be almost as effective as medication in relieving nighttime back pain. So go ahead and give one of these tips a try! Source by Read the full article

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5 Factors That Affect Your Sciatica Risk

Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi | Date: January 3, 2023

Your sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body, beginning in your lower back before branching off and running down each of your legs. If the nerve gets impinged at any point along this path, it can lead to a host of symptoms including pain, numbness, decreased range of motion and an inability to walk with a normal gait. If you’re cognizant about some of the risk factors that can increase your risk of sciatic nerve impingement, you can take some steps to mitigate your risk of sciatica. We highlight five of those factors in today’s blog.

Common Sciatica Risk Factors

While it pays to know all of these factors that can influence your sciatica risk, you’ll notice that not all of the items on this list are modifiable, so you’ll never be able to completely eliminate your risk of sciatic nerve impingement. However, the more you know about the condition and its onset, the better you’ll be able to protect your spine and sciatic nerve. Here are five common sciatica risk factors. - Being Overweight – If you are obese or overweight, more pressure will be dispersed on your lumbar spine when you’re seated. Over time, this pressure can lead to inflammation that affects the sciatic nerve or vertebral degeneration that causes bone shifting and nerve impingement. Losing just a little weight can take a lot of pressure off your lumbar spine and sciatic nerve. - Your Age – Here’s one of those factors that despite your best efforts, you’re not going to be able to control. Sciatica is much more common in individuals over the age of 50 because by this age, many people have experienced natural spinal degeneration. When spinal discs lose their height due to normal wear and tear, they are more prone to shifting and nerve compression. - A Sedentary Lifestyle – Living a sedentary lifestyle or sitting for extended periods each day can increase your risk of sciatic nerve impingement. When you’re seated for long periods, a large amount of static pressure is expressed on your lumbar spine, as this can lead to inflammation and tissue degeneration. Stay active and break up long periods of inactivity to decrease your sciatic nerve compression risk. - Diabetes – Diabetes is a health condition that can, among other things, increase your risk of sciatica. That’s because diabetes can lead to blood sugar imbalances that can increase your risk of nerve damage or irritation. If the sciatic nerve becomes affected by your diabetes, symptoms of sciatica can set in. Managing your diabetes and working to avoid the condition altogether can help to control your risk of diabetes-related sciatica. - Genetics – Unfortunately, your sciatica risk may be tied to your genetics, which you can’t control. That said, you’re also not destined to have sciatica simply because your mother or father suffered from the condition. A number of spinal conditions like degenerative disc disorder and spinal stenosis that can increase your risk of sciatica have a genetic component, but you can work to counter this genetic risk by living an active lifestyle and working to improve your overall spine health. Sciatic nerve impingement is not completely preventable, but you can work to lower your risk and effectively treat any issues by connecting with an experienced spine specialist like Dr. Sinicropi. For more information, or for help treating a different spinal issue, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800. Related #Factors #Affect #Sciatica #Risk Read the full article

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Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Discount - Carrots 'N' Cake

Interested in becoming a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner? If it’s on your goal list, this post is for you… and there’s a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Discount below. Don’t miss it!  I want to tell you about a few happenings in the FDN community as well as offer you a sweet (!!) discount off your enrollment ($500 OFF) when you use the link below.    FREE Metabolic Health is Wealth Training Saturday, January 7, 2023 8:30 am PST / 11:30 am EST   Featuring: Cynthia Thurlow Nurse Practitioner, Author of the Best-Selling Book Intermittent Fasting Transformation, 2x TEDx speaker   Come learn:   Define 2 contributors to poor metabolic health Explain how lifestyle impacts insulin sensitivity Identify key ways to improve metabolic health proactively REGISTER HERE _________________________________     Additionally, in this CNC podcast episode, I share why I decided to enroll in the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) Certification Course, both from a personal and professional standpoint. I also give specifics about FDN’s in-depth training program, including their unique method of intake and investigation, use and interpretation of 5 foundational labs, and how best to customize client protocols on a case-by-case basis.

  _________________________________ Also, here are some quick links to FDN Resources: Listen to the Health Detective Podcast HERE! Hang out in our Instagram and Facebook _________________________________   And, finally, here is the discount you’ve been waiting for… the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Discount! Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Discount   SAVE $500 OFF ENROLLMENT USING THIS LINK AND CODE CNC500   I hope you find this information helpful. Becoming an FDN has literally changed my LIFE, both personally (health-wise) and professionally (financially), and I honestly can’t recommend the program enough.  #Functional #Diagnostic #Nutrition #Discount #Carrots #Cake Read the full article

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Fedimint Launches Hackathon With 2.5 Bitcoin Prize - Bitcoin Magazine

Technology company Fedi is launching a Bitcoin hackathon that will pay out 2.1 BTC to the winner in celebration of Bitcoin’s 14th birthday.Fedi, which is focused on building a Fedimint-based community custody platform, wants to encourage developers to build out a Fedimint module that will help bring real world benefits to users. The bounty is open ended, meaning that developers can code the functionality they want; but they are, of course, incentivized to work on what would drive the most impact. Fedi shared some ideas of what those could be, including modules that would enable a communal savings pool to accumulate bitcoin for a large project, storing value in a local currency like dollars, receiving payments privately via static QR codes or links (similar to CLN’s BOLT 12 offers), or operating a communal vote based spending pool.Fedimint is an open source custody platform that allows users to not only store their bitcoin, but also extend the functionality of their bitcoin with privacy, smart contracts, and more. It is based on the concept of second-party custody, which involves trusting family members or friends with the custody of one’s bitcoin in a way that improves the trust and security models inherent in the classic centralized third-party custody solutions. And it leverages Federated Chaumian Ecash, which means users also gain privacy. In a nutshell, Fedimint wallets have the potential to bring strong privacy to Bitcoin users with better security than third-party custody setups and more ease of use than fully-fledged self-custody solutions."At Fedi, we believe that Fedimint will become the ideal open platform for the delivery of consensus-based applications on the internet," said Obi Nwosu, Fedi CEO, in a statement sent to Bitcoin Magazine. "Bitcoin was created to be a peer-to-peer sound money with full privacy, and that's what we want to offer to everyone globally. We're excited to see what the broader Fedimint community can achieve and what ideas there are to extend Fedimints to solve real world problems using bitcoin."Fedi is launching the hackathon in collaboration with Epoch, an upcoming capital provider for Bitcoin projects with the goal to support layer 2 and 3 protocols that enable the global adoption of bitcoin.Winners will be announced within five days of the submission deadline –– January 31, 2023. First place will get 210 million satoshis (2.1 BTC) and a commitment to support their module in the Fedi product; two runners up will receive 21 million satoshis each, and three honorable mentions will get 2.1 million satoshis each. Find more details about the contest and how to participate on Fedi’s official web page here. Project submissions can be done through this form. Read the full article