#like!!!! are you kidding me!!!!!!!! serotonin boost for me and them is like a double win

[onomatopiya-main]

me personally i think there is nothing better than getting to give someone a little gift

[hughungrybear]

Me while watching Cherry Magic Thailand (Final EP):

It's the final EP!!!! Where will I get my next serotonin boost then? 🥺🥺🥺

1. Achi's cherry has been officially popped (hehe *wink wink 😏). He has now lost his mind-hearing power. However, Karan, it's too early in the morning to be this cheesy though 😅😅😅

2. Awww. Achi's new co-workers are so sweet (even though they prioritise playing football above all else 😂).

3. Why is Rock holding the monitor though? 😅😅😅 Also, holiday bonuses is the GOAT.

4. My SingJan heart 🥹🥹🥹 Rock represents all of us in the workforce that have unrealised dreams. Pai is right though. Nobody can really stop you from doing what you love as long as you have fun doing it. That fan sign though 😂😂😂

5. It's meet the parents time. (Please don't be homophobic, please don't be homophobic). Achi's Mum is very confused why anyone would even want to date her clumsy son 😂😂😂

6. That's next level superstitious though - praying to pick the right gummy bear colour 😂😂😂 Even in his most simp behaviour, Karan is still handsome. Wtf.

7. Looks like they're setting Karan's parents to be problematic. At this late stage of the series???

8. Min's dreams are finally coming true. Hope that won't cause problems with his relationship with Jinta [after 5 seconds] Oh, Min WILL NOT LET IT BE A PROBLEM. Nice. 😊 Also, it turns out that Min's fans are also Jinta's fans. Lucky them 😅😅😅

9. Y'know it's weird to see Tay on the driver's seat since he hates driving irl, which makes New the designated driver in their TayNew Meal Dates.

10. I will never understand parents avoiding necessary conversations with their kids. It's not as if the issue will go away if they ignore it. Karan's mum is every bit of a cvnt (along with the silent, useless father).

Big Sis Karin is the real MVP. I just want to slap Karan's parents (especially the mum) after Karin's monologue. Karan stopping himself from holding Achi's hand because he noticed his Mum is looking is very fvcked up (it broke something inside of me 😭😭).

Karan is lucky to have Achi, but I think he is even luckier to have Karin as his concerned, protective big sis.

11. A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL???? REALLLY??? MY HEART IS FULL 😭😭😭😭😭 [after five seconds] Wait, IT IS A DOUBLE PROPOSAL. THEY HAVE BOTH PREPARED A RING AND WERE SECRETLY PLANNING TO ASK THE OTHER'S HAND FOR MARRIAGE THIS WHOLE TIME. ACHI EVEN DID THE WHOLE PROPOSAL ON ONE KNEE. YES, I'M SCREAMING 🤯😍😍😍😍

12. I still don't accept that Min's group became famous by dancing to Mama OK! song. 😂😂😂 Oh, Rock became a social media dancing office worker icon. So happy for him.

13. Yes, push legalising LGBTQ+ marriage agenda please 🥹🥹🥹

14. YES!!!!! MY ROCKPAI AGENDA HAS FINALLY COME TRUE 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

I'm really happy with how this series turned out to be (although they did not show when Jinta will lose his powers too lol). So far, GMMTV remakes are managing to give proper respect to the originals without becoming a copycat. I think with this series, we (and by we, I mean the PolCa fans) can breathe in relief that TayNew is really back.

Now, to wait for 23.5 degrees 😭😭😭

[drdunev]

Can you believe it is Thanksgiving already? The snow is already flying up North, so I am glad to be in Florida this year, and happy that I can see patients, family and friends another time before Christmas rushes in.

Give yourself the gift of a good Immune boost. There are so many herbs and supplements that will help you escape whatever comes your way. Your own innate Immune system, mostly located in the lining of the gut, is your best defense against a host of health issues. There are chewable immune supplements for the kids and anyone who hates swallowing pills. Scout’s Motto-Be prepared!

We are watching how much sugar we eat this year, so I will be making pumpkin pie with Monk Fruit and Stevia. The spicy desserts really lend themselves to these plant-based extracts that taste sweet to the tongue, but don’t contain sugar and don’t spike your blood sugar. I always double or triple the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and that further balances blood sugar control.

Thanks to Birch Benders there are pumpkin pancake and waffle mixes. Avoiding gluten or eating paleo? If you can't buy locally, it's available on Amazon.

Turkey meat has the amino acid Tryptophan, which the body uses to make both Serotonin and Melatonin. So, that satisfied, feel-good mood after a big turkey dinner is partly from the unique benefits of turkey.

Don’t forget the digestive enzymes like Enzycore and Zypan or Betaine HCL to help you enjoy that good lean protein.

I am doing a lot of Telemedicine and long-distance consulting, so if you have family members who live elsewhere and need help, let me know. See a healthy snack recipe perfect for Thanksgiving below.

The Pilgrims and the Native Americans came from completely different religious beliefs, cultures, countries, and customs. But they came together over the things they shared in common. We all need healthy whole foods, our families, and our friends. Sometimes we are fortunate enough to find people who can teach us the things we need to know to survive in new environments. Despite their religious differences, the Pilgrims undoubtedly thanked God for the wisdom the Native Americans shared that enabled them to survive in the harsh winter of their new home. Many of our best medicines came from Native American herbal tradition. Echinacea is a North American herb that is a powerful immune remedy, cultivated by Native Americans.i Sage, Motherwort, Willow Bark, and Saw Palmetto were other herbs the early herbalists learned about from the tribal practitioners.

Wishing you a Happy, Healthy Thanksgiving, with enough kindness and goodwill to share.

ihttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12808356/                                  Roasted Parsnip Chips Parsnips are those cream-colored, odd shaped root vegetables that look like carrots. They are surprisingly mild and sweet when roasted. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large roasting pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper (if you want to make clean up easier.) Slice the parsnips diagonally and spread out in the pan. I usually roast the larger pieces first, and add the smaller ones later for even roasting. Brush or drizzle the sliced parsnips with olive oil and salt to taste.  Roast for 20 minutes and check. We like them crispier, so I roast them longer, but they are ready whenever they start to turn golden brown. They can be roasted and stored in the refrigerator until ready to be reheated and enjoyed. Even die-hard vegetable haters may enjoy these! Parsnips have great nutritional value. The mineral content includes manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorus. Vitamins include B1, B6, B9, C, K, and E. They also have the fiber that our gut biome loves. And the contain Falcarindiol, an antioxidant that may destroy tumor cells. In ancient herbal lore, parsnips were considered an aphrodisiac. Pretty good stuff for an oddly shaped carrot! Let me know if you try this recipe or have another parsnip recipe to share.

[sooblvr]

enhypen & decorating the christmas tree

pairing ot7 x gn!reader // genre fluff // warnings none // word count 1.0k

#HEESEUNG

calls a singular santa hat he had to wear for a performance christmas decoration

“since when are you so festive?” outwardly very reluctant to go and buy everything to set up a small christmas tree at their dorm, but he still wasn’t willing to let down the opportunity to spend time with you

it only took heeseung seeing all the racks filled with ornaments, ribbons, and other things for him to really get excited. pointing left and right, he was like a little kid in a toy store

“clear your schedule today, we’re putting it up as soon as we’re home”

took an unreasonable amount of pictures of your tree because of how cute it turned out, though of course he will take all the credit for choosing every decor item

—rest of the member under the cut !!

#JAY

rich boy here is used to going all out and is actually the one who calls for your help setting everything up at the dorm

you showed up expecting them to have some progress already done, but instead you saw seven boys trying to fit a huge pine tree inside a relatively small living room

“you didn't think to buy something less...extravagant” “jay insisted he could bring one from his house” “his house that has a bedroom twice the size of this place?!”

the universe must really love jay because it ended up fitting almost perfectly, which gave him the ability to go on a tangent about how the budget for the tree could be used for other things now

everyone brought some ornaments and other things to decorate it with, and although it wasn’t a very aesthetically pleasing tree, it captured the home-like feeling of having everyone contribute to it  

—

#JAKE

the entire month of december he had been making plans to start his christmas shopping and drive around neighborhoods with you to look at people’s christmas decorations

it wasn’t until the twenties of the month came about that he suggested you help put up a tree in the dorm after almost no one in enha showed much holiday spirit 

you drove him, sunoo and ni-ki to buy some ornaments and other things. on your trip, jake also suggested you bought some kits to make gingerbread houses, “buy some for yourselves, we’re not gonna play double date with you guys,” ni-ki teased 

you took advantage of everyone being out doing their last minute shopping a day before christmas eve to spend the day with him making gingerbread houses that were way too sweet for either of you to eat

“i used way too much frosting” “look, (y/n), i’m making a little walkway with the gummy bears”

—

#SUNGHOON

“have you guys put up your tree?” “our patio doesn’t have much space” “a christmas tree, hoon” “oh, no why would we?” 

this man would not go past the i'm-too-busy-to-have-a-holiday-spirit mindset, so you had to take matters into your own hands by taking him to your closest home decor store

somehow you convinced him to choose a small tree while you got some ornaments and ribbons for it, and by the time you got back to him he was all “look this one has lights!” “this one looks like it got snowed on!” “this one is so small and cute, look!” “(y/n), are you listening?” 

first thing you did as soon as you got home was decorating and putting everything up, eventually waking up everyone at the dorm with your laughs and banter

“i'm glad we got this one, the bigger one wasn’t as cute” “i told you this was fun but you never listen” “i could have been doing something more productive in this time” “but just looking at it gives you a serotonin boost” “shut up” “you know I'm right” “y’all hear sum?” “tell me i’m right, you grinch!”

—

#SUNOO

this boy is so excited for the holidays !! he’s already done with all his gift shopping, and it only hits him now that there’s no tree to cover these carefully wrapped presents !!

“(y/n) you need to come over right now we need to find a christmas tree”

you didn't know how he could’ve completely missed that there was no tree at the dorm, but went along anyway

a true perfectionist at heart, he needs the tree to look exactly how he had it pictured in his mind. it’s endearing at first, but at some point you start wondering why he doesn’t help out if he’s got such a great idea (/nm)

insists on putting the very last ornament at the top and won’t hesitate to take an excessive amount of pictures, posting them all with captions like “aren't i the best at decorating”

—

#JUNGWON

he’s not necessarily excited, but also doesn’t complain when you insist the dorm needs a christmas tree

“is this within our budget” “it’ll be a small tree, won, plus i’m bringing ornaments from my place to make it pretty”

slowly gets more excited the more you tell him what ribbons you like, the color scheme you’re planning. he’ll start chiming in when you’re indecisive

I definitely see him as the type to not really care for the aesthetics of it as long as you both like it. the other members will poke fun at the contrasting colors and patterns, but he really loves the festive-ness of it

give him the slightest compliment about how he has good taste or had a good idea and he’s a blushing mess. he’s definitely gonna remember it and replay the moment over and over for comfort

—

#NI-KI

mans couldn’t care less about the christmas tree itself but if it means spending the entire day together count him in

(y/n) this, (y/n) that, it’s like he’s bouncing off the walls always wanting to show you something

when you first get your shopping cart he’ll look at you with a grin and ask if you wanna get inside so he can push you around

definitely asks you to do the same for him, resulting in all the old people with their grandkids giving you dirty looks

boasts about how he’s got great taste and your tree would look so ugly if it wasn’t for his amazing decoration skills. you only let him get away with it because he’s cute tbh

—

ᝰ — taglist; @gyuuss​ @junityy​ @taejinxkoya​ @myluv-yeonjun​ @mykalon​  @heelariously​

[script-nef]

Fluff alphabets | Hinata Shouyou

Others: Kageyama, Oikawa,  Tsukishima

Category: fluff

Affection: How affectionate is he? How does he show affection?

Hinata constantly wants to be holding you in any way available to him. He shows his love for you through countless kisses, hugs, texts, phone calls—just about anything.

He’s not afraid to proclaim his affection for you on live TV or in interviews but that subsequently means a lot of articles are written about you. Every single one of them is about how much of a doting and loving boyfriend is.

Baby: Does he want to start a family?

Yes.

Children between you and him? Of course he wants them! He’ll wish for them to be carbon copies of you because you’re the best person he knows and by his logic, that means his children will also be the best!

Thanks to his experience with Natsu, he’s skilled in taking care of babies and showers them in endless love. Would spend all of his spare time with you and the kids and every other parent will be envious of you.

Cuddles: Does he like cuddling? How often does he like hugging?

Hinata leaps at any chance to be around you.

He’ll use the most trivial excuse or reason to hug you: you look down, I’m hungry, your hair was flying around and you looked pretty, I wanted to check if your shampoo changed and whatnot.

You pointed out that since you’re going out with him, he doesn’t really need an excuse you cuddle with you. That made a lightbulb spark and now he just attacks you with surprise hugs whenever he wants.

Date: What is a typical date?

Exploring hidden corners of the city. This boy cannot sit still and requires physical activities or he’s going to go insane with the amount of energy that stockpiles.

He would scour them online or get some recommendations from friends when visiting their cities, or even his fans in the form of comments. It would mainly be cafés/restaurants or trinket shops so he can buy you loads of presents.

Experience: How much has he dated before? How does that reflect in this one?

He was an adult when he met you and he went out once or twice before, but it didn’t go for very long. This relationship with you is the longest yet!

He learnt bits and pieces from his previous relationships like how to treat your significant other and what not to do when dating, but it’s mostly useless since he’s somehow very intuitive in this area.

Fight: Do you fight often with him? How does it usually end?

Fights are incredibly rare, nearly none each year. The fact that you’re both so understanding and kind plays a factor. 

He also hates fighting with you because he believes every moment with the person he loves needs to be happy, even though that’s unrealistic.

He’s incredibly stubborn and will argue with you if he thinks he’s right. The fight can drag out for days but you eventually reconcile through talking and spend the rest of the day cuddling.

Gentle: How does he treat you?

Hinata isn’t gentle, despite popular beliefs. He’s driven by his emotions way too much and won’t realise when he’s putting physical pressure on you. Of course, he’ll back off once you say it.

Once he realises you’ve been saying that a lot, he’ll try to restrain himself but it doesn’t work. The second he sees you it’s just “!!!! [Name]!!!” and all control is chucked out the window.

Hand: Does he like holding your hand? How often?

When walking down the street or relaxing in the house, his hand is always glued onto yours. He uses it to tug and maneuver you around crowds and streets to arrive at your destination quickly.

Sometimes he draws little characters or writes with his thumb on your hand and asks what he wrote. It’s always things like simplified versions of your favourite anime characters or “I love you”

Impression: What was your first impression of him?

“Who is this absolute sunshine and how can I love him?”

Hinata tried to help you find your way after you were lost but he’s directionally challenged as well so… In conclusion, you spent around an hour walking aimlessly around the town. In that time, you somehow fell for him and asked for his phone number first. 

Even though it was obvious that he was as lost as you, he did his best to calm you down and led the way with unearned confidence which stole your heart.

Jealousy: Does he get jealous easily? What sets him off?

This boy cannot feel jealousy. At least in the romance area.

His heart is too wide and pure for any ugly emotions to rear their head in. If someone is constantly around you he’ll think “[Name] is so popular! I’m so happy everyone knows how cool they are!” and that’s it.

He’ll get kind of pouty if you say Kageyama is cool in front of him though. Hinata knows Kags is incomparable in volleyball skills so it’ll set his competitive fire even stronger.

Kiss: Is he good at kissing? When does he kiss you?

He likes innocent pecks all over your face whenever the mood strikes him. He doesn’t kiss deeper than that voluntarily. Sure, he’ll do it once you say it but not by himself.

He presses longer ones to your lips when he’s absolutely elated and cannot express his emotions in any other way. 

Love: Who said “I love you” first? And when does he say it?

Hinata said it first with such ease and energy. Like it was something obvious and common.

It was as he was leaving for his morning jog and you called after him to take a jacket. He kissed you on your forehead and yelled “I love you!” as he was slipping out of the door. It left you dumbstruck and frozen from your spot until you melted with a blush.

It was, of course, returned when he came back with tons of kisses and hugs.

Memory: What’s his favourite memory with you?

The moment he saw you after winning his first match with you watching from the crowd. His head snapped to you as soon as the last point for the match was won and you had the most dazzling smile on. 

It just filled him with such joy and happiness to see that you took the time out of your busy schedule to watch him. His heart basically just exploded when you hugged him afterwards and gushed about how amazing he was flying around.

You came to plenty of his matches after that, but nothing ever beat that rush of exhilaration he felt from the first time.

Nickname: Does he give you a nickname? Do you have one for him?

You have plenty for him: sunshine, love, tangerine, cutie, Shou, my light and more cheesy ones in private. He once asked you why you don’t call him those ones in public in front of all his friends and teammates while listing them off which basically killed you.

Once he realised that it was slightly embarrassing, he exclaimed that he loves hearing the nicknames in your voice and you should never be embarrassed. But he still understands if you don’t want to call him that.

His nicknames include shortening your name or adding “-chan” to the end of it.

Open: How open is he about his feelings?

So open. Hinata will shout how much he loves you from rooftops and mountain peaks if he feels like it. He never lets you doubt his love for you and constantly reassures you

The first time he mentioned you by “I’ll be back in time for dinner, [Name]-chan!” before running to the changing room made everyone double-take. After that, even when he received a scolding, he always says “I was able to perform better because [Name]-chan was cheering for me!” or something like that

PDA: Is he fine with PDA? How far can he go?

King of PDA right here, does not give a damn where you are. If you’re next to him and he wants to hug or kiss you? Then you’re going to receive them affections, there is no escape.

A private room of a restaurant, in the middle of a busy shopping centre, in a couple’s seat in the cinemas, nothing matters to him other than you.

Quirk: Habits or something he does which is unexpected?

Likes hiking in the afternoon. He started it first because the rough terrain would be a good workout for his leg muscles and help him in volleyball, but eventually does it whenever he’s feeling restless or bored. He’s super thankful that Japan is like, 70% mountains and tries to visit a new one every week.

Begs you to tag along because the scenery is wonderful and he wants to share it with you. Hinata wasn’t lying when he said the sunset was beautiful, the view is stunning.

Sometimes brings a picnic basket whenever you’re feeling a little down and feeds you a mountain worth of food while watching the sky change into red and orange.

Relax: What activities do you do with him to relax?

Playing video games together, often competing against each other.

Hinata received a variety of popular video games from Kenma a while back and is determined to clear all of them. He spends hours and hours of free time with you, glued on the sofa with you on his lap. It doesn’t really last though, since you wiggle and squirm so much during Mario Kart.

It usually starts in the afternoon until dinner, just hours and light competitiveness and fun. The loser usually has to clean up after the meal is finished.

Support: How supportive is he of your dreams? What do you do for him?

He’s like a serotonin boost that even being around him makes you feel more energised and motivated. Whenever you feel wiped out or exhausted, he’s right there to say positive things and encourage you to finish the assignment which is causing a massive migraine.

When you’re done, he’ll have some chocolate and warm tea to help you relax.

You pack him cute lunch boxes if you have time in the morning and put sticky notes of loving messages in it. His teammates get jealous when they see him giggling and texting you a response. 

But the best way to support him is to attend his matches and cheer for him.

Talk: What does he like talking about?

He loves talking to you about the experiences he had overseas. How different and free Brazil is, how lively and funny everyone is. Or the new players he met and trained with when he has practice matches against them.

He loves it when you talk about your childhood and all the things you went through before meeting him. There’s always something new to find out about you and he won’t stop until he knows every single detail about your life.

Umbrella: What’s his favourite weather/season?

Hinata’s favourite weather reflects his personality: a warm summer’s day. Not one of those unbearably hot and humid ones but one where the cool wind blows and the sun is pleasantly warm on your skin. 

He uses these days to go on a walk around the neighbourhood with you, mostly ending with a stroll around the park. Of course, he slathers on sunscreen on the both of you because safety first and he really needs to get rid of the remaining suncream from Brazil.

Vaunt: Does he like showing you off?

Hell yes, this boy flaunts you to everyone who’s willing to listen. Why wouldn’t he? You’re literally the best person he knows!

Not obnoxiously like “[Name]-chan is better than anyone else!” but more of a fanboy style. For instance: “I went to one of their presentations secretly and they were so eloquent and perfect, I can’t believe they’re dating me” like he isn’t one of the most sought after athletes in the entire country.

It’s to the point where his fans can recite facts about you and it leaves you confused.

“Shouyou, why does the public know all these things about me?” “Ummm…”

World: Where does he take you for vacation?

Definitely Brazil, specifically the same city he spent two years in. When he arrives, he’ll try to introduce you to all of his friends and acquaintances with the biggest smile.

He acts as a tour guide and shows you all the hidden favourite spots he found in his time there. Also teaches you some Portuguese and learns Spanish with you.

Of course, playing beach volleyball takes up a large amount of time over there. You joined in a couple of times even though your skills were considerably lacking than the other side.

It was mainly just for fun and experience (and ogling at Hinata ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°))

X-ray: What happens when you’re injured or sick?

This is painful—because of his memory of The Fever, he always tries to keep his body in tip-top shape. So your concerns of him overworking himself or falling ill get reduced to a minimum.

If you’re the one that’s sick, then he’s by your bed 24/7, ready to do anything you want or need. He calls up Iwaizumi and his teammates for advice and writes everything down, following it to a T.

Yearn: How much does he miss/pine for you when apart?

So damn much. This boy misses you the moment he steps into the plane and texts you until the flight attendant tells him to put the device away. It’s mostly heart emojis and selfies so he can look at them while flying.

It becomes a ritual that no matter what, no matter the difference in time, you have to call each other at least 3 times a day. It doesn’t have to be meal times but it has to be at least 3 times.

If not, he’ll be sad for the rest of the day and sulk the entire time he’s off the court. Eventually, his teammates all call you to please help this moody wing spiker.

ZZZ: Does he have sleeping habits?

Fidgets and moves around a lot in his sleep. Always wakes up in a different position and he’s so confused and disorientated. 

This kind of makes it hard for you since you sleep together so the solution was: buy a king-sized bed. It was like a whole new experience.

It works well until he once pushed you off. Your yelp woke him up and he apologised so much and nearly cried even though you were laughing and said it was okay.

[juliebutcher]

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“Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized.” ~ Allan Armitage

  As if you need me to tell you that gardening’s good for you, good for us!

Couple of weeks ago, my friend Annie and I built a little garden for her granddaughter Lola. Annie lives in the San Fernando Valley. It took us two days! We joked about marketing our “business” as Slow Grannies Gardening!

It was heavenly!

Anne & I love the little heart-shaped leaves as they start to twine & twirl up the trellis…

  Who knew that gardening is therapeutic? Everyone! For a long time.

6 Unexpected Health Benefits of Gardening lists many of the wonderful ways:

Stress-relief and self-esteem

Heart health and stroke risk

Hand strength and dexterity

Brain health and Alzheimer’s risk

Researchers found daily gardening to represent the single biggest risk reduction for dementia, reducing incidence by 36%. Another study estimated the risk reduction at 47%! Why does gardening make such a difference? Alzheimer’s is a mysterious disease, and the factors influencing its incidence and progression remain poorly understood. However gardening involves so many of our critical functions, including strength, endurance, dexterity, learning, problem solving, and sensory awareness, that its benefits are likely to represent a synthesis of various aspects.

Immune regulation *

Depression and mental health

Plenty of your friends and neighbors have probably mentioned what a “lift” they get from a morning’s sweat amongst the lettuces and radishes. To add professional legitimacy to anecdotal claims, the growing field of “horticultural therapy” is giving proven results for patients with depression and other mental illnesses. The benefits appear to spring from a combination of physical activity, awareness of natural surroundings, cognitive stimulation and the satisfaction of the work. To build the therapeutic properties of your own garden, aim for a combination of food-producing, scented, and flowering plants to nourish all the senses. Add a comfortable seat so you can continue to bask in the garden while you rest from your labors. Letting your body get a little hot and sweaty might also have hidden benefits: as devotees of hot baths and saunas can attest, elevated body temperatures are also correlated with increased feelings of well-being. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water and know your limits.

Read the whole article; it’s truly delightful!

  “I dig the daylily because it is forgiving, unrelenting, and breathtakingly brief.” ~ Nikki Schmith

Petal Power: Why Is Gardening So Good For Our Mental Health? in Psychology Today explains the science behind the benefits:

Looking after plants gives us a sense of responsibility.

Gardening allows us all to be nurturers.

Gardening keeps us connected to other living things.

It doesn’t matter if we are seven or seventy, male, female or transgender, gardening underlines that we are all nurturers. Horticulture is a great equalizer: plants don’t give a fig who is tending them and for those with mental health problems to be able to contribute to such a transformative activity can help boost self-esteem.

Gardening helps us relax and let go.

Working in nature releases happy hormones.

Being amongst plants and flowers reminds us to live in the present moment.

Gardening reminds us of the cycle of life, and thus come to terms with that most universal of anxieties: death.

Some aspects of gardening allow us to vent anger and aggression…

…whilst others allow us to feel in control.

Last but not least, gardening is easy.

Read this one too! It’s worth it.

  “Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.”  ~ May Sarton  Rosa ‘Frida Kahlo’

Why Gardening Makes You Happy and Cures Depression explains the two gardening “highs”:

Getting down and dirty is the best ‘upper’ – Serotonin

Getting your hands dirty in the garden can increase your serotonin levels – contact with soil and a specific soil bacteria, Mycobacterium vaccae, triggers the release of serotonin in our brain according to research. Serotonin is a happy chemical, a natural anti-depressant and strengthens the immune system. Lack of serotonin in the brain causes depression.

      Harvest ‘High’ – Dopamine

Another interesting bit of research relates to the release of dopamine in the brain when we harvest products from the garden. The researchers hypothesise that this response evolved over nearly 200,000 years of hunter gathering, that when food was found (gathered or hunted) a flush of dopamine released in the reward centre of brain triggered a state of bliss or mild euphoria. The dopamine release can be triggered by sight (seeing a fruit or berry) and smell as well as by the action of actually plucking the fruit.

Strengthening the Case for Organic ~ Glyphosate residues deplete your Serotonin and Dopamine levels

Of course, for all of the above to work effectively and maintain those happy levels of serotonin and dopamine, there’s another prerequisite according to another interesting bit of research I found. It appears it will all work much better with organic soil and crops that haven’t been contaminated with Roundup or Glyphosate-based herbicides. This proviso also extends to what you eat, so ideally you’ll avoid consuming non-organic foods that have been grown in farmland using glyphosates.

  “I breathe in… the fragrance of love, and moist sand the one his roses left on both my hands I just keep on breathing every moment as much as I can preserving it, in my body for the day it can’t.”

~ Sanober Khan

  *If you’re wondering about the whole dirt, microbes, immune system thing, Dirt has a microbiome, and it may double as an antidepressant offers a thorough, understandable explanation:

There’s now pretty good evidence to draw at least an outline of a conclusion: Breathing in, playing in, and digging in dirt may be good for your health. Our modern, sterilized life in sealed-off office buildings and homes are likely not. Researchers have already found clear evidence that childhood exposure to outdoor microbes is linked to a more robust immune system; for example, Bavarian farm children who spent time in family animal stables and drank farm milk had drastically lower rates of asthma and allergies throughout their lives than their neighbors who did not.

  “Gardening is more than a hobby; it’s a scientifically proven anti-depressant.  No wonder you like to dig in the dirt!”

The writing here in Vegetable Gardening as Therapy is fun and funny; the information is reliable and useful:

*Gardening Gets Us Out of Our Heads.

*Gardening is Exercise.

*“Nature Calms Us.”

That doesn’t happen in nature.  You’re rendered … decisionless.  When’s the last time you went on a walk in the forest or a field and decided it needed a little rearranging.  Maybe a row of Billy bookcases.  It isn’t an option so you don’t even think about it. In nature you completely give up control.  And the need to control things is what causes a LOT of stress. Giving up that control is incredibly calming.

Of course in vegetable gardening you’re constantly trying to control everything from bugs to blight but that ruins my point so let’s ignore that.

*Gardening is Nurturing.

I’ve shared my gardening opinions and advice here before, as I write to figure out this little blog:

Stop! Smell this Rose! (includes a resource list which is still relevant, perhaps useful)

I Moved a Garden … and More Unsolicited Gardening Advice

In my never-ending quest to best use all of the little space, I’m planning on using these guys everywhere!

Annie & I included a garden “tee-pee” for peas and beans to climb. It’s another great way to “grow up,” especially in smallish spaces. Three easy samples here:

How to Make A Bamboo Tepee in a Minute

Kids Gardening: Build a Bean Teepee

How To Make An Easy DIY Bean Teepee

And a final nod to the butterflies. Plant Milkweed! If you only plant one plant, plant Milkweed! The Monarchs will thank you!

Project Milkweed and the Xerces Society’s new Managing Monarchs in the West are a great place to start.

Gardening is cheaper than therapy ... and you get tomatoes! “Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized.”

[ellymackay]

Your Fall Sleep Survival Guide

The blog article Your Fall Sleep Survival Guide See more on: https://www.ellymackay.com/

Here’s how to sleep well as the season shifts

Sure, there are a few more weeks of summer, according to the calendar. But this week after Labor Day is when we all mentally make the move into fall mode.

The kids are back to school—or soon to be. Summer Fridays at work are over. We’re thinking less about trips to the beach or the mountains, and more about getting the full bounty out of our vegetable gardens while they last.

The air is cooling (at least a little, for most of us) and the days are getting noticeably shorter. Even if it’s been decades since you entered a classroom, most of us experience at least a hint of that “back to school” excitement (or dread) when fall arrives. It’s a beautiful, interesting time of year—and with a few strategies in your pocket, fall can be one of the most restful and refreshing times of year for sleep.

Get your family on the right sleep schedules

Summer tends to affect everyone’s sleep routine. Kids don’t have to get up for school. You’re probably traveling more, heading out for vacations and visits with extended family. The days are at their longest, with sun stretching well into the evening hours. Summer, for all its relaxing pleasures, can be challenging for sleep!

Now is the time to hit the reset button on sleep schedules for everyone in your household, to ensure everyone gets the sleep they need. I just wrote about how to guide your school-age kids back to a school-friendly sleep schedule. I also talked about the best sleep tips to share with your college-age children.

But it’s not just kids in the house who are likely to need an adjustment to their sleep schedule. Many of us loosen up the rules and routines of sleep during the summer. Fall is the time to pull those routines back into focus, to ensure we’re getting enough high-quality sleep to feel and function at our best. The patterns of daylight are changing, with sunrise happening later in the morning. Depending on your sleep needs and individual schedule, you may welcome this additional darkness to get the daily sleep amounts right for you. Just make sure changes to your bed times and wake times are intentional, and in keeping with a sleep routine that

Just-released research delivers a potent reminder that making ample time for sleep isn’t a luxury, but a necessity for long-term health and well being. Swedish scientists have found middle-aged men who sleep no more than 5 hours a night have double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as men in middle age who sleep 7-8 hours.

If you’re an adult who carries a sleep debt from one season to the next, take a moment to learn about my How To Sleep Better course, here.

If you need to reacquaint yourself with your ideal bedtime, use my Bedtime Calculator, here.

Re-connect with your chronotype

Summer often brings with it a sense of freedom that affects how we live and sleep. But at the end of the day (and I mean that both literally and figuratively) we’re all biologically hard-wired to sleep and be awake according to our individual circadian timing.

Summer can see typically early-to-bed Lions staying up past 9:30, and middle-of-the road Bears popping out of bed earlier in the morning, and with more gusto. Late-night-preferring Wolves may enjoy the company of having more people to hang out with the evening hours, but that’s only likely to keep them up and active even later into the night than is already typical for them.

You’re going to sleep better, feel more yourself, be healthier and perform at your best when you’re living more closely in sync with your individual chronotype. Everything from digestion to metabolism, mood and sex drive, decision making and creativity, are influenced the daily bio rhythms that determine our chronotype. (Chronotypes are so important, I wrote a book about them, and the best times to do everything from eat lunch to ask for a raise: The Power of When.)

The first step in aligning your sleep schedule with your chronotype is to identify what your chronotype is. You can get that information quickly by taking my quiz at www.thepowerofwhenquiz.com.

Re-commit to your exercise routine

You’ve heard me talk about the benefits that exercise delivers to sleep. Exercising regularly improves sleep quality and sleep quantity, enables us to spend more time in deep sleep, and lowers stress. It can improve symptoms of insomnia and reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea.

If summer has you off your regular exercise routine, now is the time to get back on. You’ll feel better throughout your waking day, and you’ll sleep better at night.

I try to exercise regularly, so I know firsthand it can be a struggle sometimes to stick with it. But I do my best. I run, I take spin classes, I work out regularly with a trainer. My favorite exercise—and the one I recommend to even my most exercise-adverse patients—is yoga. It’s great for your outlook at mood, as well as for your sleep.

We’re learning more all the time about the powerful benefits of mind-body exercise for sleep. Recent research found that mind-body exercises including yoga and tai chi have the ability to change how our genes function, in ways that reduce stress and depression. Those improvements, in turn, can make a huge difference for sleep.

Be pro-active with your diet

Did burgers make a regular appearance on your dinnerplate this summer? Did you take evening walks to get ice cream? Chow down on a few lobster rolls? Say yes every time someone brought pie to the table for dessert? My summer indulgences included all of the above. It was great. And now it’s time to get back to basics with my diet.

You also might have fallen into a habit of eating later. Now is a good time to dial the clock back on dinnertime. This is especially important for Wolves. New research suggests their tendency to eat late and stay up late is linked to higher body mass index, or BMI, in people with prediabetes.

How we eat affects how we sleep. And in turn, how we sleep affects what, when, and how much we eat. A 2016 study found that after one night of short sleep, people ate an average 385 additional calories the next day. That’s practically an additional meal! Short on sleep, people at more fat, and less protein, than their better-sleeping counterparts.

As winter approaches, with the days getting shorter and nights getting longer, many of us lean toward a winter diet, and crave more calorie-dense, carbohydrate-rich “comfort” foods. Use this fall to set some sleep-friendly eating habits so they’ll be ingrained by the time those winter cravings roll around.

Load up on sunlight

Early fall is a great time to give your mind and body the benefits of plentiful exposure to natural sunlight. The oppressive temperatures of summer are receding, but we’re not yet in the very short days of winter. Soaking up natural sunlight has a host of benefits for sleep and health. Sunlight exposure early in the day strengthens biological sleep-wake rhythms, help you fall asleep more easily and wake more alert and refreshed. Sunlight also boosts the body’s production of serotonin, which elevates and protects mood, and contributes to feelings of calm. Serotonin is also an essential precursor for the sleep hormone melatonin. And sunlight is an important source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D can affect both how much sleep we get, and how well we sleep.

Natural light exposure is helpful for most people. It can be especially important for people who experience seasonal affective disorder in the winter months. (More on seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, soon…)

Prepare for daylight savings to end

On November 4, we’ll turn the clocks back. Most people look forward to this “extra” hour of sleep that comes with the end of Daylight Savings Time. It’s true that the onset of Daylight Savings is associated with more significant disruptions to sleep, and a spike in health and safety issues, including heart attacks, stroke, workplace and driving accidents and injuries.

But it’s worth remembering that a change of an hour in any direction is a significant adjustment for our highly sensitive bio clocks. Many of us can expect to feel a little off when the clocks go back, even if we relish an extra bit of time on Sunday morning. The suggestions I’ve made above—watching your diet, exercising regularly, getting plenty of sunlight—can help you minimize the disruption to how you feel, and to your sleep-wake routine.

You can also take the additional step of making small, incremental adjustments to your bedtime ahead of the time change. If you push your bedtime and wake time later by 5-10 minutes  a day over a few days before the change, you’ll lessen its impact. Just make sure not to lose out on any sleep when you’re tinkering with your sleep schedule.

Watch for new stress

Fall is a real get-down-to-business time of year. We revisit goals and deadlines ahead of the end of the calendar year. Schedules—both our own and our children’s—suddenly feel pressed for time again. And the holidays are upon us. There are plenty of seasonal stress triggers lurking in this lovely time of year. Be attentive to your mood and stress levels. Be aware that un-checked stress can have a significant negative impact on your sleep. And know that in turn, when you sleep poorly or don’t get enough sleep, you’re much more vulnerable to stress and anxiety.

Here are 5 of my favorite relaxation techniques to reduce stress and improve sleep.

We’re entering a season that’s full of transition and change in the natural world, and in our social patterns. All these changes affect how we sleep, and how we feel and function. Stay attentive to how you respond to the season’s changes, and you can sleep well as we head toward winter.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD, DABSM

The Sleep Doctor

www.thesleepdoctor.com

The post Your Fall Sleep Survival Guide appeared first on Your Guide to Better Sleep.

from Your Guide to Better Sleep https://www.thesleepdoctor.com/2018/09/04/your-fall-sleep-survival-guide/

from Elly Mackay - Feed https://www.ellymackay.com/2018/09/04/your-fall-sleep-survival-guide/