It may be her birthday, a wedding anniversary, Christmas or just a day when you want to say, “I love you, Mom,” but choosing the perfect gift for mom can be a challenge. Take time to consider who your mom is before going shopping for that special gift. With a little thought, your gift to her can be special. Here are some fun ideas to get you started.

Craft Loving Mom
Is your mom the crafty type who likes to sew or is always doing something creative with a little fabric, some ribbon, and glue? Then consider a gift certificate to a local fabric or online craft store. A gift basket filled with sewing basics, such as buttons, elastic, thread, and the latest sewing magazine, would make a great gift for the sewing mom. If she crochets or knits some textured yarn, crochet hooks or knitting needles and a new pattern book are wonderful gifts.



The Business Mom
If your mom is a businesswoman whose time revolves around a busy office, consider gifts that can increase her productivity or brighten up her office. Flowers are perfect for almost any mom and are nice in an office setting. Pens, stationary, electric stapler, or paper shredder might actually thrill the business type mom. A new coffee maker for her office is also a nice thought.

The Mom Who Loves to Cook
Does your mom love to cook? If baking is her way of relaxing, consider purchasing her a new cookbook or other fun cooking items such as a cupcake holder. Other items for the mom who loves to cook might include flavored oils, fun shaped pasta, new measuring utensils, interesting cake pans, or a new food processor. Enroll her in a cake decorating class at the local craft store or subscribe to a cooking magazine for her.



Fitness Mom
For the mom who loves to work out, a gym subscription is a fantastic gift idea. If she already has one, simply call and pay to have it extended. New workout videos, exercise equipment or sweat suit would be the perfect gift. A gift certificate to a sporting goods store or a health food store is another great option for the health-conscious mom.

Book Lover Mom
For the mom who loves to read, order for several of her favorite magazines, purchase the newest mystery or give her a gift certificate to the local bookstore. Consider scouring the thrift stores for her favorite authors. She won’t care if they are second-hand if she is like most avid readers. If you include some flavored teas and chocolate for her to enjoy while curled up with a good book you will be sure to be a hit.

The Pampered Mom
Who doesn’t want to feel pampered? This category covers most of the moms out there. Gift ideas include bubble bath, her favorite perfume, makeup or a gift certificate for a day at the spa. Consider a massage, manicure or pedicure to help keep your mom looking her best.

Give Your Time
Give the mom the gift of your time and she will be delighted. Taking your mom out for dinner, lunch, or even breakfast is a great way to spend time with her. It’s the gift that fits all moms everywhere no matter what their interests or hobbies might be.  The opera, a movie or even going bowling are ideas for gift giving. A gift certificate for a bed and breakfast for her and her dad is another excellent gift idea for the mom who has everything.

No matter what type of mom you have a little thought and preparation can make her gift special. Your gift can be as fancy or simple, as expensive or inexpensive, as you want it to be. What matters most is that you put the time and effort into choosing a gift that says, “I love you and thought about you, Mom.”

Alfalfa is a leguminous plant that has been cultivated for over two thousand years. Although most often used as forage for horses and other animals, it has been largely known to cure certain human illnesses and improve the immune system. Alfalfa is helpful in cleansing toxins from the bloodstream, fighting infections in the body, hindering tooth decay, treating anemia, healing ulcers, and boosting the immune system.

The roots of the alfalfa grow deep into the soil and are able to probe out minerals and trace elements that more shallow-rooted plants cannot reach. This makes the alfalfa a rich source of vitamins, all the eight essential amino acids, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. You can chew the leaves raw, add them to your sandwich and salad, or sauté them in oil and serve as a tender vegetable.

Alfalfa products are widely available in most health food stores. but if you happen to grow this plant at home, you can try making your own variations. Here are some things you can make with alfalfa:

1 - Alfalfa leaf tea
Alfalfa leaf tea has superior nutritive values. It is very easily absorbed by the body and therefore it is very good for children and the elderly. It may have a raw bland flavor but becomes tasty when mixed with fresh mint. To brew alfalfa tea, steep 1 teaspoon alfalfa leaves in 2 cups boiling water for about 10 minutes.



2 – Alfalfa powder
Alfalfa leaves can be dried and then finely ground into a flourlike powder. This powder form can then be taken as a food supplement. It can be added to a glass of fresh juice or to your usual drinking water. You can also add alfalfa powder when you make your own bread (1/2 cup alfalfa powder to 5 cups flour), soups, and stews. Keep in mind, however, that some hay fever sufferers turn out to be allergic to alfalfa hay dust.

3 – Alfalfa seed
These tiny alfalfa seeds produce the sweetest and tenderest of sprouts. These fresh sprouts make a perfect addition to sandwiches, for they will not go limp after a few hours like lettuce. Add them to salads or eat them raw like a crunchy snack. The seeds that did not sprout can be used to make tea: just add 1 teaspoon seeds to 2 cups boiling water. The mild-tasting brew is said to be beneficial to people who suffer from arthritis.

For over two thousand years, alfalfa has been a great contributor to good health and a strong immune system. Try to incorporate alfalfa in your diet to benefit from its healthful properties. You can later on develop your own recipes and products made from this super nutritious plant.

Choosing a yoga mat may sound simple, but with so many varieties of yoga mats on the market, yoga students, especially beginners would benefit from a little knowledge of the different styles of yoga mats available. Of all the yoga accessories out there a yoga mat is probably the most important. A yoga mat should be durable, comfortable and offer the correct amount of support to avoid injury. Here are some other important features you should know about when choosing a yoga mat

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Yoga Mat

• Thickness of mat: Generally, a yoga mat should not be thinner than 4mm, and some people prefer an even thicker mat for comfort and to cushion and protect their joints.
• Size: a taller person would likely do better with a larger yoga mat
• Type of yoga being practiced: A durable, non-slippery yoga mat would be ideal for a vigorous yoga practice, such as Ashtanga yoga; however, a basic sticky mat is more appropriate for a Hatha-style yoga practice.

Types of Yoga Mats

The following is a list of the different varieties of yoga mats available on the market as well as their benefits and potential drawbacks.

• Sticky Yoga Mats

The sticky mat is probably the most familiar type of yoga mat for most people. It is basic, readily available and inexpensive. The sticky yoga mat would be a good choice for a beginner or someone who does not practice yoga on a regular, extensive basis.
Sticky mats are not necessarily the best choice of a yoga mat when it comes to the environment or your health, however. These mats contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride), an environmental toxin. Other ingredients of sticky mats often include lead, cadmium, and a class of chemicals called phthalates, which can disrupt the endocrine system, among many other health problems.

• Rubber Yoga Mats

Rubber yoga mats are durable and are generally made from natural rubber from trees, although rubber yoga mats can also be made synthetically. These mats are environmentally sustainable, long-lasting, and come in a variety of thicknesses. Rubber mats can have a strong odor which some people find unpleasant. They can break down if left in the sun and are a bit more expensive than others.

• Cotton Yoga Mats

Cotton yoga mats are a good choice for certain types of yoga that produce a lot of sweating, such as Bikram or Ashtanga. These mats absorb sweat, preventing slipping; however, students should take caution, as cotton yoga mats can slide around on a hard floor, causing potential injury.

• Travel Yoga Mats

These mats are lightweight and portable. Travel yoga mats are ideal for someone who vacations and travels often. For transportation ease, travel yoga mats are designed to be very thin, offering little or no cushioning, and would be best used on a carpeted surface or over a blanket or towel.

Choosing a yoga mat depends largely on the student's personal requirements, as well as the type of yoga being practiced. With so many types of yoga mats available on the market, there is a yoga mat appropriate for every yoga student.

Most homeowners are aware of recent trends in the areas of home and garden. Blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living is a creative use of space. When you own your home, you’re mainly concerned with utility costs, maintaining your home’s structure and using your available space in a practical manner. Here are some tips to help you maximize your home's indoor and outdoor space.

Seamless Transitions Create More Space
Consider extending your living areas to the patio and backyard. No longer relegated to a plain cement slab with a lawn chair or two, your patio is key to designing an outdoor living area.
Look for popular ideas to continue the colors and themes beyond the traditional family room. Lighting is a big factor driving these forays to the backyard. Carry Southwestern themes outdoors with bright sofas and a mural using different shades of turquoise.

Move Your Kitchen Outdoors
Moving the dining area outdoors is a popular trend. Prior to recent advances in technology, you either used a barbeque or your kitchen to prepare food. Now, outdoor kitchen options include permanent cooking structures, pizza oven, and side burners to create sauces and to boil and prepare certain dishes. Built-in infrared searing grills give steaks a professional touch or exterior char. New hybrid grills allow your choice of charcoal or gas.



Be Creative with Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting trends make evening dining an intimate pleasure. Place comfortable furniture with resilient fabrics to maximize the effect you create throughout the patio, garden, and yard. Many patios and garden lovers construct sunken fireplaces for comfort as well as light.

Build Sustainable Plants Walls
Rather than traditional ivy-covered stone or brick dividers, layered garden walls provide the perfect settings for living walls. Use native species. You can conserve water and contribute to bringing native, plants, and shrubs back where they belong.
 
Create Natural paths and boundaries without fences
Another popular move is creating boundaries, privacy, and fences with berry plants. Berries come in all shapes and sizes, from small plants such as strawberries used as filler on layered ground in gardens to large tree like hedges bursting full of fruit to enjoy year-round in jellies and jam. American cranberries grow eight to 10 feet tall, where bush cherries maximum height is three to four feet.

No matter how you choose to incorporate these trends into your backyard and living space, it will be a creative use of your time and energy. Improve the value of your home and have fun in the process.

                 
Medication can be a useful and effective tool to relieve pain, but it comes with some downsides such as awful side effects and becoming dependent. Some of the following natural methods may alleviate pain better than modern medication. While every method isn't guaranteed to work for everyone, they are safe and easy to try.

1. Movement
Our bodies are designed for movement. If you are not moving much because you are in pain, it could lead to more serious pain in the future. Perform gentle stretches to help increase your mobility and ROM (Range of Motion). Stretching may also help relieve some pain in tight muscles or joints. Your physical therapist or doctor may be able to help find you appropriate stretches for your unique condition.
In this case-study, patients with plantar fasciitis (heel pain) performed stretches which
were found to relieve a considerable amount of pain: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23844489

2. Acupuncture
It's still not completely understood how this ancient Chinese healing technique works, but it has been proven by studies to reduce types of chronic pain by triggering specific nerve points in the body, which decrease pain and release endorphins. It has also been shown that acupuncture may activate pain suppressing receptors generating adenosine which affect the brain's long-term ability to regulate pain.
For example, in this case study, the patient stopped experiencing migraines for several months: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3921614/



3. Massage
Massages get the blood flowing and relax muscles, which supports your body in healing itself. This also frees endorphins, which are highly effective at relieving pain. Animal research has also concluded that massage triggers a release of natural painkillers called opioids into the brain. Other animal studies also imply that massage raises the flow of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes feelings of calmness and relaxes the muscles. Oxytocin appears to be the identical hormone that circulates through women before giving birth. It helps improve the bond between 'infant and mother' and also relaxes the uterus.
Link to the case study of endorphins and their role in pain management: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3104618/

4. Meditate
Meditation can be extremely effective at relieving stress and pain. It is a very simple procedure that requires some personal space and a quiet environment. A simple method is to find a pleasant sound with no special meaning, lie or sit somewhere comfortable, shut your eyes and repeat the sound in your mind. Gradually progress until you can reach the thirty-minute mark.
You can also follow guided meditations which often incorporates a source providing ideas to guide your meditative thoughts. You can start with online DVDs or videos or you could attend a local meditation class.
In this case study, it was found that meditation helped improve depression and pain symptoms: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5368208/

Give these organic methods a try and we are sure you will feel better without the added chemicals in your body.

After doing endless amounts of research, you've finally come to the conclusion that everyone in your household should be eating more kale. We know that kale is nutritious, high in fiber, low in calories, and contains plenty of vitamins. It's exactly what your family needs in their diet, but how do you get your kids to eat kale? They certainly won't hop on board because you tell them how nutritious it is, but there are a couple of ways to get it done.


Let start with the stealthy approach. Smoothies are delicious and can easily accommodate leafy greens, so just add as much kale as you feel necessary. Make sure your kids aren't watching while you make them because they’ll automatically assume that it’s disgusting. You'll need a really awesome blender and a variety of fruits including lots of bananas to sweeten the smoothie and mask the taste of the kale. The more bananas you add, the sweeter the smoothie, and your kids will never know.




If you don’t want to trick your kids into eating kale, you can take the more straightforward approach and make kale chips. All you have to do is spread out your kale on a cookie sheet, add olive oil and seasoning, and bake them until they’re nice and crispy. Garlic salt is usually preferred, but you can use whatever you’d like. Make sure your kids hear how much you love these kale chips and they’ll want to try some for themselves. The delicious crispy snack will keep them coming back for more.


Whether you decide to trick your kids into drinking kale smoothies or offer them a plate of crispy kale chips, you will have accomplished your goal. Your kids will be consuming more kale, and you’ll be satisfied with your healthy choices.

1. How about Coke bottles into candle holders
2. What about an old wine bottle as a rolling pin
3. Store ornaments in egg cartons
4. Make plant markers from ice cream sticks
5. Reuse newspaper as a firestarter.
6. Did you know mason jars can be drinking cups
7. What about plastic bottles to create planters for your houseplants
8. Reuse your plastic vegetable bags as storage and for organization
9. Use toilet paper rolls to decorate and create fancy napkin rings.