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Buying Gifts
I hate buying gifts, I really do. That is not because I am stingy or uncaring but I hate the fact that your whole relationship with someone can be determined by what you buy for them on a specific occasion, or what they mean to you is reflected in the gift. Someone said “Gift giving is an opportunity to express our feelings for someone we care for.” Yes… sure… but if I’ve had a busy week that does not mean I care about that person any less. Just about anything can be a gift, but shopping for gifts is very different from shopping for yourself. Have you ever had the…
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Your child hates having their hair combed?
Young children tend to dislike having their hair combed or groomed, mostly due to their sensitive scalp. First of all, I would say try using a softer brush. Some children (and adults) simply can’t stand the pulling and tugging of the hair. With a sensitive scalp, the top layer – the scalp’s protective barrier – is more permeable from external factors which might irritate the skin. As a result, it is not able to fulfil its protective function properly. Factors such as heat, cold or chemicals can penetrate through the barrier and deep into the skin. The scalp reacts with inflammation, reddening and irritation, and feels tense. Skin can vary…
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Taking Care of Your Combination Skin
Keeping combination skin looking its best can be a real challenge. Knowing the characteristics and needs of your skin will help you treat, protect and keep it healthy. Cleanse to strike a balance between hydrating and oil control: use a gentle beauty bar for your face and hands and a moisturizing or nourishing body wash for your body.Exfoliate 2-3 times weekly, focusing on T-zone area (forehead, nose, chin) with a gentle scrub.Mask each week, apply a deep cleansing mask to the T-zone and a hydrating mask to the cheeks, neck and jaw line.An alcohol-free toner will hydrate the skin – apply twice daily.Moisturize using a lotion or emulsion during the…
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Spicing Up Baby’s Diet
f you’ve ever tasted jarred baby food, you probably discovered that it wasn’t very tantalizing to the taste buds. That’s because store-bought baby food generally has little, or no, added spices and seasonings, and much of the flavour is lost in the processing. So the question is at what age can onions, garlic, a tiny bit of chilli be added to their diet? What are the risks of adding these ingredients too soon? Considering that baby’s senses are generally quite keen, their taste buds are no exception. What seems disappointingly bland to us is sensationally flavourful for young, discovering palates. Breastfed babies may have a head start on the adventure,…
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Genital Candidiasis – Vaginal Yeast Infection
Candidiasis, also known as a “yeast infection”, is a common fungal infection that occurs when there is overgrowth of the fungus called Candida. Candida is always present in the body in small amounts. However, when an imbalance occurs, such as when the normal acidity of the vagina changes or when hormonal balance changes, Candida can multiply. When that happens, symptoms of candidiasis appear. Women with yeast infections usually experience genital itching or burning, with or without a vaginal discharge. The symptoms of yeast infections are similar to those of many other genital infections. Making a diagnosis usually requires laboratory testing of a genital swab taken from the affected area by…
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Guests
I’ve just sat down after 4 hours of stress and tension, but with a feeling of deep satisfaction. No, it wasn’t a deadline completed at the last minute or annihilating my partner in an argument or anything like that. It was, believe it or not… guests. Guests? What could possibly be wrong with having friends or family over for some tea and biscuits and a nice chit-chat, you may wonder? Well, when I got married a few months ago I had no idea that, as a newly wed couple, our life would consequently be taken over by people who want to come over to congratulate us. Now the stressing was…
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Spinach Soup
It’s getting colder with the fall season in full swing. We’re posting another soup recipe this week to help you all warm up. We give you the delicious soft spinach soup ! Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter 1 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes ½ kilo spinach, thoroughly washed 2/3 cup light cream or milk salt and freshly ground black pepper grated nutmeg Instructions Heat the oil or butter in a large saucepan, then put in the onion, garlic, and potato; stir, cover, and cook gently for 5-10 minutes, until soft. Add the spinach, stir and…
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The Evil of Screen Time?
The trend these days seems to be to blame screen time for everything: crime, aggression, less social interaction, less intellectual ability, terrorism, moral deconstruction, etc. This is definitely an exaggeration but since it is one of children’s favorite pass-time it’s important to understand the effects of these devices. There is one distinction that first needs to be made. People often talk about screens too generally but it is meaningful to find out first whether the children are watching programs designed for them or for you, their parents. If you watch TV all day, don’t expect your children to grow up as bookworms. Children can also learn from TV and screens…
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Asthma & Exercice
Have you got Asthma? Do you want to play sports but find it difficult? Well here is a list of asthma friendly sports. But first let’s examine what asthma is. What Is Asthma? Asthma is a chronic lung condition. It is characterized by difficulty in breathing. People with asthma have extra sensitive or hyper-responsive airways. The airways react by narrowing or obstructing when they become irritated. This makes it difficult for the air to move in and out. This narrowing or obstruction can cause one or a combination of the following symptoms: wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Common triggers which cause tightening of the airways include everyday…
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The Stonecutter
“People take things for granted”. We’ve all heard that expression; we’ve eaten it, chewed it and digested it. “We never appreciate what we’ve got till we’ve lost it”. While most of us feel we are strong enough to overcome this, we still fall into the trap more often than we should. We all strive for more… more money, more love, more intimacy, more luxury, more everything. The 21st century has spoilt us and has made us believe that everything is possible and everything is within reach. I believe that it can be, but while we’re out there looking for bigger and better things, we often forget what we’ve got. Being…
