TRAVEL BLOG

There is something to be said about the healing power of prayer. For thousands of years, since the dawn of civilization in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, mankind has had the ability and opportunity to communicate with God. Over time, that dependence has dwindled; however, that change is not due to the movement of God away from man, but from man’s movement away from God. Man has increased in stature in his own mind, and God has lessened in importance. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and most all ancient cultures believed in multiple deities, and prayed to all of them. There were hundreds of gods, and each one had a defined purpose—for the weather, for crops, for fertility, and for any and all kinds of everyday needs. It wasn’t until the Hebrews through Abraham brought back the concept of a monotheistic religion that people started considering that you could get by with talking to only one God. One of the most desired components of a religious life is prayer. People pray about ...

Hospitals have trauma centers that often double as emergency rooms for critical health and medical needs. Medical staff, including doctors and nurses as well as other critical care personnel, are typically on call 24/7 during their shifts and see all types of major life threatening and urgent healthcare issues. Individuals who use these can often be simply someone who does not have insurance and needs medical attention for any variety of ailments. As well, emergency rooms experience visits by fully insured individuals who may have had a serious accident, injury, or medical need. Emergency rooms are known for life saving treatment. According to this website: http://www.howstuffworks.com/emergency-room.htm , a visit to the emergency room can be a stressful, scary event. Why is it so scary? First of all, there is the fear of not knowing what is wrong with you. There is the fear of having to visit an unfamiliar place filled with people you have never met. Also, you may have to undergo tes...

One of the most difficult health care issues to diagnose early is an aneurysm. They can be deadly if not caught in time, and often are fatal if they occur in certain circumstances. It is not clear exactly what causes aneurysms, according to the National Institutes for Health (NIH). Some aneurysms are present at birth (congenital). Defects in some of the parts of the artery wall may be responsible. Common locations for aneurysms include: • The major artery from the heart (the aorta) • The brain (cerebral aneurysm) • In the leg behind the knee popliteal artery aneurysm) • Intestine (mesenteric artery aneurysm) • An artery in the spleen (splenic artery aneurysm) High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cigarette smoking may raise your risk of certain types of aneurysms. High blood pressure is thought to play a role in abdominal aortic aneurysms. Atherosclerotic disease (cholesterol buildup in arteries) may also lead to the formation of some aneurysms. Pregnancy is often linked to the fo...

How is your financial wellness? Are you living paycheck to paycheck as most Americans, or have you been fortunate as a steward of your resources to stash some cash for the rainy days? Do you have enough stored away for a few raindrops, or are you prepared like Noah to last through the flood and until the waters recede? That would be a very long time, and require a good portfolio of financial stability. The evidence is piling up: Chronic stress is linked to chronic medical issues. More than 200 medical research studies have documented the connection between stress and costly mental and physical diseases, according to Lynn Gresham, former senior editor of Employee Benefit News. The growing awareness of the link between high stress and poor health is prompting employers to take a more holistic approach to employee wellness, addressing workers’ financial health as well as physical health. This is because a primary cause of employee stress is concern about personal finances. Ms. Gresham wri...

Age is JUST A NUMBER As I near forty nine I think not about my age or how I look but blown away by how fast time has gone.   I can remember my parents being fifty and never imagined I would be in the exact same spot…HERE IT IS…weird!   As I get older and wiser, I really appreciate the GIFT of time, and soak in every moment.   In a blink, sixty will be here and I do not want to miss a thing!   Now let me back this up a bit as I do care about how I look, and most importantly how I FEEL.   YES, age is just a number in my book, and it surely does not mean I throw in the towel and subscribe to some sort of category that stands for unhealthy and frumpy…nope…that is just not me.   Life is about quality and keeping my body functioning in a healthy way, feeling the BEST that I can each day, and that involves CONSISTENT healthy food intake, exercise, plenty of water, and I have noticed…lots more REST is required.   There are some days that I feel every bit fort...

During the warmer months of the year, the popular activity with many people is to go swimming. In addition to being a fun way to relax, you can get lots of exercise and great physical stamina from participating in this great water sport. But sometimes, you can experience problems with a common infection in the ear, especially during the summer, called Swimmer’s Ear—an inflammation, irritation, or infection of the outer ear and ear canal. The medical term for swimmer's ear is otitis externa. Occurring commonly in the outer ear canal, which runs from your eardrum to the outside of your head, swimmer’s ear is often brought on by water that remains in your ear after swimming, creating a moist environment that aids bacterial growth, according to the Mayo Clinic. Putting fingers, cotton swabs or other objects in your ears also can lead to swimmer's ear by damaging the thin layer of skin lining your ear canal. Swimmer's ear symptoms are usually mild at first, but they may get wors...

Wow, so many things are happening for me at once!! Firstly, I'm going to have Dashiel finally come into my life on Sunday the 31th of March 2013. 31/3/13, nice birthday huh? That's in 2 days' time. But today I'm not gonna be talking about babies (I bet some of you are so sick of that topic), today I've got something everyone has been bugging me for MONTHS about... FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY, my house tour!! I'm so overwhelmed with feelings about this I've got to write a huge chunk about renovations first. If you are impatient, just scroll down the words and go right to the photos. I'm kidding. YOU STAY AND READ WHAT I HAVE TO SAY YO IT IS VERY HEARTFELT AND ALL. So. Before I got pregnant and the burgeoning belly took over all priorities, my house and the ensuing renovations took over my life. I WAS OBSESSED. I would spend hours browsing home decor magazines and websites. So many talks with my interior designer Wayne about ideas and what can or cannot be ...