Check out the Hot Logic Mini XP, which has a built-in food storage compartment in addition to the fantastic food heating technology of the original Hot Logic Mini!
All you need is an electrical outlet (you can even use a car inverter and heat up meals while you drive). This is FANTASTIC for work, travel, trade shows, photo shoots, etc.
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I went to a favorite local restaurant (Hugo’s Restaurant in Valley Village) earlier this month for brunch and was stunned by what I saw on the payment tablet and on my receipt. Things had already gone wonky because I had ordered a sparkling wine split ($12), but a server brought a carafe of orange juice for a mimosa. I had not ordered a mimosa ($15), so I did not touch the orange juice. The server also brought my friend orange juice for a mimosa, but she had ordered a hibiscus. So we had to contact our main server and ask for the correct type of juice.
Of course the restaurant charged me the 3 extra dollars for the mimosa I didn’t order, so I told the server that the charge needed to be adjusted. Nowhere on the bill did it say anything about any hidden surcharges. Then the server returned with the tablet so she could run my card. The three choices on the tablet screen for tip were 20%, 22%, and 25%. The highlighted, default tip amount was 22%. That already upset me.
Don’t get me wrong, I consistently tip at least 20%, but I didn’t like how tricky and presumptive the restaurant was. Most restaurants have suggested tip percentages of 15%, 18% and 20%. For them to have 22% as the default is sneaky and wrong. In fact, because I was upset about that, I left 20%, not 22% and certainly not 25%, on principle.
Then I got my printed receipt and noticed that the restaurant had charged a 3% surcharge for back of room staff. This was added to the total amount which meant that the tip I left was reflective of the entire bill which included that 3% surcharge. On the bottom of the receipt I saw a note that a patron can have the 3% surcharge removed by letting the restaurant know, but I had ALREADY BEEN CHARGED. I doubt anyone actually complains and gets that surcharge removed. Another greedy win for the restaurant.
Lastly, the receipt had suggested ADDITIONAL tip amounts of 2% to 7%.
I’m not sure I want to frequent this restaurant in the future now.
Photo by Pixabay
Check out this wonderful and informative article by Camille Johnson of Bereaver.com.
When we get older, maintaining a healthy weight can be a struggle. Our metabolism slows down, and it becomes more difficult to get enough exercise. Still, it’s important to maintain a healthy weight. Critical aspects of your overall wellness, including your blood pressure, cholesterol, and risk for diabetes can be affected, so staying a healthy weight can help you live longer. These tips courtesy of StaceyNaito.com will help you achieve your target for good health.
One of the most important ways of losing or maintaining weight is exercise. Start slowly by walking around the block, learning tai chi, or trying a water aerobics class. If you’ve not been particularly active recently, talk to your doctor about finding a safe way to start an exercise routine. An occupational or physical therapist can help you determine your abilities, especially if you’ve suffered an illness or injury in the past. These resources are great starting points for seniors who want to adopt an exercise routine.
Be mindful of what you eat each day, in terms of ingredients and calorie count. Stick to whole foods as much as possible, and read food labels for processed products you buy. Avoid fatty meats, instead opting for fish, lean chicken, pork, or beef cuts. Protein is especially important for your diet, because it helps build up the calcium in your bones, so be sure you’re getting enough. Having some protein with every meal and snack will keep you fuller for longer, which prevents you from overindulging on empty calories.
It’s important to stay hydrated no matter your age or fitness level, but as a senior citizen, you probably aren’t getting as much water as you need, especially if you’re active. Keeping a bottle of water with you can help you remember to sip throughout the day, and you can also add more water-dense foods to your diet to keep your bones, muscles, joints, and skin healthy.
Remember that your body is the only one you have, and you have to take care of it at every age. The more love you show your body by feeding and hydrating it well, and exercising, the more chances you’ll have for a longer, more comfortable life.
Dr. Stacey Naito of StaceyNaito.com offers customized meal plans, exercise regimens, and natural hormone balance to people who don’t want to compete but just want to lose weight, gain weight, or get toned. Contact Dr. Naito today to learn more!
Image via Pexels
By Karen Weeks
When you commit and devote the time to care for yourself, your body feels better. You radiate health and energy and can operate at your peak physical performance level. But all those self-care activities also benefit your mind. Here is a look at how healthy living boosts your mental health, presented to you below by Dr. Stacey Naito’s Blog.
Eat Nutritious Food
A focus on healthy eating gives your body the nutrients and calories needed to thrive. Fill your plate with colorful fruit and vegetables and add a small portion of lean protein, such as salmon, chicken, sirloin, eggs, or turkey. Also, focus on consuming whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and low-fat dairy products. Eating these foods keeps your blood sugar steady to prevent mood swings.
Don’t forget your snacks! When the afternoon slump kicks in, choose a smoothie, fruit, or a handful of nuts instead of a bag of chips or a sugary soda. Then your hunger will be taken care of, and you’ll also get a burst of energy to help you mentally focus for the rest of the afternoon.
Do Exercise You Enjoy
Exercise doesn’t have to feel like work when you do an activity you love. Besides keeping your body in shape, research has shown exercise reduces anxiety, alleviates depression, and improves your sense of well-being and self-esteem. Do whatever activity you enjoy, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling, jogging, or dancing.
Create a Healthy Home Environment
Is your home a relaxing place that you enjoy being in, or does your family argue, complain and make overly critical comments about the house? The fix may be more straightforward than you think. A dirty and cluttered home is unpleasant to look at and impacts your mental health by limiting your ability to focus, increasing your stress levels, and can cause conflict in relationships. Declutter and clean your house to transform your home into a vibrant and fresh space. Open up the windows to let some fresh air in as well. You’ll be surprised what a difference a clean and tidy home makes for you and your family.
If you have items that you want to keep but you simply don’t have room to store in your house, look for storage options outside the home. Storage units are affordable ways to securely stash items (big or small) until you decide what, exactly, you want to do with them. Use websites designed to help you with finding self storage in Los Angeles. With over 130 different storage options in LA, chances are you can find something near your home.
Seek Counseling
If you’re experiencing issues with anxiety or depression, a mental health counselor can help you feel better. The therapist can help you create healthy and productive coping mechanisms and tools to help you manage your emotions.
Don’t let your packed schedule or dread of an office visit turn you off from seeking the help you need. A great and popular new alternative is online therapy. Various telehealth online platforms are available, offering a variety of licensed therapists for you to connect with for assistance. You may even be able to secure a same-day appointment. In addition, telehealth therapists accept most insurance plans, keep out-of-pocket costs manageable, and offer more affordable co-pays than an in-office counselor.
Take a Trip
Traveling to a new destination takes you out of your routine and immerses you in new sights and experiences. A pleasure trip can reduce your stress and lift your spirits. It can also heal your job burnout caused by working too many hours for a lengthy period. For the ultimate in self-care travel, book a wellness retreat in a location you’ve always wanted to visit.
You probably already noticed how your self-care activities keep you physically healthy. Take steps to declutter your home (and store away anything you want to keep), start exercising, and book a relaxing self-care trip. Now you know the mental health benefits you gain as well.
Image via Pexels
Karen Weeks does it again with another excellent article, this time tackling the subject of saving money while staying on track with healthy foods. Please be sure to check her out at Elderwellness.net
It’s important to think about how we can manage our spending and save money on healthy food and lifestyle as well. There are many ways we can cut down on the cost of eating healthy, from switching to a more affordable brand of canned food to making more nutritious meals at home.
There’s no question that eating at home is a more affordable option than eating out. The convenience of being able to prepare and store a large portion of your food at home is one big benefit.
You’re also likely to find a cheaper price on ingredients. You’ll also have more control over what you’re eating. Not only can you choose exactly what you want to eat, but you can also control portion sizes and food quality.
Many people think of meal planning as a way to save money. It is, but it’s also a lifestyle change that helps you save money on healthy food and lifestyle. Meal planning is a great way to cut down on the cost of healthy food.
Planning your meals in advance is a great way to reduce the cost of healthy food. It allows you to make certain meals at a certain time of the week that cost less. Planning in advance also helps you create healthy habits by making healthy eating a routine.
Health insurance premiums have risen significantly over the last decade. As people become more aware of the value of a healthy lifestyle, they are looking for ways to improve their health and lower their premiums.
Healthy lifestyle habits, including eating a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity, can make a huge difference in your health. By leading a healthy lifestyle, you can help reduce your chances of developing health conditions, such as heart disease and cancer.
Healthy lifestyle habits can help you lower your healthcare costs and take advantage of employee wellness programs. Some companies offer wellness programs that encourage employees to adopt healthy habits, such as eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.
Healthy lifestyle habits can help you lower your healthcare costs and take advantage of employee wellness programs. In addition to the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, you can also monetize your healthy lifestyle.
Healthy lifestyle habits can help you monetize your healthy lifestyle. Many people are interested in healthy lifestyle blogs. This is especially true of younger people who are looking for ways to improve their health.
If you have decided to start a health blog, you can monetize it quickly and easily. All you have to do is create a free WordPress website, add a blog feed, and start blogging. You can also monetize your health blog with an affiliate program.
Healthy lifestyle habits can help you monetize your healthy lifestyle and take advantage of employee wellness programs. If you are interested in starting a business that sells sports gear, healthy lifestyle habits can help you monetize your healthy lifestyle and make a profit.
In starting your own business, be sure to use a logo maker to create an attractive and attention-grabbing branded logo for your products. Creating an eye-catching logo for your brand is simple if you take advantage of a free logo design tool. The right tool offers great templates that you can then customize to make sure it beautifully represents your brand.
If you have any tendency to hit the bread basket at dinner, or you have a penchant for plates of regular pasta or sweet treats like cookies, you are consuming white foods which can have a deleterious impact on your health. Some white foods are actually quite healthy for the most part, such as eggs, cauliflower, onions and turnips. However, white foods which are highly processed and refined wreak havoc on our bodies, and should be eliminated from our diets. Not only do they adversely affect digestion, they cause spikes in blood sugar, diminish the collagen and elastin in our skin, and lead to heart and kidney disease.
Not sure what constitutes the white foods I am referring to? Here’s a list:
Enriched White Flour
White Rice
White Pasta
White Bread
Crackers
Table Sugar
Refined Salt
One of the reasons why the flour which is used in processed foods is usually enriched is because fiber, vitamins and minerals are stripped during the refining process of the grain. In addition, processed grains and table sugar are absorbed very rapidly, causing a sharp increase in insulin release with a corresponding crash, resulting in hunger pangs and cravings, not to mention adversely affecting one’s health over the course of time. In case you didn’t know, the average carbonated soda has 10 to 12 teaspoons of table sugar. According to the American Heart Association, an average of 22 teaspoons of sugar is consumed daily by the average American. Sugar in any form provides very few nutrients, and that is why it is described as providing “empty” calories.
Another white food which could be added to the do-not-eat list is dairy. The dairy industry often uses hormones and antibiotics in raising the cows, which then can cause weight gain, hormonal imbalance, inflammation, allergies and digestive issues in humans. I have seen a fair number of patients who dealt with chronic pain and inflammation which abated once they eliminated dairy products from their diets.
I honestly believe that everyone should examine all foods which are currently in the pantry or elsewhere in the kitchen, disposing of any processed foods. Once this purge is completed, it is critical to read nutrition labels when shopping at the grocery store and to avoid purchasing foods which have ingredients on the above list. I discovered that I have a severe intolerance to barley and I also have a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Because of this, I have cut gluten out of my diet, which means that I avoid bread, crackers, and pasta which are made with wheat flour or any other glutinous grain. However, this doesn’t mean that gluten free bread products are the answer either, especially because they are also processed foods. I only consume gluten free pastas, breads or cookies a few times per year, and I truly have cravings for healthy foods. For example, when I want a crunchy snack, I opt for a bowl of raw veggies like radishes (my favorite), cucumber, and fresh raw mushrooms, while others might reach for a bag of potato chips. My palate is so conditioned to like clean foods that I actually crave things like radishes, arugula, and lean cuts of turkey and seafood.
If you stick to fresh vegetables, lean meat, and incorporate healthy fats like avocado into your regimen, the fresh flavors will hopefully break you out of your refined food habits and lead you to healthy eating habits.
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Please check out my YouTube review of Restore Formula by Pure Beautanics!
In this video I review BN Labs Vegan Protein, which is a very clean, all natural plant-based protein powder. My review is unbiased, and I was only given sample packets to try for the purposes of reviewing the product. This video was shot about 3-1/2 years ago, but I still love this protein!
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