Flea and Anxiety Prevention Dog Treats

Posted on June 16, 2020 by Krissyar

We have been slowly working on becoming a toxic free household; now that I’m getting the hang of things with my family, I have started to look at ways to detoxify my pets life as well. The biggest 2 I have been working on is food (which I will have some post coming about homemade doggie food!) and flea meds. So I did some research and found some great info on natural solutions – like did you know both brewers yeast and coconut oil work to keep your pup protected from fleas??

Brewers yeast is known to support good digestive health and aid in controlling diarrhea. It’s also rich in antioxidants which can help make your dog’s skin healthier and shiner! Not only does it help repel fleas, but it does help your dog if they suffer from itchy,dry skin.

100% natural, human-grade coconut oil acts as an effective flea and tick repellent due to the lauric acid in the oil, it can repel and kill flea and ticks on contact. It also helps moisturize their skin and kills yeast, so it has many benefits!

 

On top of flea prevention, I have looked into anxiety as well; my little pup gets super anxious very easily, especially around loud noises – and 4th of July is just around the corner (and Ohio now allows full blown firework shows from your own backyard, ANNDD no time restrictions, so..) I have been using essential oils myself for a few months now, and have had great benefits from their use. Lavender essential oil is known for its calming effects, and can be given internally, or used for aromatherapy. Not only is is great for anxiety but it has a lot of other great benefits as well – it can help sooth irritated skin, and prevent infections. It has antibacterial, antiseptic, and antimicrobial properties. Reduces inflammation in joints and wounds, fights germs and promotes healing, takes the sting out of bites and burns, and yes lavender also helps ward off fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and other bugs!

Another great oil for your pup is frankincense essential oil. Studies show that frankincense reduces inflammation and pain, strengthens the immune system, ease gastrointestinal discomfort, and works as an anti-depressant and has a calming effect – so its not only great for you, but for your dog as well.

So with all this great info, we were able to concoct a great treat that is overall great for our pups health. We know dogs can safely inhale and ingest lavender and frankincense, but you should make sure to start them on low doses to gauge their reaction – also please be sure to use pure essential oils only, like Doterra. (some other brands are not safe to ingest, and you need to use caution when buying other brands). With this recipe you can start off with 1 drop of each oil, and work your way up to 3 each for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup & 2 tbsp of 100% pure organic coconut oil
1/2 cup Brewer’s yeast
silicone paw (or bone) pans
Lavender Essential Oil
Frankincense Essential Oil
OPTIONAL: you can also use chicken or beef granulated bouillon for flavor
*(I switch mine up so that she doesn’t get sick of the same flavor. You can make them without it for a sweeter coconut flavor, or add the bouillon for a meatier flavor – a small spoonful should suffice)
Condiment bottle (for easier transfer into your silicone pans, its less messy that way)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine melted coconut, brewers yeast,essential oils and (optional) bouillon for approx 20 seconds, or until smooth

Pour blended mixture into condiment bottle, tighten lid and shake

Fill silicone pans (should do approx 2 or 2 1/2 pans , depending on size)

Chill or freeze until solid

Remove from pan and store in air tight container in refrigerator or freezer (can store up to 6 months)

With the small paw print pan, you give you dog 1 per 10 lbs every day. (so for example, a 3o lb dog will get 3 of these treats, OR if you use a bigger paw print you can use 1). If your dog is super small (under 10 lbs) give 1/2 treat, OR a full treat every other day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Equipping Your Children to Become Better Students

Posted on June 16, 2020 by Krissyar

Getting a good education is essential. Without decent grades, it will be far harder for your child to find an interesting job that pays well. Most parents realize this so do their best to support their children and equip them to do well at school, college, and university. Below, we share some of the best ways to do this.

Provide them with the right tools

There are numerous tools out there that can be used to make it easier for your children to study and produce good results. If you can afford to do so, provide them with their own PCs or laptops and load them up with the best software. Be sure to include a word processor, spreadsheet, grammar software, and access to a plagiarism checker like the one you can find here.

It is also worth investing in good virus and malware software. The last thing you want is for your child to suddenly find themselves without a laptop or PC to work on because their one has been hacked.

Encourage your children to plan out their work 

It is also a good idea to include some sort of planning or task manager package. The older they are the more important it is that they stay organized. 

You could opt for something simple like Google Calendar. Or introduce your children to a more sophisticated tool like Trello. Take a look at some of their education templates to see if you can find some that your children could potentially use.

When they are young, you can set things up so that you have access to their planner. This will enable you to periodically double-check that they are staying on track.

Create a study schedule they can stick to

In addition, once a week, sit down with each child and quickly go over their schedule. Encourage them to plan out large projects far enough ahead. This will also make it easier for you to plan family activities to avoid times when your children are under a lot of additional pressure. At the same time, you will be teaching your child how to maintain a good work-life balance. It is important that your child learns not to over commit and schedules time for relaxation as well as work.

Provide a distraction-free place to work

Do your best to provide each child with a quiet place to work. It could be a desk in their bedroom or under the stairs or just a comfortable chair with a table and lamp that has been set up in the corner of a room.

Don´t worry if you cannot do it all

As you can see there are lots of ways to equip your children to become better students, and what we have talked about here is just the tip of the iceberg. So, if time constraints, a lack of money or academic ability mean you cannot do all of them do not worry. Just focus on what you can do and do those things well.

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How to Save Money During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Krissyar

It’s safe to say that the coronavirus pandemic has turned life as we know it upside down. Whether we’re working from home or working on the front line, supporting loved ones and vulnerable neighbors all while keeping a safe distance. Face masks, gloves, queues into supermarkets and having the children away from school. 

At this stage, it’s difficult to say when things may go back to some kind of normality. However, despite our fear of catching the virus and the fact that normal life is topsy turvy, some things remain constant. Like paying our bills on time, paying our mortgages and trying to save as much money as we can. This website has information that can help you if you’re looking for a mortgage holiday extension. 

Saving money has never been more important. Especially if you’ve been furloughed or you’re currently waiting to hear when you can return to work. So, with this in mind, I’ve gathered some simple ways you can save money during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Check out what you’re saving on

If you’re not taking the kids to school, if you’re not commuting to work, or you’re shopping at cheaper supermarkets for convenience, or you’re staying in rather than eating out and having drinks with friends, then you may already be saving a bundle. Whether it’s on fuel, food, car maintenance or just spending more time at home, chances are you’ve saved some money since the outbreak started. Go through your budget and see where your spending has been reduced.

Do a smarter shop

As mentioned above you may already be saving money on groceries. But, you could go further. Always make a meal plan that is easy to stick to, so you’re shopping for specific items rather than throwing in anything you fancy. Opt for food and meals that freeze well or have long shelf lives. And before you shop, make sure you check your cupboards before you buy unnecessary duplicates! 

Resist the urge to takeaway

Some of your favorite takeaways might have resumed their delivery services, which is great, but not so great for your bank balance. Try not to undo all your hard saving by getting back into the takeaway habit! 

Cancel those subscriptions 

Discovered that you prefer working out at home? Cancel that gym membership for good. Finding more time to read than listen to your favorite books? Cancel your Audible subscription. Streaming services, magazines, food subscription boxes are all recurring expenses that you probably don’t need! Go through your account and get rid of them!

Sell those unwanted items

Old clothes, furniture, even your car! If you’re not using it, or you’ve realized that you can live without it, sell those items on for a profit! 

Have you saved any money during the pandemic? 

 

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How to Prevent Common Health Problems

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Krissyar

A person’s health and wellness is determined by many factors –– only some of which can be influenced by smart decision making. Indeed, the harsh reality is that many common health issues have nothing to do with behavior, but are instead connected to genetics or environmental factors. However, that doesn’t mean health-conscious individuals can’t take positive steps to protect their well-being. Rather, just the opposite is true. Here, we’ll share four beneficial tips that will help you live a healthier life free from common health concerns: 

Get Educated

The first step to becoming a healthier person is learning more about fitness and wellness best practices. It’s imperative for health-conscious individuals to understand how to diet and exercise in a responsible manner. What’s more, they should speak with their doctor about their family history and seek to identify any conditions they may be predisposed to develop in particular. Finally, it’s also a wise idea to stay up to date on the latest medical news. It’s possible that a person with a back injury could learn about a viable spinal fusion alternative just by reading the right medical journal. The takeaway: never stop learning about health and medicine. 

Take Consistent Action

Building a sensible diet and exercise routine is essential to long-term health. Unfortunately, in order to reap the benefits of a good fitness plan, individuals need to stick to it for months or years at a time. Prioritizing your health for a month or two every year isn’t going to help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, or prevent certain diseases. If you want to be a healthy person, you need to make a commitment to consistent action. 

Schedule Preventative Measures

If you feel sick, then you should go to the doctor. And if you don’t feel sick, you can stay home. Simple enough, right? Well, the truth is that you should still seek out medical advice on a semi-regular basis, even if you feel “fine.” Check-ups and preventive screenings allow doctors the opportunity to find and treat potentially asymptomatic conditions before they manifest in a detrimental way. For example, some STDs can lay dormant for months or years at a time. So get tested for any infections you could conceivably contract. 

Relax

Stress, anxiety, and mental anguish can take a physical toll on even the healthiest individuals. That’s one reason why relaxation is a key aspect of protecting overall health. Indeed, getting enough sleep and knowing how to unwind after difficult days will improve your mental health, while potentially boosting your immune system at the same time. There’s no need to irrationally worry about every health problem you may encounter. Just do what you can to be a healthy person and let everything else go. You’ll be better off if you do. 

Posted in Fitness/Health | Leave a comment

Keto Dirty Rice

Posted on May 20, 2020 by Krissyar

One of my favorite Asian favorites has always been rice – Though I’m able to order some of my favorites from our local Chinese restaurant, (they are great about leaving sauces off, or making it special) I always miss my rice! So this Keto Dirty Rice has been a LIFE CHANGER for me; it definitely helps with my cravings, and with the meat added it can be an entire meal!

The Keto Dirty Rice is also really good leftover as well. You can even freeze it if you want to! I will also sometimes make this without the meat, and then make my Keto Asian Chicken to go with it (absolutely delicious, and that recipe is coming soon!) or even with the copy cat Chick-fil-A chicken (thats super delish!)

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

  • 3 tbsp bacon grease or olive oil 
  • 1 pound ground turkey or your ground meat of choice
  • 4 ribs celery diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced bell 
  • ½ of a small diced onion
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¾ tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp oregano – dried
  • ¼ tsp  thyme- dried 
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1½ tsp salt  – divided
  • 1 tsp garlic powder – divided
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup water or chicken stock for added flavor
  • 12 oz frozen cauliflower rice
  • Sliced Green Onions

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Using a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon grease or oil and the ground meat.  Season with 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and ½ tsp. garlic powder.

  2. After the meat is browned, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery and bell pepper. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the veggies are tender and the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and the next four ingredients and cook for about another minute.

  3. Add the frozen cauliflower rice, chicken stock or water and season with the remaining ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. garlic powder. Combine thoroughly and use the liquid to loosen and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower rice is soft and there is no extra liquid left in the pan. Garnish with sliced green onion and serve!

Keto Dirty Rice

Print Recipe
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp bacon grease OR olive oil
  • 1 lb ground turkey or meat of your choice
  • 4 ribs celery diced
  • 1 whole diced red pepper
  • 1/2 small diced onion
  • 3 gloves garlic minced
  • 3/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp oregano dried
  • 1/4 tsp thyme dried
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt divided
  • 1 tsp garlic powder divided
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup water or chicken stock
  • 12 oz frozen cauliflower rice
  • sliced green onions whatever you desire

Method
 

  1. Using a heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon grease or oil and the ground meat.  Season with 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and ½ tsp. garlic powder.
  2. After the meat is browned, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, celery and bell pepper. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the veggies are tender and the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and the next four ingredients and cook for about another minute.
  3. Add the frozen cauliflower rice, chicken stock or water and season with the remaining ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. garlic powder. Combine thoroughly and use the liquid to loosen and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the cauliflower rice is soft and there is no extra liquid left in the pan. Garnish with sliced green onion and serve!

Posted in Keto Recipes, Recipes | Leave a comment