Month: April 2021

Ultimate List of Things to do to Support Aboriginal Culture

Here in Australia there is a large amount of people who want to learn and understand more about the native aborigines. A recent study found that 54% of the general community in Australia would like to do more to close the gap between these two communities. A further 71% of people who were surveyed said that they are unsure as to how they can go about doing this. The most obvious option here is to ensure that we are doing all that we can to support the aborigine community, and here are some steps on doing just that.

 

Buying Products

The colors and patterns which the native people use in their artwork is truly spectacular and if you buy some of these items for your home, you will be directly supporting aborigines. At stores like Welcome to Country you’ll find a range of products online which you can buy, and you will be doing a great deal to support the community in the process.

 

Meet Aborigines and Ask Questions

 Aborigines love their cultural heritage and they are more than happy to discuss it. There are only so many books which you can read, but the real stories come from the mouth of the descendants of this fascinating culture. If you know aborigine people or meet them, don’t be afraid of asking more about their culture and way of life.

 

Buy and Listen to Aboriginal Music

 This country has a rich variety of aborigine musicians stretching across a board array of different styles. From rock to hip hop and everything in-between a lot of native musicians like to use their songs to teach more about the aborigine culture. Not only will you be learning through this route, but you can also ensure that you are supporting the culture financially.

 

Visit Ancient Sites and Contribute

 If you check the website for the Aboriginal Land Council you will find a huge array of sites where you can visit that will teach you more about this culture. There are sacred sites all over the country and many of them will have stores and learning centers. Here you will be able to get a better grasp of why these sites are important and also donate some money to the community to keep operations going.

 

Read Aboriginal Newspapers

 There are daily newspapers such as the Koori Mail which is a 100% aboriginal owned and run newspaper. This will give you news and insights on what is happening with the culture and will keep you up to date with what is going in that world. The newspaper can be found both in print and online, and you the proceeds of which go towards keeping the newspaper going and helping them to reach a broader market.

 

This is after all our heritage and it is essential that we all work hard on closing the gap and bringing aborigines back to the forefront of who we are as a nation.

6 Healthy Dips You Can Make at Home for Snacking

Chips and an excellent dip can make any occasion cheery. You can have your favorite dips with less fat and calories, from the rich hummus and zesty pesto to cheesy vegetable bakes and spicy pepper dips.

 

You can dip your snack without having any guilt, courtesy of our list of healthy dips.

Guacamole

Guacamole is a fool-proof, authentic, and healthy dip. It’s creamy, fresh, and boasts only fresh and healthy ingredients!

 

To make some guac, rough chop some avocado before adding finely chopped onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Mix them well together, and you have a fancy Mexican dip.

 

Homemade guacamole makes an ideal party dip since it’s vegan and gluten-free. Just add the tortilla chips or crispy raw veggies for a lighter selection.

Salsa

Salsa is a type of sauce used as flavorings for tacos and other Mexican and Mexican-American snacks. They may be fresh or cooked, although usually served at room temperature.

 

It has Spanish variations, but you’ll commonly see it on Mexican tables. And you’ll know it’s salsa because of the chunky tomato, chili, pico de gallo, and salsa verde.

 

A nutritious salsa is an excellent source of vitamin C. Thus, it can support healthy aging and reduce the risk of heart disease. But to enjoy those benefits, it’s best to serve the salsa raw instead of thawed.

Hummus

Hummus is a famous Middle Eastern dip and spread. It is usually made by combining chickpeas, tahini (ground sesame seeds), lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a food processor.

 

It is tasty, as well as convenient and nutritious. It’s an excellent source of different vitamins and minerals, especially plant-based protein (7.9 grams per serving). No wonder is popular among people who are into the vegetarian diet or vegan lifestyle.

 

In addition, hummus is rich in iron, folate, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is always best served cold and commonly used as a sauce for gyros or souvlaki. Aside from Greek and Turkish cuisines, you can also pair this dip with pita for breakfast.

 

In Iraq, they have a version of Tzatziki called jajeek. It is usually served with alcohol as part of a meze.

 

Health-wise, tzatziki carries only 54 calories per 45-gram serving. It also has 8 grams of carbohydrates and a sufficient amount of sodium.

Pumpkin Dip

Pumpkin dip is a typical family staple in the US from early September through Thanksgiving.

 

Usually served with apple slices, graham crackers, or ginger cookies, the pumpkin dip is considered healthier than caramel dip. Still, you will need vanilla pudding when making this dip, which is packed with sugar.

 

If you want a low-calorie, low fat, and low sugar option, you can use pumpkin puree and yogurt instead. Another option is to use Stevia or something similar instead of sugar.

Spinach Dip

A spinach dip may seem like a healthy, low-calorie choice. However, its ingredients carry a lot of calories.

 

A regular spinach dip is made with cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic, onion, and spinach. As such, it has 114 calories per 2-tablespoon serving.

 

Luckily, you can reduce the calories further by using low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, and cream cheese instead. Mix it with water chestnuts, shallots, and lemon juice, and you’ll only have 54 calories per serving.

 

To add some fiber to your spinach dip, you can mix in pureed cannellini beans, spinach, basil, artichoke hearts, and garlic. A 2-tablespoon serving of this dip only has 50 calories.

Final Thoughts

Dips and spreads make great condiments, snacks, and party food. However, they’re sometimes filled with high-calorie ingredients, salt, sugar, and extra additives.

 

Luckily, you don’t have to rely all the time on store-bought products. All you need is to use whole foods to create your varieties that are just as delicious but much more nutritious.

How to Clean a New Home

Before you can unpack and display your collection of books or diecast cars in your new pad, you owe it to yourself to give it a thorough scrub first. Even if you buy a new-build, construction crews aren’t noted for their janitorial skills, and you have no idea what kind of mess previous occupants left if you buy an older home or rent. You’ll never have such an ideal opportunity again once your belongings are inside, so follow this 5-point checklist for how to clean your new home.

1. Start With a Thorough Inspection

Once you place your couch against it, you can’t see visible water damage to walls, which could spell big trouble for your drywall, insulation, and wiring. If you rent, it’s wise to inspect the property before you sign your lease so that you can address issues like mold with your landlord before signing the dotted line.

 

Once you determine what you need to do, you’ll need to choose whether to hire a professional crew or DIY. While the latter option is less costly, pros pay attention to details like window seals that you might overlook.

2. Work From the Top

The two cardinal rules of life are don’t eat the yellow snow and don’t mop and seal your floor before dusting your ceiling fans. When you start your cleaning, work from the top.

 

Wipe down ceilings and walls — cobwebs can arise seemingly overnight. While you’re at it, consider swapping out any incandescent ceiling fan and overhead lights you see with compact fluorescents or LEDs. You’ll go longer without having to buy new bulbs, and you’ll save both cash and the planet.

3. Get Behind Appliances

Are you a bit phobic about creepy crawlies? Now’s the time to clean and treat behind appliances with boric acid to keep pests like cockroaches at bay.

 

If you bought a pre-owned home or rent, who knows? You might discover a treasure that the last occupant left behind — although it’s more likely that you’ll find nothing but a pile of unmated socks behind the dryer.

4. Organize One Closet at a Time

If you have to move in a jiffy, it’s tempting to throw your things anywhere with the promise that you’ll organize them later. Pro-tip: that approach rarely works.

 

Instead, start with one closet at a time and organize your belongings as you go so that there’s a place for everything. If time is a factor, stack your boxes along a wall and work at the project a little at a time. The cardboard will serve as a perpetual reminder to get to work, whereas out-of-sight often becomes out-of-mind.

5. Finish With the Flooring

Remember discovering all those furniture outlines on your dirty carpet when you moved out? Now’s the time to shampoo before you place your couch — choose a sustainable product if you worry about chemicals in your home.

 

If you plan on refinishing your flooring, you want to do so before move-in, too — unless you enjoy straining your back moving furniture. You could save money if you get lucky. Many homeowners have discovered gorgeous hardwood flooring after ripping up linoleum.

Learn How to Clean a New Home With These Tips

Before you move into your pad, you owe it to yourself to scrub it before move-in. Follow this five-point guide for how to clean your new home.

4 Ways to Take a Technology Break

Living through a pandemic such as the one plaguing the world for the majority of 2020 into 2021, people relied on technology more than ever before. It was not only a safe window into the outside world; it was, in many cases, the only connection to family and friends. And for many people, technology was the only way to make a living while remaining safely inside their own homes.

And while tech is necessary in modern times, it’s important to take technology breaks and get out into nature. It’s essential to get fresh air and sunshine, and you need to give your eyes a break from the constant barrage of screens. So, here are four easy ways to step away from your electronics, even if it’s just for a little while.

Go For a Walk

One simple way for some technology-free time is to take a walk without your phone. That might seem crazy to those born after the invention of the cell phone, but if you have it with you on your walk, it can be too tempting to pay attention to it instead of your surroundings. 

Be sure to let someone know your route before you head out and approximately how long you’ll be gone. To keep track of time, instead of using your phone, strap on one of those antique watches sitting in your jewelry box and put it on your wrist so it can get some wear time.

Then, take some water with you, lace up your shoes, and enjoy a walk in the sun. It might be just the thing you need to rejuvenate your soul and reduce your stress level.

Take a Dive

If you have access to a pool, lake, ocean, or another body of water that allows swimming, take some time to dip in and have a swim. This is a good choice if you have trouble leaving technology behind because being in the water forces you to do so. 

Swimming is a good way to take your eyes off the screen and into the world, it’s good exercise and a powerful stress reliever. Bringing the family along is also a fun way to make memories and splashing around is usually popular with the kids.

Drive a New Way

Before GPS became available to the masses, it was pretty common to get lost on a drive, which wasn’t always bad. Taking a new route can lead to new discoveries and the possibility of seeing sights you wouldn’t otherwise see on your normal drive to wherever you’re going. You don’t have to go to the extreme of getting lost but take an effort to drive a different way to a familiar place and see what you might be missing.

Kitchen Science

Whether you know your way around the kitchen or not, it’s always fun to try a new recipe. But instead of looking one up on your phone or tablet, grab a cookbook, choose a recipe, and get cooking. The recipe’s newness will keep your mind occupied and away from your tech toys for the duration. Plus, you get to enjoy some new food with your family when the cooking is complete, so it’s a win-win.

Look Up and Take Notice

There’s so much technology all around us that it’s easy to get sucked in, stay there, and still never see all there is to see online. But it’s important to step away and get a much-needed break from the constant stream of information in front of your eyes. Making an effort to drink in your surroundings without technology will go a long way toward a balanced life.

5 Tips to Balance Your Macronutrient Intake with Ease

With so many conflicting bits of information you can hear from people and find everywhere around you, it can seem impossible to achieve some kind of balance in your life. It’s as if there’s always some kind of deficiency you’re competing against, or some kind of health issue you’re trying to ward off while retaining your energy levels. Food is our fuel, and although there is so much we have yet to learn, we can easily put our existing knowledge to good use and achieve that elusive idea of balance by focusing on one core concept: macronutrients!

With three main macros to consider, proteins, carbs, and fats, the math doesn’t have to be too complicated. There are so many free online calculators that can help you find that ballpark number to match your activity levels, fitness exertion, caloric needs, and overall health goals. Macros Calculator is the best way to calculate a balanced diet as it is available online and provides quick calculation.

However, the business of actually consuming these macros and balancing them is a little tricky. To help simplify this journey, here are a few tips to help you balance your macros without too much hassle!

Start with optimizing your water intake

Now, even if you do manage to balance your macronutrient intake in terms of food, if you fail to drink enough water, your body won’t be able to absorb all the nutrients properly and your digestion and metabolism will suffer.

That is why water is considered a vital nutrient as much as the three listed macros! Make sure that you drink plenty of water during the day so that you boost nutrient absorption, help your body make the most of your macros, and flush out toxins from your system with ease.

Work around your food sensitivities

Can’t have dairy or gluten? Your macronutrient intake shouldn’t suffer for it. Many people with certain food sensitivities fail to consume enough protein in a day because they replace this macronutrient with, let’s say, more carbs or fat. Fortunately, the pandemic has inspired more healthy meal delivery options to allow people with this particular issue to maintain their diet without jeopardizing their health.

As a result, you can actually have dairy free meals delivered from Mighty Macros USA to your home and not worry about your macros at all. This is a great way to reduce the stress and hassle of meal preparation during the week, so you can combine home-cooked meals with delivered meals to your door.

Include smart and healthy snacking

After all this talk about healthy choices, you might think that you’d need to ditch all your treats – but when you work them into your meal plan, why not treat yourself to the occasional panettone cake slice or something else you love? Snacking can help you stay energized and consume all the macronutrients you need in a more structured way, as long as you work your snacks into your daily macro menu.

The sources of your macros count, too

Although technically processed sugar counts as “carbs” just like a fresh salad, we can all agree that they are far from equal in terms of nutritional value, let alone their viability for boosting your health. For one, sugar is in no way good for you and it’s much more calorie-dense, while veggies and fruits are low in calories, but packed with minerals, vitamins, fiber, and they are a vital source of healthy carbs for your body to use as slowly released fuel.

Applying the same logic will help you discover particular foods that are suitable for your health and fitness goals (to stay within your calorie needs in a day and avoid foods that cause allergies or sensitivities for you).

  • Go for protein-rich meals that consist of complete protein, that is, the ones that contain all nine essential amino acids. That includes meat and dairy if you can consume them, but also eggs and seafood.
  • Choose healthy sources of unsaturated fat mostly (such as avocado, salmon, nuts and seeds), and a moderate amount of saturated fats (meat and dairy). Avoid trans fats altogether!
  • Aim for complex carb sources such as fruits, veggies and cereal in various forms.

Time your meals right

Instead of obsessing over food or trying to postpone the next meal for hours, why not try timing your meals and distributing healthy portions of food throughout the day? It’s much easier on your metabolism and it will sustain your energy levels if you consume healthy meals at regular intervals.

Since you now have a clear goal as to how much of each macro you need to eat every day, instead of overburdening your belly in a single load, you can enjoy even meals with plenty of flavors to keep your productivity and energy up. Plus, it turns out, your fat-burning potential grows this way, too.

 

There’s no need to introduce a whole slew of complicated and time-consuming recipes (unless you enjoy the process, of course!), especially if your goal is to stay healthy and lead a balanced life with less effort. By tweaking your behavior just a little bit and by focusing on macronutrients in your diet, you can reap the rewards sooner rather than later and elevate your energy levels while boosting your immune strength, too.

A final piece of advice for the most dedicated among you: start leading your own journal or use an app to track your eating habits, and you’ll soon notice the difference in how much free time you’ll have, as well as how much easier it becomes to pursue your fitness goals with the right approach!

6 Instagram-Worthy Activities in Key West

Taking a vacation is great but it’s the photos that really highlight the success of your trip. And in today’s media-rich world, your vacation photos can be shared instantly, drive conversations with friends and family, and showcase your talents. Here are some of the best Instagram-worthy destinations in Key West for your next trip to Florida.

 

Charter Fishing at Sea

Whether you’ve been fishing hundreds of times before or this is the first time you’ll ever pick up a rod or reel, going on a chartered fishing trip is fun and exciting, too. It’s one of the top reasons people visit Key West. Trust the team at All In Fishing Charters to ensure your experience is top-notch. What makes Key West stand out as a great location for fishing is its location, right between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, so you might go out for mackerel, grouper, mahi-mahi, and more. Get great action shots and sweeping views of the water, whether you’re doing deep water, reef or wreck fishing. There’s no need to pack extra gear for fishing, the charter boat has everything you need, from rods and reels to tackle and bait. Plus, with the assistance and pointers from the captain and crew, you’ll be fishing like a pro in no time at all. If you should catch something worth keeping, you can even visit Dante’s restaurant for their cook-your-catch dish, served family-style.

 

Touring a Museum

Museums in Key West offer a great opportunity to glimpse the people, places, and experiences that are so distinctive. Some offer guided tours while others allow self-directed experiences. See what it would have been like to be a lighthouse keeper at the Key West Lighthouse Museum and Keeper’s Quarters or work on the USCGC Ingraham. Browse exhibits dedicated to shipwreck science and lost treasures at Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum. Explore the Hemingway family heirlooms at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum and view presidential artifacts at Harry S. Truman’s Little White House. And even though they’re not technically museums, check out the informative and engaging programs offered by the Key West First Legal Rum Distillery and the Rodriguez Cigar Factory, too.

 

Distinctive Dining

Everyone loves foodie photos on Instagram, and Key West does not disappoint. You’ll absolutely want to visit locally-owned restaurants for some of the best foods that area is known for. Start with Eaton Street Seafood Market and Restaurant and select among the lobster roll, fish sandwich or conch fritters, to start with. These dishes are expertly made with only freshly caught local seafood. And with outdoor dining, you can enjoy great weather and ideal natural light for your food photos. For outstanding key lime pie, visit Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe on Elizabeth Street. You can’t miss the eye-catching green and yellow building and the charming koi pond that’s adjacent to it. Pick up pie by the slice or whole; Kermit’s offers a full menu of light fare, too. Don’t miss the eclectic collection of key lime-inspired gifts here, too, such as jams and preserves, candies, and cookies.

 

Visiting a Children’s Animal Farm

Even though it’s got “children’s” in the name, everyone is welcome at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Children’s Animal Farm. Come interact with a wide variety of animals who have been rescued from unsafe homes, and now cared for by those in the custody of the Monroe County Sheriff who receive training in animal care. There’s no admission fee, but the farm has very limited hours, so it’s best to plan ahead for your trip. Get close to familiar farm animals like pigs, cows, horses, and goats as well as unusual new friends you can meet, like a peacock, kinkajou, ostrich, and lemur. You’ll be the envy of your IG followers with cute pictures of yourself with alpacas, rabbits, and other sweet creatures.

 

Walking in Paradise

Maybe it’s not technically paradise but the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden is full of so many beautiful trees and plants that are native to the island, you could be forgiven for thinking this is it. There isn’t another one like it in all of the continental U.S., so you’d definitely want to take lots of photos of flowering trees and shrubs, elegant and sweeping canopies, and the tropical birds that make their home here. Although some parts of the park took some major damage after a series of hurricanes a few years ago, there’s been a nearly full recovery. The spacious picnic area is welcoming so feel free to bring a lunch and spend the full day here.

 

Long after you’ve returned from your trip to Key West, you’ll still have great memories brought to you by the amazing photos you took. By posting them on Instagram, you’ll have a great record of your experiences shared in real-time to reminisce any time you’re feeling wistful about your travels.