I don’t know about you and the place you live, but here in the part of the world where I live the summer is far from being over. After looking at the weather forecasts yesterday, I came to the conclusion that there are still some sunny days ahead of me, a perfect opportunity for some well-deserved rest. And what am I going to do? With a sandy beach just a few miles away, there is no way I am going to stay at home. It’s time to hit the road and show the world how exciting I am about the great outdoors including all those marvelous beaches in my area.

I have been always passionate about sexy swimwear. To be honest, I am not even sure how many swimming costumes I own in my wardrobe. There might be many of them since I don’t even remember all of them here. And only because I cannot recall all of them does not have to mean that I am done with those type of clothes. On the contrary, I am open to all new purchases that can make my days out at the beach so much more exciting.

I am still wearing size 8 (which is in the US size 4 I believe). This means that I am proud of myself and my body. I don’t even remember when was the last time I had any sugar. This makes shopping for clothes so much more enjoyable as I always try to imagine how I am going to look in the clothes I am about to buy. The same principle applies to swimwear. And what colours am I going to go for? Definitely something bright, something that attracts the attention of others on the beach. After all, I want my clothes to stand out and I really want to be proud of what I am wearing.

For those of us not really familiar with how to light up our home, lighting is lighting. You get a couple of lamps and some sconces and you call it a day. This just isn’t true. I mean yes, arranging some lamps and investing in new lighting fixtures in general is a smart choice, but there’s more to it than that.

Houses are being built in a new way now, with consideration being taken in for track and recessed lighting. Combined with our other lighting fixtures, we can turn our space into a swathing interior of light controlled by dimmer switches and from our very own smart phones. The technological world around us is transforming, and it’s about time we transformed with it.

What is Track Lighting?

Most of us are used to flipping a switch or turning on a lamp when we enter a dark room. What we’re not so used to is being able to hide our light sources away or stylizing them in such a way as to where they add character to the architectural design of our home. We can do this with track lighting.

So what exactly is track lighting? Well, in a general sense, track lighting is a lighting system in which lights are connected to tracks that are modifiable. A more detailed definition of track lighting is that it is a number of lights attached to a light-fixture track powered by electrical conductors. Now you’re saying, Okay, so what are some of their benefits, isn’t that what this article is supposed to be about? No worries, I’m getting to it!

Benefit 1: Versatility

With a table or floor lamp you’re not offered much specialty. Yes, they’re transportable and some are adjustable, but it seems that their styles can quickly go out of fashion depending on the space they’re in or when your taste changes. This isn’t the case with track lighting. A well-designed track lighting system gives you the freedom to play with the direction of the lights and the fixture itself is available in different shapes; it’s not just one boring linear line.

Benefit 2: Saves Space

Wall sconces, floor lamps and table lamps take up space on our floors walls and tables. We lose room in our interiors because of this and it makes the space feel cramped and small. Installing track lighting does away with these large and bulky items and gives us our rooms back. Up high and out of sight, you have more room to play and make the space your own.

Benefit 3: Easy Installation

Another bonus of track lighting is you don’t need a contractor or electrician to install it. All you have to do is follow the directions from its packaging and you’re good to go.

Benefit 4: Cost-Effective

Having to fill up your home with an array of lighting fixtures can get expensive fast. Unless you want to fill up your home with cheap plastic lamps that’ll fall apart and make the place look childish, your best option is to go with track lighting. It will provide the general overhead lighting you need and its adjustable light heads gives you the freedom to aim the light where you please.

Benefit 5: Energy Efficient

When you invest in an LED track lighting system, you’re saving both money and energy. Energy Star-rated track lighting systems use 75 percent less energy and last 25 times as long as the typical incandescent light bulb. If by 2027 people make the switch, it’s estimated that we can save as much as $30 billion in electricity! It’s a win-win!

Clearly, going with track lighting is the smart way to go: it’s the way of the future.

Giving hampers as a Christmas gift is a popular choice thanks to the way they can so easily be customised to suit the recipient. There are lots of beautiful pre-filled hampers available, offering either a selection of seasonal products or a themed collection of foodie gifts. If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for though, it’s easy and fun to make your own, and give your friends and loved ones a gift that’s unique and perfect for them.

Getting started: Find a container

Most Christmas hampers that you find in the shops are the traditional wicker variety, like the beautiful ready-made examples you’ll find at British Fine Foods, filled with delicious gourmet delicacies. This site also gives you the opportunity to create your own hamper, with a choice of luxury wicker baskets and the chance to pick a selection of food items from their range.

If you’re building your own hamper at home, you can get really creative. Any container will do: even an old cardboard box will look nice if you decorate it with pretty wrapping paper and ribbons. Or maybe think outside the box – for cooking enthusiasts, fill a wok or large saucepan with a selection of spices and oils; home bakers would love to receive a mixing bowl of new ingredients to try; afternoon tea enthusiasts may enjoy a tray packed with biscuits, preserves and herbal teas.

Decide on a theme

For some recipients, it’s easy to come up with a theme for your hamper gift. Maybe your dad is known for his love of red wine and cheese, or your sister is mad for chocolate of any kind, making it effortless to select some good quality products that tick all the right boxes. If you can’t come up with a theme related to their hobbies or favourite foods, you can always just go for a seasonal selection of festive foods which is sure to be appreciated over Christmas.

Fun hamper ideas to make Christmas gift giving easy this year

If you’re in need of inspiration for your Christmas hampers, we’ve come up with some quirky suggestions to help. Try one of these and put together a truly unique gift you won’t find in the shops!

For travellers: For any recipient who enjoys holidays and exploring the world, you could select traditional foods from some of the countries they’ve visited, such as Belgian chocolate, French cheese, Italian pasta, Scottish haggis. Theme your hamper to just one destination, or make it a ‘world tour’ in luxury food!

For tired parents: Most parents of young children will tell you that a glass of their favourite tipple at the end of a long day is a must! Pair gin, wine, cider or beer with other ‘adult only’ treats like liqueur chocolates, posh popcorn or anything else that the children won’t demand a share of, and give the grownups a present that’s just for them for a change.

For gym goers: If your loved one likes to take care of their health, pack them a hamper full of treats that won’t undo all their hard work at the gym. Take a look round your local health food shop, and select snacks like dried fruits, nuts, detox teas, vegetable crisps and more, for an organic energy boost.

For film lovers: Popcorn is a must, along with their favourite drink (alcoholic or not), and some sweet treats to enjoy alongside a movie. Crisps, sharing bags of chocolates and gourmet popcorn all make good choices, and if you’re feeling generous you could add a DVD or two, or even a voucher for the local cinema.

Homemade hampers are great because they allow you to buy to your budget, while still giving a thoughtful and considerate gift. There are lots more brilliant ideas online, including this great article at Frugal and Thriving, with tips for making your own items to go in the hamper too!

Infographic by Dailysale. Used with permission

Chiropractic care is nowadays much more common than what you may think. You would be helped by a chiropractor that is licensed and that would use a complete hands-on approach in order to manipulate musculoskeletal structure parts with the purpose of relieving pain. Just as with the Le-Vel Thrive reviews that appear on the internet, we are faced with much controversy about the subject, mainly because of the fact that the work of the chiropractor is simply not properly understood. Way too many misconceptions were promoted online and even in TV shows, with characters that were mocking the chiropractors.

Back pain stands out as a leading cause why people develop a sedentary lifestyle instead of managing to enjoy a life that is active. The chiropractor is actually able to help in various cases but how is that actually possible?

For starters the chiropractor will review your complete medical history. This includes much more than simply a visual visit as many belief. The doctor will try to learn everything about you and your conditions, all with the purpose of being able to determine the cause of the back pain. Contrary to popular belief, there are dozens of causes that can be highlighted. In many situations the doctors are simply not going to be able to help since another doctor would need to be contacted.

Back pain treatment includes many different processes like deep tissue massage therapy, exercise recommendations, diet recommendations, spine manipulation and in some cases even vitamin therapy. We normally see the misconception that the specialists simply take the pain away in one session when the truth is that treatments can end up lasting many different sessions. Many of the patients that are faced with chronic back pain need to come back several times until the spine is going to be fixed. Discomfort can only be removed after the cause is treated. This is much easier said than done.

The good news is that no matter what you suffer from, techniques used by chiropractors like deep tissue massage and spine manipulation will offer temporary pain relief. The back will end up hurting again until the condition is fixed but at least there is some sort of relief that becomes available.

What is particularly interesting is that the work of the chiropractor does not actually end when the session is over. The doctor will offer many different recommendations that can be taken into account or not. However, it is a really good idea that you listen to what the chiropractor says. In most cases you are offered diet and exercise recommendations so that you can easily end up managing the back pain yourself.

To sum up, the chiropractor will use so many different techniques in order to be able to treat your back pain. It is not at all difficult to find one that can help since the specialization is much more common than what many think. However, do be sure that you check credentials in order to be sure that you ire someone that can actually be trusted.

When it comes to ‘healthy’ easy recipes, there are a fair few that can be found online but what really constitutes a ‘healthy easy recipe’ and is it really that balanced? If preparing dinner each night has you worried, look at meal time as a balanced approach. There are plenty of easy dinner ideas around on the internet and in various cookbooks but I think the best way to look at a ‘well balanced meal’ is the less processed the food is – the better for our bodies. Which in certain terms means a little of what you like does you good, just make sure it is measured. Try to prepare a weeks’ worth of meals the week before to help save on food costs. Doing this will help you buy bigger/bulk amounts to share and work within a few different recipes and it is easy to utilise ingredients into a meal next day as long as you come prepared. For well-balanced dinner ideas and healthy recipes there are a few sites that are top of my suggestions list, one being Sun Temple, when it comes to healthy easy recipes.

I am so glad that another summer season is in full swing. I cannot wait for all those things I am going to do and all those places I am yet to visit. Something tells me that it is definitely going to be a very special time indeed.

What I like about summers is that this is usually when I tend to lose some weight around this time of year. This can be encouraging as when i want to hit the beach I want to look attractive. Nobody should blame me for the fact that summer fashion is of such an importance to me and that I usually take steps to look and feel amazing. This is simply something I like to aim at and I am usually very successful at it.

This year I will definitely be looking at some nice dresses to be shipped to my address. The summer is far from being over. Even in September I still can go somewhere, somewhere where I would be able to walk on the beach in a summer dress with nothing to worry about. As a matter of fact, September vacations are probably my favorite vacations because the prices are usually lower since not that many people travel this time of year anymore. The sea is still warm and you can still swim in many parts of the continent.

So what am I going to do for the rest of the day? I am definitely going to look at some summer dresses to wear this year. My wardrobe could always use a few more of them and I still have some budget that would allow me to get what I want. Some shorts would come in handy too, but for now I guess I am going to focus on the dresses as I can have never too many of them.