YNERGY TIMES FEB | 2019

AUTHOR: STEFAN

CONTRIBUTOR: MARKETING

Original article from https://www.homedit.com/diy-valentines-day-decor-ideas/

It’s the season and love and there’s no better way to embody that than to sprinkle and bit of Cupid’s style around the house. Below we’ve gifted you all with 50 Valentine’s Day decor DIYs that you can whip up in an afternoon. Some pinks, reds, and a lot of hearts are needed to showcase the festivity and fun of this warming and romantic holiday. Scroll through the fun below!

5 0 V A L E N T I N E ’ S D A Y D E C O R D I Y ’ S T O

DISPLAY IN YOUR HOME

7 SIMPLE PERSONAL FINANCE TIPS

MANTLESCAPE

FLORAL HEARTS

LATED PAINTED MASON JARS

FLORAL VASE WALL HANGING

WASHI TAPE HEARTS

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Here’s a Valentine’s Day Mantel that we’re loving. The entire setup is sweet and perfectly festive to ring in Cupid’s bigest day. Some rustic charm and blushing tones, it’s an easy look to recreate at home.

We’re seriously swooning for these Floral Hearts on the wall. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, of course, but these are pretty enough to keep around all year long if you’d like.

Finally, learn how to create these Latex Painted Mason Jars for Valentine’s Day! Use them to decorate or serve as the holder for your DIY gifts for family and friends.

This DIY Floral Vase Wall Hanging is quite unique and gorgeous. It would be a lovely backdrop for a Valentine’s Day event or party. You could also create something larger or smaller depending on your needs.

Grab some of that tape you have in the craft room and turn them into Washi Tape Hearts. This is so simple, so easy-to-follow, and easy to clean up when the season turns.

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Recipe of the Month:Minnie Apple Rose Pies

1 perfectly flaky pie crust

6 Honeycrisp applesm thinly sliced

1/4th cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

5 tablespoons seedless rapsberry jam

1 to 2 small drops red food coloring (optional)

INGREDIENTS:

PREPARATION:

Chill a mini muffin tin while preparing the dough. Prepare the pie dough as instructed. Once ready, roll out on a lightly floured surface; using a 3-inch cookie cutter, punch out rounds. Remove muffin tin from refrigerator. Gently press rounds into each well. Transfer pie crust-lined muffin tin back to refrigerator to prepare filling.

Core the apples. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut the apples into half-moon shapes 1/16-inch thin. Place in a large bowl, add the lemon juice, and toss to coat. Place the brown sugar, jam, and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and cook until ingredients are melted and combined. Remove from the heat and add food coloring if using. Pour the mixture the over apples slices and toss to combine. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to allow apples to become pliable. If apples are still not pliable, quickly microwave in 15-second bursts until apples are pliable. Strain apples slices and discard liquid.

To form roses, arrange about 8 apple slices in a straight row, with each slice overlapping one another to create a 12-inch line. Starting with one end, gently roll apples. Transfer rolled apples into a pie crust. Repeat rolling apples until all pie crusts are filled. Refrigerate. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F.

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Original recipe from https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-mini-apple-rose-pies-228238?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Category%2FChannel%3A+Main

CONTRIBUTOR: MARKETING

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M I N I P I E S

AUTHOR: NAOMI ROBINSON

Bake until the crust is golden and apples have cooked, about 30 minutes. If apples start to brown faster than pie crust, lightly place aluminum foil on top.

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MANTLESCAPE

FLORAL HEARTS

LATED PAINTED MASON JARS

FLORAL VASE WALL HANGING

WASHI TAPE HEARTS

Want to join or organize a playgroup for your dog? Take these tips and tactics into consideration before setting your fi rst date.

It used to be that exercising the dog entailed little more than snapping on his leash and going for a stroll around the block. More recently, dog parks have sprung up as a way to exercise dog while giving them some time to socialize with other canines and people. The latest way to fulfi ll our canines’ needs for physical activity and socialization? Doggy play dates!

A doggy play date is just what it sounds like — a period when a few pooches are regularly brought together to enjoy each other’s company within a controlled setting. Doggy playgroups usually involve a small number of dogs and their owners,

who meet at an agreed time and place. Play dates ensure optimal physical health through established play and exercise, while giving the dogs a regular opportunity to socialize.

Forming a doggy playgroup may sound as simple as fi nding a group of like-minded folks with dogs, but there are some things to keep in mind. Before creating a playgroup, or arranging play dates with an existing group, read over the following tips and suggestions for a positive experience.

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Does your dog interact with unfamiliar dogs in a friendly and confi dent way? If he’s more of a loner who doesn’t get on that well with other pooches, a playgroup may not be for him.

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A playgroup can consist of a small group of friends, neighbors or family members who also have dogs. If you don’t want to start your own group, and would rather join an existing one, check at your vet’s offi ce, grooming salon or pet supply store to see if they have any contacts.

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An informal doggy playgroup shouldn’t include more than a few dogs. It could range from just two to around half a dozen dogs.

CONTRIBUTOR: MARKETINGhttps://animalwellnessmagazine.com/doggy-play-dates/

AUTHOR: NADIA ALI AND ANN BRIGHTMAN

9 T I P S F O R S A F E A N D S U C C E S S F U L

DOGGY PLAY DATES

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While play dates may take part in someone’s backyard after the dogs have become firm friends, it’s best to meet in a neutral spot, such as a park, when starting out. Either way, choose a safe setting away from traffic, and one that’s ideally fenced in.

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Consider your dog’s play style. Not all dogs enjoy rough-housing, for example, so it’s important that the dogs in the group enjoy similar types of activity. “Play dates are a great outing for the modern dog, but they benefit from some forethought,” says Laura VanArendonk Baugh, CPDT-KA KPACTP. “Dogs’ play styles can differ dramatically and a dog who prefers to chase, for example, may feel bullied or threatened if paired with a dog who prefers to wrestle.”

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Also consider your dog’s breed (or breed

mix) and size. Different breeds have different play styles and levels of stamina, so it’s important that there are at least one or two dogs in the group who can play safely with your own canine, whether he’s a Dachshund or a Great Pyrenees.

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Further to the above point, you may be able to find a breed-specific doggy playgroup, depending on where you live. One doggy parent says he takes his Yorkie to meetups with fellow Yorkies, so socialization takes place between the same breed and size of dog; because the owners of the dogs are familiar with the behavior of the breed, they are able to identify unwanted conduct.

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Be sure your dog is well-trained, and will obey your commands in a group situation. “I feel a solid, positively-trained recall is essential for these meetings, so

you can quickly call your dog back from any potentially uncomfortable encounter without adding to a stressful situation,” says Linda.

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Always supervise the dogs during a play date. Watching your pooch play is as important as the play itself, as it could prevent an aggressive situation from occurring. Know that harmless canine play has a different look to fighting “play”. The American Kennel Club (AKC) states that if the dog has a closed mouth, is emitting a low-toned growl, exhibits flat ears and a stiff body with quick movements, as opposed to bouncy and playful, the chances are that play time is over and a fight may ensure. Recall your dog to defuse the situation.

Full article on https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/intermittent-fasting-boosts-metabolism-according-to-new-studyCONTRIBUTOR: MARKETING

AUTHOR: GRETCHEN LIDICKER, MBG HEALTH EDITOR

I F Y O U D O T H I S O N E T H I N G T O B O O S T Y O U R M E TA B O L I S M

THIS SHOULD BE IT

We hear all the time that one of our top health priorities should be optimizing metabolism through specific types of exercise and other strategies like intermittent fasting. But what does that really mean? Many people assume that it’s all about weight loss, but while our

metabolic health does affect our ability to maintain a healthy weight, it’s about way more than that.

In fact, the official definition of metabolism is “the chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to

maintain life.” Pretty broad, right? This means that burning fuel for energy, utilizing the nutrients we eat to support important bodily functions, and even creating DNA technically fall under the umbrella of “metabolism.”

Full article on https://www.rachaelrayshow.com/articles/8-tips-from-a-personal-fi nance-expert-to-save-5000-in-a-year

CONTRIBUTOR: MARKETING

AUTHOR: TRACY SOREN

8 T I P S F R O M A P E R S O N A L F I N A N C E E X P E R T T O

SAVE $5,000 IN A YEAR

We LOVE when personal fi nance expert Lauren Greutman visits, because she’s always fi nding ways to save us (and you!) money. This time, she’s back with 8 tips to save you a whopping $5k!

1. LOWER YOUR GAS & ELECTRICAL BILL

Save $250 a year by doing one simple thing: buy a Wi-Fi thermostat, like a Nest one, she suggests.

“Most electric companies will give you a rebate if you buy [a Wi-Fi enabled thermostat] for up to $ 75 or maybe even $100,” Lauren says. Do this and you can

save 15% off your bill!

2. COMPARE CAR INSURANCE RATES

If you’ve never shopped around for car insurance, you’re not alone! According to Lauren, 75% of people typically fi nd quotes from the one or two most advertised companies and don’t take

There are a lot of ways to boost our metabolism in the traditional sense—including HIIT workouts, consuming specifi c metabolism-boosting foods, and drinking a ton of water—but one of the most exciting, by far, is intermittent fasting. Study after study has shown that IF is an eff ective way to lose weight and boost metabolism, and now new research published in the latest issue of Scientifi c Reports shows that IF is a good way to boost metabolism in the broad sense of the word, too.

In this study, a group of scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) and Kyoto University identifi ed a series of metabolic markers that typically decrease with age. Then they discovered that

fasting increases these markers, which has the potential to protect our health in a bunch of ways. The specifi cs of this study get pretty complex, but essentially, when we deprive ourselves of food for a certain period of time, metabolites like butyrates—which have anti-infl ammatory properties—are released as well as chemicals like purine and pyrimidine, which are important for gene expression and protein synthesis.The results of the study also showed that fasting boosted the body’s production of antioxidants, which are molecules that prevent age-related diseases and decline. This last fi nd was an interesting one since we’ve long known that fasting can promote longevity but have yet to identify all the reasons why. The production of antioxidants that occurs in the body

during fasting could be one explanation.

As the fi rst author of the study, Dr. Takayuki Teruya, explained, “These are very important metabolites for maintenance of muscle and antioxidant activity, respectively,” said Teruya. “This result suggests the possibility of a rejuvenating eff ect by fasting, which was not known until now.”So what’s the take-home? Fasting can defi nitely help us lose weight and maintain healthy muscles, but it also aff ects the more intricate metabolic processes going on in our body right now, especially the ones that promote long-term health and longevity. We don’t know about you, but this sounds like a great excuse to read and reread our beginner’s guide to intermittent fasting.

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action when their prices rise.“Most people don’t know that you really should be shopping around for car insurance every 3 to 5 years,” Lauren says.

Our guru recommends Zebra, an online car insurance search engine the compares over 200 providers in 60 seconds or less. By making this change, you could save over $1k a year, she says!

3. BREAKOUT THE CROCKPOT

“One problem is that when people make a resolution to exercise more, often they’re doing that for the potential long-term benefits of exercise” such as losing weight or looking better, Alderman said.But it’s debatable whether exercise alone can do that without accompanying changes in diet.

According to Lauren, takeout can average $40 per night. That adds up!

Easy fix? Make your own slow cooker meals right at home! Pre-make the meal, place it in a baggie, stick it in the freezer and throw it in the slow cooker before work or right when you get back. Just by training yourself to cook just as much as

Rach does, you can hold onto more than $500 a year.

Need some good recipes? We’ve got you covered!

4. GET DISCOUNTS ON PRICEY PRESCRIPTIONS

Shelling out too much on prescription drugs because your insurance doesn’t cover them? Lauren suggests you request a card from GoodRX, which can help you find discounted prices on medications and potentially bank over $300 a year.

5. SAVE AND CHILL

While we all love to binge and chill, cable bills can be a huge expense!

“Instead of paying $100 per month on cable, sign up for Sling TV and pay only $25 a month,” Lauren suggests. Sling TV is an app that allows you to watch all the same channels and live TV. Guess it’s time to break out the popcorn!

6. REFINANCE YOUR STUDENT LOAN DEBT

Many people are carrying large student

loan debt, so Lauren recommends using Credible.com to tackle it. Just plug in your information and the site will help you refinance, she says. Apparently, this could net a savings of $500 a year or more.

7. WORK OUT AT HOME

Love to workout but hate the monthly gym fee? Lauren has the FREE app for you!

Freeletics is an app that gives you a personalized workout, prompts and encouragement. And if you live in a tight space, no biggie! Freeletics has a “2x2 mode” which specializes in workouts in 2 x 2 meters of space. If you cut your gym membership (on the lower end, they typically cost about $100/year), you can pocket around $1200 a year!.

8. TRIM UNUSED SUBSCRIPTIONS

Shelling out too much on prescription drugs because your insurance doesn’t cover them? Lauren suggests you request a card from GoodRX, which can help you find discounted prices on medications and potentially bank over $300 a year.