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The Detox Dream: Simple Ways To Look And Feel Fabulous

Have you overdone it over the festive period or are you desperate to stick to a New Year’s resolution and get healthy in 2017? If so, you’ve come to the right place. At this time of year, the word detox tends to get bandied around, as well as look to undo the indulgence of the last few weeks, and get back on an even keel. You don’t have to go into overdrive and eat nothing but juice for the next few months, but it is helpful to treat your body to some much-needed TLC. Here are some simple ways you can embrace detoxing in a healthy way, and ensure you look and feel fabulous in the months ahead.

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Rest

You’ve had a week off, but you probably feel like that you could do with a month-long vacation afterwards. Even if you don’t work over the festive period, it tends to be a busy time, and before you know it, those hotly anticipated days off have been and gone. If you’ve had a hectic few weeks, take time to chill out, and rest. January, with its long, dark nights, is the perfect time to cozy up, enjoy some nights in, and try and catch up on lost sleep. Try and get into an effective sleep routine, which ensures that you get enough sleep every night. If you have children, you probably try your hardest to get them to bed on time, so apply the same level of commitment to your own sleep regime. If you need eight hours every night and you’re up at 6 am or work, aim to head up to bed at 10 pm. Some nights won’t go to plan, but if you get used to a timetable, you should find it much easier to get the sleep you need. 

If you have trouble switching off, do something relaxing before you go to bed. Read a book, do some coloring or run yourself a bubble bath. Anything you find enjoyable that doesn’t require you to concentrate too much should work a treat. 

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Take a break from drinking

The festive season is probably the most heavy duty when it comes to alcohol consumption. Even if you don’t usually drink much, you may find that your intake soars during the holidays. Drinking excessively takes its toll on your liver, and it can also lead to dehydration and sluggishness. If you feel like you’ve partied too hard, or you’ve drunk too much, try and take a break from alcohol. Many people attempt dry January every year. If you don’t want to give up alcohol altogether, this is fine. Just make sure that you take it steady and stick to the recommended weekly intake of 14 units. 

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Cleanse your body and mind

Have you been feeling stressed of late? Have the last few weeks finally caught up with you? Do you feel tired or are you under the weather? If so, why not take steps to cleanse your mind and body? Take some time out to recharge your batteries, and avoid making plans for a couple of weeks. Spend your weekends relaxing, and leave work at the office. 

There are lots of ways you can detox. If you search online, you’ll come up with all kinds of weird and wonderful suggestions. You can try techniques for size, or stick to simple methods that work well for most people. One of the easiest things you can do is cut out sugary, caffeinated drinks and drink water, green tea and lemon-infused hot water. These fluids are natural cleansers, which will clean your body and rid you of toxins without you having to endure awful tastes or grueling diets. If you’re interested in finding out more about the benefits of drinking lemon water, take a look at www.thealternativedaily.com/lemon-remedies/

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Eat the right foods

Have you spent the last few weeks grazing on buffet leftovers or demolishing boxes of chocolates? Most of us indulge at Christmas, and the New Year is the perfect time to get back to your normal eating habits, and try and embrace a healthy diet. Your diet is so important for all aspects of your health, and eating well really doesn’t have to boring. There are loads of great recipes and cookbooks out there, and you can try a whole range of different foods. You don’t have to survive on salads for the next three months. It’s hugely beneficial to include a broad spectrum of fruit and vegetables in your diet. These foods are packed with essential nutrients, and the more you can eat, the better. It’s also advisable to think about the way you cook and prepare food. Grilling, baking, and roasting are better for you than frying. If you are frying food, use coconut or olive oil, rather than sunflower or vegetable oil. If you’re looking for more simple healthy eating tips, it’s worth visiting http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Tips-for-Eating-Healthy_UCM_457979_Article.jsp#.WG4kGPmLTIU

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Get moving

Exercising is a powerful waste disposal method, which enables you to remove toxins and cleanse your body from the inside out. Sweating is designed to cool us down when we get hot, but it’s also a means of removing toxins through the skin. Exercise also boosts circulation and kidney function. The kidneys are your body’s filters, so they play an important role in detoxing. When you hear the word exercise, you may be filled with dread at the thought of even stepping into a gym. The goods news is that you don’t have to lift weights or run for miles on a treadmill to get in shape. There are hundreds of different activities you can try. Join a tennis club or offer to walk your neighbor’s dog every day. Try martial arts or enroll in a trampolining class. As long as your heart’s pumping and your muscles are working, you’re on the right track. 


It’s that time of year when we all feel the need to undo a bit of overindulgence and give detoxing a go. If you’re keen to get in shape, boost your energy levels, and recover from the last few weeks, take these suggestions on board. Hopefully, you’ll be looking and feeling fantastic in no time at all. 
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3 Home Improvements That Up Your Home’s Value and Reduce Your Premium

Your home is your source of shelter, your sanctuary from the world, and a huge source of pride. It’s a no-brainer that you care deeply about protecting it, and look to homeowners insurance to help. If you’re planning on making some updates to your abode, consider home improvements that might also qualify you for insurance discounts. Not only will you be increasing the value of your home, but you’ll likely be making your residence safer. Spending some money up front on smart home improvements can save you money down the line in the form of lowered homeowners insurance premiums.

Jumping into renovations that could lower insurance premiums is a bit like putting the cart before the horse. At the top of the to-do list is finding the best homeowners insurance for your needs in terms of both coverage and cost. Only after you’re sure that your policy is right for your situation should you start to consider aligning your home improvements with factors that reduce your premiums.

Read on to learn more about three valuable home improvements, as well as a few that could end up costing more money in the long run.

Strengthen Your Roof
Asphalt shingles seem to be the default roofing material, but their condition can degrade over time when exposed to inclement weather. According to The Family Man, insurance companies often offer significant discounts—even up to 45 percent—for investment in stronger materials. Don’t assume anything before chatting with your insurance agent, but be sure to ask about materials discounts if you’re planning any renovations. Metal and other heavy-duty roofing materials cost more up front, but could earn you discounts and hold up better over time.

Install or Improve Home Security
It’s never a bad thing to feel like you have eyes in the back of your head when it comes to your house, especially for added security when you’re away. Your insurance company will view your house as more of a risk if it has spotty security and lacks basic safety measures. The Insurance Information Institute suggests that improving your home security systems can potentially decrease your homeowners insurance as follows:

   • Smoke detector, burglar alarm, or deadbolt locks (5 percent)
   • Sprinkler system and fire/burglar alarm that alerts authorities (15-20 percent)

Modernize Heating, Electrical, and Plumbing
Do you use modern appliances in your home? Water heater malfunction is one of the most common causes for filing a water damage claim, and comes with an average cost of $4,400. In a similar vein, half of washing machine-related water damage claims come from faulty water supply hoses. The average cost for these repairs is over $6,000 based on the same set of data from the Insurance Journal. While it can be daunting to envision appraising and updating systems like plumbing, heating, and electrical, it’s important for your safety and for the safety of your home. Since the repairs tend to be costly if something does go awry, it’s beneficial to anticipate and head off these problems ahead of time by keeping your systems updated and well-maintained.

There is one bright spot. As the National Association of Insurance Commissioners points out, optimizing these systems to be disaster-proof can potentially earn you a discount on your future premiums. Before you embark on any modifications, talk to your insurance provider.

Conditions That Could Set You Back
Just like streamlining your home can knock money off your insurance premium, certain factors can increase it. Risk associated with pets and swimming pools could bump up your premium, so it’s worthwhile investigating before you decide to adopt a large dog or put in a pool. Where you live also influences your rates, including living in a place known for having conditions that produce natural disasters.

Your best bet is checking in with your homeowners insurance company if you’re planning on making any changes to your home as they could affect your rates one way or another.

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New Year's Giveaway $100 Amazon or PayPal Cash

Happy New Year! Are you ready to start 2017 off the right way? Of course you are! Enter the latest giveaway to win the perfect prize to kick off the new year. Details below...


How to enter: There are four groups of five Instagram accounts. Each group is worth 5 entries. Follow all 20 accounts for 20 entries. If you’re already a follower, claim that entry!
This giveaway starts January 2 at midnight EST and ends January 15 at 11:59 PM EST. USA, 18+.

One winner will be randomly selected from all qualifying entries and contacted via the email they provide. The email will come from joannegreco at gmail. The winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The prize is $100 in Paypal or Amazon online gift card.
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Make Your Grocery Shopping Simple With #ClickList From Kroger

If you conducted a survey of 100 moms and asked them if they like grocery shopping, I'm sure 90 out of 100 would say no. Although I'd fall into the 10% category, I certainly can understand why many people don't want to do it.
  • If you have to take kids with you, it can be a challenge to get done quickly. 
  • You have very limited time to look around.
  • You avoid crowds like the plague.
  • Overbuying. It's easy to grab impulse items when they are staring you in the face.
Well, the Kroger Family of stores has changed the game completely to make you enjoy your grocery shopping experience. Their new ClickList shopping option is made for busy people like you. All you need is a Kroger account and either your computer or tablet to order your groceries with ClickList. We have a brand new Kroger Marketplace close to my home that offers grocery pick-up. I simply logged into my Kroger account and my most regularly purchased items popped up first. This made it easy to add those items first.


When I glanced over to my right, I saw my order appear and was able to track how much I was spending. Makes me laugh at myself when I think about how I try to make tally marks on the edges of my grocery list when in the actual store to track my spending. I also noticed that my service fee was waived, possibly because this was the first time I used ClickList. The site says that they offer more than 40,000 items and they weren't lying! I found every single thing I was looking for and then some.

I had to take into consideration when I added things like meat and produce that the weight is not going to be exact. I was impressed that when I typed in Roma tomatoes, the page pulled up all products in that category. Whether it's fresh, frozen, canned or boxed, it will appear on the screen. Once my list was completely done, I proceeded to finalize my order by adding my desired pick-up time. I soon after received a confirmation email with my estimated total. My store is currently offering same-day pick-up as long as they get a minimum of 4 hours notice. Not bad to me, because I would have expected to need to order 24 hours in advance.

When it came time to pick up my order, I drove through the Kroger parking lot over to the loading area for ClickList customers. The sign instructed you to call the number listed. My call was answered very quickly and I was told it would be about 5 minutes for someone to come out to my car.

I waited maybe 2 minutes and just like that, the attendant came out with a cart and stood beside my driver window. She was extremely courteous and explained my order to me. She notified that I did not need to have my Kroger card scanned because it was already attached to my account when I used ClickList. She also advised me that a couple items I had on my list had to be substituted because they were out of stock. For instance, I ordered one dozen Eggland's Best brown cage-free eggs for $3.99 that they were out of, and it was substituted with the Organic Eggland's Best brown eggs that were $5.39 and honored the price of the original eggs I ordered. The same happened with my Simply Lemonade in the large size on sale for $3.00. They were sold out and gave me two of the regular sized ones ($2.39 each) at no extra cost. I was very pleased to know that they do this.


Next step was paying for my order (they only accept credit or debit cards) and then getting my items loaded. It's as easy as swipe and sign. I offered to help the attendant, but she insisted that this is part of the service and I didn't even have to get out of my car. It was also mentioned via email that tipping is not necessary. I have to say, even if I paid the $4.95 service fee, it would have totally been worth it! The service was outstanding and the overall experience was user-friendly and seamless.


When I unloaded my groceries at home, I was pleased with the obvious attention that went into packing my items carefully. All cold items, frozen, and produce were grouped together and none of the bags were over-packed. All of my items were fresh and of the highest quality that I expect from Kroger. I was pleased that I did not overspend from the temptation of impulse items. I always spend an extra $20-$40 every time I shop! I never thought the day would come that I would be ordering my groceries online. I think I annoyed my husband for days after about how much I loved the service. This is totally the way to go when I have to make a large grocery order. The future has arrived, and I am totally here for it.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kroger. The opinions and text are all mine.

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7 Ways to Have a Happy "No-Screen" Holiday with Your Family


For the modern family, it's not unusual for family members to spend a majority of time physically together, although staring at their phone, tablet, computer or TV screen — the "parallel play" of technology. This holiday season is an opportunity to overhaul your family's technological habits and truly enjoy family time together. The following no-screen family activities can pull your family away from their gadgets, and instead create special memories and happy moments this holiday season.

Indoor Snowball Fight
A blanket of fresh-fallen snow creates a magical winter wonderland for building a snowman or snuggling up inside with hot cocoa near the fireplace. Are you without snow but looking to get into the spirit of the season? Create your own gentle blizzard indoors by crafting glittery paper snowflakes to string and hang. Spread artificial fake snow along the floors and start a snowball fight with indoor stuffed snowballs — like right out of "A Christmas Story."

Family Cookie Car
Spread holiday cheer to those in need, starting right in your kitchen. Baking with your kids is a sweet holiday tradition that creates memories for a lifetime. And Christmas cookies are a heartwarming way to give back. Your family can bake cookies and turn your car into a mobile cookie delivery vehicle for delivering gift-wrapped cookies to the community with joy.

Name That Christmas Carol
Put a fun "Name That Tune" twist on Christmas caroling and sing holiday tunes as a family. Split into two teams in which one caroler from one team hums a Christmas carol. The first person between both teams who correctly guesses the song earns a point for their team.

Holidays for Heroes
Check out your local Red Cross office to see how your family can participate in the Red Cross Holidays for Heroes program. This program encourages Americans to "Give Something That Means Something" during this holiday season. Participating in a variety of activities can help recognize and thank military members, veterans and their families.

Polar Express Adventure Night
"All aboard!" Bring the classic storybook to life at home with a "Polar Express" party for your kids and their friends. Ask all guests to wear their pajamas and hand them a golden ticket once they arrive. Then you (or another adult) can play conductor and invite the kids to hop aboard the (imaginary) Polar Express. As the movie soundtrack plays, hand out hot hot! hot! hot chocolate and cookies. During the train ride, read the story aloud and give the kids each a Santa's sleigh bell ornament as a party favor.

Holiday Journaling
This time of year is full of joy, happiness and love — which is why this special season is a great opportunity for your family to start a holiday journal. Throughout the month of December, set aside a few days a week for journaling based on a themed prompt such as:

  • What does gratitude mean to you?
  • What are you thankful for?
  • What's your favorite holiday tradition and memory?
  • What would you do if you were "Home Alone" on Christmas?
  • If you were one of Santa's elves, what would a typical workday be like for you?


DIY Ugly Sweater Holiday Party
The ugly sweater party has moved from holiday trend into annual tradition. Host a kid-friendly party for young family friends centered around creating your own ugly sweater using materials like festive felt cutouts, jingle bells, garland and gift wrapping bows. For food, drink and dessert, go potluck style. Then unleash your Christmas creativity and get silly while munching on bites and sweet treats.

Need more holiday fun inspiration?

  • Go on a festive doggy outing. Get your pup's photo with Santa and go shopping for stocking stuffers.
  • Teach the lesson of giving and benevolence by helping your kids donate brand-new and old toys.
  • Make holiday treats for your child's classroom and teacher


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