Give Dad A Tasty Gift From Gourmet Gift Baskets This Father's Day

Father's Day is rapidly approaching, and it's not too late to have the perfect gift delivered in time for the special men in our lives. For years we have used Gourmet Gift Baskets to send our beloved friends and family delicious treats and snacks as gifts for different occasions. Seriously, I think food gifts are the best thing to receive. Once you know what types of snacks the recipient likes, it's a breeze to pick out the perfect gift.

Most dads would agree that meat and cheese are their favorite food groups. The Gourmet Meat & Cheese Sampler Deluxe is definitely a winner. It comes with 2 types of Summer sausage, 4 different cheeses, 2 boxes of crackers/flatbread, and a jar of sun-dried tomatoes. This makes a perfect evening snack to have while Dad catches up on his favorite TV series on Netflix. 

The Summer sausage paired with any of the cheeses on top of a cracker is SO good! This is a gift that Dad might not be willing to share.

Another fantastic gift is for beer lovers. The Beer Expert Trio is sure to put a smile on Dad's face. It comes packed neatly complete with 3 large cans of beer, and tasty snacks that pair wonderfully. You can tell by the way each gourmet gift basket is packaged that it is done with care. Each package comes with its own card that is attached inside the outer shipping label. This makes gifting even easier since you don't have to worry about sending a card.

Again, crackers topped with Summer sausage and cheese is the ultimate dad snack. It's even better with a cold beer to wash it down. Father's Day weekend is going to be great!

Gourmet Gift Baskets offers so many choices that are sure to please any dad in your life. They have everything from savory bites, wine, beer, sweets of all kinds, fruit, and so much more. There's something for every taste and budget. Some gifts even have FREE shipping. If you sign up for their email list, you will receive 10% off your first purchase. 

We highly recommend Gourmet Gift Baskets as a gift for Father's Day, birthdays, thank yous, get well soon, anniversaries, and even just because! The person receiving it will feel extra special and loved.

Are you a fan of food gifts? 

Healthy Ways Today’s Women Can Deal With Stress

According to the American Psychological Association, women are more likely to experience stress than men and less likely to feel confident in their ability to manage it. Another study published in the Journal of Brain & Behavior found that women are twice as likely than men to suffer from severe anxiety and stress. Dealing with that stress can be very complex, especially when it affects other areas of the body.

Stress that comes as a result of a physical accident can be deeply compounding. For example, if you were to get into a car accident, the stress associated with the healing process and figuring out your financial situation can make the issue worse. According to the Barnes Firm, a team of California injury lawyers, taking action towards getting a fair treatment can help you deal with a stressful situation. It’s not uncommon to suffer from anxiety when you believe you’ve been wronged in an accident. But it works the other way around, too.

Many people fail to realize that stress manifests itself in the body to create physical pain. When you don’t know how to deal with that physical pain, it creates an even more stressful scenario.

Your body reacts to your emotions and too much stress and pressure creates a burden on your overall health. With that in mind, it’s important to start thinking about how you can deal with stress and live a happier and healthier lifestyle. Here are healthy ways that women can deal with stress.

Photo by Oluremi Adebayo from Pexels

Non-addictive Pain Management

As previously mentioned, stress can quickly become pain in the body. Whether you’re an over-pressured athletic woman or a mother suffering from chronic back pain after birth, knowing how to address pain—regardless of the source—is crucial.

Stress is particularly linked to lower back pain, which many women suffer from. If you find yourself struggling with chronic pain, it’s important that you take a non-addictive approach to pain management. With America in the midst of an opioid crisis, the last thing you want is to rely on pain killers that mask root causes of stress and create a physiological dependence. Instead, focus on non-addictive technology like the Energy Cell and alternative options like the solutions listed below.

Meditation

Meditation is a commonly used practice for stress relief and relaxation. It broadens your conscious awareness and helps you to rid your mind of all the busy and hectic thoughts by encouraging inner peace through breathing and balance. With regular practice, you are essentially training your mind to react better to stressful situations, thereby controlling your body’s dreaded “fight or flight” reaction to anxiety.

Despite the fact that there are a myriad of clear benefits of meditation for women, many people struggle to get started. The concept of meditation can be overwhelming, and the desire to “get it right” can create even more stress as you embark on a new mission. However, with just a few minutes per day, you can successfully get better and better. Many mobile meditation apps are designed with beginners in mind. If you prefer in-person instruction, seek out local meditation centers and classes.

Therapy Sessions

Women’s issues can directly correlate to mental health, especially when you consider the historical challenges that have plagued women. Adverse portrayer in the media and society, oppression, and even motherhood are all contributing factors that play a role in mental health. Studies have also shown that women are more likely to develop eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.

Unfortunately, there is a major misconception regarding the benefits of therapy sessions and who therapy works best for. The fact is, almost everyone can benefit from therapy. However, because many people stigmatize therapy as a go-to treatment for those suffering from serious mental illness, it prevents individuals from getting the counseling they need. Although there are many types of therapy, what’s key is that each addresses proper coping mechanisms for handling stress.

For example, cognitive therapy addresses how negative thoughts infiltrate your mind throughout the day and further contribute to stress. It allows you to examine negative patterns of thought and helps you learn to condition your mind to think positively. And perhaps most importantly is that therapy can also help you unearth underlying causes of stress and anxiety that may be preventing you from moving forward in your life.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Regular Exercise

Healthy exercise habits and mental health go hand in hand. Not only does exercise help boost your overall health, but it plays a critical role as a stress reliever. Your level of athletic experience and fitness doesn’t matter; anyone can do a little exercise (don’t overwork yourself and do what’s best for your individual body) and feel better.

It helps to join fitness classes dedicated exclusively to women, or even women-only gyms. These classes or facilities can decrease intimidation you might feel during exercise, and may offer equipment or facilities designed exclusively for the female body. Lastly, it’s a great way to network and meet new, like-minded friends.

What’s most important is consistency. It’s not uncommon to opt out of exercise when you’re stressed, simply because the idea of exercising seems stressful as well. But if you remind yourself that this is merely a preliminary barrier, you can work past this first hurdle with ease. Keep this in mind: you will almost never finish a productive run or workout session and return home regretting the work you put in. If you practice looking towards those feel good emotions you get when you’ve completed a routine, you’ll be able to better prepare yourself to take the first step time and time again.

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Stress Diary

Maintaining a stress journal is a great way to learn to cope and self-analyze. Some studies suggest that routine journaling can strengthen immune cells called T-lymphocytes. As a stress management tool, it has the ability to wonders. When you express your thoughts coherently, you’re able to release pent up feelings and decipher your emotions in a productive way. As you record feelings of stress, you’ll start to notice patterns and consistencies from a high-level overview. You can opt for a traditional journal for logging your stressful moments, or use a stress diary template for guidance.

Top 9 Missed Experiences in Key West

Photo by Hayden Dunsel on Unsplash

If you’re looking for sun, fun, and excitement, Key West, Florida, is the place to be. Located just a few hours south of Miami, you can drive, fly or even boat your way to Key West. Visitors rave about the snorkeling, fishing, and of course, the Key Lime Pie. If you’re ready to book a week-long or weekend getaway, here are 9 excursions that should make it onto your itinerary.

1. Dry Tortugas National Park

This is a gem of the National Park System that sits around 70 miles off the coast of Key West. You’ll need to book a ferry ticket to get there but it’s worth it. The park includes multiple small islands as well as a significant underwater acreage. Snorkeling is a huge draw here, whether you’re new to the sport or highly experienced. Dry Tortugas National Park offers a variety of dive sites, from coral reefs to old shipwrecks, wooden pilings, a moat wall, and more. There’s even a night snorkeling opportunity to see nocturnal sea animals in action.

2. Conch Tour Train

Sometimes you just want to let someone else do the driving, and this is where the Conch Tour Train comes in. This charming hop-on/hop-off shuttle moves among 3 stops along Front Street, Flagler Station, and Truval Village. It’s a great activity for your first day in Key West, where you can scope out lots of shops, galleries, restaurants and bars, and more. The guides provide conversational insight about the people, places, and history that make Key West stand out.

3. Sunset Celebration

Every night’s a party here so gather with others at the waterfront on Duval Street. There are food, drink, and craft vendors, along with musicians and performers. Show up a few hours before the sun goes down to stake out the best spot for sunset viewing. It’s a great activity for families with young kids because it lets the children feel like they’re staying out late even though it’s only early evening, and a wonderful prequel for adults heading out to restaurants and bars for a late meal or drinks afterward. 

4. Latitudes Restaurant

If you want a night on the town, start with dinner at the upscale Latitudes Restaurant. Gorgeous gulf views and luxury decor complement impeccably prepared dishes whether you’re enjoying a romantic dinner for two or a special celebration. The menu features snapper, grouper, lobster tail, and scallops, plus steaks, pasta, and chicken served by a friendly and knowledgeable team dedicated to your satisfaction.

5. Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden

The lush greenery of the trees, flowers, and shrubs found here represent many native Key West plants that are hard to see anywhere else. This botanical garden is the only one like it in the continental United States, and one of the best places for birding in Key West. Planked walking paths allow for easy exploration, and there’s a picnic area so bring your lunch and make a full day of it.

Photo by Mathieu Le Roux on Unsplash

6. Charter Fishing

The waters around Key West are known for grouper, tuna, mackerel, and dozens of other fish; with a charter fishing expedition, your charter boat captain and his team take care of all the details. Any permits, licenses or gear are arranged in advance. You only need to choose a half or full-day tour and pick what kind of fishing you’d like to do. Novice and experienced guests are welcome for wreck, reef, deep water, and flats fishing. Some local restaurants even offer to cook your catch,

7. Easton Street Seafood Market

Enjoying freshly-caught seafood is one of the big draws of visiting Key West, and Easton Street Seafood Market is the best place to do it. The art deco-inspired market may not look big from the outside but inside, there are cases gleaming with fresh fish and shellfish. Make your selection to take home and prepare or choose one of their menu items and sit outdoors to feast right away. Don’t miss the lobster roll and the fried conch strip basket for a true Key West experience.

8. Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters Museum

If you’ve ever wondered what it would have been like to operate a lighthouse, this is your chance. Test yourself and climb all 88 steps to the top of the lighthouse for an authentic view of the sea, and see how the lighthouse keepers -- essential workers in their day -- protected ships along with their crew and cargo with warning lights.

Photo by Thomas Besseling on Unsplash

9. Local Beaches

While Key West may not be known for expansive beaches with miles of sand, it’s city beaches are charming and well worth the visit. Relax under the palm trees at Smathers Beach or if you travel with your dog, visit Higgs Beach, which welcomes beachgoers and their pups. As with most beaches, the earlier in the day you can get there, the better. Beach space fills up fast come afternoon. Beach vendors sell food and drink, and often additional gear like snorkels.

Key West has a world of cultural, historic, and outdoors experiences to enjoy. Building your itinerary in advance helps focus your planning and give you things to look forward to as you prepare for your trip. These experiences in particular showcase the best that Key West has to offer visitors.

What Happens When You Are Injured On The Job And Are Self Employed?

Most people working a regular job have a lot of benefits that are not necessarily available to those that are working for themselves. They have Medicare and social security automatically withheld, and their employer also contributes. This is not the case for self employed people.

Then, there is the matter of getting injured on the job. Many people with traditional jobs are covered either by worker’s compensation or by some kind of disability insurance offered by the employer. Things are usually pretty straightforward when this happens at work for most people.

When you work for yourself you are on your own when it comes to disability, whether you are a physician or a welder. Physicians Thrive can give you more information about disability when you are a doctor.

In this article, I will go over what happens when you are injured on the job and can’t work when you are self employed.

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1. Worker’s Compensation

If you are self employed and have employees, you should have a worker’s compensation insurance policy for them and for yourself. Since you will be paying for it for your employees it makes sense to also have it for yourself in case you are injured.

What if you don’t have employees? If you work for yourself then you have to evaluate if it makes sense to have it. If you work in a home office, then you are not likely to get injured on the job. In this case, you probably won’t see any value in it.

If you work a physical job like a carpenter, welder or any other job that involves any kind of risk for a serious injury, then this is a good idea.

It covers you if you are injured on the job. It isn’t easy to buy private worker’s compensation insurance, however and it may not be cheap if you do find an insurance company that does offer it.

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2. Disability Insurance

Disability insurance is the same as you would have with an employer, if they offer it. The big difference is that you are paying for the entire cost yourself. Usually an employee of a company will only have to pay a portion of it.

This can get expensive, but the good part about paying yourself is that you decide which policy is best rather than have to take whatever the employer would pick for you if you were an employee.

Many times, the insurance is only going to cover a portion of your income and rarely the entire amount of the money lost to an injury. It also depends on how long you will be without work.

3. Health Insurance

In many states you are required to have health insurance including when you are self employed. If you have disability insurance that only covers some of your income and expenses, your health insurance may make up the difference.

Since you have to have it, and you are choosing the policy yourself, make sure to pick the coverage that will pay the most towards an injury from work and the medical expenses related to it.

Further Reading:

Government support for the self-employed  - Department of Labor guidance for self-employed people

JJS Justice - support when claiming after a work-related accident or injury. 

Here are some self-employment statistics.  How many Americans are really self-employed?

What Cases Do Car Accident Attorneys Handle?

When you get behind the wheel of a car, you probably place safety first; however, a car accident tends to happen when people least expect them. There are numerous reasons why a car accident might take place, ranging from intoxication to poor weather and even equipment failure. Regardless of the cause, any accident can lead to serious injuries. When this happens, individuals and families might have trouble making ends meet. In this situation, hiring an Orange County car accident lawyer might be helpful. What types of cases can a car accident attorney handle?

Personal Injury Cases

A car accident lawyer handles a lot of personal injury cases. While many people have health insurance, car accident injuries can still be expensive. Bills can pile up due to deductibles, coinsurance, maximums on policies, and even time missed from work. Furthermore, some insurance policies might not cover physical therapy after leaving the hospital.

This situation is common for people who suffer injuries involving the brain or spinal cord. Sadly, injuries involving the nervous system are often permanent. This could leave people with residual deficits that prevent them from ever returning to work. This could also lead to a lifetime of medical care. A car accident lawyer can help individuals and families by recovering resources that can be used to care for the person for the rest of his or her life.

Negligent Driving Cases

In addition, a car accident attorney can be helpful by working through cases of negligent driving. Sometimes, car accidents are caused by the negligence of someone else. There are numerous examples of negligent driving that could cause a car accident.

One of the most common involves texting and driving. Even though cell phones are a great thing in that they allow us to stay connected to family members and friends while on the go, they should not be used while driving. Texting and driving takes the eyes off the road and the hands off the wheel. This could lead to a major car accident.

Another common form of negligent driving involves alcohol. Nobody should ever drink and drive; however, some people do this anyway. This could lead to a major accident because alcohol impairs someone’s reflexes and judgment while causing them to fall asleep behind the wheel. If an accident is caused by negligent driving, a car accident attorney can hold the driver responsible for the consequences of the accident, which could include serious injuries.

Hire an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Following a Motor Vehicle Accident

These are only a few of the numerous cases that a car accident attorney can handle. While there are many attorneys from which to choose, hiring a car accident lawyer is a major decision. It should not be taken lightly. Therefore, anyone who is involved in a car accident must take the time to evaluate all of their options. Nobody should have to go through this situation alone. Hire an experienced car accident attorney to defend your rights following a serious motor vehicle collision.