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21 Ways to Save Money To Never Forget

June 25, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Trying to save money can be a difficult task. Being strapped for cash can make things difficult, and the thought of setting aside some cash for an emergency might bring apprehension.

In order to aid you in your money saving endeavors, we’ve brought together some of the top money saving tips we could muster. Follow these great money saving tips and even with the smallest of incomes, you’ll find your bank account start to look better and better each week!

For some of the best money saving tips you won’t ever wont to forget, continue reading:

21 Ways to Save Money To Never Forget

1. Check Competing Grocers To Get The Best Deals

Keep a close eye on how much you are spending on common items when you are out grocery shopping and then check at competing stores at a later date to ensure you are paying the smallest amount. You’ll be surprised to find that often times similar items are offered at a fraction of the cost at different stores.

2. Pack Your Own Lunch

Instead of dining out for lunch every day, bring your own lunch to work or school. Eating out for lunch every day really racks up in just a little amount of time. When you cook and bring your own lunch to work every day, you’ll find you end better at money saving As an additional benefit, you’ll likely begin to eat healthier foods as well.

3. Be Your Own Repair Man

Plenty of resources are available to you with instruction on how to complete a variety of repairs all by yourself! The next time something breaks, consider researching online to see if it is a task that you are capable of completing. Not only will you end up better at money saving, but it is especially satisfying to know that you can fix something if it breaks.

4. Opt For Store Brand Or Generics

Consider purchasing a store brand or generic merchandise over the name brand for your everyday use items. A lot of the time, these are much cheaper and are of similar quality to that of the much more expensive name brand items.

5. Keep Up On Your Auto’s Air Filter Maintenance

If you aren’t already cleaning and replacing your own auto’s air filter yourself, consider learning how and starting now! For just a small fee, you can increase the mileage and efficiency of your car by meaningful amounts, which can net you some decent money saving over the course of a year!

6. Don’t Throw Out Your Leftovers

If you’ve already made the decision to cook your meals at home, that’s great! Don’t waste your leftovers, though. Leftover food gives you the opportunity to eat for cheap the next day, and with little extra effort on your part! Whether you eat them as is, or transform them into a new dish completely, using your leftovers is a great opportunity to save some dough.

7. Skim Your Local Weekly Fliers

Each week, most grocers send out fliers with their most up to date sales and deals. If you aren’t reading these over before setting out to shop for your week’s food, consider starting now! Knowing what’s on sale ahead of time makes it easy to plan your grocery list around what’s cheapest and will enable you to save some extra money, whether through the use of the best money making apps 2022 or other odd jobs.

8. Cook Your Own Meals

If you are like a lot of people nowadays and find yourself eating out more than not, consider making the change to home-cooked meals! Preparing and eating your own food is a great way to save a lot of money and will likely enable you to eat much healthier. Cooking at home can also be therapeutic and is something everyone should make the time for!

9. Gift Homemade Items

If you have a birthday or holiday coming up and will be needing to provide gifts, consider crafting them yourself this year! Gifting handmade or crafted items is a great way to show you really care, and in the process, can be a great money saving opportunity! Taking the time to craft a gift yourself is a way to add a real personal touch to the gifts you hand out.

10. Double Up On Your Casseroles

If you find yourself preparing casseroles regularly, consider doubling or even tripling the recipe next time! For little extra effort on your part, you’ll have lots of extra prepared food that you can freeze in order to make for quick and convenient meals at a later date! Doing this also allows you to shop in bulk which makes for even more money savings!

11. Empty Out Your Closets

Take a look through your closets and consider getting rid of any items that you don’t use or wear any longer. But don’t just throw it in the garbage. Try selling your old stuff on eBay or Craigslist, or consider a garage sale in order to get some money back.

12. Stay Away From Fast Food And Convenience Foods While Travelling

If you travel a lot, it’s likely you get a lot of your meals from fast food establishments or convenience stores. This ends up costing a lot of money in little time, though. So consider shopping ahead of time and providing yourself with some healthy alternatives such as nuts, trail mix, or jerky.

13. Stop Smoking Now

If you still smoke, stop it right away! Not only is it terrible for your health, but it is a huge money sink. If you smoke, then quitting is likely one of the single largest improvements you can make to your health, and also your bottom line!

14. Opt For Water

If you’re spending lots of money on sweet sodas or other beverages, consider making the switch to cheap and healthy water! Drinking water offers your body numerous health benefits, while also saving you lots of dough in the process. Another benefit of this is that when you maintaining adequate hydration, you are much less likely to overeat, which is another great way of saving money!

15. Switch Out Old Light Bulbs For More Energy Efficient Options

If your lamps and light fixtures are currently fitted with older, energy hog light bulbs, consider switching them out for LED or CFL light bulbs instead. These newer technology light bulbs are much more energy efficient, and as your electricity use goes down, your cash savings will go up!

16. Shop Around For Better Banking Establishments

If you are currently paying a yearly or even monthly fee for the use of a bank, simply for them to hold onto your money, think about looking around for cheaper alternatives. Banking is extremely competitive and you’ll be surprised to find that there are many great banks out there that won’t charge you a thing!

17. Get Rid Of Your Old Collections

If you fancied yourself a collector at one time, consider ridding yourself of the burden of these unnecessary items. If you are no longer passionate or interested in the collection in question, then why hold on to it? Despite what you may think, most collections do not ever appreciate in value, and they end up just costing you in mental energy, and if you’re paying to store them, real money as well. If you’re lucky, you may even find someone who’s interested in purchasing your old collections off of you, so you’re able to regain some of the losses you may have incurred.

18. Be Your Own Tailor

If you are the type of person that throws away clothes at the earliest signs of wear, consider being more frugal and making repairs to your clothing in order to hold onto them longer! A small rip or tear is a surprisingly cheap and easy repair to make, and it is a real shame to get rid of an article of clothing that you love when with just a little time, you can bring it back to near brand new condition! Tailoring or clothing repair is easy to learn and can even develop into a very interesting hobby if you fancy it to be.

19. Close Out Unused Club Memberships

If you are a member of a country club, gym, or another club that requires a monthly or yearly fee, and you aren’t utilizing its benefits to the fullest, consider canceling. If you aren’t taking advantage of all that these clubs and services have to offer, they’re just a money sink, and you’re better off canceling the membership and utilizing the money saved elsewhere. If you decide later on that you actually do want to use these club’s services, you can always sign back on later.

20. Try Buying Used Over New

Plenty of items can be bought for mere pennies when purchased used, and a lot of the times you won’t even be able to notice a difference over the brand new article. Consider shopping around at consignment shops, garage sales, or thrift stores once in a while and you’ll be surprised to find some great deals for pennies on the dollar. Buying used is a great way to save a boatload of cash, and ends up benefiting the seller, as well as the environment!

21. Use Your Own Bank’s ATMs

Don’t waste your money on ATM fees for the sake of convenience. If you need to withdraw money, go straight to your bank’s own ATM machines in order to avoid paying a fee for nothing. It may seem like little is lost when you pay a fee here and there, but over time these costs can really rack up.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON MONEY SAVING

There are plenty of ways to make money-saving achievable. After reading through this list, you should be armed with plenty of great money saving tips that you can begin to employ in your daily life right away!

Whole Foods: 21 Smart Reasons to Give Them a Try

June 24, 2019 by Power of Positivity

If you’re looking to be as healthy as possible and your diet isn’t currently comprised of whole foods, it’s time to make some changes!

If you’re not sure what exactly constitutes whole food, here’s a brief primer.

Whole food is a real, single-ingredient food item. They are usually unprocessed and are free of additives and chemicals that are often associated with processed foods.

An easy way to think of it is that whole food usually has only one ingredient listed on the label. So, if you look at the “ingredients” label, you should only find 1 or 2 items there.

Processed food items may be more convenient in the short term. However, whole foods (also called real foods) offer you so much more! To give you an idea of why you should center your diet around real foods, we’ve brought together 21 good reasons. Continue reading to learn more:

21 Reasons To Eat Whole Foods:

1. They Are Packed With Vital Nutrients

Where most processed foods go through a variety of mechanical processing steps which strip them of many of their vital nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, real foods are left intact. Real foods are exceptionally high in the nutrients your body needs in order to thrive! Examples of whole food that is high in nutrients include liver, eggs, and nuts.

2. Reduce Your Daily Intake of Sugar And Refined Carbs

Compared to their processed counterparts, whole food will typically be much lower in sugar. As a part of processing, many food manufacturers add extra sugar to foods to make them more appealing to people. But, this ends up costing us in the long run.

Consuming excess sugar is associated with increased risk of fatty liver disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and obesity!

3. Improve Your Heart Health

As was previously mentioned, real foods are chock-full of nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins which all go towards improving our health! One way in which your health may be improved by incorporating more real foods in your diet by reducing inflammation, which is purported to be one of the leading causes of heart disease.

4. Real Food Is Better For Our Environment

During the manufacturing and processing of processed foods, greenhouse gases are often emitted and excessive amounts of fuel are consumed. Also, the packaging that you usually see come along with processed food will eventually end up in a landfill. Whole food will not typically result in such negative impacts on our environment.

5. Real Food Is Higher In Beneficial Fiber

During processing, most foods end up being stripped of their beneficial fiber, as well as the vitamins and nutrients. Real foods leave the fiber intact, which provides you with increased satiety and can improve both your metabolic and digestive health!

6. Real Food Helps Regulate Your Blood Sugar

Estimates by the International Diabetes Federation peg the number of people suffering from diabetes to be at over 400 million currently! In the next 25 years, it is estimated that this number will tip past 600 million! When you eat whole foods that leave fiber intact, your blood sugar levels will likely remain lower. This choice goes far to reducing your risk of developing diabetes.

7. Real Food Is Beneficial For Your Skin

Due to the vitamins and minerals left present in real foods, your skin will be much better off as well! real foods such as avocados and dark chocolate have the amazing ability to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun. If you consume real foods such as a fish, vegetables, olive oil, and beans, you’ll likely enjoy a reduction in wrinkles, and may preserve the elasticity of your skin.

8. Real Food May Lower Triglycerides

It is said that blood triglyceride levels are heavily influenced by the foods you eat. When you consume refined carbs and excess sugar, your blood triglycerides are likely to increase. Opting for the unprocessed, whole foods will result in better triglyceride levels overall, which will pay dividends in the long run!

9. Real Food Provides You With A Variety Nutrients

If you find yourself eating the same old processed food over and over again, it can get old fast! Aside from this simply being a bore, eating a larger variety of foods is just healthier overall. There are so many different options for whole foods available to you, that you’ll likely never run out of new ideas for things to eat! real foods provide you with the opportunity to change things up regularly with your diet.

10. Save Money In The Long Run

When you look at the price tags on food, it’s easy to think that processed food is more affordable than whole foods. In the short-term, this may be so, but when you factor in the added costs of dealing with chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, whole foods can end up looking a lot more frugal before long!

11. Real Food Is Higher In Beneficial Fats

Lots of processed foods contained added processed fats and trans fats which can be incredibly detrimental to your health! real foods will usually contain much healthier forms of fat. Examples of healthy fats include coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil, which contains medium-chain triglycerides, and oleic acid respectively. Both have many purported health benefits. Benefits of these healthier fats include reductions in inflammation markers and better overall heart health.

12. Real Food Can Reduce Your Disease Risk

When you eat whole foods you stand to reduce your risk of developing a whole host of chronic diseases! Diets such as the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on consuming healthy whole foods, has been shown to reduce the risk of followers developing diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome! Additionally, studies have shown that a diet of mainly real foods is associated with reduced rates of heart disease and cancer.

13. Real Food Has Many Antioxidants

Many real foods contain beneficial antioxidants. These compounds help your body combat the damage caused by free radicals. These antioxidants can be found in nearly all real foods, such as from fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Other foods that contain beneficial antioxidants include egg yolks and berries.

14. Improved Environment For Your Gut’s Microbiome

Consuming healthy amounts of real foods is especially beneficial to the bacteria that your gut microbiome is comprised of.

Plenty of real foods are prebiotic in nature, which means that the bacteria in your gut ferment it into short-chain fatty acids. Besides just offering you improvements to your gut health, these acids are purported to improve your body’s ability to control its blood sugar levels, which provides you with many health benefits.

15. These Foods Help to Minimize Overeating

Compared to its processed counterparts, real foods contain healthy amounts of fiber, without the unnecessary additions of sugar and flavorings which can drive you to overeat! Maintaining a diet that is high in fiber will go a long way to preventing you from overeating and may result in weight loss in the long run.

16. Enjoy Improved Dental Health

Because of the lack of refined carbs and added sugar that is often found in processed foods, real foods are much better for your teeth. The aforementioned sugars and refined carbs can increase the rate of tooth decay and also provides the plaque-causing bacteria in your mouth with the food that it needs to thrive.

17. Real Food Can Reduce Your Sugar Cravings

When you eat whole foods, after a while you’ll likely find that your cravings for sugary processed foods start to wain. By limiting your intake of highly processed and sugar-laden foods, your taste for sweets will likely reduce, making you far less likely to consume these unhealthy foods. You’ll find that you also begin to appreciate the real foods you are eating more, as time goes on.

18. Your Food Choices May Inspire Those Around You

Aside from just improving your own health by focusing on a diet rich in real foods, you’ll also likely inspire those around you to follow suit. Take the opportunity to improve the health of those around you by eating and advocating for a real food diet.

19. Eating Better Takes the Focus off Dieting

For many people, trying to stick to a rigid and structured diet can be a drag. Having a hyper-focus on the foods you eat and the numbers on the scale can be daunting, and depressing. People often lose sight of the fact that a healthy diet should make you feel good, and provide you with sustaining energy throughout the day. When you focus on eating whole foods, maintaining good health and a healthy weight comes much easier.

20. Show Your Support of Local Farmers

By avoiding processed food options and sticking to real foods, you’ll be supporting local farmers! By heading out to the local farmers’ market and shopping there for real foods, the local economy will take a positive hit, and you’ll be contributing to the prosperity of your local community! An additional benefit of shopping at the local farmers’ market is that the foods they offer are often much fresher than what you’ll find in your chain grocery store.

21. Real Food Is Much More Delicious

If for no other reason, sticking to a real food diet is just plain delicious overall. Who can argue with the amazingly fresh flavors of unprocessed, real foods? Once you’ve begun following a real foods diet, you’ll find it hard to switch back to processed foods. Why? Because the taste just does not compare!

FINAL THOUGHTS ON ENJOYING THIS NEW LIFESTYLE

After reading through this, you just have plenty of reasons to make the switch from processed foods to their real-food counterparts! When you eat real foods, you’ll find you feel better overall. If you aren’t currently sticking with a whole and real food diet, then today is the day to make the change!

10 Natural Bleeding Gums Treatments To Skip The Dentist

June 24, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Struggling with the social, medical, and financial consequences of bleeding gums? You’re not alone. Millions of people around the world live with gum bleeding, a condition that can cause bad breath, swelling, and loosened teeth, among other symptoms.

According to the CDC, approximately half of all Americans suffer from gum disease, a condition that occurs when plaque (a thin bacterial film) hardens under your gums and forms tartar. (1) In addition to gum disease (also known as gingivitis or periodontitis), bleeding gums can be caused by:

Using a toothbrush with hard bristles
Vitamin C or K deficiencies
Denture-wearing
Hormonal changes during pregnancy
Medical conditions like hemophilia and leukemia
Trauma or injury to the gums

THE SYMPTOMS

Gum bleeding is an inconvenient and dangerous condition that can lead to serious medical consequences. What are some of the most serious signs of bleeding gums?

Symptoms can include:

Swollen and red gums
Gums that pull back from the surface of the tooth
Constant halitosis (bad breath) or a persistent bad taste in the mouth
Teeth that are loosening in their sockets
Pus around the gums or teeth
Bloody, inflamed gums

For best prevention, follow a good oral hygiene regimen that will keep your teeth and gums in top condition. Good practices include:

1. Brushing your teeth gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush twice per day for two minutes.
2. Flossing once per day with a flat-surfaced dental floss.
3. Using a good mouthwash twice per day for 30 seconds or more.
4. Seeing a dentist regularly for check-ups and maintenance.

While an effective dental regimen is strong insurance against dental problems, sometimes you can’t afford repeated visits to the dentist. What can you do if you’re struggling with bleeding gums and want to treat your condition on your own? Fret not – here are 10 tried-and-true home remedies for gum bleeding that you can use at home.

1. HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, BAKING SODA AND SEA SALT RINSE

For convenience and effectiveness, you can’t beat a simple hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and sea salt rinse for gum bleeding. All three ingredients are inexpensive yet powerful agents that have stood the test of time. You can find the products at the drugstore or supermarket, where they’ll only cost you a few dollars.

A powerful antiseptic, hydrogen peroxide has antibacterial properties which oxidize the mouth. In this 2017 study (2), it was found to be effective as a treatment for gum disease. Baking soda alkalizes the pH level of your gums, fights bacteria and addresses fungal infections in your gums. (A) Sea salt also alkalizes the mouth, allowing for a gentle treatment that doesn’t irritate the mucous membranes.

How to Use

To make this rinse, combine these four ingredients in a glass:

1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide
2 parts warm water
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt

Rinse with the solution for 1 to 2 minutes, twice a day.

2. EPSOM SALT

As an alternative to a hydrogen peroxide rinse, Epsom salt is also a powerful home remedy for many health conditions. Its main medicinal effect for bleeding gums comes from its antibacterial properties, which get rid of the bacteria in our gums which causes inflammation and bleeding. You can buy Epsom salt at the drugstore or health food store, but be careful not to buy products that have essential oils or other scents added.

How To Use

You can best use Epsom salt when mixed with warm water, which soothes and nourishes the gums and adds to the effectiveness of the remedy. For a great twice-daily ritual, follow these instructions:

1. Boil 8 oz water for 3 to 4 minutes and let cool until it is slightly warm.
2. Add 1 tsp Epsom salt and stir well. Let dissolve.
3. Gargle and swish the solution in your mouth for 1 minute and then spit out. Do not rinse.

3. OIL PULLING

One of the oldest, most effective home remedies for gum bleeding comes from ancient India, where it was used for thousands of years. Oil-pulling, or swishing a small amount of oil through the mouth, removes bacteria from the teeth and gums which can cause gum disease, cavities, and other dental problems. When properly used, oil-pulling can replace your need for a dentist, saving you thousands of dollars yearly in dental fees.

How to Use

To treat bleeding gums, choose an oil that has antibacterial properties. Popular choices include a good sesame oil, olive oil or coconut oil. Take 1 tbsp of the oil and swish it in your mouth like a mouthwash for 20 minutes. At the start, you will only be able to swish for a minute or so but be persistent and you will soon be able to manage the full treatment.

After 20 minutes, the oil will have liquified in your mouth. Spit it into the toilet and brush your teeth thoroughly with a good toothpaste. There’s no need for flossing or mouthwash after an oil-pulling session. Repeat once daily for a perfect smile!

4. ALOE VERA

For a natural remedy used to treat bleeding gums, there’s nothing like aloe vera. Aloe vera is an East African herb which is used in the treatment of everything from acne to upset stomach. Its long green stalks are sold in supermarkets across the world, from Whole Foods to the neighborhood bodega.

Aloe vera’s antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties make short work of the bacteria which often cause gum bleeding. The herb also works to soothe the gums, thus helping in the case of gum bleeding caused by hormonal changes, medical conditions or denture-wearing.

How to Use

To use aloe vera:

1. Take one stalk of aloe vera and wash it thoroughly with a mild wash.
2. With a knife, cut the stalk open lengthwise to expose the pulpy gel underneath.
3. Remove the gel and apply it to your gums in a thick layer.
4. Let it work for 15 to 20 minutes, spitting occasionally to keep from swallowing.
5. Rinse with lukewarm water.

For optimal results, repeat several times a day.

5. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

Apple cider vinegar is a miracle product for millions of people who seek to cure their acne, manage their weight, and improve their health. As a treatment for sore and bleeding gums, its healing powers lie in acetic acid, which has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. You can find apple cider vinegar at your local supermarket.

How to Use

To use apple cider vinegar:

1. Mix 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar with one cup of warm water.
2. Swish the solution in your mouth for 1 to 3 minutes.

For best results, use this rinse once daily.

6. NEEM

Another healing remedy from India, neem is an herb that has been used for millennia as a folk remedy. With anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, neem is extremely effective at controlling bacteria, irritation and fungal infections. In studies, it has been proven to be helpful in the fight against gum infection. (3)

How to Use

To use neem, you can either chew on 1 or 2 fresh neem leaves (available in some countries) or use holistic products that contain high concentrations of neem oil. These can include toothpastes, mouthwashes, or essential oils. For best results, use these products after every meal.

7. HONEY

Who knew that good old honey from the back of the kitchen cabinet could heal the gums? As an age-old remedy, high-quality honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that address a wide range of gum concerns, from gingivitis to gums wounded by denture-wearing or conditions like leukemia.

How to Use

For the best results, choose quality honey that has plenty of antioxidants in it. Things to look for include raw honey in liquid form, organic honey, locally-produced honey, and honey that is well within its expiration date. Store honey in a cool dark place to preserve its medicinal properties.

To treat bleeding gums, massage fresh honey into the gums gently with your fingertips. Let it sit on your gum line as long as possible without swallowing. Repeat twice per day or more for best results.

8. ESSENTIAL OILS

Since the time of the ancient Egyptians, essential oils have been used for healing and rejuvenation. Distilled from the leaves, petals, and resins of herbs and flowers, these potent oils contain the concentrated medicinal power of the plants. From acne to migraines, healers use essential oils to address a wide range of health complaints.

How to Use

There are many essential oils which can be used to treat bleeding gums. In this post, we will focus on one of the most effective oils for this condition, CLOVE OIL. With compounds like eugenol, clove oil has proven anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, as demonstrated in this National Institutes of Health study(4). It also has analgesic effects, which are helpful in managing sore gums.

To use clove oil as a treatment for gum bleeding, gather:

2 drops of high-quality clove essential oil
1 tsp of coconut oil

1. Mix the essential oil with the coconut oil on a flat surface.
2. Apply the solution directly to your gums.
3. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.

For the best outcome, repeat at least twice daily.

9. COLD COMPRESS

A cold compress can be extremely useful in addressing many of the issues that come along with bleeding gums, such as soreness and inflammation. It also tightens the blood vessels in the gums, stopping the bleeding.

How to Use

To use a cold compress, wrap an ice cube in gauze or a clean cloth and press it to the site of the bleeding. You can also use a gauze pad dipped in ice water. Press the compress to your gum for several minutes. In addition to the cold, the pressure of the compress against your gums will help relieve the swelling and bleeding.

10. TEA BAG COMPRESS

Surprisingly, one of the most effective home remedies for gum bleeding is a simple warm compress made from tea bags. As a healing agent, tea is one of the most effective in the world. Black tea contains compounds called tannins, which help to heal gum bleeding. It also has astringent and antiseptic properties, which kill bacteria and shrink the tissues in your gum.

How to Use

To use a tea bag compress:

1. Steep one bag of black tea in hot water for 2-3 minutes.
2. Remove the bag from the water and let it cool until it is warm enough to use.
3. When ready, place the tea bag on your wounded gums.
4. Let sit for 4-5 minutes.

For best results, repeat 3-4 times per day.

With these highly-effective treatments to treat bleeding gums, you may never need to see a dentist again! Enjoy these holistic, all-natural remedies and relish your larger bank account and reliance on gentle, everyday herbal products. Try your new smile on a date or job interview and feel the freedom!

Pictures Captured of Poachers Smiling After Killing A Rare Leopard

June 24, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Endangered and vulnerable species are often protected by law. The idea that some amazing animals are at risk of disappearing from our world completely by poachers is a deeply saddening thought. Unfortunately, that’s the reality that many creatures around the world face.

One such animal is the clouded leopard. The clouded leopard is native to Asia, mainly found in a variety of hunting grounds, the Himalayan foothills, and Indonesian rainforests. Named after the spots on its coat, people rarely see this mysterious creature. Thus, officials consider it vulnerable in terms of the species population.

Sadly, as with every rare animal, hunters and poachers desire to kill these endangered creatures, whether for profit from their body parts or simply for sport and “fun.” Recently, a graphic image of a dead clouded leopard being carried and posed with by a group of smiling men began circulating social media.

Outrage sparked after the image went viral, prompting animal welfare advocates to demand justice. Here’s everything you need to know about the pictures showing poachers smiling after killing a rare leopard.

Pictures Captured Of Poachers Smiling After Killing A Rare Leopard

1. The Horrifying Picture

On the 8th of May, a post was shared on a Malaysian Facebook group called Hiking & Camping Around Malaysia that shocked and angered locals.

The post, which contained multiple screenshots of another Facebook user’s personal post, showed a group of men proudly smiling and showing off a dead clouded leopard. Here are some more details about the pictures.

We will not share the photograph of this illegal hunting activity, out of respect for this beautiful cat species. Instead, we will describe the photos. But here is what a healthy clouded leopard looks like:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Clouded Leopard Working Group (@cloudedleopard.clwg)

a) Location

The original pictures were supposedly taken in Tampin, which is a district in Dangi in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. There is no way to confirm this for certain, but the original pictures’ caption claimed this.

b) People Involved

The post’s uploader, named Siva Nadarajan, shared the screenshots after seeing the original post on his feed. Siva was driven to share the screenshots due to his outrage at the mercilessly and cruelly killed vulnerable animal.

The original pictures were posted by a Facebook user who went by Max Mantra, though searches could not turn up any positive results for users by that name. None of the men in the pictures has been successfully identified.

c) Men In Uniform

In the background of one of the several images, a separate group of men, donning blue uniforms and one in an orange hat, are standing and kneeling. It is unknown why those men are there and what their connection is with the scene.

Siva states that these men work at JPAM, which is now known as the Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia or APM; basically, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force. However, there is currently no word on whether the men really are from the APM or not.

d) Reactions

Thus far, Siva’s post has gained over 1,700 likes and 800 shares, and many angry reactions from those equally appalled by the cruelty of the men pictured.

Siva reportedly attempted to reach out to the Jabatan Perhilitan Semenanjung Malaysia, or PERHILITAN, which is also known as the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia, in order to report the event. PERHILITAN is responsible for all protection and management tasks surrounding national parks and wildlife within the nation.

The call from Siva was initiated at 3 in the afternoon, and he wanted to make his report, but it was not to be. An operator placed Siva’s call with the Tampin PERHILITAN agency, but the person who picked up informed him that they could not take this report as all staff had allegedly gone home for the day.

There is currently no follow-up information, so we are not certain whether Siva was able to make his report after all, or if he never managed to get through to the agency. As of yet, this incident remains uninvestigated, and the poachers present in the photos have not been identified.

2. What Is The Clouded Leopard?

The clouded leopard is native to a variety of Asian countries, not just Malaysia. They are believed to be the part of the evolutionary chain that links small cats to Pantherinae cats, as it is the smallest species of the latter.

Surprisingly, clouded leopards aren’t actually very close relatives to leopards, making their name a little misleading. Here are some other features of clouded leopards.

a) Appearance

Clouded leopards have fur that is either ochreous or dark grey in hue, with dark grey and black spots in a blotchy pattern occurring throughout their fur. They have stout and short legs with wide paws.

These animals often have stripes in some form over their cheeks, with black ears. They have larger black splotches on their head, spine, loins, shoulders, and forelegs. Their flanks, tail, and lower legs typically have more irregular spots, often with curved stripes.

Clouded leopards have vertical slits for pupils, and their eyes vary from yellowish to greenish in shade (and their eyesight is also pretty sharp!). Their long and low skulls provide a strong facial structure.

b) Teeth and Mouth

Clouded leopards are often dubbed the saber-tooths of today thanks to their extremely large canines, which are the biggest when measured against body size among big cats. In their throat, they have an ossified hyoid bone that allows them to purr when in a positive mood.

c) Climbing

Clouded leopards are exceptional climbers, due in part to their big paws, strong but short legs, and sharp claws that can easily dig into an item for a better grip. Their rear ankles are rotating so they can climb down from high locations headfirst with no problem.

These animals are known for being some of the best climbers out there, and they have been seen hanging upside down from branches. The tails on these wildcats are decently long, too, for good balance.

Thanks to long hind limbs that allow for easier jumping, clouded leopards are also very agile in general. The fact that their radii and ulnae bones are not fused means that they can move better, allowing for easier hunting and stalking as well as good climbing ability.

d) Diet

Clouded leopards might have great climbing ability, but they don’t use this much when hunting. Their diet mainly consists of animals they can easily catch and hunt on the ground, ranging from smaller animals such as birds to larger ones such as pigs and deer.

e) Behavior

Not many researchers have been able to observe clouded leopards at length in the wild, so scientists truly have no idea what their behavior is like. However, some features can be known.

Clouded leopards keep to themselves, living solitary lives and primarily coming out in the evenings and at night. They tend to spend their days in trees, lounging around, then heading to the ground for nighttime hunting.

These wildcats scent mark – much like house cats! – and they can call by “crying” or meowing, both typically to aid in locating other clouded leopards. When greeting another one of their kind, they react respectfully with raised muzzles; if they become aggressive, however, they start to hiss and growl.

f) Cubs

Most clouded leopard females will have between one and five cubs per litter, with each litter being born once a year. Cubs will stay with their mothers and be mostly dependant on them up to around the age of 10 months.

3. The State of The Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopards live in forest areas that are slowly shrinking due to deforestation; habitat loss can lead to significant risks in population building. They are also frequently poached and hunted. It is believed that fewer than 10,000 of them still live today, with less than 1,000 of them per habitat.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the clouded leopard a vulnerable species. Sadly, they continue to be hunted. Here’s what they are hunted for:

Their spotted fur coat and skin, for clothing
Meat and bones (which are used in traditional medicine)
Their teeth and claws, for clothing and decoration
Alive, as exotic pets

In the past few years, domestic markets for the clouded leopard and the products made from its body parts have clearly operated in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar. In fact, in a survey of just four markets from 1991 to 2006, 301 different clouded leopard body parts were spotted in Myanmar, believed to have come from a minimum of 279 of these wildcats.

4. Current Laws on Poachers in Malaysia

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As of April 2019, an amendment to Malaysia’s Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 makes its laws much stricter. It boosts the potential penalties for poachers. The current minimum sentence for those caught is five years of jail time and an RM1 million (approximately US $240,000) for their crimes. This might increase to RM5 million (approximately US $1,200,000).

Although the act will be tabled at the end of the year, animal rights activists and environmental conservation activists are calling for stricter laws throughout the nation. So, we can keep our positive thinking on for some change and better protection in the near future.

Zoo Negara, the country’s national zoo, has been attempting to convince the government to increase the penalty even further. Suggestions include the possibility of life in prison or even the death penalty for convicted poachers. This isn’t due to clouded leopard numbers, either. It’s due to the decreasing number of wild tigers, now dipping below 200.

Dr. Mat Naim Ramil, the Zoo Negara Malaysia Zoology, Veterinary & Giant Panda Conservation Centre’s director, believes that the country should start to follow in China’s footsteps. China harshly punishes poachers of the giant panda with zero-tolerance. Punishment ranges from 10 years in jail to the death sentence.

Activists also believe that the country may need to set up a special army division designed to protect species at risk in the country. Ideally, this division can help to prevent trophy-hunting by poachers, as currently done in some African nations as well as in India.

Final Thoughts On Some Pictures Captured Of Poachers Smiling After Killing A Rare Leopard

Poaching is a serious problem all around the world. It is truly disheartening to see how brutally and cruelly this clouded leopard was treated. We also feel concerned at how proud and unashamed those in the picture appear. We hope that ongoing investigations will uncover the identities of those who killed the wild cat. Indeed, they must face justice.

31 Motivational Mantras About Weight Loss

June 24, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Motivational mantras can help you develop a strong mindset when you’re trying to lose weight. Staying healthy is all about getting regular exercise and eating properly. Though many of us want to see the results of our workouts almost immediately, we all have to put in the hard work it takes to get there.

Best Motivational Mantras About Weight Loss

There will be days where you can’t wait to get in the gym and there will be times when you’d rather stay home. If you find yourself searching for inspiration, keep reading for the best motivational quotes.

1. If all it takes to become fit and rich is the knowledge of how to do it, we’d all have everything we want. In reality, it isn’t about the information you have, it’s about what you do!

Many of us rely on learning as much as possible about getting fit, thinking that this is what will help us get the bodies we want.

The truth is that the only way to actually work out is to physically do it. As they say, “The only way out is through.”

2. There are no bad workouts—every day that you put in effort is a good day.

Getting fit and staying in shape is all about consistency. If you don’t have the dedication to keep pushing yourself to go further and harder every time, you won’t get the results you want. This motivational mantra is a great reminder.

3. You are already the person you want to be—the only thing preventing you from seeing this is the work that must be put in to achieve these goals.

Motivational mantras like this show you where your true power lies.

There isn’t some magical transformation that will occur to get you from where you are now to where you want to be.

The only thing standing in your way is you. The only person responsible for getting you to the next level is still you.

4. If you want to change your body, you must start by changing your mind.

Whenever we think that we aren’t progressing as much as we like, it isn’t what we are or aren’t doing that’s holding us back—it’s our mindset.

Approaching your workout routine from a mindset of passion, fulfillment, and personal responsibility will always yield better results than someone trying to that is motivated by their low self-esteem or lack of confidence.

5. Someone with a busier schedule than you is finding the time to prioritize fitness.

While we all are on our own fitness journeys, it can be helpful to look to our peers for inspiration.

Finding time to work out can often seem overwhelming, but just remember that someone that has more on their plate is finding the time to work out.

It’s not about competition—it’s about pushing yourself harder than you’ve ever gone before. Use motivational quotes like this one to inspire you to go the extra mile in the gym.

6. Working out is rarely convenient, but it’s worth it.

No one said the important things in life come easily.

The more you want something, the harder you must work to achieve it. While it will rarely be comfortable, this is where you’ll experience the most growth.

7. I may be tired, but I won’t stop until I’m done.

Too many of us quit before we’ve really begun to put in any work.

Being tired isn’t something to fear. We all get tired, we all want to rest, we all would rather go back to sleep.

The key to moving forward and making progress is to keep going. Use these motivational mantras to remind yourself to keep pushing.

8. Working out shouldn’t come from a place of self-hate—you must work out because you love yourself and want the best for your life.

Working out is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

While we all have certain things we’d like to change about ourselves, the passion that drives you to keep working out can’t be self-hate.

The more you love yourself, the greater drive you’ll have to keep perfecting your body.

9. Feeling uncomfortable? Good—that’s when true growth takes place.

Looking at the science behind working out can teach you a lot about life.

When we work to train our muscles, we break them down so they can rebuild stronger. When it hurts or feels uncomfortable, this isn’t a sign that you’re broken—it means you’re getting stronger.

10. If you can use social media for an hour, you can spend an hour in the gym.

Scrolling mindlessly through social media is an easy way to waste your time.

Get intentional about working out and start spending those minutes you’d use scrolling through Instagram at the gym.

11. You can’t predict the future but you can change your future—put your health first by working on your body today.

Building a better future starts with putting in the work right now.

Eating healthy, working out regularly, and living more mindfully will have powerful and lasting impacts on your future.

12. While you shouldn’t run from your problems, running can help you work through them.

When life gets you down you may be tempted to stay home, avoid the gym, and Netflix the day away. While this may feel good in the moment, hitting the gym will make you feel even better.

As you get your blood flowing, release endorphins, and block out the world by focusing on your fitness, you’ll find that you feel better after a trip to the gym.

13. Fake the motivation you need.

Wish you were as motivated as your favorite Instagram fitness models seem to be?

The truth is that no one feels happy to work out 24/7. The best motivational quotes show you how to transform your mindset into what you’d like it to be. Regardless of what your feelings may be, working out should be a habit that you do no matter what feelings you may be experiencing.

14. Excuses won’t make you stronger.

Some of us can come up with the best excuses in the world to get out of doing what we know we should do.

While you may have a great reason to stay in and eat your favorite fast food, this will prevent you from getting stronger.

15. Your mind is always speaking to your body. Change the narrative and tell yourself you can do it!

Motivational quotes like this teach that the purest form of motivation is found within yourself. Don’t look to someone else to inspire you. Indeed, you must inspire yourself first.

Keep a positive mindset to help you push through all the doubts and fears that would otherwise keep you from working out.

16. Work to make yourself proud.

Self-motivation is essential when working out and during weight loss. The only one driving you to better yourself is you.

Keep up this persistence as you work to make yourself proud. Keep building up your endurance and stamina as you grow stronger each day.

17. Just go! Go fast or slow—as long as you’re moving, that’s all that matters.

Much like one of the best motivational quotes, “Just Do It”, you need to develop a one or two motivational mantras that inspire you to go.

You’ll never make progress standing still. Taking daily steps towards your future is all that is needed to keep going.

18. Stop starting over; quit giving up.

You’ll never have to start over if you never give up.

19. Your ideal health and body are at the end of your next workout.

Keep pushing yourself. Health is a journey, not a destination.

20. Can you do it? Yes. Will you do it? You must!

You can do anything you put your mind to.

21. The harder the workout, the stronger you’ll be.

Working out is all about building on what you already have. Strengthen yourself each day by going harder than the day before.

22. Even when others say you can’t, you must.

The only person’s opinion that matters is your own.

23. Work hard, then work harder.

There’s always more to be done. Never leave a workout half-heartedly.

24. Workout as if your health and life depend on it.

Health is wealth. If you value your life, you should live like it.

25. Fitness requires loyalty—no cheating is allowed.

If you want working out to work for you, you have to be loyal to it. Allow your motivational mantras serve as a touchstone to your success.

26. Make time to work out.

One of the simplest motivational mantras, yet always true. The only way to get it done is to prioritize working out and remain consistent.

27. Champions aren’t born this way, they must become champions.

Whether you’re attempting to prepare for a marathon or you just want to find a consistent workout routine, you have to realize that this fitness journey is just that—a journey.

You won’t reach your goals overnight, but you will make important steps towards them every day you are consistent.

28. Why try at all if you aren’t willing to go all the way?

In fitness and in life, it’s never beneficial to do things half-heartedly. If you’re going to do a workout, give it everything you’ve got.

29. Believe you can do it. Even if you don’t believe you can, at some point you’ll start to change your mind.

Fitness is all about the level of work you put in. If you don’t believe in yourself, set those feelings aside. Fake the confidence until you feel it.

30. Your only comparison should be the person in the mirror.

You are the only person you should be competing with.

31. You’ll never achieve your goals without taking action.

Don’t just set your goals, go after them. To achieve these dreams you must take action now.

Final Thoughts on Motivational Mantras for Fitness

We are all capable of greatness. The harder you push yourself to achieve this greatness, the more you’ll be able to accomplish.

Keep these motivational mantras in mind as you search for inspiration to improve your fitness training. Remember, stay consistent, work hard, and never stop going.

A Beginner Guide to Restorative Yoga

June 22, 2019 by Power of Positivity

Restorative yoga is a type of yoga practice designed to open your body with slow movements and deep breathing. While many contemporary yoga practices focus on speed of movement and tackling lots of different postures per session, restorative yoga does the opposite. Instead, you may only perform a couple of poses per session and hold them for much longer.

The goal is to sync up your mind, body, and breath through slow, passive stretching.

Restorative yoga (also called Yin Yoga) is a very different experience for people used to more active, athletic practices. If you’ve taken a yoga class recently, chances are it’s been of a more active variety designed to cycle quickly through poses. This type of yoga is great for building up strength and flexibility but does little in terms of relaxation.

The slow, deliberate movements of restoration yoga, on the other hand, are designed to aid your muscles in reaching full relaxation. This is why restorative practices use props so your body doesn’t need to support itself and you can allow your muscles to go limp.

Since Yin Yoga is so different from active practices, it’s a perfect complement to more strenuous forms of yoga. It’s also a great form of yoga for beginners!

Benefits of Restorative Yoga

As yoga has gained mainstream popularity, it’s also grabbed the attention of the scientific community. Health researchers have identified a number of ways that yoga benefits physical and emotional wellness, including:

Stress management
Improved mental and emotional health
Promoting healthy eating habits and physical activity habits
Better sleep
Increased balance and flexibility

Scientific research has also shown that yoga can be used to improve specific conditions and ailments:

Help manage symptoms of anxiety and depression
Relief from low-back pain and neck pain
Relief from menopause symptoms
Manage symptoms of chronic diseases and improve the overall quality of life
Help people manage weight
Help people quit smoking

The Practice

At its very basic level, Yin yoga is the practice of holding a few poses for an extended period of time paired with deep, relaxed breathing. You’re encouraged to use props like yoga blocks to carry the weight of your body so your muscles can deeply relax instead of supporting the body’s weight.

Restorative yoga can be practiced independently or in tandem with active forms of yoga. Some students like to tack Yin Yoga onto the end of an active yoga session to cool down their muscles and breathing. Others practice restorative yoga all on its own to simply relax the body and mind. Yin Yoga is especially helpful when you’re feeling tired, burned out, or have too much energy.

Set an Intention

Before you lay down on your mat, think of why you’re settling in for a restoration yoga session.

When you set an intention, you’re focusing your awareness on a particular goal, virtue, or quality you want to enhance during the session.

In other words, what are you looking to accomplish? Do you want to simply relax and unwind after a tough day? Are you trying to manage symptoms of chronic disease? Whatever the reason is, determine your goal and remind yourself of it throughout your practice. For some, it may be something as simple as expressing gratitude, releasing negativity, or clearing your mind so you can start your day with a blank slate.

Breathing

Proper breathing is the key to getting the most out of Yin Yoga. During your session, you should maintain relaxed, deep, belly breathing. To get into the groove of belly breathing, place a hand on your stomach and feel the gentle rise and fall of your breath. If you ever “fall out” of your breathing routine, simply place your hand back on your belly until your respiration slows down and stabilizes.

Belly breathing forces you to slow down, promoting relaxation and mindfulness. Deep breathing increases the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream, which lowers your heart rate and blood pressure. Plus, by concentrating on your breath, you have less mental bandwidth to devote to stressing about your day or worrying about things you need to get done.

Warm-Up

Before diving into a restoration yoga session, we recommend warming up your muscles. Running through a few gentle poses will limber up your muscles so you can more easily hold restorative poses for an extended period of time. Plus, it will help shed some of your body’s extra energy and restlessness so you can more fully relax into each pose.

The Poses

In restorative yoga, each pose is held for an extended period of time. Unlike more athletic forms of yoga that focus on strength-building and flexibility, Yin Yoga doesn’t quickly cycle through many poses. Instead, you’ll hold each pose for anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes.

The key to Yin Yoga is comfort. At no point should you be in discomfort or pain. Since the goal is to relax, your body also shouldn’t need to exert itself much to hold each pose. If a pose feels strenuous, you can place a block to support that part of your body and help take a load off your muscles. You should feel comfortable, relaxed, and at ease in each pose.

Here are some of the most popular yoga poses for restorative practice:

Child’s pose (balasana
Corpse pose (savasana)
Side-lying corpse pose (side-lying savasana)
Happy baby pose (ananda balasana)
Legs-up-the-wall pose (viparita karani)
Reclining bald eagle pose (supta baddha konasana)
Adept’s pose (siddhasana)
Legs-on-a-chair pose

Hint: Don’t Skip the Props!

Some yoga practitioners don’t like props, but we highly encourage using them to get the most out of your Yin Yoga session. When you forgo props, your muscles have to make up for that extra exertion. The more your muscles exert themselves, the less they can relax.

Remember: you are not looking to build up muscle strength with restorative yoga. That’s the realm of more active forms of yoga like ashtanga, bikram, and vinyasa flow.

When it comes to props, the sky is the limit! Use whatever helps you feel best supported. You can buy props specifically designed for yoga or you can get creative and use things from around your house. Popular props for restoration yoga include blocks, straps, rolled-up blankets or towels, balance balls, furniture like chairs and walls, sandbags, and pillows. Using a combination of props will help you support your body wherever it’s needed so you can sink into the deepest possible level of relaxation.

So, go ahead and raid your bed for pillows and blankets–your practice will benefit from it!

Tips for Amazing Yin Yoga Practice

1. Timing is key

Restoration yoga is all about slowing down and experiencing the moment. To get the most out of your practice, each yoga pose should be held between 5 to 20 minutes. How long your overall session runs depends on how many poses you want to do.

The long period of time in each position gives your body a chance to fully relax and literally “melt” into the pose. Of course, if you need to, you can always readjust or make small movements to keep your body comfortable throughout the pose.

2. Stay warm

When your muscles are warm, they’re more flexible and limber than when your body is cold. To help your body ease into each pose and comfortably remain there for a long period of time, be sure to keep your room warm and free of drafts. You can also dress in layers as long as it doesn’t limit your range of motion. Get comfy!

3. Put on music

The right kind of music can help you stay mentally grounded during your session. One common struggle people face is the mind-wandering that happens when you’re holding a single pose for up to twenty minutes at a time. Music–as long as it’s not distracting or disruptive–can help keep your mind on track and in a relaxed state.

4. Keep it simple

With the sheer number of yoga poses at your fingertips, it’s easy to get carried away and try to cram your session with tons of elaborate positions you saw on Instagram. For restorative sessions, simple is best! Stick with a couple of basic, comfortable poses. You’re encouraged to use props during restorative practice, but don’t get bogged down by equipment either–if you’re constantly moving blocks or rolling and re-rolling blankets, you’ll get flustered. Instead, just relax and go with the flow!

Final Thoughts on Restorative Yoga

Adding Yin Yoga to your practice is an excellent way to enhance your physical and emotional wellness routine. Restorative yoga is an effective method of dealing with unpleasant situations in life like burn out, stress, anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed by work or school. A restorative practice can also help you physically recover after a strenuous workout. With as many physical benefits as emotional, Yin Yoga is a perfection addition to anyone’s practice.

When you finish a restorative session, you will feel healthier, more rejuvenated, and better balanced. As much as our bodies benefit from rigorous physical activity, it equally benefits from slowing down and resting. And since Yin Yoga is such a gentle practice, people of all ages and levels of physical fitness can do it and feel good. Roll out your mat and get started!

21 Reasons To Eat Whole Foods:

1. They Are Packed With Vital Nutrients

2. Reduce Your Daily Intake of Sugar And Refined Carbs

3. Improve Your Heart Health

4. Real Food Is Better For Our Environment

5. Real Food Is Higher In Beneficial Fiber

6. Real Food Helps Regulate Your Blood Sugar

7. Real Food Is Beneficial For Your Skin

8. Real Food May Lower Triglycerides

9. Real Food Provides You With A Variety Nutrients

10. Save Money In The Long Run

11. Real Food Is Higher In Beneficial Fats

12. Real Food Can Reduce Your Disease Risk

13. Real Food Has Many Antioxidants

14. Improved Environment For Your Gut’s Microbiome

15. These Foods Help to Minimize Overeating

16. Enjoy Improved Dental Health

17. Real Food Can Reduce Your Sugar Cravings

18. Your Food Choices May Inspire Those Around You

19. Eating Better Takes the Focus off Dieting

20. Show Your Support of Local Farmers

21. Real Food Is Much More Delicious

FINAL THOUGHTS ON ENJOYING THIS NEW LIFESTYLE

Benefits of Restorative Yoga

The Practice

Set an Intention

Breathing

Warm-Up

The Poses

Hint: Don’t Skip the Props!

Tips for Amazing Yin Yoga Practice

Final Thoughts on Restorative Yoga

The Community

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Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!