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emerald-aphrodite-blog · 7 years

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Diva Cup (menstrual cup) Review

Diva Cup Review

*I was not asked to write this review, nor am I receiving any sort of payment; financial or otherwise, for doing so. I’m simply a passionate consumer that believes in spreading the love or hate for the products that deserve it!* If you don’t know, the Diva cup is a menstrual cup. It’s basically a bell-shaped cup that is inserted into the vagina, where it sits in the vaginal canal collecting your menstrual flow instead of absorbing it like a tampon would. If I have one regret in life, it is not discovering menstrual cups, and in my case the Diva cup, sooner. How are these not common knowledge? How do tampons still have a place in this world? How?! You clearly don’t have to wait until the end of this review to get an idea of how I feel about the Diva Cup. But keep reading to discover why I believe it’s so great, and even a few reasons why it’s not so great, and maybe it’ll help in your decision to get one for yourself or not(unlikely).

The Great

You’ll save money. It won’t save you thousands. Well maybe over a lifetime. Somebody do the math and let me know! Tampons don’t usually break the bank, but they are a recurring cost that adds up over time. The Diva Cup can be considered a “yearly” cost because their site recommends you replace it each year, but I’ve had mine for just over 2 years and it’s still in great condition. I also read online somewhere that they can last significantly longer when taken care of properly. I paid $34CAD for mine. A quick google search shows me they’re selling for around $37CAD right now. So in the past 2 years I have spent $36 for my period, whereas if I was still using tampons that number would be around $200+. No leaks. I have personally never experienced leaking with the Diva Cup. Not even once. There have been a few times where I’ve gotten really paranoid thinking I had to be leaking and showing through my pants, but any time I’ve frantically made it to the bathroom to check, it’s always been fine. Occasionally when I pee while wearing the Diva Cup, a slight bit of red will show when I wipe, but I’ve always been fine to leave it in if I decide not to empty it at that time. Now mind you I don’t have a particularly heavy flow, but even with tampons I did still experience the occasional leak. Now I can’t promise you won’t leak wearing a Diva Cup. I have read a few stories online about women having major leakage issues with them, but it usually seems to be due to improper insertion and placement. There have been times where I’ve thought my Diva Cup was fully open, but upon double checking I’ll realize it isn’t. I can absolutely see how someone could mistakenly think it was open when it wasn’t, and if it isn’t fixed it could definitely cause leakage issues! Body Safe Material. Diva Cup’s are made of a high quality, 100% body safe medical grade silicone, free of- latex, plastics, BPA, colours and dyes. Tampons are full of toxic shit. “Conventional tampons have odor neutralizers, dyes, pesticides, and fragrances, which have an undisclosed mixture of chemicals that have been linked to endocrine disrupters, allergies, rashes, respiratory distress, cancer, birth defects, dryness, and infertility. They also contain GMOs, so if we are concerned about ingesting GMO foods, we should be equally concerned about inserting a GMO tampon—because the vaginal wall is so permeable, this allows toxins like pesticides and GMO proteins direct access to our bloodstream!” 1 Eco Friendly. The unsustainability of tampons is a pretty easy concept to grasp. Consider the life cycle of a tampon, from the production of the cotton(very water intensive) with the use of dioxins (a known carcinogen), chlorines, rayon, plus the herbicides and pesticides, to the low-density polyethylene plastics that wrap around the tampon that are made from oil, to the transportation, to resources used for packaging, to their disposal where they can wreak havoc on plumbing systems, to the effect they have in landfills where the plastics don’t break down easily(but when they do they leach their toxic ingredients into the soil). Try to visualize this in your mind but multiply it by the millions and millions of menstruating women using conventional tampons. Now I know that there are companies out there making organic and eco-friendlier tampons which really is admirable! And I haven’t looked into the environmental impacts from silicone production, but I would assume that a 100% silicone, toxin free, reusable product is going to be far more environmentally friendly and sustainable than the former. Comfortable. You know that gauging, throbbing pelvic pain you can get from a tilted tampon? My vagina has never experienced such discomfort with the Diva Cup! It’s virtually unnoticeable and I forget that I’m wearing it 95% of the time. I’ve also never noticed it to shift around like tampons can. I would assume this is because of the way the top, widest part of the cup is pushing out against the walls of your vagina, tightly securing it in place. If you do notice discomfort wearing it, check to make sure it’s fully opened! Sleep friendly. I have slept with it in every night during my period and have never had any leaks nor do I notice it or feel it while laying down. I always empty it before bed and when I wake up in the morning. It is recommended to empty it before bed, but there have been drunken occasions in the past where I’ve emptied it in the afternoon and have completely forgotten until the following morning, and I still had no overnight leakage issues. Although like I mentioned before, I don’t have a very heavy flow so that might play a role here. Swim friendly. It’s generally fine to swim with tampons in, but I always felt really paranoid when I did, worrying I’d leak or that the string would somehow be exposed out the side of my bathing suit. It’s perfectly fine to swim while wearing the Diva Cup and I find I’m much less paranoid than I was swimming with a tampon in. Work out friendly. I’ve done everything from long distance running to typical gym workouts to yoga while wearing the Diva Cup, without any leakage or movement issues, luck I did not have with Tampons. Travel friendly. It’s small, super lightweight, comes with a cute little carry bag, and is reusable – all great features for travelling. I actually first discovered the Diva Cup through a Travel Tips Youtube video I watched over 2 years ago before leaving on a trip to New Zealand. My Diva Cup travelled all over New Zealand, Thailand, and Vietnam with me for two years, making my period pretty darn stress free while travelling/backpacking! Never worry about “running out”. Running out of tampons was annoying. Asking people for tampons was annoying. The Diva Cup is reusable, so just make sure you don’t lose it.

The Not So Great

Since I’m new to reviewing I don’t want to give off the impression that I can’t be honestly critical enough of a product no matter how much I like it. But when it comes to the Diva Cup, it’s changed my periods in such a drastically great way that it’s hard not to offer up my soul without a second thought to the Diva Cup gods. I seriously love this thing so much. But, nothing is perfect. Not even, lest I say, the Diva Cup. Here’s why: Not the easiest to insert. In my experience, tampons are easier to insert. I won’t explain how it works here because the Diva Cup site does a good job & has visuals. It’s apparently supposed to be easy, but that hasn’t been the case for me. To clarify, insertion isn’t the hardest part- it’s getting the damn thing to open again once it’s in. 1/10 times it will effortlessly open right up (these moments are very special). Most of the time, the sides remain caved in and I have to fiddle with it, bent over with my fingers shoved up my vagina, squeezing, twisting, pushing, pulling, cursing… I basically do all these things until something works and I can get it to open. This process usually takes me a minute or two, sometimes longer, compared to the 5s it takes to insert a tampon or have the Diva Cup open flawlessly on first attempt. By the way, I find that I’ll know it’s fully open when I can grip the bottom and effortlessly rotate it 3600. Emptying/Cleaning in public bathrooms. Emptying the Diva Cup at home is easy, and private. You pull the Diva Cup out, pour out the collected fluids into the toilet, and then give it a good rinse in the sink to clean it up before reinserting it. But most of us aren’t going to sit at home for the entirety of our periods. We’ll be out and about and there will be times when you’ll need to empty your Diva Cup in a public bathroom. Obviously the emptying part is easy enough in the privacy of a stall, but what about cleaning it in the sink? Do you carry it out the stall, to the public sink, where you proceed to rinse off your bloody menstrual cup for someone to see? Well, there are Youtubers that I follow that claim to do just that! I personally prefer not to. I guess I’m just not comfortable enough yet to do that! So instead I use toilet paper to wipe off any remaining blood on and in the cup. This definitely doesn’t clean it properly, but it’s better than nothing and in my case preferable to washing it at a public sink. Pooping. To remove the Diva Cup, you push out with your pelvic muscles, basically in the same way that you would when you’re going #2. Ergo, if you have the Diva Cup inserted while going #2, it will be pushed slightly out/downward. I’ve found this to be a little uncomfortable, and I have to readjust and push the Diva Cup back upwards after. Often I end up just taking the Diva Cup out and emptying/cleaning it anytime I go #2. What about Toxic Shock Syndrome? TSS is a potentially fatal condition caused by the release of poisonous substances from bacterial overgrowth. Although it is rare, it is strongly linked to tampon use, with the risk increasing with the period of time the tampon is left in, as well as the absorbency of the tampon. Menstrual Cups do not leave you invulnerable to TSS and from what I can find online, there have been a small number of incidences relating menstrual cups to TSS. But with menstrual cup use still being significantly low in comparison to tampon use, it’s impossible at this time to study and compare the risk levels between the two. In my opinion, the Diva Cup is still the better choice. We can’t avoid the risk of TSS altogether because let’s face it, we’re not just going to free flow. Between menstrual cups and tampons, I’d rather choose the toxin free, body safe, eco friendly option that boasts innumerable other feats over its counterpart.

Final Thoughts

I have a seriously hard time not telling everyone I meet about this thing. It’s not perfect, but it’s revolutionary. The Diva Cup fucking rules. Not every part of the Diva Cup experience is smooth sailing, but this is basically negligible given how many benefits it boasts, especially when compared to the alternatives. The main difference I’ve noticed since using the Diva Cup is that I barely notice when I’m on my period. When I used tampons my periods felt like a nuisance, I was very conscious of being on my period, and really impatient for it to be over. For the first few months with the Diva Cup I would actually be bummed when my period was over because I was so enamoured with the product. I can’t guarantee you’ll love the Diva Cup because every body is different, but I can’t stress enough how appreciative I am for its existence, as is every fellow menstruator I’ve known in person to own one as well.

VERDICT

In one word:

Revolutionary.

Would I recommend it for fellow menstruators?

Absolutely. Highly Recommended.

Recommended alternatives:

None.

Head over to the Diva Cup website for more information!

1http://goop.com/are-tampons-toxic/ Thanks so much for taking the time to read my review! Please share any questions, comments, or personal experiences you may have regarding the Diva Cup!

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bestillmybeefyheart · 7 years

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Health, misinformation and you.

The ads here have taken over. I have at least 1 every 2-5 posts, I cannot block them, I cannot remove them, they are just there. So, out of curiosity, I clicked on one. Im up at 7am, bored, I figured what the hell. So I watched one from a Dr Gundry who made claims of toxic super foods and body health etc. With a big disclaimer below that the FDA hasn't approved this message. LOL. So this Dr is telling me the food Im eating is poison but his statements haven't been evaluated by the FDA, yeah, I'm going to take that guy seriously. Just like those fraudsters who make "50 States legal hemp CBD oil". Snake oil people. Any website who claims to have important medical information for you followed by "The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease" is pretty much like someone holding up a sign that says "car crash ahead, take side exit". You need to take the side exit unless you want to get stuck in possibly hours of traffic. But what he said in the video made me think. So I did some research. I am no stranger to suppliments, super foods etc. And I like to learn. So, I took what he said and looked it up to see if I could find any truth to it. I wanted to be able to backup my slams, like any good human. :D His first claim... Soy is toxic for the body. Why? Well he says it contains chemicals that directly affect the thyroid and thus impact your health. Even the MayoClinic says this is simply not true. And Columbia University says that soy is perfectly fine and only really has a small impact on those who have an iodine deficiency. Dr. Grundy, 0. Facts, 1. Second claim, wheat grass is toxic and the human body cannot process it. his claim was that cows have multiple stomachs to digest grass and then went on to say there's a reason dogs eat grass to throw up. I found lots of sites debunking wheat grass and its benefits, and they did indeed claim that humans could not process it. And I did find proof that "wheat grass" is just grass (yep, you are paying $3-10 a pop for a shot of lawn clippings.) and that since our bodies do not have the enzymes to digest the grass, we cannot effectively get the chlorophyll out. However, I found many studies and lots of information that chlorophyll, in its pure form given to patients directly, can have an impact on the body and its systems. Keep in mind this is processed chlorophyll not lawn clippings. So the hard part, the part your body cant do aka digest it to get out this chlorophyll has already been done for you. So Dr Gundry, 0. Facts, 1. That is 2 wrongs out of 3. And as we all know, when you have 2 out of 3 wrong, that means you dont pass the test. If I tossed 3 basket balls at a hoop and missed 2, that third one would be useless regardless of how it went because I'd have already lost. Next, he claimed that Goji berries are bad for you. And I found that for the most part he was right, or at least in the right area. Goji berries contain toxic compounds and chemicals, and these can affect how your medications work, especially for diabetics. They also can cause digestive issues and in rare cases cause your blood not to clot as efficiently. Note that much of our health is dependent on two things... having a healthy gut and a healthy mouth. I know this for a fact as I have spent the last 2 years fighting disease linked to both. And I've had doctors tell me to work on my oral health and my diet to make my gut happy. I already brush my teeth regularly and floss, so I focused more on the diet and gut health side. Ive had nutrition studies done on me as well as been checked for assorted things I might be missing and I know for a fact that this is important. Your gut is the center for your health. Eat shit, feel shitty. Eat well, feel good. It's not BS, its science. Science I've lived. So on this one, I'm going to give Dr. Grundy a .5 for trying. He means well, so that has to count for something. He mentioned early man being healthy because of their diet, then as they got more modern, they got fat and unhealthy. And this is actually because they switched from healthy foods to less healthy ones as they modernized. Gone were the massive amounts of berries and plants and the low meat input, and the gluten and other things started to dominate. Heard of a paleo diet? There's a reason why it works for people with gluten issues. It focuses on things that dont bring in the bad stuff found in wheat etc, and brings in more of what our ancestors ate. Lets talk about two of the important things about this gut health thing that impacts your whole body... Lectins & polyphenol Lectins - These are a protein found in many foods that can have many negative effects on our bodies. These include damage to our GI tract and organs, metabolism issues and other things. You'll find Lectins in beans, grains, many fruits and veggies and stuff like nuts and seeds. Even dairy has lectins. Do some research and make a list and try some foods that are lower in lectins in place of your standard diet and see how it impacts your health and life. Dont take my word for it or this Dr Gundry. See for yourself. Everyone is different, so its not a "one size fits all" kind of situation. Polyphenol - This important photochemical, found in many anti-oxidant foods, help with diabetes, cancer, and heart problems and blockages in your viens according to sources on the internet. Cloves, Cocoa (Dark chocolate especially), oregano (Mexican), flax seeds, blue berries, green tea, coffee, red wine, some seeds and even margarine, which is fatty so be careful with this one. Also try peppermint, star anise, black elderberries, rosemary, safe, thyme, plums, strawberries and more. The highest items are cloves, peppermint, star anise and cocoa powder with the first two being way up there. Also, Im sure you've heard of Probiotics, the stuff in your gut that helps you digest and deal with the foods you put in? We'll, these probiotics actually use polyphenols, feeding on them and allowing them to interact with them in a way that makes them more powerful and gives them energy more or less to work, improving your gut health. If you've ever taken anti-biotics, your doctor probably (or should have) also recommend a probiotic. I know a little about this, as I've spent the last two years fighting GI problems, most of which were caused by Antibiotics destroying my gut health and causing the probiotics to become less effective. DO some searching on the web, looking for WebMC, the MayoClinic and other reputable sources, ask your doctor, and don't listen to the quack doctors like Dr Axe who make crazy claims to get attention. Listen to your body, your gut, and your doctor. Trust me on this from experience. So while Dr Gundry was right a little, he was also wrong a lot. Just going to show you that having a fancy title and medical history does not mean he or anyone knows what they are doing. As always, your doctor and you know more then anyone else about you and your health. And its your job to investigate these things. Don't just let someone tell you, look into it before you take action. And skip the overpriced grass. You can go out into your yard and cut some grass up and eat it and it will be no different then that $3-10 shot of "wheat grass". This is just my opinion based on my own life, some internet research and talking to my nutritionist and doctor as well as my GI doctor. I am not a doctor, this is not medical advice, and I always suggest you talk to your physician before making any diet changes or doing anything with supplements. Better safe then sorry. Hope this helps some of you and if not, feel free to fire back some of your own experience. Any hateful or angry comments will be ignored. And good luck to you.

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alorconsulting · 4 years

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Many a night, I turn to eggs to make meals more hearty and complete. It’s usually unplanned and last minute, but when the veggies are down and my Husband is hungry, it’s my crutch. Over the long run, it’s been a tremendous trick to help me cut down on meal budgets. Eggs, even the fancy organic, free range, fancy boxes or farmers market finds are far less expensive per serving than many meat options.

It maybe #memeish of me, but the always on hand super versatile egg is the perfect for topping. It works on anything from veggies to grains to pastas and yes soups.

How to Make The Perfect Boiled Egg

7 Minute Egg

My eggdiction didn’t get started until I mastered the 7 minute egg. Now pimping out a plate with a golden, gushing yolk is quick and easy. Do you need a recipe for this… probably not. But there is one strict rule to making the perfect 7 Minute egg that must be followed. Start the timer when the egg hits water that is already boiling. From here experimenting between a jammy 7 minute egg or a more solid 8 minutes yolk is simple.

7 Minute Egg

Servings: 2-4

Time: 13 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1 Egg Per Person

Directions:

Bring 6 cups of water to a rapid boil over high heat. With a spoon, lower eggs into the water.

Turn the heat down slightly to prevent the eggs from bouncing too rapidly and cracking open in the water. What you’re looking for is a simmer with surface bubbles that circulates the water.

Start the clock! You’ll want to be patient for exactly 7 minutes.

To keep yourself busy for 7 minutes, prep a medium bowl of cold water and a few ice cubes. This will be your ice bath to stop the cooking once you hit 7 minutes.

When the 7 Minutes is up quickly drain the pot and get the eggs as quickly as possible into the ice bath. Let sit for about 10 minutes or as long as it takes to comfortably handle the eggs.

Peel and eat immediately.

Find Your Perfect Boiled Egg

What’s the perfect time to boil and egg, is a very personal question! While I go for a 7 minute egg, Paolo likes a 6 minute egg. If you have picky eaters, simply take a sharpie and write 6, 7, 8 or whatever minute your family prefers on the outside of the egg shell. Then watch the timer and pluck the egg you need out at the appropriate time and again, quickly plunge it into the ice bath to wait for the rest!

Bon Appétit has a guide better than any others I’ve seen to helping you determine your perfect egg boiling time. I actually took this page out of their magazine and have it in my recipe binder as a quick guide! Since I’m not giving up my copy, ever I found a link to their online guide for you.

Bonappetit Egg Doneness Chart

How to Quickly Peel Boiled Eggs

As you can tell, soft jammy boiled eggs are an eggsession of mine. Peeling them, however is not. I used to hate it! Every method from the tap and peel to the spoon under the shell trick, I’ve tried. It wasn’t until working at Food Network and seeing a more profession approach, that I finally went from loathing to loving peeling eggs.

The quickest and easiest method for peeling boiled eggs is the pot shake.

Step 1: Add an inch of water to the pot the eggs were boiled in.

Step 2: Add all the eggs you want to peel immediately back into the pot and put the lid back on.

Step 3: If your pot is still hot, grab a towel to wrap the handles and lid of the pot together and you got it, shake it! For 30 seconds.

It’s going to take a few rounds of practice to nail the perfect level of vigorous shaking. Start light and as you get braver, shake a bit harder. Nailing the right shaking technique might mean sacrificing a few eggs the first few times you try but in the long run it’s worth it. After a few good practice rounds, I can shake the pot and open it to find each egg completely peeled. I swear it’s like magic! It probably goes without saying but with a six minute egg, shake less vigorously than an eight minute egg.

Water Pressure Peels Boiled Eggs

If you don’t want to sacrifice any eggs, you can shake the pot just vigorously enough to dislodge the shells. Peeling eggs by hand is still far easier after a decent shake.

Another trick is leveraging good old fashion water pressure. Once the shells are dislodged, turn the tap on and peel the egg under running water. Once that first good bit of shell peels away, a bit of water pressure quickly dislodges the rest.

How Long Are Boiled Eggs Good For?

Marking eggs with a sharpie is a trick I learned from my Mother. She used to boil half a dozen eggs at a time and keep them in the same egg crate. To avoid the frustrating experience of cracking open a boiled egg while baking cookies, she would put a big X on the eggs she boiled.

Which begs the question, how long are eggs good for once they are boiled? For this fact, I turn to the folks who have a vested interested in making sure you buy and use eggs! The American Egg Board puts a shelf life of 1 week on boiled eggs (in shell).

EggsRefrigerator (35°F to 40°F)Raw whole eggs (in shell)4 to 5 weeks beyond the pack date or about 3 weeks after purchaseRaw whole eggs (slightly beaten)Up to 2 daysRaw egg whitesUp to 4 daysRaw egg yolksUp to 2 daysHard-boiled eggs (in shell)Up to 1 weekHard-boiled eggs (peeled)Use the same day for best quality

So next time you need a little more than what the pantry has to give, crack an egg on it, fry it up or go for the perfect 7 minute egg. You’re bound to be glad you #putaneggonit.

Fried Eggs On Ham

Fried Egg and Cheese Soup Float

Mixed Veggie and Quinoa Hash with 7 Minute Egg

Eggs Are Not Refrigerated in Europe

PS: The first time I went to buy eggs in an Italian super market, I couldn’t find them. Now, at the time, I could also barely speak Italian. After walking around for half an hour, I summoned the courage to ask.

“Dove sono le uve.”

Yeah, it turns out I asked where the grapes were. Facepalm moment. Uve is grapes, Uova is egg.

So on my way to the grapes, I passed right by the eggs on the dry goods shelf. Twice. Thankfully the clerk, who could clearly tell I was out of my element, was watching me wander around for far too long. Eventually, she took pity on me are walked me squarely in front of the eggs. On the un-refrigerated shelf.

So when I finally move to Italy and you come visit, you’ll know where to find the eggs!

PSS: This applies all throughout Europe. In the US supermarket eggs that are not refrigerated could cause salmonella poisoning while in Europe it’s the exact opposite. Why? In the US eggs are washed to strip the outer protective layer called the cuticle to prevent contamination of the shell. Which means they have to be refrigerated because we stripe the natural protective barrier off. While in Europe, it’s illegal to wash the eggs. In Europe farms have to vaccinate chickens against salmonella. That means the cuticle is still intact when eggs are sold. Refrigerating eggs with the cuticle in tact could actually cause mildew to grow. Which could cause… you guessed it salmonella contamination.

In my humble opinion I prefer eggs that are not refrigerated. To me they taste fresher. Simply because those permeable shells haven’t been sitting right next to the Camembert in the fridge. Don’t take my word for it though! Check with local farms market egg sellers. See if they have unwashed eggs for sale and always ask their recommendations for storage.

Put an Egg On It Many a night, I turn to eggs to make meals more hearty and complete. It's usually unplanned and last minute, but when the veggies are down and my Husband is hungry, it's my crutch.

#Money Saving Meals #Recipe

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topfygad · 4 years

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What To Do If You Get Ill Although Touring • The Blonde Overseas

The only thing worse than receiving unwell at dwelling is acquiring ill when you are traveling. What do you do when you are away and experience terrible? How does a go to to the GP function? What is readily available about-the-counter? How about insurance coverage?

It can all feel too much to handle, primarily when you are now feeling drained. It is greatest to prepare for the worst lengthy before it occurs. And feel me, I have been there!

So, just before catastrophe hits, let’s talk about what to do if you get unwell although touring!

It Transpires

Sharing time! I’ve dealt with everything from UTIs to bedbugs on the highway. I’ve had reactions to malaria medication (and my dude has really serious sensitivities to the meds). I have gotten sinus bacterial infections, migraines, flu, and food stuff poisoning.

On an overnight train from Lisbon to Madrid, I even bought bed bugs! Paying out a ton of time in the drinking water, I’ve gotten UTIs (PSA: be careful of sporting a soaked swimsuit as well lengthy, in particular in the course of your interval).

Of training course, certain people today are a lot more susceptible to certain issues. I’ve talked to fellow travelers about every thing from ideas for coping with existence-threatening allergies to the difficulties faced when traveling with diabetes.

Even if you never have any long-expression disorders, illness happens to us all and touring will constantly occur with a lot of surprises.

Suggestions for Blocking Receiving Sick

It is simple to get off observe with your usual plan when traveling. This can mean an unhealthy food plan, absence of physical exercise, and late nights. Blend that with new foods and diverse germs overseas, and troubles start off popping up immediately. But it does not have to be that way! Below are a handful of of the main tricks for being healthier.

Hydration

Water is vital. Study the community drinking water and decide for bottled h2o if you have any considerations. Being hydrated is so vital, primarily in heat weather conditions. For energetic days, it is crucial to get your electrolytes (I like to have Propel packets for a speedy correct).

Food items

Check out to try to eat as healthy as doable when you are touring. I have tried out incredible food all in excess of the world, and it is 1 of my favorite strategies to knowledge nearby everyday living. Though I absolutely indulge in nearby specialties, I maintain it basic most times.

You can expertise the community delicacies even though continue to getting your veggies and fruits, as very well as having a good harmony of protein and carbs. Extra than just a prepare for extensive-time period overall health, your tummy will thank you right away!

Natural vitamins

Together with keeping up a wholesome diet program, convey your natural vitamins alongside on just about every journey. Zinc and Vitamin C are primarily crucial for holding your immune technique healthier.

Hygiene

A compact bottle of hand sanitizer is critical. Airplane trays and seats are a person of the dirtiest things out there! It’s critical to give them a excellent wipedown before touching. You will also want to keep your hands clear through the journey as you touch new germy spaces.

Unwind

Psychological well being and physical overall health go hand in hand. I have talked about vacation burnout just before and it’s a extremely real thing, even for individuals who do not journey entire-time. Treat your self perfectly on the highway. Prepare time to decompress, unwind, and recuperate. Travel is about making the most of oneself, not ticking matters off of a to-do record.

Locate a Medical professional

If you are touring in just the United States, HealthGrades.com is a helpful useful resource that presents reviews of physicians to assistance you make an knowledgeable decision. Ahead of your take a look at, be sure to also phone your wellness insurance business or check out their internet site. Ideas range considerably so you can hardly ever be too positive.

If you are exterior of the US, the Worldwide Culture of Travel Medication and the Global Association for Health-related Guidance to Vacationers are two practical sites. And, of course, Google is an vital journey companion that’ll help you locate out which languages the doctor’s place of work speaks and how you can get in.

If it is significant, get hold of your embassy or consulate. If you are extremely unwell, you really do not want to close up in a random doctor’s workplace or a overseas ER. You have no notion what the conventional of care will be and you could possibly experience insurmountable interaction boundaries.

Embassy and consulate officers can recommend regional health and fitness care suppliers and immediate you to a clinic. They can also assist take care of logistics like notifying family, assisting with the transfer of resources, arranging transport, and far more although you are receiving cared for.

Significantly, do not hesitate to call your embassy or consulate! This is really what they are compensated for (and it’s your tax income that pays them).

Start out Remedies ASAP

I am responsible of delaying medication until I sense like it’s essential. This variety of approach can lengthen troubles though. When you are touring, time is ticking and I’d really advocate seeking at prescription drugs as quickly as you know something is off. Straightforward around-the-counter meds for discomfort, fevers, and abdomen upset can make all the variation.

Salvaging the Trip

Sure, getting sick (or breaking your toe) is a significant letdown but it does not have to ruin your excursion. All of us require downtime at situations and just lounging in bed for a working day or two can be a really great detail. Sometimes you actually require to just take a split!

Anything straightforward like a chilly or digestive issues will not previous extensive so just make the most of it. If I’m not feeling my greatest, I like to grab a few more treats from the pharmacy like facemasks and foot treatment plans to generate a mini spa at the lodge.

If you have got a big cushy mattress, home services, a scorching shower, and a big Tv set, you’ve bought the essentials for savoring yourself!

Alter of Ideas

When you are on the way to getting very well once more, all you can do is deal with anticipations and modify study course. Flip the hotel into a spa area or make time for all the movies and publications that you have been wondering about for ages. Linger more than a cup of tea and watch the sunset. I know it is difficult to give up the vacation you have been dreaming of, but it will be all right.

Trust me, following all of the miles I’ve logged, I can say with self-assurance that the best memories are generally from the moments when items didn’t go as predicted. Listen to your entire body and just do what feels suitable.

Safeguard Your Buddies

If you are contagious, it is quarantine time! You absolutely really do not want to be spreading it all-around so be vigilant. Have your individual factors and make an work not to contact additional than you have to have to (no person needs a germy hand in the chip bag!).

Stay away from sharing food, beverages, pillows, any other items that come shut to your germy mouth! Tuck your toothbrush absent from the sink and other shared areas. And, of class, hold washing and sanitizing your fingers.

Vacation Insurance policies

The takeaway? Sickness and injury can transpire any where, anytime. Fortuitously, journey insurance policies can practically be a lifesaver!

As a traveler, it is a single of the greatest things to do—just in circumstance! For many years, I assumed very little would at any time take place to me. Then it did, and it did all over again. It is so critical to shield your well being and just about every other factor of your trip.

My go-to for travel coverage is through Earth Nomads. Whatever comes up or if any ailment or injury occurs—they’ve acquired your back again.

Study Far more:10 Reasons to Get Journey Coverage for your Upcoming Journey

Have you ever gotten ill even though touring? How did you manage? Share your story in the reviews down below!

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click2watch · 6 years

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IBM’s New Blockchain Problem: Maersk-Backed Shipping Effort Is Struggling

It’s hard enough to get enterprises that compete with each other to work together as a team, but it’s especially tricky when one of those rivals owns the team.

Shipping giant Maersk and tech provider IBM are wrestling with this problem with TradeLens, their distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform for supply chains.

Some 10 months ago, the project was spun off from Maersk (the largest container shipping company on the planet) into a joint venture with IBM. But in that time the network has enticed only one other carrier onto the platform: Pacific International Lines (PIL), one of eight shipping lines in Asia and 17th in the world based on cargo volumes.

As those involved admit, that’s not enough.

In a nutshell, the IBM-Maersk joint collaboration needs more carriers. The platform is designed such that Maersk’s rivals will act as “trust anchors” and run full blockchain nodes on the network. Moreover, large shippers of goods use multiple carriers and freight-forwarders, and the value proposition involves managing cargo and inventory across all of them.

Not to put too fine a point on it, onboarding other large carriers is an absolutely necessary condition for TradeLens – as Marvin Erdly, head of TradeLens at IBM Blockchain, acknowledged.

“I won’t mince words here – we do need to get the other carriers on the platform. Without that network, we don’t have a product. That is the reality of the situation.” he told CoinDesk.

The problem is that Maersk’s rival shipping carriers are concerned about joining the platform on a less than equal footing. Indeed, the chiefs of two rival shipping carriers, CMA CGM (third largest by ship fleets and containers) and Hapag-Lloyd (No. 5), have publicly dismissed the Maersk-IBM blockchain solution as unusable. (Neither company responded to calls for comment from CoinDesk.)

TradeLens has tried to address this problem by recasting the arrangement as a “joint collaboration” in a bid to appear more neutral than the originally billed joint venture. But in substance, Maersk and IBM each have full and equal rights to the intellectual property (IP).

Erdly said an industry advisory board is one of the governance solutions that will make a difference and that work is ongoing to promote equality on the platform. But he acknowledged the concerns of rival shipping firms, adding:

“Obviously the fact that Maersk is driving this is both a really good thing and a worrying thing because they are such a big player in the industry. As you can imagine that’s going to be a factor.”

Who’s the captain?

To Lars Jensen, CEO of SeaIntelligence Consulting, a Copenhagen-based shipping analyst firm, the challenge for IBM and Maersk was apparent early on.

Jensen told CoinDesk he spoke to a group of large carriers about Maersk and IBM’s blockchain proposition at a shipping conference in April, three months after the venture was announced.

According to Jensen, “The other carriers basically said, ‘sure, maybe – tell us a bit about it. And by the way, if we do this then who owns the IP rights?’ Whereupon they were given the answer that the IP rights would be for Maersk and IBM.” He added:

“It’s not rocket science to guess what all Maersk’s competitors said about joining this initiative.”

In a word: no.

To be sure, it’s still early days for TradeLens. IBM has made impressive leaps with its other big industry blockchain, the now-live Food Trust, kicked off a couple of years ago in conjunction with retailing behemoth Walmart.

And IBM and Maersk have signed scores of participants from other parts of the shipping supply chain to join the TradeLens platform. These include an array of global port and customs authorities, beneficial cargo owners, freight forwarding and logistics companies (the Port of Montreal and Canada Border and Services Agency are the latest additions).

“We have had positive engagement with companies across all sectors of our industry thus far, and we’re pleased to note that this constructive dialogue has resulted in more than 100 ecosystem participants actively involved or piloting the solution,” said Michael J. White, Maersk’s TradeLens leader.

An obvious question to Jensen (and others in the shipping ecosystem) is why didn’t Maersk choose to establish its blockchain under the auspices of INTTRA, the digital platform for booking shipping containers, which started out almost 20 years ago as a truly neutral venture, jointly and equally owned by the shipping carriers (including Maersk).

Inna Kuznetsova, the president and COO of INTTRA (which has 60 carriers transacting on its software-as-a-service, non-blockchain platform) believes the “jury is still out” regarding the potential of blockchain in the shipping industry, which, she pointed out, has to be pragmatic thanks to thin margins and limited IT resources.

“The shipping industry today is tired of the ‘big carrot in the end’ project,” said Kuznetsova. “Selecting IT projects requires a rather thin focus on return on investment and we have seen a high preference for projects which bring savings in six months to a year.”

White of Maersk said its work with IBM “has a fundamentally different focus and approach than INTTRA in terms of both the solution and technology. We have an ongoing dialogue with INTTRA.”

Staying neutral

Another challenge for TradeLens is that it is not the only game in town.

Accenture has onboarded Singapore-based shipping carrier APL (American President Lines, 12th largest by cargo volume) and freight forwarding giant Kuehne + Nagel to a blockchain pilot involving brewing giant AB InBev and a European customs organization.

Adriana Diener–Veinott, global lead for Accenture Freight & Logistics Services, said the proof of concept began with one stakeholder in each category: a shipper, a forwarder, a shipping line and a customs authority.

“Right from the beginning, everybody accepts their competitors will be joining and that they would have the same rights. This is how you make an industry platform successful,” she said.

Diener–Veinott said she was not at liberty to disclose who currently owns the IP of the mini-consortium. However, Accenture said it will be announcing additional carriers in the coming weeks as well as providing an update on its governance procedures.

A representative of Kuehne + Nagel echoed the points made by Accenture.

“One of the guiding principles is that ownership of the platform of the consortium will not be restricted to the founding parties,” said the spokesperson. “The governance model will ensure that additional partners will be able to join with equal rights and obligations.”

In all fairness, building big blockchain networks is an unprecedented business and IBM is exploring different approaches to the problem. Jerry Cuomo, Big Blue’s vice president for blockchain technologies, says there are two ways you can go, in his experience: Either start out small and centralized with just a few trust anchors, or choose a more decentralized approach that involves wrangling together a large consortium and is going to take longer to get off the ground.

“We are not sure that one is right and the other wrong,” Cuomo told CoinDesk. “If you start off small and centralized, the challenge will be getting the next big trust anchors on board. On the other hand, with the decentralized approach, you can have multiple competitors and their lawyers all asking questions and it’s going to take some time. You’ve got to pick your poison,” he said.

But if it came down to it, would TradeLens ever opt to share the IP equally among other network members in order to ensure the success of the platform?

IBM’s Erdly said he was not in a position to speculate on what might or might not happen down the line, but he echoed his colleague Cuomo’s point about the need to just get out there and innovate, concluding:

“We could have spent years and years working on some industry consortium model. Or we could get started and push this thing forward.”

Maersk image via Shutterstock.

The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.

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belardtheworld · 7 years

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Located on the west of The Philippines, Coron is a beautiful island paradise with its many beaches, islands and sceneries, attracting much hype over the past few years.

While not as popular as its counterpart, El Nido, it still holds much charm for the island-lovers.

After spending 4 days in Coron, I can safely say that this little town, while it doesn’t offer plenty of activities, has views from the neighbouring islands and colourful marine life that make them reason enough to warrant a visit if you do visit El Nido or the Palawan region.

Recommended duration in Coron: 3 days

what you can expect to do in Coron, Palawan.

Where to stay in Coron, Palawan

There are tons of Coron resorts and hotels, partly due to the increasing interest from many tourists in recent years. From luxurious, private beach villas with a view of the ocean to staying in vibrant hostels, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Luxury:

Some of these villas are located on remote, private islands, so it’s perfect for if you want to avoid the crowds in the town area. These villas also offer private tour packages that allows you to see Coron a little differently than how the main tours would, so it’s perfect for those looking for more customizable tour options and smaller groups.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Club Paradise (From SGD$301/night)

Two Seasons Coron Island Resort & Spa (From SGD$645/night)

Sangat Island Dive Resort (From SGD$306/night)

Read: Club Paradise Palawan, Coron, Philippines; Hotel Review

Mid-Range:

Stay in comfort without being too far away from Coron Town Proper. Whether you want to stay in a beachfront resort on the outskirts of Coron or stay in a delightful hotel conveniently located in the Coron Town Proper city centre, there are plenty of options for you here. Here are some of my recommended options:

Resorts:

Coron Soleil Garden Resort (From SGD$123/night)

Sophia’s Garden Resort (From SGD$120/night)

El Rio Y Mar Resort (From SGD$150/night)

Hotels:

Asia Grand View Hotel (From SGD$116/night)

Bluewave Hotel (From SGD$133/night)

The Funny Lion (From SGD$186/night)

MO2 Westown Lagoon (From $67/night)

Budget:

Surround yourself with like-minded backpackers in hostels, who are mostly here in Coron eager to experience a thrilling journey of island-hopping around the beautiful islands.

Hostels:

Fat Monkey Hostel (From SGD $20/night)

Luis Bay Travellers Lodge (From SGD$14/night)

If you looking for cheap, private accommodation, then budget hotels are the way to go. The lower prices of these accommodations means you can afford to spend more on things to do and activities in Coron.

Budget Hotels:

K-Heights Inn (From SGD$26/night)

Macky’s Hidden Inn (From SGD$29/night)

Coron Paradise Bed & Breakfast (From SGD$27/night)

What to do in Coron, Palawan

Of course, if you’re looking for things to do in Coron, the main highlight is to go on their island-hopping tours. If you have more time to spare, delve deeper into what the town has to offer!

1. Island hop with one of Coron’s tours

Kayangan Lake Viewpoint

No island holiday is complete without seeing the best that the island has to offer. The Coron Ultimate Tour which I went for is one of the most comprehensive island-hopping tour in Coron. It covers 7 destinations in under 9 hours, all while basking in the tropical sun.

In Coron Town Proper, you’ll notice many street-side tour vendors selling different tour packages at similar prices. You can choose to purchase your tours directly from one of these vendors. Also, due to the availability of so many tour vendors, you should just take your time to discover the different prices and offerings from the different vendors before making your pick. These tour agencies are generally safe and reliable! 🙂

Kayaking on Beach 91

Another option is to book your tours online from tour providers such as Klook or KKday. They are definitely more credible and have gained popularity of late due to the ease of booking tours with a click of a button.

No matter what your choice of booking is, be sure to check the fine print to see what is included in your tour package, e.g. is there a 2-way shuttle to and from your accommodation to the port? Are certain equipments like snorkelling masks provided? Are there any other additional fees that I will need to pay?

I learned my mistake when I went for the Coron Ultimate Tour.

Here’s a breakdown of the different stops that the tours in Coron offer:

a. Coron Ultimate Tour

Kayangan Lake

Twin Lagoons

Siete Pecados Marine Park

Beach 91

Skeleton Wreck

Malwawey Reef & Coral Garden

CYC Beach

Read: Coron Palawan Tour; The Ultimate Island-Hopping Tour

b. Island Escapade Tour

Malcapuya Island

Banana Island

Bulog Dos Island

c. Tribal Adventures – Ultimate Coron Banca & Sea Kayak Day Trip

2. Cafe-hopping in Coron Town Proper

Though it’s not as popular as island-hopping, we found a couple of cosy, hipster cafes in Coron by chance. We had to spend an extra day in Coron due to a bout of food poisoning, so we spent the remaining time looking for activities to kill our time. You can imagine how little entertainment there is in Coron. The main highlight of Coron is still its tours.

The cafe prices are reasonable, considering it’s not as popular with tourists as yet. For the cosy ambience, air-conditioning and service, it’s perfect if you’re a digital nomad or working remotely.

In fact, I hopped to a few different cafes, sipped on lattes, tapped on their Wifi and did some work too!

Two of my favourite finds are:

Coffee kong (location)

Fika Indulgence Cafe (location)

Steve’s (location)

We spent two nights hanging out at Steve’s, a restaurant near the pier, getting snacks like french fries and mango milkshakes. What kept us coming back was the foosball table they had. I swear we played for 1.5 hours each time! It’s these little sources of entertainment in a simple town that kept our night going. They also have a live band, with the lead singer singing great renditions of pop songs.

3. Watch the sunset at the pier

The sun sets earlier in Coron, at approximately 6pm. We found the best view of the sunset to be at Bayside Plaza, near the pier. Nothing beats sitting on the ledge of the pier and taking in the company of each other as we watch the sun makes its slow descent into the horizon.

As we were doing that one night, the most unexpected thing happened – all the electricity in the town went out and we were in total darkness, even though it was only 6:30pm! It was as if the whole town disappeared and we were in our own world, with the stars in full glory.

Regardless of the power outage, no visit to Coron would be complete if you didn’t catch the sunset the way we did.

4. Climb up Mt Tapyas

Another vantage point to watch the sunset is at the top of Mt Tapyas, the Mt Tapyas Pavilion. It is quite some way up, with over 700 steps to climb, so set off at close to 4:30pm so you have ample time to hike up. Once up there, I got a great view of not just the sunset but also the entire Coron Town Proper.

5. Visit the local carnival

In a completely fateful twist of event, what started as an aimless walk through Coron Town Proper resulted in us finding a gem of a place.

Set out in an open field right next to the pier, the Public Market and Coron Bus and Jeepney Terminal, the local carnival that we ran into quickly brought back memories of our younger days, when Singapore had the occasional neighbourhood carnivals. I quickly walked around and explored the carnival.

There weren’t many foreigners in the carnival, to my surprise. This resulted in cheaper prices for food, games and attractions at the carnival!

6. Go shopping at the local market

In the day, the Old Public Market, also known as the Public Market, is buzzing with locals going about their daily lives, haggling and doing their grocery shopping at the different stalls there. From meat to vegetables, locally-produced clothes to snacks, there is a diverse choice of items on sale! Just stand back and bask in the sights and experience of local living.

7. Get out there!

Sometimes, the best plan is to have no plan at all. On the last 2 days of our stay in Coron, we often found ourselves walking aimlessly down the road and streets, ending up in an area of Coron Town Proper with no tourists at all in sight, and proper local food.

In fact, there was once when we even ended up at a local day market next to a primary school selling all kinds of items, including local snacks. The streets were decorated with colourful flags hanging from one lamp post to the next.

While it’s always fun to just walk around aimlessly, make sure you know your way back! 😉 This is one offline map app I strongly recommend every traveller to have.

Getting to Coron, Palawan

Getting from El Nido to Coron, Palawan

There are two ways to get to Coron from El Nido – by a fast ferry or a significantly slower ferry. The boats depart from Coron Port (location) and you can grab a tricycle to the port for under 80 Pesos.

1. Fast ferry

Operated by Montenegro Lines, this is the most popular choice among tourists as time is precious when you’re on vacation!

Cost: 1,760 Pesos (There will be an additional 20 Pesos you need to pay at the entry on top of the ticket price for Terminal Fee.)

Duration: 3.5 hours

Departing Time: 8:30am, but be at the port by 7:30am.

Tip: Fast ferries don’t operate on Thursday, so avoid travelling on Thursday at all cost or you won’t be spared from the slow ferry!

2. Slow ferry

Operated by Bunso boats, this is an option for those travelling on a slightly tighter budget, or if you happen to travel on the one day the fast ferry doesn’t operate.

Cost: 1,400 Pesos (There will be an additional 20 Pesos you will need to pay at the entry on top of the ticket price for Terminal Fee)

Duration: 6 – 8 hours

Departing Time: Between 8am – 8:30am, so be at the port by 7:30am

Tip: I’d recommend you to purchase your tickets from the street vendors as there are discounts available (I got my Fast ferry ticket at 1600 Pesos/pax instead).

Be sure to purchase them at least 1 day in advance to secure your seats!

If you’re wary or skeptical about the authenticity of the tickets you’ve purchased, you should always ask for a receipt. The vendor will issue you a ticket for the Montenegro Lines ferry, but for the Bunso boats, you’ll need to show your receipts instead.

Getting from Manila to Coron

Coron’s nearest airport is Francisco B. Reyes Airport (location). The airport is a pretty small airport with only the most basic facilities in place.

There is only one comfortable way for you to get to Francisco B. Reyes Airport in Coron, Busuanga from Manila, and that is by plane. Here’s what you need to know!

Duration: Approximately 1 hr flight

Flight operators: There are only 3 flight operators – Cebu Pacific, Philippines Airline, Skyjet – and they are mostly budget airlines.

Cost: 2-way flight starts from USD180, depending on availability of tickets and seasonality

When i was heading to Coron, Busuanga from Manila, due to poor weather conditions, the plane had to make a detour back to Manila.

Like whaaaat?!

You can imagine the pain and disappointment I felt when the pilot made this announcement.

Getting from Francisco B. Reyes Airport to Coron Town Proper

If your accommodations provider has a shuttle service available, they’ll fetch you at the exit of the airport.

Just next to them, you’ll find a couple of public van operators holding signs of hostel names that they will be going driving past, so you just need to find the right van operator that goes to your hotel or hostel.

Each trip will cost you 150 Pesos each and it is non-negotiable.

Getting around Coron Town Proper

Coron Town Proper is quite a small town, so walking is a good way to get around. Besides, walking around Coron Town Proper allows you to see more of the city!

Alternatively, you can flag down a tricycle, which are pretty affordable. A 10-minute trip just cost us a mere 30 Pesos.

Tip: It’s always good to get them to quote the price of the ride before you step on so you won’t be shocked if they were to slap a bigger amount at the end of the trip. This leaves you with room to negotiate the prices too!

Where to eat in Coron, Palawan

If there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that there will be no shortage of good food around the town!

Here are some of our favourite recommendations and why we recommend them!

Local Food

Big Mama’s Pinoy Hot Pot & Grill Restaurant (location)- This restaurant was recommended by a local to us. They sell authentic Pinoy food, and there are locals really do dine there. It’s really affordable and yummy, but be prepared to be swarmed by houseflies.

Bluemoon Restobar (location) – A lively bar in the evening, it’s a good option for dinner. The food takes a while to be cooked but it tastes pretty good! The alcohol here is really cheap, too, and it made dinner more enjoyable.

Island Boy Grill (location) – You can hear and smell the restaurant from a mile away. It tastes pretty good, but what drew us to this grilled food restaurant in hut-like shelters was the warm and buzzing atmosphere.

KT’s Sinugba Sa Balay (location) – Despite being slightly more expensive than most local restaurants, it serves good, authentic local food. You’ll see long streams of people, even foreigners, eating the food here. Be prepared to wait for over 20 minutes to get a seat.

International Dishes

Altrove Coron (location) – Serving up authentic Italian food at a slightly higher price. It’s perfect for those who want to have international food instead!

Dali Dali Food Station (location) – This restaurant serves vegan and vegetarian food, which is hard to find in this region. Apart from that, the friendly staff and yummy food gave me more reasons to come back here again for another meal.

Coron may be the underrated counterpart of El Nido, but I feel it should not be missed if you’re already visiting Palawan. The marine life and limestone rocks are as astounding as El Nido‘s.

I was initially attracted to the colour of Coron’s waters, and boy, was I not disappointed!

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Coron Palawan Itinerary Located on the west of The Philippines, Coron is a beautiful island paradise with its many beaches, islands and sceneries, attracting much hype over the past few years.

#Coron #Palawan #Travel #Travel guide

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lyndskg-blog · 7 years

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mangoes & betrayal

It’s Wednesday morning and I’m pretty sure I have food poisoning. I was on the D train headed to the Rockefeller Center when I became insanely nauseous all of a sudden. I had just gotten on at the Atlantic-Barclays station, and the next stop was in Manhattan. It got much worse really quickly and the typical cacophony of subway noises began to fade in and out as my vision started to blur. The air conditioning in the vessel was on full blast, but I was sweating profusely and had chills all over… always a great combo. The most annoying part was that I was pretty much stuck on the train. Even though I’m generally not claustrophobic, the fact that I was underground, trapped in a rickety mechanical snake filled with thousands of other people, just made the situation worse. The next stop at Grand Avenue (across the Brooklyn Bridge) was a good ten minutes away, so I had to just stand there in agony- sweating like a recovering heroin addict- because there were no open seats. An Asian man sitting near me was watching me and totally could’ve offered his spot, considering I probably would’ve passed out if I had to stand there much longer… luckily, the train stopped shortly after so I stumbled out and sat on a bench at the subway station. When I felt a bit better, I took the Brooklyn-bound train back to 503 Atlantic, which is where I am right now. It’s kind of hard to describe exactly how I was feeling because I don’t get sick that often, or at least not in that kind of way. Overall, it was an extremely unpleasant experience: 0/10, would not recommend.

I trace my current problem back to the mango I bought from a street vendor yesterday afternoon. My present routine involves taking the 6 train from Grand Central to Borough Hall, stopping at Kung Fu Tea for strawberry lemonade boba with less ice/50% sugar (it’s always disgustingly sweet if you don’t tell them otherwise), and then heading to Siz-in-Pan for cheap, greasy, but fantastic pork dumplings. As much as I loved those acai bowls from the Liquiteria on Vanderbilt, shelling out 12 dollars on a daily basis (for three weeks straight) for glorified smoothies was definitely not one of my proudest decisions. Anyways, as I was walking down Fulton, I saw this sweet-looking Mexican lady selling Ziplocs filled with cut mangoes. They had pretty traditional Mexican toppings- lemon juice, tapatio, and chili powder. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to try, so I bought a bag. Well let’s just say I’m kind of regretting this now because Mango Lady probablemente no entiende higiene. I’m not exactly Sherlock Holmes, but I’m not sure why else my body would do me like that. I feel kind of betrayed because mangoes are my favorite fruit, and being burned by the ones you love hurts the most.

jul 26. 2017

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trendingnewsb · 7 years

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25 ways to save $250 a month that everyone is messing up

Image: Faberr Ink/shutterstock

When it comes to saving money, not every way is the right way. A lot of it depends on your lifestyle and the goals that youve established.

At the same time, there are plenty of mistakes we typically make when it comes to saving like the 25 ways listed below.

1. Not monitoring your budget

When it comes to saving some cash each month, nothing beats a budget. Heres the problem. You base your budget on your fixed expenses like rent, insurance, and utilities. But, what about those unexpected or variable expenses like a trip to the dentist, replacement of your broken iPhone, heat during colder months, the invitation to go on a last-minute weekend vacation, or gifts for birthdays or holidays?

If youve created a budget based on only your fixed month-to-month expenses, then its going to be a lot harder to save accordingly. Instead of saving money each month, youll actually be eating into your savings.

To successfully budget, you have to pay attention to trends and then reshuffle as needed. This way, youll have enough money to cover those unexpected or variable expenses without dipping into your savings. Remember, budgeting is a process. Dont expect to create a budget based on solely on one month. Track your spending over the course of a couple of months so that you can paint a more accurate picture.

2. Spending too much time on being frugal

Another way to save money each month is by being frugal. But, if youre spending more time on monitoring your budget, clipping coupons, or scouring the Internet for the best deal instead of enjoying your life, then its time to reevaluate the situation.

The purpose of saving is so that you have the money to take that family trip, make home improvements, or invest in new business. That doesnt mean that you eliminate the important things in life, such as spending time with your family, just for the sake of saving. By all means, be frugal but not when its consuming too much of your life.

3. Loyalty

When you think about saving money, you most likely think about reducing expenses like going out to dinner less often. But, when was the last time that you compared the rates and deals of your bank, insurance company, the Internet or cell phone provider? Theres a good chance that there are better options available. Switching your cell phone provider, for example, may not save you $250 alone per month, but you may find a plan thats $25 cheaper per month. Add that to your other saving methods and youll be on track to that $250 goal rather easily.

4. Youre uncomfortable

Being frugal doesnt mean that you have to sacrifice the things that you actually need or enjoy occasionally. It means that youre more cognizant of your spending so that you can make better financial decisions. It doesnt mean that you have to be uncomfortable and miserable by missing out on the things that you enjoy or need like that new mattress to replace your uncomfortable and torn-up mattress.

5. Buying on sale just because its on sale

Weve all been guilty of this. We purchase items just because theyre on sale. But, do you really need that new pair of jeans just because theyre 15% off? Instead of spending your money on the things that you dont need just because theyre sale, make a note of the what you do need and then wait for them to go on sale.If youre like most people, this adds up to be over $250 a month.

6. Cooking at home

Make no mistake about it. Cooking at home is definitely more affordable than eating out every night. But, what about the times that you want to make something that calls for ingredients that youll rarely use. Take Paella, for example. While its delicious, theres a chance that the saffron you purchased is going to go to waste.

When grocery shopping, try to think of meals that use similar ingredients so that nothing is going to waste. Another option would be to join something like Blue Apron or Sun Basket since they provide the right amount of ingredients needed for each recipe. Best of all? Plans start at around $10 per serving.

7. You cant let go

Do you have a house full of stuff that you never use but hold onto them because you might need that snow blower even though you live in Florida? Its time to let some of that clutter go. While I understand that you dont want to buy something if you already have it, take stock of the things that you know youll need.

If you keep accumulating stuff, youll potentially run into a situation where you need to rent storage space because you no longer have space in your home to store it. How is that going to help you save money each month?

8. Buying coupons youll never use

There are some incredible deals on Groupon or LivingSocial. But, are you really going to take that yoga class or eat at that new Italian restaurant outside of town before the voucher expires? If so, then purchase the voucher, but if youre uncertain, then skip the deal.

9. You jeopardize your safety

I dont enjoy throwing away food. However, Im not going to put myself or my family at risk by cooking dinner using expired ingredients. If something is bad, its better to chuck it then risk getting a bad case of food poisoning.

10. Signing up for a new credit card just for the rewards

In some instances, credit cards have perks like rewards, cashback on purchases, and 0% percent APR for balance transfers that make them worth considering. Before applying for that new card, review all of the fine print. This applies to businesses as well. The cost of annual fees and high-interest rates may not be worth those perks.

11. Cutting out all activities and socializing

One of the most expensive expenses youll incur is socializing and participating in activities. Instead of becoming a hermit and isolating yourself from your friends or family, make an exception here and there. If you go out for drinks or attend a concert on Friday night, then stay home on Saturday night. Youre still socializing, but youre also being responsible with your money.

12. You never indulge

Just like with socializing, its alright to indulge now and then. It can be used as a reward or help you experience new things. So, if youve brewed your own coffee at home all week, go ahead and stop by Starbucks on Friday morning. You earned it!

13. Youve taken DIY too far

Thanks to Pinterest and YouTube, weve been tricked into thinking that we can do anything from building furniture to repairing our cars. The problem is that this can lead us to potentially do more harm than good.

For example, changing the oil in your car may sound like a good idea, but by the time that you purchase the oil and filters, it may cost you more money than going to a mechanic. Even worse, if youve never changed the oil in your car and make a mistake youll now have an additional expense: paying a mechanic to repair the damage that youve done.

14. Cord-cutting

One of the most popular trends when it comes to saving money is through cord-cutting. The thing is its not for everyone. If you enjoy watching local sports or shows like Game of Thrones, you may end up paying more money each month since youre still paying for Internet service, a local TV package, and a premium channel subscription. Unless youre not a TV-watcher, cord-cutting may not be your best option.

15. Not calculating your retirement

Saving for your retirement is never a bad idea. Going into it blindly is, however. You wouldn’t purchase a car or home without knowing how much its going to cost you, right? In order to plan and save for your retirement, you need to first calculate how much youre going to need to set aside each month. NerdWallet has a handy retirement calculator that can help you get started on the right path.

16. Putting money into modest growth plans

One of the biggest mistakes that even the savviest savers make is putting money into modest growth plans, such as low APR savings accounts, CDs, bonds, mutual funds, or simple 401(k)s. Thanks to Fintech, your bank or financial adviser will be able to send you personalized investment recommendations so that you can get the most bang for your buck.

17. Not harnessing the power of Fintech

Speaking of Fintech, financial institutions are using this technology so that you can also automate investing and savings by adjusting your budget and notifying you of any changes in your accounts. You can receive customized financial advice through chatbots to make more informed financial decisions.

18. Avoiding cash

Theres a belief that if you have cash on-hand youll be tempted to spend it. The thing is if you only have $45 in your pocket, you cant spend more than that. However, if youre carrying plastic or a digital wallet downloaded onto your phone, you may be tempted to spend money on stuff that you dont really need. In the end, cash may be the better option to keep you financially disciplined.

19. Not automating your savings

Dedicating a percentage of your paycheck to your savings is a given. However, what happens when you place that echeck into your bank account? After your expenses have been paid, you may be tempted to spend that excess cash. To prevent that from happening, you should automate your savings where a small percentage of your paycheck is withdrawn and transferred to your savings account. This way, youre not spending that excess money since its already been placed into your savings account.

20. Buying cheap, not value

You may think that in order to save $250 a month you have to buy products or service that are the cheapest. Just remember, you get what you pay for. For example, if you need a new pair of sneakers and purchase a pair from a local dollar store, theyre probably not going to last as long as a quality pair of sneakers. Sure, spending over a hundred bucks on a pair of shoes may seem like a tough pill to swallow, but theyre more likely to last you several years.In other words, always go value over price. It will be worth it in the long-run.

21. Buying in bulk

Buying in bulk can be a smart move when it comes to items that you use frequently and wont spoil. For instance, household items like toothbrushes, toilet paper, or light bulbs are cheaper when bought in bulk. Food items are a different story. In fact, food waste costs between $1,365 to $2,275 per year for the average American household.When it comes to perishable items like food, buying bulk isnt always the most cost effective solution.

22. Linking your checking and savings accounts

Gone are the days having only one bank account. Today, there is a wide range of ebanking options for your specific needs. For example, you could use one bank for your main checking account because you arent charged any maintenance or minimum balance fees. However, there could be another bank that has a higher interest rate on saving accounts. By separating these two accounts youre not only avoiding fees and getting a better return, but youre also preventing the chances of spending the money that you’ve set aside for that emergency fund or savings plan.

23. Assuming theres a quick fix

When you start saving you first look at reducing your spending. Chances are that reducing your trips to Starbucks or changing your cell phone plan arent enough to add up to $250 in savings each month. After that, you make another cut, then another, and then another until you’ve reached your goal.

The point is when it comes to saving, there aren’t just one or two quick fixes. Its a process that takes time.

24. Focusing on saving while considering how to also make more money

Income is arguably the most important factor when it comes to saving. If youre living paycheck-to-paycheck, then how can you put aside a couple hundred of dollars each month? Reducing the amount of money that you spend each month is only part of the solution. The other part is having additional income that can be placed into your savings account.

Thankfully, there are hundreds of ways for you to make some extra cash on the side even if you have a full-time job. Here and there, working some evenings or weekends can help you easily hit that extra $250 per month and maybe even more!

25. Saving solely for needs

Most financial advisers suggest that you save for needs like a new car, health emergency, or college education. While thats sound advice, when you only save for your needs, you tend to get frustrated and resentful of the entire saving process.Instead, set aside some of your savings for something fun, such as a dream vacation or new TV. You earned that money, so make sure that you enjoy from time-to-time and reward yourself for becoming more fiscally responsible.

John Rampton is serial entrepreneur who now focuses on helping people to build amazing products and services that scale. He is founder of the online payments company Due. He was recently named #2 on Top 50 Online Influencers in the World by Entrepreneur Magazine. Time Magazine recognized John as a motivational speaker that helps people find a “Sense of Meaning” in their lives. He currently advises several companies in the bay area.

John Rampton