Archives for March 2018

3 Furniture Pieces That Add Sophistication To Your Dining Room

Of all the dining room furniture out there, three pieces stand out in terms of style and sophistication: a well crafted, modern dining table, a classic sideboard and a rustic buffet hutch. Of course, in each of these cases, you don’t want a mass-produced piece of furniture made from particle board or veneer – you want solid wood furniture, and you want to get it from a longstanding, reputable wood crafting company.

If you’re in Toronto, look for a company with some showrooms around, and then go visit. Honestly, the best way to tell quality is still by using your senses; touch and inspect the wood, and you should get a good indication of whether it’s of high quality or not. Another mark of a good furniture making company is their willingness to try things out of the ordinary, like mixing contemporary and classic styles for a cabinet, or making beautiful reclaimed wood coffee tables out of reused industrial lumber. Ingenuity and talent often go hand in hand.

But back to the dining room furniture: have your whole dining room made from the same wood or pick a complementary stain for each piece to give the room a sense of unity. There’s no hard and fast rule about mixing styles of furniture, however, and if it looks good to you, go for it. It’s generally recommended that you go for a simple, modern style of dining table – the centre of the room ought not to be too ornate. But, again, these are just guidelines and at the end of the day you can choose whatever you’d like.

As for the sideboard, go for broke. Sideboards are a great blend of functionality and aesthetics, and so should be thought of in both ways; you want something with ample drawer space for your cutlery and linens, but you also want it to be a statement piece. If a classically designed sideboard isn’t your cup of tea, and you want something that more closely matches your table, go for a mid-century Nordic style sideboard, with clean, minimal lines.

Finally, your buffet hutch should be custom made with the features you’ll use most, as its functionality is its most important feature. Have one made with a wine rack and an all glass door, or open shelving with solid wood doors. With a good furniture company, you will be able to decide the structure, as well as which wood variety you’d like and what finish you would prefer.

When you have furnished your dining room, you can move onto your living room, where you can consider whether you want reclaimed wood coffee tables, tall, imposing entertainment units and sleek sofa tables. Then it’s on to the bedroom, to reconsider your bed, nightstand and dresser. Once you start stacking your home with solid wood furniture, it can be hard to stop!

But start with the dining room. After all, the dining room is the focal point of hosting in a home, and when you have friends or relatives over you want to impress. With a well crafted table, sideboard and buffet hutch, you’re sure to impress anyone that sits down for a meal at your place.

How To Celebrate Mom Without Breaking Your Budget

Young and adult children all over the world are posed to spoil their moms on the big day, with greeting cards, sweets, flowers, and jewellery as the top presents. Second only to Christmas, Mother’s Day is the most popular gift-giving holiday according to Hallmark. Ticking each traditional gift from your list can be expensive, leaving your finances ill-prepared for Father’s Day, which is just around the corner. Even still, you may feel compelled to shower mom with all the nicest things. What’s more important is whether or not she wants any of them. You might be surprised to learn the answer is no.

Cost is no object according to surveys.

Even though most Canadians think Mother’s Day is too commercialized, plenty of them are willing to open their wallets and prove they care with dollars spent. According to a RetailMeNot.ca report, the average Canadian spent $76 on gifts in 2017. Some were willing to spend as much as $186 to create the ultimate experience for their mothers, purchasing a card, flowers, treats, and dinner.

The average is nearly $50 more than the Canadians spend on their dads on Father’s Day. Nearly three-quarters of RetailMeNot.ca’s respondents admitted they focus more on mom’s special day than dad’s. Half of them justified their unbalanced shopping because dad didn’t care about the celebrations.

But what does mom really want?

While Canadians don’t hesitate to spoil mom with presents, a recent survey suggests this isn’t the best way to celebrate her. According to an IPG Mediabrand survey, 47 percent of moms said they most wanted to spend time with their families. Only four percent of responders admitted to looking forward to unwrapping gifts and chocolates on Mother’s Day.

Spending quality time with her kids is the best present it seems. It’s not always an easy option, especially if you live out of town. The task only gets harder when you know you could easily go online to order a bouquet of flowers straight to her door and keep your Sunday afternoon free.

Spend time, not money.

Eliminating gifts from your Mother’s Day is an effective way to keep your costs low, but it’s also a heartfelt way to show your mom you really care. Anyone can buy her flowers, chocolates, or a new pair of earrings. Quality time spent with her child is priceless.

Of course, if you can’t resist picking up a few things to wrap up on the big day, don’t panic. If your attempt to spoil your mom leaves you unprepared for unexpected financial emergencies, you’ll be fine. You don’t have to ask for your presents back, so you can return them. You can cover your momentary cash shortage with a payday loan.  A payday loan company like GoDay offers easy ways to get a cash loan online, so you don’t have stress out over the usual complexities that can slow down a traditional loan. Their automated processes work round the clock to approve your application, so you can get your loan as quickly as possible.

Whether you choose to splurge with time or cash, just make sure you and mom celebrate Mother’s Day together. Brunch with the family, a walk along hiking trails, or even an afternoon spent watching Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther in theatres is preferable to the stereotypical gifts for mom. Spend some time with mom to show her you care.

 

7 Foods That Support Men’s Sexual Health

Think your diet doesn’t have an impact on your sex life or sexual performance? Think again! Eating a low quality diet can not only ruin your waistline, it can sink your erection and sexual health. While you may not want to quit your search for a coupon for Viagra or stop meeting with your doctor, making dietary changes may give your sexual health a boost.

Here are 7 foods that have proven to support men’s health.

  1. Fruits Rich in Flavonoids

Did you know that only 13% of Americans consume enough fruit? It’s recommended to eat at least two cups of fruit each day.

Eating enough of the right fruit can be quite impactful below the belt. Fruits that are packed with flavonoids, including flavanones, flavones, and anthocyanins, all lower the risk of erectile dysfunction. These flavonoids were extremely beneficial for those under the age of 70.

Some of the top fruits that offer high levels of flavonoids include:

  • Blueberries
  • Apples
  • Citrus fruit
  • Strawberries

By eating these fruits, you lower your risk of suffering from ED by up to 11%. This is because flavonoids boost blood vessel health and relax the arteries. This allows for proper blood flow to the penis.

  1. Bananas

Not only are bananas great for a quick source of energy, the fruit is also high in potassium. In the body potassium regulates blood pressure, heartbeat, and nerve function. If your diet is rich in potassium and magnesium, you’re likely to have healthy circulation and blood flow which in turn means healthier erections.

If you’re not a fan of bananas, milk, tomatoes, orange juice, and beans are also high in potassium.

  1. Nuts, Legumes & Drupes

Instead of grabbing for that bag of chips, choose a more heart-healthy option instead. Almonds, walnuts, and pistachios not only make for filling snacks, they may also boost your erectile function. These small but powerful morsels have been linked to increased libido, sexual satisfaction, and even improve your ability to orgasm.

Nuts, legumes, and drupes are all heart healthy as they lower your LDL cholesterol and boost your HDL cholesterol. Anything that’s good for your heart is good for your penis.

  1. Green Vegetables

Green vegetables, especially spinach, are chock full of magnesium. This nutrient dilates blood vessels which improves blood flow and increases arousal levels. Spinach can be eaten at any meal and also offers other important nutrients such as folate.

If you’re not a spinach eater, try bok choy, cabbage, kale, broccoli, Swiss chard, or Brussels sprouts.

  1. Coffee

Most people drink coffee to wake up in the mornings or to make it through that mid-day slump. Did you know that coffee can also keep you from experiencing erection issues? A study found that men who drink at least 2 cups of coffee a day were less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction and other sexual issues.

The power is in caffeine, which triggers all sorts of effects that increase blood flow by relaxing the arteries and blood vessels. In fact, caffeine is said to have an effect similar to Viagra!

  1. Foods High in Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an important building block in healthy sexual function. The more vitamin D you take in each day, the higher your free testosterone levels will be. These levels are linked to your sex drive. A vitamin D deficiency increases your risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction. A lack of vitamin D allows for more free radicals to build up in the body. In turn, nitric oxide levels are increased which in turn negatively impact blood vessel function. This can hinder blood flow to the penis which can then cause erection issues.

Foods high in vitamin D include:

  • Egg yolks
  • Salmon and tuna
  • Fortified milk and cereal
  • Mushrooms

As a standard, be sure your diet allows for at least 1,500 IU of vitamin D each day.

  1. Mediterranean Diet

If you’re willing to overhaul your eating habits in hopes of improving your sexual function, take time to research the Mediterranean diet. This diet is extremely good for your heart. Considering that heart disease is one of the top causes of erectile dysfunction, it only makes sense to eat a heart healthy diet.

Top foods in this diet include:

  • Fish
  • Whole grains
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Olive oil

Not only is the Mediterranean diet good for your heart, it’s also been linked to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Fiber and antioxidants work together to promote healthy blood flow which means a minimized risk of erection problems.

Conclusion

What you eat plays a huge role in your overall health, including your sexual function. If you suffer from erectile issues, changing your diet may alleviate symptoms. Be sure to add these 7 foods into your daily diet to give yourself a boost.