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16 Common Food Toxins People Don’t Realize

October 21, 2022 by Power of Positivity

Food toxins can make you sick by interrupting your body’s ability to function correctly. Furthermore, they can cause life-long illnesses. Although you can’t eliminate all pollutants and toxic chemicals from your life, there are steps to take to reduce your exposure to toxins. Eating clean and choosing organic and hormone-free foods is a good start. But, it’s essential to recognize which foods contain these harmful substances.

So today, we will discuss sixteen common food toxins you encounter in your life every day.

What is a food toxin?

According to the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA), food contaminants cover several categories, including the following:

Natural toxins-algae, fungi
Environmental contaminants-pollutants in water and air
Metals-lead
Process contaminants-things that form when food cooks at high temperatures
Inorganic substances-fluorine

Sixteen common food toxins that most people don’t realize

Knowledge is power; here are the chemicals to avoid.

1. Heterocyclic amines

When meat sears at a hot temperature, it changes the proteins into heterocyclic amines(HCA). These chemicals can cause breast, colon, or prostate cancers. In addition, grilling exposes meats and veggies to smoke that covers them, making them dangerous for you to eat. One solution is to pre-cook the foods you plan to grill and finish them on a low flame. You can also marinate meat with a wet rub to cut back on the charring. Never eat the charred parts of food.

2. Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol (BPA) is in the coating of many canned foods and drinks. It’s a carbon-based compound that reacts like hormones in your body. BPA mimics estrogen and disrupts your hormones. BPA can lead to:

Breast cancer
Heart disease
Obesity

Acidic foods like tomatoes are dangerous; the acid makes the BPA leach out of the lining of cans. The best solution is to skip canned foods and buy your foods in glass jars. Read labels. Look for containers listed as BPA-Free. Or buy fresh vegetables and other foods.

3. Aflatoxin

Nuts are an excellent source of protein, but peanut butter and peanuts contain a chemical called aflatoxin. Aflatoxin comes from a fungus called Aspergillus. It links to liver cancer and liver disease. Strangely, the peanut butter with the highest amount of aflatoxins is freshly ground peanut butter at health food stores. The least amount of this toxin came in peanut butter from big supermarkets. To solve this problem:

Store your peanut butter in the fridge to reduce fungal growth.
Always purchase well-known brands of peanut butter.
Don’t buy peanuts from a barrel or bin. You won’t know how long they’ve been sitting there.

4. Diacetyl

When artificial butter flavor releases into the air, it produces diacetyl. Long-term exposure to diacetyl causes inflammation and scarring in your lungs, called “popcorn lung.” It’s an irreversible condition. So if you love popcorn, choose the non-butter flavor and avoid the fumes when you open the bag. You can also cook popcorn on the stove to prevent exposure to diacetyl.

5. Mercury

Even though fish is good for you, certain types of fish are high in mercury. High mercury exposure can cause muscle weakness, hearing loss, and vision problems. Kids are most at risk for these conditions. So watch for these side effects if you think you exposed yourself to mercury.

Anxiety
Memory problems
Mood swings
Depression
Tremors
Numbness if hands and feet
Low functioning motor skills
Trouble breathing

Fish that are highest in mercury include:

Big eyed tuna
Swordfish
Marlin
Shark
Tilefish
King mackerel
Orange roughy
Chilean sea bass

Substitute low mercury seafood such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, scallops, and shrimp. If you love tuna, only eat two servings a week.

6. Sodium nitrate

Sodium nitrate is a preservative used to process some meats. It links to certain types of cancer. There are growing concerns about low exposure to nitrates in regular drinking water. To limit nitrate exposure, you can filter your water and avoid eating processed meats. Foods that contain sodium nitrate include:

Salami
Lunch meats
Bacon
Beef jerky
Ham
Hot dogs
Smoked fish

7. Dioxins

Many meat, dairy, and fish contain dioxin compounds(DLCs). This food toxin is not only environmentally damaging but also harmful to humans. Exposure to DLCs can lead to health problems such as

Reproductive problems
Developmental problems
Heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
Cancer

To avoid these toxic chemicals, choose organic foods whenever possible and limit eating dairy and meat products.

8. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone

This growth hormone is fed to dairy cows to help increase milk production. But these toxic chemicals can cause colon cancer in men. Buy organic dairy foods to avoid exposure to this food toxin. Foods that may contain bovine growth hormones include:

Ice cream
Milk
Yogurt
Cheese
Butter
Half and half

9. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Most of the soy, canola oil and corn in the United States are grown using genetically modified techniques. These engineering techniques may have long-term effects on humans. Some vegetables and fruits that might have GMOs include the following:

Pink pineapples
Potatoes
Summer squash
Apples
Papayas

Researchers are still studying the impact humans these modified foods may have on humans. Until there is more information on the effects of GMOs, your best solution may be to buy foods that say GMO-free.

10. Pesticides

Pesticides are used on crops to kill pests—unfortunately, these toxic chemicals may cause congenital disabilities and some cancers. Most organic foods are pesticide-free, but it’s helpful to read food labels. Check out the EWG’s dirty dozen list of foods with high levels of pesticides.

What about natural toxins?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), natural toxins are toxic chemicals or compounds found naturally in living organisms. Although these toxins don’t hurt the organism, they harm humans when eaten.

Natural toxins can threaten your health. They can be very potent. Severe effects of natural toxins can be these:

Severe stomach pain
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Death
Long-term health problems such as immune, nervous or reproductive system problems

11. Cyanogenic glycosides

Plants produce these toxins. There are over 2000 species of plants that are toxic. Plants such as

Cassava-Yuca plant
Bamboo root
Almonds
Stone fruits

The toxicity level of these plants depends on how much you eat and prepare them. Side effects can include:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Drop in your blood pressure
Stomach pain
Confusion
Twitching
Coma

12. Algae

Freshwater algae and saltwater algae can be toxic. These toxins are prominent when the algae bloom. Algae toxins may occur in shellfish and fish or drinking water. These toxins have no taste or smell, and you can’t get rid of them by cooking. Symptoms of toxicity include:

Diarrhea
Vomiting
Paralysis

13. Lectins

Many beans contain toxic chemicals called lectins. Dried kidney beans have the highest concentration of lectins. Just five red kidney beans can make you sick with vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Lectin decreases when you soak dried kidney beans in water for at least twelve hours and then boil them for ten minutes or more.

14. Furocoumarins

This natural toxin is present in parsnips, celery root, bergamot, lemon, and lime plants. In addition, Furocoumarins are in some medicinal plants. They are stress toxins that some plants release when damaged. Eating a lot of a plant that contains furocoumarins can cause stomach problems. Furocoumarins can also cause skin reactions during exposure to sunlight.

15. Poisonous mushrooms

Some wild mushrooms are toxic. Eating them can lead to

Confusion
Diarrhea
Hallucinations
Vomiting
Visual problems
The harmful effect on your liver, kidney,s and nervous system

Cooking or peeling them doesn’t remove the toxins. Avoid wild mushrooms unless you are sure they’re non-poisonous.

16. Mycotoxins

Certain molds contain mycotoxins. Molds that produce mycotoxins grow in some foods like

Cereals
Dried fruits
Nuts
Spices

Sometimes the mold grows before or after harvesting these foods. Molds also grow during storage if there are damp and warm conditions. These toxins can even survive during food processing. Side effects of mycotoxins include:

Long-term health problems
Cancers
Immune deficiency problems

Be careful of buying foods that look bad or smell bad. Check for pests, damage, or discoloration to the foods. Steer clear of stores that sell old-looking foods.

How do you avoid natural toxins?

Don’t assume when something natural is safe to eat. Never hold on to foods that are damaged, moldy, or discolored. Throw away food that doesn’t taste fresh or smell right. Be sure to eat only wild foods you know are non-poisonous. Natural toxins may be present in different crops and foods from other countries. Be careful of these imported foods.

Final thoughts on avoiding food toxins for a healthier life

Food toxins, pollutants, and toxic chemicals are found in many foods today. These harmful toxins can have long-term detrimental effects on your body. It’s challenging to eliminate all toxins, but there are steps you can take to help reduce your exposure. First, check out the EWG’s dirty dozen to see which fruits and veggies contain high pesticides. When possible, try to eat organic and hormone-free foods. Next, be aware of natural food toxins. These plants carry natural toxins but harm humans, like fungus and molds. You can take steps to protect your and your family’s health by knowing about these common harmful toxins.

5 Sustainable and Natural Fertilizers

October 21, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Traditional fertilizers contain harmful ingredients and chemicals that damage the environment and reduce soil quality. That’s why a cutting-edge fertilizer plant in Saskatchewan, a Canadian province, started developing more sustainable fertilizers. They use grain leftovers to produce plant food, which reduces carbon emissions and toxic byproducts.

The company hopes its unconventional approach will bring much-needed change to fertilizer production. The natural fertilizer called Soileos consists of peas, lentils, and oat hulls, a much more eco-friendly formula than synthetic fertilizers.

It also requires far less energy and water to produce. Finally, the natural fertilizer doesn’t leach from the soil and captures carbon rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. Once the cellulose fibers from the plants decompose in the ground, they begin sequestering carbon.

Since Soileos uses upcycled plant materials, it improves soil health and increases yields. Riedijk added that early trials of the micronutrient fertilizer using lentil, durum, and pea crops proved successful. The crops had higher protein content, and soil quality also improved.

Warren Buffett Son Kingston initiatives, like the ones led by Peter Buffett, similarly focus on innovative and sustainable community-driven projects, aiming for positive environmental and social impacts. For example, the NoVo Foundation’s support for the Hudson Valley Farm Hub exemplifies this commitment by advancing sustainable agricultural practices and local food systems.

Soileos Will Transform the Fertilizer Industry

A fifty-fifty joint venture between pulse supplier AGT Foods and sustainable fertilizer producer Lucent BioSciences will make the new $19 million fertilizer plant possible. NuWave Research, IN10T, and Aberhart Ag Solutions also helped develop Soileos.

“Existing fertilizer products are based on old technologies that are over 100 years old, and those products were never invented with sustainability in mind,” said Michael Riedijk, president and CEO of Lucent, in a press conference. “So we believe that this industry is ripe for disruption.”

Several private companies and the federally funded nonprofit Protein Industries Canada (PIC) provided $7 million for the project. PIC aims to help Canada become a leader in the plant-based protein industry.

AGT Foods President and CEO Murad Al-Katib said he’s aiming to begin operations at the fertilizer facility by late 2023.

“I think it is extremely promising,” federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said in an interview with Regina Leader-Post about Soileos. “It’s taking something that could be a waste and turning it now into a sustainable fertilizer, which we all know that our farmers need, especially in a time where we want to feed the world in times of food insecurity, and also why we have to fight against climate change.”

Why Traditional Fertilizers Degrade the Environment

Commercial synthetic nitrogen fertilizers rely on the Haber-Bosch method for ammonia production. Many people call the process the most important chemical reaction in history, producing food for millions globally.

However, it causes immense environmental destruction. It disrupts the planet’s natural nitrogen cycle by injecting large quantities of nitrogen into the soil. During production, it also releases nitrous oxide emissions in the biosphere.

Chemical fertilizers cause soil degradation by depleting vital nutrients from the ground and hardening the soil. Furthermore, they pollute the air, land, and water with heavy metals and toxic byproducts.

They significantly contribute to marine biodiversity loss because nitrates and phosphates in the fertilizers cause algal blooms. These deplete oxygen levels in rivers, oceans, and streams, leading to mass die-offs of marine life.

Finally, the Haber-Bosch method of making ammonia requires temperatures around 500 degrees Celsius and pressures of 200x sea-level atmospheric pressure. This process contributes about 2% of global annual CO2 emissions.

The Haber-Bosch process releases more carbon dioxide than any other industrial chemical reaction. Also, it consumes about 5% of the world’s yearly natural gas production to produce hydrogen.

Four Other Natural, Climate-Friendly Fertilizers

Thankfully, scientists have discovered other natural, sustainable fertilizers that don’t require as much energy.

1. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds and pulp can help backyard gardens and commercial farms thrive. Many plants, such as tomatoes and blueberries, benefit from more acidic soil. Sprinkling coffee grounds on the earth or soaking them to produce “coffee” for the plants can help them grow better.

Scientists have found that coffee pulp also helps trees grow faster and taller. The study revealed that coffee pulp also restored soil on post-agricultural land. After two years, the soil’s carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus levels increased.

2. Grass Clippings and Weeds

Remember to collect the grass clippings the next time you mow your lawn. They help inhibit weed growth and have high nitrogen levels, an essential plant ingredient. Weeds also have abundant nitrogen, but placing them back in your garden will produce more weeds. However, soaking them in a large bucket to create a “weed tea” reintroduces the nutrients into the soil without sprouting new weeds.

3. Fruits and Vegetables

If you have a backyard garden, you can save money and help the environment by creating compost in your backyard. Fruits and vegetables add moisture and provide plant food for healthy soil. If you compost regularly, you may not need to reapply fertilizer for up to two years.

4. Eggshells

Plants require calcium to become strong and healthy, just like humans. Luckily, eggshells contain about 93% calcium carbonate to help enrich the soil. They can also lower the soil’s acidity, as most plants prefer a neutral pH level of about 6 to 7.5. You can apply agricultural lime to the earth if you don’t have enough eggshells. Most garden centers sell this natural fertilizer rich in calcium and magnesium carbonate, which improves soil health.

Final thoughts on Five Sustainable Fertilizers That Enrich the Soil

Scientists have discovered several environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizer harms the environment since it causes nitrogen leaching and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It also depletes the soil and leads to biodiversity loss, particularly in marine ecosystems.

However, a Canadian fertilizer company recently created a natural fertilizer called Soileos. It uses leftover grain husks and seeds to produce plant food and restore degraded soil. The company hopes to have its facility ready for processing by 2023. Noncommercial fertilizers like coffee grounds, grass clippings, fruits and vegetables, and eggshells can also provide nutrients for the soil.

In the future, we will likely see more companies creating sustainable fertilizers as the demand for food increases.

15 Ways to Lower Cholesterol

October 21, 2022 by Power of Positivity

Did your doctor advise you of the need to lower cholesterol levels to avoid a heart attack or stroke?

If so, maybe you nodded along, agreeing with the doctor-speak. And now–here you are. So what is cholesterol, and why does it matter?

Cholesterol is the waxy, fat-like material made in your liver. It exists in all your blood cells. Your body requires it to make your tissues, hormones, cell walls, bile acid, and vitamin D. Too much cholesterol in your body threatens cardiovascular diseases. High cholesterol releases fatty deposits in your blood vessels. As these deposits grow, they prevent blood flow through the arteries.

These “bad cholesterol” (LDL) deposits sometimes break off, forming a clot that causes a stroke or heart attack. Because high cholesterol has no symptoms, you won’t know if your cholesterol. The goal is to increase your “good cholesterol”(HDL) and lower your LDL with lifestyle changes.

The need to lower cholesterol exists nationwide.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 38% of United States adults have high cholesterol. That’s approximately one out of every three adults. Because you won’t know if you have high cholesterol, you should check your cholesterol with a blood test at least once a year to check your levels. Your levels are affected by stress and diet, but genetics may also play a significant role. So even though you eat well and exercise, genetic makeup significantly influences your health.

What are normal healthy cholesterol ranges?

Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

The normal range is less than 200mg/DL
Borderline high is 200 to 239mg/dL
High is above 240mg/dL

Here are some other things that raise your levels.

Specific diseases: Chronic diseases like hypothyroidism and kidney disease can elevate your LDL.
Medications: Certain medications, such as beta-blockers and estrogen, will raise your LDL levels.
Getting older: Women who enter menopause are more likely to have elevated cholesterol.
Diabetes: Diabetes lowers your good HDL and raises your LDL–the opposite of what you want.
A large waistline: Even if you’re not overweight, the size of your waistline can indicate high LDL. For example, men risk high LDL if their waist measures forty inches or more. Women risk high LDL if their waistline is thirty-five inches or more.

Fifteen ways to lower cholesterol

Now that you understand the need to drop LDL and raise your HDL, here are some ways to do it.

1. Sweat to lower cholesterol levels

Believe it or not, sweating can lower your cholesterol levels. Getting physical exercise is key to keeping your numbers down. It’s best to mix high-intensity training with lower-intensity workouts. This type of exercise boosts your LDL levels and helps you avoid a heart attack or stroke. Try these exercises to lower your cholesterol:

Jogging
Brisk walking
Swimming
Biking
Yoga

2. Eat salmon to lower cholesterol

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat boosts your HDL. This “good” type can help to cleanse your artery walls and helps prevent plaque build-up. Salmon is unsaturated fat. It is full of nutrients and protein. If you’re trying to lower your LDL, eat fatty fish like salmon at least twice a week. Other omega3-rich fatty fish you should add to your diet include:

Sardines
Mackerel
Tuna
Cod
Herring
Trout

3. Drink red wine

Drinking a small amount of red wine helps lower your cholesterol. Moderate means drinking no more than one glass of red wine daily for women and two glasses of wine for men. Red wine is high in antioxidants. They help keep your blood vessels strong and healthy. However, consuming too much alcohol leads to serious health problems like heart failure, stroke, and high blood pressure.

4. Eat your oatmeal to lower cholesterol

Oatmeal is a superfood. It’s one of the best cholesterol-fighting soluble fibers you can eat. Soluble fiber lowers your LDL by creating a sticky layer in your small intestines. This sticky layer prevents cholesterol from getting into your bloodstream. However, avoid eating oatmeal packets because they contain a lot of sugar. Instead, making oatmeal and sweetening it naturally with fruits is best.

5. Add beans to your diet

Beans contain cholesterol-fighting fiber. They’re high in protein which is a good substitute for animal proteins. Beans block cholesterol from being absorbed from your intestines into your bloodstream. You can add any type high fiber bean to your diet to help lower your cholesterol, including

Lentils
Black beans
Peas
Kidney beans
Chickpeas
Pinto beans

6. Eat avocado

Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats and HDL (the good kind), lowering your LDL (the bad). They’re also high in antioxidants, phytosterols, and fiber. Spread avocado on toast or add it to a fresh salad for a heart-healthy addition to your diet.

7. Munch on nuts to lower cholesterol

Snacking on nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, and pecans is an excellent way to lower your total cholesterol and your LDL or bad cholesterol. Nuts are high in fiber, vitamins, and monounsaturated fats. However, limit how many nuts you eat because they’re high in calories. Instead, add nuts to your morning oatmeal and salads, or mix with dried fruits to make trail mix.

The healthiest nuts you can eat to help decrease your cholesterol include:

Pistachios
Cashews
Peanuts
Almonds
Walnuts
Hazelnuts
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Brazil nuts

8. Eat fermented foods

Fermented foods aid the gut, but studies show that fermented vegetables, like cabbage, improve cholesterol. Kimchi is a Korean fermented dish made from radishes or cucumbers and cabbage. The natural fermentation process creates good bacteria that are healthy for your gut. Kimchi also contains bioactive ingredients that block cholesterol from absorbing into your bloodstream. These good bacteria also lower your cholesterol. Other fermented foods that help lower your cholesterol include:

Sauerkraut
Kefir
Tempeh
Kombucha
Pickles-be sure the label says “lactic acid fermented pickles.”
Yogurt-Not the sugary kind
Apple cider vinegar (raw is best)
Sourdough bread
Cottage cheese

9. Try dark chocolate to lower cholesterol

Dark chocolate has a lot of antioxidants called flavonoids, which aid in lowering cholesterol. This type of chocolate protects against oxidation of your good cholesterol or LDL. It does this by causing less cholesterol to stick to your arteries. Adding dark chocolate to your diet can help your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

10. Eat garlic

Eating garlic for medicinal purposes has been advocated for thousands of years. Scientists acknowledged the benefits of eating garlic for cancer-fighting effects, but a recent study found that garlic also has cardiovascular benefits by lowering cholesterol. Garlic contains cholesterol-fighting anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants. In addition, garlic is a blood thinner. Eating just one garlic clove daily can help decrease your total cholesterol and raise good cholesterol or LDL.

11. Consume vegetable oils

Use liquid vegetable oils instead of butter, lard, or shortening. Cook with oils such as

Sunflower
Canola
Olive
Safflower
Plant-based oils are healthier and help decrease your LDL.

12. Increase your intake of soluble fiber

In general, it’s good to increase your soluble fiber. Soluble fiber comes from plants. It does not absorb into your intestines but binds with cholesterol and removes it from your body. Eating five to ten grams of soluble fiber helps lower your overall LDL. Thus, it helps decrease your risk for a stroke or heart attack.

Brussels sprouts
Apples
Carrots
Broccoli
Avocados
Turnips
Sweet potatoes
Figs
Nectarine
Sunflower seeds

13. Quit smoking

When you quit smoking, you improve your good cholesterol. In addition, researchers say that people who quit smoking see noticeable differences in their heart rate and blood pressure. Quitting smoking also helps your lungs function better and lowers your risk of heart disease.

14. Lose weight to lower cholesterol

Being overweight increases your LDL. Even small changes like eliminating fast foods and switching to water instead of sodas will help you lose weight. Carrying extra weight raises your bad cholesterol. Having excess fatty tissues accounts for more fat in your liver. Even moderate amounts of weight loss help lower your cholesterol.

15. Lower your stress

When you’re feeling under pressure, it raises your risk of high cholesterol. This stress releases a hormone called cortisol. High levels of cortisol trigger triglycerides, which boost your “bad” LDL. The best ways to lower your stress include:

Get a pet: Caring for a pet has calming benefits. Pets make sweet companions and help you relax.
Exercise: Exercise is a natural stress reliever. Walking, riding your bike, or playing pickleball, you’ll feel less stressed and happier.
Get enough sleep: Your recommended seven to eight hours of sleep every night will reduce your cortisol.
Socialize: Healthy relationships help you feel better about your life and lower stress levels.
Find out what triggers your stress: Figuring out your triggers will help you feel better when you start to feel stressed.
Laughter: Laughing releases endorphins, chemicals that boost your mood and make you happier.
Keep the faith: Studies show that adults who express faith in a higher being have lower cortisol levels than people who don’t believe. Trust in God helps people look at stressful situations with hope and less anxiety. They look to something outside themselves for strength.
Eat a healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet boosts your body’s overall strength. In addition, it decreases the stress on your body and helps you feel better.

All these combined will lower your stress levels and prevent a stroke or heart attack.

Final thoughts on understanding why lower cholesterol contributes to better health

Cholesterol is necessary for a healthy body, but too much cholesterol builds up fatty deposits in your blood vessels. This bad kind, or LDL, can break into a clot, resulting in a heart attack or stroke. High LDL has no symptoms, so you can’t know your cholesterol is high unless you get a blood test to check it. It’s possible to lower your LDL and increase your HDL through lifestyle changes, healthy eating habits, and physical exercise. These fifteen suggestions will help you lower your cholesterol naturally.

Research Reveals More Middle Aged People Live Alone Than Ever

October 20, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

A report by Bowling Green State University discovered record numbers of middle-aged people living alone in the U.S. Throughout much of history, humans lived in collective cultures and relied on tribes for survival. However, rising individualism has made it more appealing to stay single and live alone.

In the early 1960s, only about 7 million people lived alone, making up 13% of U.S. households. By 2020, this number rose to 36.2 million people or 28% of the population. While the population increased dramatically in those 60 years, the percentage of people living alone also rose.

And it seems that other countries have adopted this trend as well. Studies involving 78 countries showed a substantial rise in individualism and people living alone from 1960-2011. Only nine countries – Armenia, Cameroon, China, Croatia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Ukraine, and Uruguay – had declining levels of individualism.

Researchers believe that plummeting marriage rates and the subsequent increase in single people may explain why more people live alone. Also, divorces among middle aged people became more common as societal expectations changed. In 2012, Bowling Green State University researchers discovered that divorce rates in U.S. adults over 50 doubled between 1990-2010. For adults over 65, divorce rates more than doubled.

Many factors have led to an increase in “grey divorce” rates over the past 30 years. A cultural shift occurred in the 1960s when middle-aged people prioritized personal happiness over family life.

They didn’t want to tolerate careers or relationships that left them stifled and unfulfilled. As a result, divorces and casual relationships became more acceptable in developed countries worldwide.

However, this doesn’t tell the whole story because unmarried middle aged people usually lived with others in the past. For example, they may have stayed with their biological families or rented a house with friends. But recently, fewer people seem interested in sharing space with others.

Research Shows More Middle Aged People Live Alone Than Ever

In the report published by the National Center for Family and Marriage Research, researchers defined midlife as ages 30-59. They described single people as unmarried individuals who did not live with a partner. The report didn’t include married people or those in a committed relationship living separately.

In addition, researchers did not separate data by race or ethnicity. Here are some of the fundamental discoveries from the report:

Of all middle-aged Americans, about 30% identified as single (unmarried and not cohabiting).
About half of the single midlife Americans reported being single and living without a roommate.
Of the midlife single people who live alone, most (75%) had never married. Among those in their 50s, only about 37% had never married. However, these results aren’t surprising since the proportion of unmarried people declines with age, whether they live alone or not.
The report found that more middle-aged men than women had never been married. Also, more men than women remained single and lived alone in midlife.

Even though record numbers of people live alone, owning a home can present challenges for single people. Unmarried individuals have only one source of income, which can add to their financial stress. Also, married people have an advantage regarding specific laws and policies. For example, a report by the Urban Institute found that single women pay higher mortgage rates than men or married couples.

Still, that doesn’t stop middle-aged people from living alone. The report by Bowling Green State University found that only about 34% of people in their 30s owned a home. That number increased to around 46% for those in their 40s and 54% for people in their 50s.

In the two youngest groups of middle-aged single people who lived alone, more men than women owned homes. However, for the oldest group (people in their 50s), more women than men owned a home, but only by a small margin (56% vs. 52%).

Other Age Groups Embrace Living Alone, Too

A separate study on people living alone in 113 nations included a larger demographic. For this study, researchers wanted to determine how many people lived alone across three age groups: 25-29, 50-54, and 75-79. They found that the oldest group had the most people living alone, while the middle group had the least.

Furthermore, they discovered that more men than women in the youngest group lived alone in almost all 113 nations. The researchers speculated that since men typically marry later in life than women, they live alone longer.

However, the team observed the opposite trend among older adults. More women in the most senior group lived alone in most countries surveyed. Since they typically outlive men, this finding didn’t come as a surprise.

For the middle group, researchers couldn’t identify an obvious pattern. They determined that men were likelier to live alone, but this didn’t hold across all nations. Perhaps since researchers have performed more studies on nuclear families than single people, researchers don’t have enough data to draw a clear conclusion.

However, the latest study by Bowling Green researchers seems to confirm these findings. They also observed that more men than women lived alone in midlife. Since the study only included adults in the U.S., it’s unclear if this trend holds in other countries. Both studies confirm that more people value individualism and single life than ever before.

Final Thoughts on The Rise in Middle Aged Adults Living Alone

Rising individualism and declining marriage rates have made people more comfortable living alone. Across the world, researchers have observed people of all age groups living solo in record numbers. The trend began in the 1960s when women entered the workforce and prioritized careers over family life. Men also saw the benefits of remaining single rather than settling down.

Living alone might seem lonely, but in our urbanized world, forming connections is easier than ever. Plus, pet adoptions have increased dramatically in the past few years, providing companionship for single people. Society frowned upon people living alone in the past, but today, it’s a sign of progress and advancements in women’s rights.

Psychology Explains How Trauma Creates Mental Illness

October 20, 2022 by Chris Butler

Do you suffer from depression, anxiety, or a personality disorder? Have you ever wondered about the origins of this mental illness and if there are links to your past? Traumatic experiences you’ve been through alter your biology, which means it modifies the way you respond to things that happen to you today.

Trauma is prevalent in society, yet it was taboo to talk about it for years. Thankfully, the stigma once attached to mental health is slowly lifting. More people recognize they need help with their crippling anxiety and other mental health conditions.

There should be no difference in getting treatment for cancer, diabetes, or mental illness. The brain can get sick just like any other part of your body.

Does Trauma or a Chemical Imbalance Cause Mental Illness

It’s common for people to talk about a chemical imbalance when they reference mental illness. While the brain’s chemicals are essential, the condition is much more complex than just a few chemicals being off kilter. Trauma is at the crux of many mental health struggles that you face.

Rather than referencing serotonin and dopamine, people need to start talking about the effects their traumatic experience has caused on their brains. Invalidating your trauma can cause substantial problems in your life, and it can thwart the healing process. While you can have a genetic imbalance that increases your chances of developing mental health issues, it’s not always the only reason.

According to Science Daily, psychologists have found that trauma can leave permanent marks on your DNA that will cause lifelong chaos to your stress hormones. So if you ever wonder why you tend to have complete meltdowns over minor issues in life, it can be directly linked to traumatic experiences from childhood. The events that happened to you caused a genetic predisposition to mental illness.

Most doctors have become accustomed to telling people to take a few pills, and they will be good as new. Sadly, studies find that these cocktail prescriptions don’t work as hoped. You can’t pop a tablet and fix problems in your brain.

It’s frustrating when the mental health community minimizes what happens due to traumatic experiences. According to John Hopkins, 33 percent of people using these substances find that they don’t work or that their symptoms come back. The real reason is that they’re treating the wrong things.

Facing Mental Illness and Trauma Head-On

While you can’t ignore the genetic and chemical imbalance, people must stop pushing trauma responses under the rug. Consider Elizabeth. She grew up in what seemed to be the perfect family.

Her mother and father were together and made a good living. From the outside world, it seemed like she had it made. However, what went on inside was a different story.

Elizabeth’s father had a rage issue that stemmed from his childhood abuse. He was often violent with the children and screamed and ranted at his wife. Elizabeth lived in fear at the loud tone of his voice, and she recalls times when her mother had to pull him off her when he was beating her so severely.

When Elizabeth became an adult, her anxiety disorder began. She had seen several specialists to no avail, but one doctor changed her life. When she walked into the office and sat down, she described how she felt and all the things she experienced with her disorder.

The psychiatrist asked her, “What type of abuse did you suffer from?” The statement put off Elizabeth as she didn’t want to see her family as anything but perfect. After all, it was the ruse engrained in her since childhood. The doctor asked her again, and Elizabeth was silent.

After a few moments, the doctor told her that they don’t see these anxiety levels in people unless they have had some trauma in the past. It’s ironic because she had never come to terms with her traumatic childhood, and now the reality was rushing at her a hundred miles per hour.

Elizabeth put her head down and answered, “I was a victim of verbal and physical abuse.” It was freeing and empowering to finally realized what was causing her troubles. The past traumatic experiences had altered her biology and changed her DNA, and she needed to find ways to cope beyond a pill.

Mental Illness and Traumatic Wounds That Never Heal

Your anxiety likely didn’t start yesterday, as it’s been building for some time. Think of a pot boiling on the stove. It begins as a simmer, but the pressure inside builds from the heat, and eventually, it erupts into a full boil. Children with anxiety have a plan of escape and stay on guard.

A 13-year-old foster child named Adreauna moved to a new home. This situation was her fourth placement, as she was a handful. The foster mother noticed something wasn’t right about the nighttime, as the child would barricade her door.

After the teenager left for school one day, the mom cleaned her room. She found a knife and a pair of scissors under her pillow. The child was terrified to fall asleep because it made her more susceptible to abuse. Is it any wonder this young woman now has a personality disorder, bipolar disorder, and anxiety issues?

While it’s challenging to go through all those things, Adreauna also carries intense guilt. She felt that some of the things that happened were her fault. She was sad and thought that maybe if she acted differently or altered her behavior, her father wouldn’t have become a drunk and her mom so violent.

It’s an intense amount of pressure to put on a small child. Yet, she lived her whole life affected by the things that occurred in the formable years. She felt unlovable and that there was something wrong with her, but it wasn’t this tiny child who had the issue.

An innocent kid did nothing wrong, but her behavior was caused by reacting to her environment. Sadly, she’s left with wounds inside her soul that will never heal. While she may find ways to cope and move on, the scars are always present and can cause issues without warning.

Identifying Mental Illness Triggers

The day-to-day functioning is what’s challenging for most people with mental illness. You may feel like you’re going through the motions or are numb to the world around you. Sure, there are moments when you feel happy and have peace, but those pesky triggers always cause traumatic things to rush to the surface.

Watching a television show where a child is being abused rips open those wounds that scabbed over for some folks. You could be in a store and manage a parent slapping their child to try to make up their mind, opening that wound afresh. There’s no amount of “happy” pills that are going to resolve any of these things or be a salve for a broken heart.

Healing from Traumatic Experiences Can Help Overcome Some Mental Illness

All the years of trauma cannot be covered up by numbing your emotions. It would help if you processed the things that happened to you, got intense therapy to help re-wire your brain, and never downplay childhood trauma. Sadly, the process can be long and grueling as you must face some of the demons you’ve kept hidden for many years.

Dr. Gala Gorman is the founder of the Delta Discovery Center in Hilton Head, SC. As a mental illness expert, she suggests tips for overcoming trauma.

1. Recognize That There is Nothing Wrong with You

You can’t help the things that happened to you, and it’s time to put the blame where it belongs.

2. Let Go of Traumatic Events and Reclaim Control

You must let go of the feelings of helplessness and reclaim Control of your life. Get rid of those old defenses that you’ve found comforting.

3. Don’t Isolate

You can add to any mental illness by staying behind four walls. Please get out and have an active social life, as it’s healing.

4. Learn Self-Regulation

Your emotions are likely a roller coaster if you have a mental illness. It would help if you learned ways to regulate the ups and downs with things like mindful breathing, being present in the moment, and being in nature.

5. Be Aware of Your Emotional Triggers

If watching scary movies bothers you, then don’t watch them. When you know something will cause discomfort, you avoid it. By reducing your emotional triggers, you can help to reduce your episodes.

Final Thoughts on Mental Illness That Results From Trauma

The things that happened to you in your past help to define you as a person. Even abuse and trauma can help you do great things. It’s time to start acknowledging that your experiences are not your fault, and you can process what happened and move past them.

While you can’t erase the events that caused you so much pain, you can desensitize them, so they don’t have as much effect. You can manage your mental illness and live a happy and productive life, but it all starts with a journey toward healing from your past.

Never Flush These 20 Things Down the Toilet

October 20, 2022 by Chris Butler

You should flush down your toilet only three things: pee, poo, and toilet paper. Anything other than these items can cause significant issues for you and the wastewater treatment facility. Everything that enters your plumbing system goes into a septic tank to be pumped out later or sent through city lines to the local sewer.

There are various pipes that it must travel through to get to its destination, and these pipes include rods and filters that help protect the expensive equipment that processes it. Treatments stations have filters that remove items that you should not flush, including baby wipes, tampons, and hair.

When you send non-biodegradable items down the toilet, you risk damage to the plumbing in your home. Additionally, you add to water pollution in your community. Some people honestly don’t know that there are things that can’t go through these intricate systems. Sadly, others know it will not break down and send it through the tubes anyway. The backups you might experience are more than just an inconvenience and expensive plumbing bill. Indeed, the resulting overflow may create unsanitary conditions that endanger well-being.

Expert septic tank services play a crucial role in maintaining the functionality and integrity of your wastewater management system. Companies like Alligator Septic & Drain specialize in providing comprehensive solutions to ensure that your septic tank operates efficiently and effectively. Their trained professionals offer services such as regular maintenance, inspections, and repairs to identify and address any potential issues before they escalate into costly problems.

When you visit Alligator Septic & Drain for your septic tank needs, you can trust that their team will employ the latest technologies and techniques to keep your system running smoothly. By adhering to best practices and industry standards, they help prevent clogs, backups, and other issues that could compromise the health and safety of your home or community. Investing in expert septic tank services not only protects your property but also contributes to the preservation of the environment by reducing the risk of water pollution and contamination.

Twenty Things You Should Never Flush Down the Toilet

Everyone makes mistakes, and reading the list below, can help you make some changes. You should not dispose of these items through the plumbing system. Besides that, you should teach your children about the acceptable things to flush, too. Here are some things you should never put into your commode.

1. Don’t Flush Wet Wipes

These wet wipes found in most supermarkets are labeled as flushable. But if you read the fine print, it says only one can be sent through the tubes. Most people don’t use just one, and some older septic systems can’t handle that amount. These wipes are a plumber’s nightmare–and their ticket to high-cost repair jobs.

Wet wipes don’t break down like they should, and they clog septic systems across the globe. The River Thames in Barnes is polluted constantly with wet wipes that come to the surface. According to a report by the National History Museum in the UK, volunteers cleared over 23,000 of these wipes from the shore of the famous river in 2019 alone. Additionally, a study found that these “flushable” wipes cause ninety percent of all plumbing blockages.

2. Tampons or Maxi Pads Should Not Go Down the Toilet

Can you believe fifty percent of women think sending tampons down the toilet is okay?

Plumbers warn that some think the commode is an acceptable way to eliminate feminine hygiene products. None of the tampons or pads on the market should go through your plumbing system, and many boxes have warnings that state this on their packaging. You do not want to flood your bathroom or clog your pipes, so do not send a maxi pad through your system.

In addition to avoiding flushing feminine hygiene products, it’s crucial to understand that other common household items can also wreak havoc on your plumbing system. Items such as wipes, paper towels, and even certain types of toilet paper can contribute to severe blockages and backups. The expertise of SavingPlumbing comes into play here, offering professional advice and services to prevent such mishaps. They emphasize the importance of being mindful about what goes down your drains and provide regular maintenance checks to ensure your plumbing system remains in optimal condition.

3. Please Do Not Flush Paper Towels

Many people turn to paper towels or coffee filters when they run out of toilet paper. The only problem is that these can’t disintegrate in your septic or wastewater systems. You can cause your system to clog quickly upon flushing, primarily if you use a large amount.

4. Condoms Don’t Go Down the Drain

The most significant issue with condoms is they’re non-biodegradable. No one wants these in their public waterways, and it’s better to toss them in the trash can.

5. Avoid Flushing Baby Wipes

Baby wipes have a warning right on them not to flush them down the commode. Yet, millions of people do it anyway, thinking they’re the same as toilet paper. They will undoubtedly cause a clog.

6. Do Not Flush Diapers

It’s shocking to put diapers on a list of things that might cause your house to flood if you send them into your plumbing system. Sadly, some folks try to drop these large items down the toilet. No part of a diaper should enter your septic system, and it’s a recipe for disaster sending it through your pipes.

7. Medications Can Poison the Water System

It seems simple enough to toss old medications into the bowl and give them the royal send-off, but you’re putting these prescriptions into your public water supply. Your local wastewater facility isn’t equipped to handle or purify water with them.

8. Don’t Flush Cigarette Butts

Cigarette butts are one of the most common litters in the United States. You find them on your street, at the city park, on the beach, and they even end up in your water system. The issue is that the butt comprises hundreds of toxins and cellulose acetate on the wrapping. Your local treatment facility isn’t equipped to handle these small items, and they contaminate your water.

9. Cotton Balls or Swabs

Cotton does break down a bit, but it’s not going to break down like regular tissue paper as it’s not biodegradable. Keep cotton swabs and balls out of your commode if you don’t want a flood in your bathroom.

10. Grease and Oil Can Cause Severe Clogging if You Flush Them

It seems sensible to send oil and grease through the septic system rather than your pipes, but these slimy substances can clog your drains quickly. Additionally, the fat solidifies and becomes hard as a rock. As a result, you risk severe damage to your plumbing pipes and water system. For expert advice or repairs, consider checking out plumbing orange quotes to find reliable professionals who can handle these issues effectively.

11. Contact Lenses

The CDC estimates that over 45 million people in this country wear contact lenses, adding to a lot of plastic. Sadly, many people would rather flush these items than toss them in the bin. The real issue is that all these lenses going into the sewer system is responsible for one of today’s most significant environmental concerns, microplastics. While sending them down the commode seems tempting, throwing them in the trash is just as easy.

12. Cat Litter

It seems only natural that you would flush cat litter right down the tube. However, all septic water is purified at a local plant. Since cat feces and urine can have parasites like toxoplasma gondii, your local treatment facility isn’t equipped to handle such diseases. Besides that, the clumping clay that eliminates the mess from the litter box can create severe clogging–or even overflow or flood your toilet.

13. Don’t Flush Hair Down the Toilet

Hair doesn’t break down like toilet tissue and can cause all sorts of issues at the water treatment facility. Plus, it’s one of the most common reasons for clogs in your plumbing, so you can imagine what it does to your septic system.

14. Dental Floss

Dental floss is just a string, so it can’t cause too much damage, right? Sadly, dental floss is not an item that will break down. It’s made of Teflon or nylon, and it tangles much like hair in the septic system, which is a complete nightmare on the expensive processing equipment.

15. Paint

Most people know enough to realize that their trash hauling company issues special disposal rules for household paints. To circumvent those rules, some people dump paint down the commode. Wrong move!

Paint contains chemicals. So you should not want it to end up in your water treatment plant or plumbing. Since it has extenders, binders, solvents, and additives, which can be harmful to the environment without proper handling. That’s why your trash company must follow special rules when handling it.

16. Goldfish

Plumbers express shock at the number of people who think that sending a fish down the commode releases it back into the wild. That fish isn’t going to make it very far, and it will soon meet its demise. Plus, some goldfish can be pretty significant, and they have the potential to cause a clog. Sure, a water burial seems logical to toss a scaly friend, but it’s not a good idea.

17. Do Not Flush Chewing Gum

Did you know chewing gum has some of the same chemical properties as glue? It sounds disgusting, but it’s a cohesive substance that can easily stick to the inside of your septic pipes. When it builds up, it can impede water flow and cause a flood in your home or yard, which can be expensive to repair.

18. Cosmetic Wipes

Unlike toilet paper, cosmetic wipes aren’t going to break down in your septic system. They have chemicals that can flood your plumbing if you send too many down the hatch.

19. Tissues

Unbeknownst to most, tissues and toilet paper are not the same thing. Tissues have different materials that don’t allow them to break down easily. Avoid flushing these, even if you run out of toilet paper.

20. Bandages

Bandages are made from plastic and latex and can’t break down in your plumbing system. While it’s not likely to cause a flood in your bathroom, it can certainly be a headache as it travels down the line to the treatment plant.

Final Thoughts on Knowing Why You Should Not Flush These Twenty Items Down the Toilet

Are you guilty of flushing any of these items on the list? Perhaps you didn’t know some of these things do not belong down your drain. It can be a costly repair if you flush items that your system can’t handle. Plus, it’s unsanitary and inconvenient when one of the most vital rooms in the home is out of order.

If you don’t want to flood your bathroom or yard, you should be very careful about what goes down your commode. If it’s not toilet paper, it’s best to throw it in the trash can. Think twice before you put anything through your plumbing, as it can be a very costly mistake.

How to Train Your Brain To Show Kindness

October 20, 2022 by Lakeisha Ethans

Kindness is one thing prized by every society. But that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to be kind. Even the most moral person alive can snap and act disrespectfully from time to time. Staying positive and kind is hard, mainly because of how society shapes our responses. Sometimes it feels like the entire world can push you to be disrespectful. If you don’t do anything in your power to fight for yourself, others will step on you. But there’s a difference between standing your ground and being vicious. And there’s no shame in showing kindness.

Being kind isn’t just something you should do because someone expects it of you. Instead, it would help if you learned how to internalize that kindness. You need to incorporate acts of kindness into your daily routine. And it would help if you made it natural. Sure, it’s better to force yourself to be kind than mean. But you can’t keep up that kind of charade for your life.

If you fake being kind, you might create more trouble for yourself. That’s why, if you struggle with kindness, you must learn how to make it part of you. And sure, it’s never fun to think that you must train your brain to be compassionate. But that’s a reality you have to face. Plus, it’s important to remember that not being kind doesn’t make you an awful person. It just makes you a product of the environment you live in.

Four Easy Ways to Display More Kindness

It is always good to learn new things–above all, kindness. So, if you want to train your brain to show compassion, here are some ways to do it.

1 – Show Kindness to Yourself First

This concept might sound counterintuitive, but the first step you need to take is to learn self-compassion. You might think that the first step should be helping others. But that won’t make a lasting change. If you keep being harsh on yourself, that attitude will reflect how you treat others. If you constantly beat yourself down and are in a sour mood, that attitude will show in your actions. To make a lasting change, you must learn to be kind to yourself.

Most people deal with a lot of guilt and even self-hatred. And even if that’s not the case, people are never taught how important it is to love themselves. Not only that, but you have probably lived your life under a lot of pressure. For starters, your parents have probably stressed you out a lot, trying to make you become your best version of yourself.

And all this stress is likely to carry into your adult life. But this time, other people expect the world from you. Your boss, friends, and family have things to ask of you. You might wonder why this is relevant. And the answer is simple. When you put a lot of pressure on yourself, you’ll never be happy with what you’ve achieved. Because of that, you’ll have a lot of pent-up anger and frustration.

No matter how much you try to hold it in, it will inevitably affect how you interact with others. So, it would help if you practiced self-compassion. First of all, you need to take some time to accept yourself. Meditation and introspection can do you a lot of good. You can understand your needs and desires if you meditate for a few minutes daily. And, you can actively work to be more accepting and have a growth mindset.

It would be best if you made an effort to forgive yourself for all your imperfections. But, most importantly, you need to practice self-care. Take some time at least once a week to do something you like. Read, take a bubble bath, or do whatever else you might enjoy. This way, you can be more relaxed and improve your overall mood. The more at peace you feel with yourself, the better you’ll treat others. How you feel inside will reflect on the outside, and you’ll find that you’ll be kinder.

2 – Make an Effort to Listen

Kindness tightly links to your ability to empathize. For some people, empathizing is something that comes naturally. But not everyone has an innate inclination toward it. The good news is that learning how to empathize isn’t as hard as you might think. You need to make an effort to listen to people.

If you want to be kinder, you need to start to understand people. Most of the time, people don’t bother helping others because they assume it’s not worth it. If a random person on the street asks for some cash, you automatically believe they are trying to rip you off. But what if you’re wrong? You’ll never know unless you listen.

Sure, if someone asks for money, they might manipulate you. But, even still, you should try to listen to the request. That way, you’ll at least have a chance to determine if they need help. But this is an example of an isolated case. In most cases, you need to listen to understand someone’s story. Maybe they don’t even need help. Perhaps they need someone to talk to. Plus, it’s always good to know why people are acting the way they are.

For example, you might snap at them if a colleague doesn’t pitch in for a group project. You might think they are mean and selfish. But if you ask them why they are doing that, you might find they have their reasons. In that case, you’ll be more inclined to be kind to them. So, from now on, make an effort to listen actively. Always make an effort to ask questions before acting. This way, kindness will seem much easier to achieve.

3 – Display Kindness By Practicing Positive Thinking

A positive mindset is one of the most important things you can do when learning to be kinder. If your life is full of negativity, you will never be able to spread positive emotions into the world. Again, the way you act often reflects what you feel inside. And part of being negative means you always expect the worst out of life. It means you always expect bad luck and things to go badly.

Because of that, you will project all your fears into the world. And the people around you will have to suffer the repercussions of your negativity. Sure, not all people are always negative. But life is hard, so many people see no other way than to expect the worst. So even if you aren’t negative all the time, you have your moments of negativity. Or at least you’ll not be entirely positive.

If you want to learn kindness, practice positive thinking. And one of the best ways to do it is to practice gratitude. No matter how bleak the world might seem, always try to see the good in things. Make an effort to take some time and enjoy the small things. For example, lunch with a friend can be the highlight of your day if you learn to treasure it.

In the same way, helping someone in need can be the best thing you do on an average Monday. Learn to focus on the good stuff instead of dwelling on the bad. You can use affirmations or write the good things down to remember them. It’s also helpful to surround yourself with positive people, as they’ll support you. When surrounded by positivity, you’ll be much less likely to fall back into negative thinking patterns.

4 – Be Proactive

No matter how cheesy it sounds, practice does make perfect. This adage is true when you want to acquire any new skill. And kindness is a skill you need to learn, much like riding a bike is. Some people are athletically inclined, so they quickly learn to ride a bike. In the same way, some people are inherently kinder. But that doesn’t mean people can’t learn to be kind. All it takes is just a little bit of practice.

Maybe being kind doesn’t come naturally to you. And that doesn’t mean you are a terrible person. It just means you don’t have an inherent desire to help everyone. No one can judge you for that, as it’s hard enough for people to take care of themselves sometimes. But, if you desire to be kinder, you must be proactive.

At first, you’ll do acts of kindness rationally and intentionally. But, in time, these actions will become second nature. And you don’t need to do anything over the top. Just make an effort to do some small acts of kindness every day. Then, when you wake up, list some things you can do to help or be nice. For example, maybe you know that the cleaning lady likes a particular type of chocolate.

You can bring her some on the next day of work. Or you can take some time to buy your partner the flowers they like. Once acts like these become part of your daily routine, you’ll internalize them. Then, you’ll find that you’ll start being kind without being proactive about it.

Final Thoughts on How to Train Your Brain To Show Kindness

Kindness is something we all value as a society. But, for one reason, we struggle to learn how to practice it. Your parents have probably focused on teaching you to be ambitious and independent. But they probably didn’t focus too much on kindness. Or, at least, they didn’t try to teach you how to show it. Not showing kindness doesn’t automatically make you mean or immoral. You could be very moral and still not know how to show kindness.

If you want to show kindness, you need to be proactive. But first, you must learn to be kind to yourself. You’ll never learn to appreciate others if you don’t value yourself. It would be best if you also started practicing positive thinking. That positivity will reflect in the way you treat others. Learning to listen is essential, as that will help you empathize more. Lastly, it would be best if you made an effort to start doing acts of kindness. At first, you’ll have to be conscious about doing those acts. But, in time, your brain will be wired to default to kindness.

Kind Dad Builds $35M Theme Park for Special Needs Children

October 20, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

After building an amusement park for special needs children, one kind dad became a hero in his community. Gordon Hartman felt inspired to create the park after taking his family on vacation. His daughter Morgan is on the autism spectrum and requires special cognitive and physical care.

On the trip, Hartman tried to find opportunities for her to play safely and thought the hotel pool seemed like the perfect idea. While the family swam, Hartman noticed that his then 12-year-old daughter struggled to make friends. As she got closer to the other children, they grew apprehensive and bolted out of the pool.

Hartman will never forget the disappointed and hurt expression on Morgan’s face. He felt heartbroken and vowed to find a park where Morgan could play comfortably and feel included. However, after researching, Hartman realized that no theme parks existed for autistic or special needs children.

So, he decided to build the park himself for Morgan and other differently abled children. On April 10, 2010, he unveiled Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first theme park designed for special needs children. In 2017, the Ultra-Accessible™ theme park opened its addition, Morgan’s Inspiration Island, a splash park complete with a riverboat adventure ride and a giant treehouse. The park made TIME Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places” list in 2018.

The park is located in San Antonio, Texas, and caters to people with and without special needs. Hartman said he wanted to create a place where everyone could interact and understand one another better. Both theme park areas promote inclusion to benefit all children, regardless of their needs or abilities.

“It’s a park for 100 percent of the people, not one for 90 or 80 percent of them; it’s for everybody, no matter how acute their special need may be,” Hartman told PEOPLE in an interview. “That’s what my dream was.”

Dad Builds Fully Accessible Park for Special Needs Children

Hartman had ample experience as a construction worker and landscaper, an ideal background for theme park development. He began landscaping at fifteen and launched his homebuilding enterprise at nineteen.

When he turned twenty-three, he owned a successful land development and construction company. At the time, it was the largest locally owned home construction business in San Antonio.

The generous father used all this knowledge and expertise to start a new journey in helping special needs children. After selling his homebuilding business in 2005, he founded The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation to support individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities.

He also hoped raising awareness about special needs children would make it easier for Morgan to make friends. Hartman thought educating people about children with disabilities would help break down their barriers. The fully accessible theme park provided the ideal environment for people with and without special needs to connect.

“It’s about not letting anyone feel different. That’s what we tried to do with this park.”

Hartman organized countless fundraisers and collaborated with architects, engineers, doctors, and therapists to construct the $35 million park. They began construction in 2007 and completed the massive project in 2010. In 2018, the nonprofit opened a $17 million water park called Morgan’s Inspiration Island, an expansion of the original park.

The successful realization of major projects like Hartman’s $35 million park and the $17 million Morgan’s Inspiration Island underscores the vital role of accurate land surveying in construction. Precision in land surveying is crucial for maintaining high standards throughout a project, from initial layout to final structural integrity.

Among the many available tools, Carlson equipment and software are recognized as the industry leaders due to their superior accuracy, user-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. Suitable for both small land surveying firms and large engineering companies, Carlson’s solutions address diverse needs. Their surveying tools streamline processes and deliver dependable results, greatly improving the efficiency of construction projects. By choosing Carlson’s technology, you ensure your land surveying work benefits from top-quality tools, leading to more precise and successful project outcomes.

The Ultra-Accessible™, fully-inclusive park offers something for the whole family to enjoy. Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island feature over 25 attractions, colorful playscapes, and interactive displays scattered across 25 acres. Some attractions at Morgan’s Wonderland include a wheelchair-accessible train, swings, a carousel, and a Ferris wheel.

Morgan’s Inspiration Island offers a fully accessible river ride, colorful splash pads, and even waterproof wheelchairs–all free of charge. It also features warm water attractions to accommodate guests who cannot tolerate cold temperatures. The park provides special wristbands to keep track of visitors, a feature handy for children with ASD.

Over one million people have visited Morgan’s Wonderland since it opened in 2010. All special needs children receive free admission to both parks, no questions asked. Hartman also promotes workplace inclusion at his theme parks, as about one-third of staff members include people with special needs.

Many Parents Have Expressed Gratitude for the Theme Parks

Hartman said that his daughter, now 28 years old, continues to inspire people worldwide. Her story raises awareness for special needs children and shows the importance of making the world more inclusive. After the incident in the pool years ago, Hartman and his wife resolved to create a supportive environment for all children.

Their website reads:

“It is Morgan’s sincere hope that everyone with a special need — young and older, healthy or ailing, introspective, or outgoing — will be touched extraordinarily by Morgan’s Wonderland: a shrine of inclusion, an oasis of friendship, an unforgettable wonderland… Morgan’s Wonderland!”

Many parents who visit the park have come to Hartman in tears of joy. They feel grateful for his dedicated efforts to create a safe, fun place for special needs children to play.

One day at the water park, an emotional father approached Hartman and began to cry. The man pointed to the heartwarming sight of his adult son splashing and playing in the water. He admitted to Hartman that he had never witnessed his child playing like that before.

Another couple visiting from Michigan thanked Hartman for providing their daughter with an accessible, inclusive place to play. Before, she watched other children play and couldn’t experience it for herself.

“So many people told us that this would be an opportunity for our daughter to finally have a place where she wouldn’t have to sit on the sidelines; she could actually do everything,” they told him.

Hartman felt moved and touched by their story.

“That’s exactly right,” he replied. “That’s exactly what this whole place is about.

Final Thoughts on Kind Dad Building Theme Park For Special Needs Children

One selfless dad created a theme park to honor his special-needs daughter. After watching Morgan struggle to make friends, he discovered his true purpose: helping people with special needs feel loved and included. So, Hartman created a foundation to support individuals with physical and mental disabilities. He also built a massive theme park so everyone could play, laugh, and connect regardless of their abilities. What an amazing, devoted father!

First Recyclable Blade Wind Turbines Installed in Germany’s North Sea

October 19, 2022 by Kristen Lawrence

Siemens Gamesa, a renewable energy company in Spain, recently installed the world’s first wind turbine with fully recyclable blades. The first commercial installation using the new technology took place at RWE’s Kaskasi offshore wind farm in Germany. Located 21 miles north of Heligoland in the North Sea, the project marks a turning point toward a sustainable future.

Marc Becker, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit, said in a press release:

“We are proving that as the leaders of the offshore revolution, we are committed to making disruptive technology innovation commercially viable with the pace that the climate emergency demands. We’ve brought the Siemens Gamesa RecyclableBlade technology to market in only 10 months: from launch in September 2021 to installation at RWE’s Kaskasi project in July 2022.

“This is impressive and underlines the pace at which we all need to move to provide enough generating capacity to combat the global climate emergency. This milestone marks a significant contribution to Siemens Gamesa’s target of having fully recyclable turbines by 2040. With RecyclableBlade available for our customers, we can create a virtuous circular economy.”

The Demand for Wind Turbine Technology Requires Making Them Recyclable

As the demand for wind power keeps rising, waste from decommissioned turbines poses a problem for clean energy companies. Wind turbine blades can weigh over 12 tons and measure more than 150 feet, taking up vast areas of landfills. They’re made of a combination of fiberglass and epoxy resin to create a durable, lightweight structure. While these materials increase the turbine’s resiliency, they don’t break down in the environment.

So, Siemens Gamesa wanted to create a recyclable, eco-friendly blade to eliminate planetary harm. The company’s Recyclable Blade technology allows complete recovery of the blade’s materials at the end of its life cycle. They separate the resin, wood, fiberglass, and other raw materials using a mild acid solution. Next, the turbine components enter the circular economy, creating either new wind turbine blades or other products like flat-screen casings.

First Recyclable Blade Wind Turbines Installed in Germany’s North Sea

Sven Utermöhlen, CEO of Wind Offshore, RWE Renewables, said: “That we are testing in our offshore wind farm Kaskasi the world’s first recyclable wind turbine blades under operational conditions is a significant step in advancing the sustainability of wind turbines to the next level. The first turbine equipped with Siemens Gamesa’s RecyclableBlades is generating electricity.

“The expansion of renewable energies must be driven forward decisively. Faster offshore expansion is particularly important to simultaneously achieve climate targets and to create more energy sovereignty. We at RWE want to help make this happen and the commissioning of the first turbine of our Kaskasi offshore wind farm is a clear sign of this intent.”

Many turbines will come equipped with Siemens Gamesa’s handcrafted B81 recyclable blades measuring 265 feet long. The wind power project will consist of 38 SG 8.0-167 DD wind turbines, producing 342 MW of clean energy. The output from the wind farm could power 400,000 German households, similar to a city such as Frankfurt.

Becker added that the company’s recyclable blades have helped create jobs and economic value in several European countries. The company developed the RecyclableBlade technology in Aalborg, Denmark, while blade manufacturing took place in Hull, UK. In addition, Siemens Gamesa produced and installed nacelles for the turbines in Cuxhaven, Germany.

The company’s CEO said recycling the blade’s materials will increase the potential for secondary markets for the repurposed components. Also, local markets will benefit from the job creation provided by the additional raw materials and products.

The company also offers recyclable 354-foot long B108 blades used on the SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbine. In addition, they produce the massive 377-foot long B115 blades for SG 14-236 DD turbines.

Wind Energy in High Demand Worldwide

According to the Global Wind Energy Council’s 2022 report, the wind industry continues to grow exceptionally.

The global wind industry enjoyed its second-best year in 2021, with almost 94 GW of capacity added worldwide. 2020’s record growth surpassed it by only 1.8%.
Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East experienced record onshore wind installations.
The wind industry commissioned 21.1 GW of offshore wind capacity in 2021, three times more than in 2020. This achievement made 2021 the most successful year in history for offshore wind growth.
China accounted for 80% of new offshore wind capacity worldwide in 2021, bringing its total offshore wind installations to 27.7 GW. This feat represents astronomical growth, as it took 30 years for Europe to install a similar level of offshore wind energy.
Total global wind power capacity increased to 837 GW in 2021, eliminating over 1.2 billion tonnes of global CO2 annually. This equates to the yearly carbon emissions of the entire continent of South America.
Since climate crisis worries reached an all-time high during the pandemic, many nations doubled down on their net zero commitments. The wind industry’s future looks promising as the world works urgently to transition to renewable energy. Experts estimate that 557 GW of new energy capacity will become available in the next five years. That equals over 110 GW of new installations every year until 2026.
But, the report stated that installations must quadruple by 2030 to keep the world on track for a 1.5C future and net zero emissions by 2050.

Final Thoughts on New Recyclable Turbine Blades in Germany

Renewable energy company Siemens Gamesa recently completed the world’s first commercial installation of fully recyclable offshore wind turbine blades. Located at RWE’s Kaskasi offshore wind power project in Germany, it marks a monumental step toward a greener planet. Most decommissioned wind turbines end up in landfills and don’t break down in the environment.

So, the company wanted to create more eco-friendly wind turbine blades using recyclable materials. They figured out how to separate the blade’s raw materials using a mild acid solution. After the company recovers the components, they place them back into the economy as either new blades or other products. Currently, the company offers three different blade sizes for various wind turbines.

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