Digital Art

Paddle Boarding with Whales, Esperance Australia

Paddle Boarding with Whales

Esperance Australia

This stunning drone footage shows a paddle boarder in Australia meeting two giant whales in the ocean.
Credit to Jaimen Hudson >> http://bit.ly/1QIrwhX

Paddle Boarding with Whales in Esperance, Western Australia.

• Filmed in 4K. Shot and put together by me.
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/jaimenhudson
• Song: Jack Johnson - Imagine

 

Flower

Digital Art

 

 

Blood Pressure 💓Easy Ways to Lower

6 Easy Ways  To Lower Your

Blood Pressure

By PositiveMed-Team * Edited By Stephanie Dawson

“Your blood pressure is high,” arguably one of the worst things that your doctor can tell you. Statistics show high blood pressure is responsible for 15% of deaths in the United States. This is not necessarily something to be overly worried about. Making slight changes to your lifestyle can bring it down without the help of medication in some cases. Using medicine to bring the numbers down might have side effects, doing it naturally will not only save you money but will improve your overall health. Mentioned below is a list of natural ways to lower your blood pressure.

1. Exercise more

Regular exercise has numerous benefits but is especially effective in reduction of blood pressure count. If you cannot perform intense training, aerobics and endurance training with activities like swimming, running, dancing, and brisk walking can help you reduce blood pressure. Only perform exercise under a doctor’s supervision with high blood pressure.

 

2. Reduce sodium

High levels of sodium in the body are partly responsible for high blood pressure. The main source of sodium in our diet is the salt we use in foods. To control your sodium intake avoid excess use of salt. Before buying packaged food products read the label carefully. Avoid processed foods like frozen dinners, potato chips, and bacon as they contain artificial preservatives which are high in sodium.

 

3. Cut back on alcohol

Alcohol when enjoyed in moderate amounts has many heart health benefits, however overconsumption of alcohol is unhealthy for your heart and liver. Various studies have shown that men who have more than 2 drinks per day are more likely to get health problems like hypertension. If you can’t control your alcohol intake, try drinking while you eat as it nullifies the alcohol’s impact on blood pressure.

 

4. Breathe deeply

Studies have shown that practices like meditation, yoga, and tai chi that involve deep breathing bring down levels of stress hormones. This reduction in stress hormones elevates renin, a kidney enzyme that increases blood pressure. Moreover deep breathing increases oxygen supply to the body which enhances the transportation of essential nutrients to various parts of the body through the blood.

 

5. Avoid unhealthy fats

Fast foods like burgers and pizzas may taste great, however they are the prime source of unhealthy fats because they contain cheese and harmful oils. These unhealthy fats result in an increase in cholesterol levels and eventually lead to blockage of the arteries, this in turn increases blood pressure. Putting a check on intake of these harmful fats can drastically bring your blood pressure down without medication.

 

6. Skip caffeine

Coffee is prescribed to people with low blood pressure as it helps increase it. The caffeine present in coffee results in a rise in blood pressure therefore is dangerous for people who already have high blood pressure. Often people who keep sipping coffee throughout the day have elevated blood pressure levels. The recommended consumption of caffeinated beverages is not more than 2 cups a day. Monitor your blood pressure before drinking coffee and 30 minutes after drinking it to check your sensitivity to caffeine.

The above mentioned natural remedies can help you reduce your blood pressure, in severe cases consult your doctor first and follow his advice.

 

  

6 Simple Tips to Reduce your Blood Pressure
May 13, 2022
Small changes can make a big difference in your blood pressure numbers.

If you suddenly find yourself with high blood pressure (hypertension) under the new guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, you might be wondering what to do. The guidelines lowered the definition for high blood pressure to 130/80 from 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), meaning more people now meet the criteria for stage 1 hypertension.

While you shouldn't shrug off the change, there's also no need to panic. "Obviously, nothing happened overnight inside a woman's body or to her health with the release of the guidelines," says Dr. Naomi Fisher, director of hypertension service and hypertension innovation at the Brigham and Women's Hospital Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The change, however, should spur you to take your blood pressure seriously. "These guidelines have been long anticipated and are very welcome by most hypertension experts. They may seem drastic, but in putting the knowledge we've gained from large trials into clinical practice, they will help thousands of people," says Dr. Fisher.

Why does hypertension matter?

If you are in this 130/80 range, reducing your blood pressure can help protect you from heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, eye disease, and even cognitive decline. The goal of the new guidelines is to encourage you to treat your high blood pressure seriously and to take action to bring it down, primarily using lifestyle interventions. "It is well documented that lifestyle changes can lower blood pressure as much as pills can, and sometimes even more," says Dr. Fisher.

Making those changes can be challenging. More than one woman has woken up in the morning committed to healthy eating only to be derailed by a plate of cookies on a table in the office or a dinner out with friends.

How lower your blood pressure with small changes

You don't have to embark on a major life overhaul to make a difference in your blood pressure. Here are six simple tips for actions you can take to help get your blood pressure back into the normal range.

 

1. Lose weight

By far the most effective means of reducing elevated blood pressure is to lose weight, says Fisher. And it doesn't require major weight loss to make a difference. Even losing as little as 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure.

 

2. Read labels

Americans eat far too much dietary sodium, up to three times the recommended total amount, which is 1,500 milligrams (mg) daily for individuals with high blood pressure, says Dr. Fisher. It doesn't take much sodium to reach that 1,500-mg daily cap — just 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt. There's half of that amount of sodium in one Egg McMuffin breakfast sandwich. Weed out high-sodium foods by reading labels carefully. "It is very difficult to lower dietary sodium without reading labels, unless you prepare all of your own food," says Dr. Fisher. Beware in particular of what the American Heart Association has dubbed the "salty six," common foods where high amounts of sodium may be lurking:

• breads and rolls
• cold cuts and cured meats
• pizza
• poultry
• soup
• sandwiches.

3. Get moving

It doesn't take much exercise to make a difference in your health. Aim for a half-hour at least five days a week. "Make sure you're doing something you love, or it won't stick," says Fisher. "For some that means dancing; for others, biking or taking brisk walks with a friend." Even everyday activities such as gardening can help.

 

4. Pump some iron

"Add some weightlifting to your exercise regimen to help lose weight and stay fit. Women lose muscle mass steadily as we age, and weightlifting is an often-overlooked part of an exercise plan for most women," says Fisher.

 

5. Limit alcohol to one drink per day

Drinking too much, too often, can increase your blood pressure, so practice moderation.

 

6. Relieve stress with daily meditation or deep breathing sessions

Stress hormones constrict your blood vessels and can lead to temporary spikes in blood pressure. In addition, over time, stress can trigger unhealthy habits that put your cardiovascular health at risk. These might include overeating, poor sleep, and misusing drugs and alcohol. For all these reasons, reducing stress should be a priority if you're looking to lower your blood pressure.

 https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/6-simple-tips-to-reduce-your-blood-pressure

Accordion 🪗 Repairman 🗽New York City

New York City's🗽

Last Accordion  🪗  Repairman

👇   🎼   👇

Alex Carozza has been building and repairing accordions in New York City since 1960. 

The last craftsman of his kind in the city, Alex is the living memory of a once vibrant musical culture that has all but disappeared from New York. This is the story of a true classic.

Alexandr Hrustevich Vilnius

2013

1. A. Vivaldi - P. Fenyuk.   The four seasons "Summer" 1-3part

2. A. Borodin - A. Glazunov-S.Naiko   Petite Suite: "Reverie"

Wiesława Dudkowiak
Akordeon
Her Most Beautiful Accordion Melodies

👇 🪗 👇

 

Moon

VD

Gong Xi Fa Cai - 2016 = 4713th Chinese New Year - Gong Hey Fat Choy

 

2016 is the Year of the Monkey. 2016 Chinese New Year Date is on February 8, 2016 in China's time zone. In Chinese astrology calendar, the first day of Monkey year is February 4, 2016. 

The Year 2016 is the 4713th Chinese year. The Chinese believe that the first king of China was the Yellow King (he was not the first emperor of China). The Yellow King became king in 2697 B.C., therefore China will enter the 4713th year on February 8, 2016. Also, the Chinese Year uses the cycle of 60 Stem-Branch counting systems and the Green Wood Horse is the 33rd Stem-Branch in the cycle. Since (60 *78) + 33 = 4713, therefore 2016 is the Red Monkey, which is the 4713th Chinese Year.

The Year 2016
is the 4713th Chinese Year

2016 is year of the Red Monkey . The Chinese name of 2016 in the Chinese Horoscope calendar is . Chinese apply Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth) into the Chinese calendar. is in the Fire group. The color of Fire is connected to Red. is the calendar character corresponding to Monkey. Therefore, 2016 is the Red Fire Monkey year. 

2016 is the 4713th Chinese Year. According to Chinese Horoscope calendar, the first day of Red Monkey is on February 4, 2016. This day is not the Chinese New Year Day. Most of Internet Chinese horoscope sites use Chinese New Year Day to determine the Chinese zodiac sign, which is wrong. Chinese New Year Day of Red Monkey Year is on February 8, 2016. This is the reason that some people confuse their Chinese zodiac signs. 

The first day of the Chinese astrological year is the first day of the Tiger Month (Start of Spring). The Tiger Month begins around February 4, each year. If you were born before February 4, then you should check Your Chinese Zodiac Sign first before reading your 2016 Chinese zodiac forecast.
Monkey is the 9th animal in 12 zodiac signs. Monkey is after 8th  Sheep and before 10th  Chicken. Monkey is the animal in the first of Metal Cycle. Monkey, Chicken and Dog are in the cycle of Metal. Our Chinese horoscope prediction combines the theory of Five Elements, the relationships betweens animal signs and the image meaning of I-Ching hexagram.

The prediction for 2016 Year of Monkey is based on your birth year, the Chinese zodiac signs. We have different forecasting method for 2016 using your entire Chinese astrology birth chart, which is required your birthday and birth time. You can find the hyperlink in the end of the prediction.

According to Chinese Five Elements Horoscopes, Monkey contains Metal and Water. Metal is connected to gold. Water is connected to wisdom and danger. Therefore, we will deal with more financial events in the year of the Monkey. Monkey is a smart, naughty, wily and vigilant animal. If you want to have good return for your money investment, then you need to outsmart the Monkey. Metal is also connected to the Wind. That implies the status of events will be changing very quickly. Think twice before you leap when making changes for your finance, career, business relationship and people relationship.

The Chinese believe that the first king of China was the Yellow King (he was not the first emperor of China). The Yellow King became king in 2697 B.C., therefore China will enter the 4712th year on February 19, 2015. Also, the Chinese Year uses the cycle of 60 Stem-Branch counting systems and the Green Wood Sheep is the 32nd Stem-Branch in the cycle. Since (60 *78) + 32 = 4712, therefore 2015 is the Wooden Sheep year, which is the 4712th Chinese Year.

Some people say 2015 is a Green Sheep or Wooden Sheep year. This is because the Stem-Branch Calendar is connected to the Five Element theory. Chinese calendars used the Stem-Branch system to count the days, months and years. There are 10 Stems and 12 Branches in this system. Stems are named by the Yin-Yang and Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth).

Gong Hey Fat Choy !!
!!!  恭喜发财  !!!

Gong Xi Fa Cai !!

Lunar New Year 2016
Year of the
猴   Monkey   猴

New Year  新年 

 

 The color red is used because it is considered a color that wards off evil and symbolizes Good Luck.

It is said that odd number of bills, coins or the total of the money given must not add up to an odd number (like 3,5,7,9, etc.), but either must be an even number or end with an “8″ in the ones column (like $88.00, $168.00, etc.) as they are considered auspicious or “good” numbers. Any money must not total the numbers, 4, 40,44,444, etc., as the pronunciation of the word “four” in Chinese dialects resembles the word for death, a bad omen.

    
Red envelopes are also given to newlyweds in China.

You can activate Good Luck on this day by burning red candles anointed with “Fast Luck” oil to activate the goodness of the New Year and the first New Moon.

History of Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year Festival is the most significant holiday for Chinese people around the world, regardless of the origin of their ancestors. It is also known as the Lunar New Year Festival because it is based on the lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar. The holiday is a very jubilant occasion mainly because it is the time when people take a break from work to get together with family and friends.

The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back thousands of years through a continually evolving series of colorful legends and traditions. One of the most famous legends is that of Nien, an extremely cruel and ferocious beast, which the Chinese believe, eats people on New Year’s Eve. To keep Nien away, red-paper couplets are pasted on doors, torches are lit, and firecrackers are set off throughout the night, because Nien is said to fear the color of red, the light of fire, and loud noises. Early the next morning, as feelings of triumph and renewal fill the air at successfully keeping Nien away for another year, the most popular greeting heard is kung-hsi, or “congratulations.”

Even though Chinese New Year celebrations generally only last for several days, starting on New Year’s Eve, the festival itself is actually about three weeks long. It begins on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, the day, it is believed, when various gods ascend to heaven to pay their respects and report on household affairs to the Jade Emperor, the supreme Taoist deity. According to tradition, households busily honor these gods by burning ritualistic paper money to provide for their traveling expenses. Another ritual is to smear malt sugar on the lips of the Kitchen God, one of the traveling deities, to ensure that he either submits a favorable report to the Jade Emperor or keeps silent.

Next, “spring couplets” are hung up around the house. Spring couplets are paper scrolls and squares inscribed with blessings and auspicious words, such as “good fortune,” “wealth,” “longevity,” and “springtime.” The paper squares are usually pasted upside down, because the Mandarin Chinese word for “upside down,” Tao, is a homonym of the word “arrival.” Thus, the paper squares represent the “arrival” of spring and the “coming” of prosperous times.

On lunar New Year’s Eve, family members who are no longer living at home make a special effort to return home for reunion and share in a sumptuous meal. At that time, family members hand out “lucky money” in red envelopes to elders and children and stay up all night to welcome the New Year. Chinese people have long believed that staying awake all night on New Year’s Eve would help their parents to live a longer life. Thus, lights are kept on the entire night–not just to drive away Nien, as in ancient times, but also as an excuse to make the most of the family get-together. Some families even hold religious ceremonies after midnight to welcome the God of the New Year into their homes, a ritual that is often concluded with a huge barrage of firecrackers.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

!!!  恭喜发财  !!!

 

 

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4713 begins on Feb. 19, 2015.

Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

 
A Fun New Year
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality traits. 
Those born in monkey years are often fun, energetic, curious, and mischievous. People believe the monkey years bring bad luck to those born in the year of the monkey. 
Patricia Arquette, Chelsea Clinton, Tom Hanks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Grover Cleveland, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Douglas, and Will Smith were born in the year of the monkey.

Fireworks and Family Feasts
At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.

The Lantern Festival
In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.
The lantern festival is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.
In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon—which might stretch a hundred feet long—is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. In the United States, where the New Year is celebrated with a shortened schedule, the dragon dance always takes place on a weekend. In addition, many Chinese-American communities have added American parade elements such as marching bands and floats. 

Read more: Chinese New Year: 2015 http://www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear1.html#ixzz3QE8Q3iHB

Happy Lunar New Year!
  新年快樂!