[bc_video video_id="6259039408001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Looking for ways to enjoy summer and the great outdoors, WITHOUT straying far from home? Then why not try glamping – BACKYARD glamping that is! Lifestyle expert Sarah Gunn has the perfect set-up for a luxurious camping experience fit for the whole family. One of the main things that keeps people from camping is access to modern plumbing, sleeping on the ground, and fear of wild animals. Backyard glamping is way more my style! It’s a great way to make the most of our outdoor spaces when we are spending much of summer at home again this year. What’s the first thing we need to go backyard glamping? 1. A Tent (But Make It Fancy!) Depending on where you set it up you may need a free-standing tent that could sit on a patio. If you have a large lawn, you can use a traditional tent. No matter where you choose to set up your tent, make sure you set it up on a flat, even surface. Wayfair Indoor/Outdoor Tent 2. An Elevated Bed Pull out a comfy air mattress…or even bring a mattress out from a bedroom and make it like you would a bed. No sleeping bags allowed when glamping! Add layers of blankets, a cozy duvet and style with beautiful pillows. REI 3. Dine Alfresco Create an upscale version of camp dining, with a table for two. This one from IKEA is styled with beautiful serving pieces and flowers. And the best part? You don’t even have to cook your own meal because you can have dinner delivered right to your tent! IKEA Falholmen Table 4. Glamp Fire The best part of camping is the fire! So, create a seating area, layer with cushions, add some throw blankets and cozy up with a fire and s’mores! Cool of the Wild 5. Set the Mood Add a little twinkle with strings of lights…. and to light the way to the bathroom lol Bring a speaker outside and create a glamping playlist. The Verge Rainsford Company

[bc_video video_id="6259043840001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] In-person baby showers are one of the MANY types of celebrations that have been postponed or cancelled over the past year. Thanks to technology, we still can gather virtually with friends and family to celebrate the new baby! Having a virtual baby shower is a great opportunity to include friends and family across the globe. With some creativity we can still make this occasion super special for everyone involved. Today we're giving the 8 steps to the best virtual shower according to Sarah Gunn.

1. Choosing The Venue

• Video chat options like Skype, Zoom or Google Hangouts are great and user-friendly
• Test the service you choose ahead of time for less tech-savvy party guests
• Keep in mind that some have time limits. Zoom for example caps at 40 mins unless you have a paid subscription.

Zoom

2. Registry

• If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that you can buy pretty much everything online. You can even register for a baby registry! Make sure to do it far enough in advance to allow for delivery time before the shower.

What to Expect

3. Invitations

• You can still do snail mail for these. Sarah loves an e-vite because many sites allow you to easily keep track of who has responded and also send updates as reminders.

The Spruce

4. Décor-To-Go (virtual backgrounds or baskets)

• Some sites, like zoom, allow you to add fun custom backgrounds behind you. You can even design your own and share it with all guests.
• Why not put together a little décor-to-go basket for the momma to be (or even all the guests). Canadian company Party et CIE has the sweetest party décor.

partyetcie.com

5. Games

• Tons of baby shower party games are an internet search away!
• Virtual games also help to set the mood and get everybody involved.

What to Expect

6. Virtual Guestbook

• It's an excellent idea to have everyone prepare something ahead of time. Guests can read their best wishes for mom aloud within a video they record. They can all be then sent to the host and put together in a series of google slides, or an online printable book. The collection of videos will be an excellent gift to the mom to be.

www.virtualvideoguestbook.com

7. Gifts

• Most showers end with a gift-opening. This can still happen in two ways. First, the guests could hold up the gifts they purchased for the mom to be and show her
• Alternatively, all gifts can be sent (wrapped) ahead of time for mom to open during the virtual shower.

Hallmark Ideas

8. Sips and Eats

• Create a custom mocktail and snack menu for people to create at home if they choose. Come up with fun names like: Momtini, Momarita, Momito, Momosa, Preggy Punch! Have some nibbles dropped off or delivered to mom-to-be!

Parents

[bc_video video_id="6259041829001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Dr. Jen Gunter has been called Twitter's resident gynecologist and has used the platform expose unscientific wellness advice and debunks potentially harmful myths about women’s health. With her latest book “The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism” Dr Jen Gunter would like every woman to know as much about menopause as a well-informed gynecologist.  The book discusses how menopause is not a disease and how there is misinformation, lack of research and culture of shame around woman’s bodies especially as we age. How can we have a feminist menopause?  There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding menopause as it has previously been framed by the patriarchy as a "disease". Really all menopause is is the planned end of ovarian function- this is part of the plan. To have a feminist menopause, one must have good information about their body. One must be knowledgeable so that they can advocate for themselves while going through this stage of life. Another way is to observe the world around and to see how the language surrounding a women's body is weaponized against us. For example, in medicine professionals will still use the term "Ovarian Failure" to described the planned end of ovarian function. When men suffer from erectile disfunction, the term is never re-translated to "penile failure". What is menopause, what are the symptoms? The most common symptom of menopausal transition is the hormonal chaos that ensues before the final menstrual period. Some people will experience heavy flows, whereas others will just have a few irregular periods and then eventually stop. If you are experiencing debilitating heavy periods during this phase, there are solutions like hormonal treatments, medications and procedures that can help reduce the amount of blood. Another very common issue is hot flashes, up to 80 % of women experience hot flashes or flush during the menopause transition. Temperature and reproduction are tightly controlled, when you are ovulating your body temperature increases and stay increased to help with implantation. When your hormones are changing to prepare for menopause, it makes sense that a change in temperature will happen. 40 to 60 % of women will also deal with sleep disturbances- not pleasant. Hot flashes at night can definitely impact your sleep. Similarly, some people may suffer with depression and therefore have trouble sleeping as depression can be triggered by menopause. In addition, many women will experience brain fog and forgetfulness. Medical Ramifications Symptoms and quality of life are important factors, but it's hard to have a life of quality if your life is shortened by a medical condition. One in three women will die of cardiovascular disease, a statistic which is often overlooked and forgotten. The increased risk of cardiovascular disease starts during menopause, keeping yourself in good health during menopause is also cardiovascular health. Osteoporosis another disease that many women suffer through menopause which is often overlooked. During menopause Oestrogen levels drop which results in increased bone loss, which leads to fractures and other life-long ailments. Benefits of menopause We have talked about some of unpleasant parts of menopause but there are some benefits of this stage of life. First of all, not having your period is amazing!! You don't have to worry about pregnancy scares, cramps and having an extra pad in your purse. There's a narrative that as a society we've been sold about how menopausal women are non-contributory, but this is just not true. You can continue to do amazing thing throughout your lifespan, life doesn't end when your ovaries do.

[bc_video video_id="6259038118001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] For the dad who loves to cook, eat or appreciates a unique drink – here’s a list of gift ideas ranging from the practical to something luxurious to celebrate the dad with good taste. Handcrafted wooden whiskey box: For the whiskey connoisseur, give dad a beautifully Canadian-made box to store and serve his whiskey. This set comes with two glasses and wooden coasters. The set is made by a company called, Woods and Goods which is a small family-run business based in Mississauga, Ontario.  Operated by husband and wife duo Heather and Glenn, it specializes in handcrafted one-of-a-kind wooden goods.  Heather runs the day to day operations, while carpenter Glenn spends his days making mounds of sawdust and turning wood into beautiful treasures.  Their passion is creating high-quality, personalized gifts that you can be proud to give to your loved ones. Gray Jay whiskey  This is a new Canadian whiskey distilled in Ontario and named after Canada's national bird. Easy drinking and great for summer cocktails. “Your Whisky. Your Rules.” You don’t have to drink whisky out of a low ball with a sphere cube of ice – enjoy it any way you like!) Gray Jay has purposefully designed a smooth, easy-drinking whisky that is simple, sweet and with only a hint of spice and no added colouring. The intent is to encourage new consumers to the category (mostly people who are intrigued but intimidated by all the “rules” around how to drink/sip and in what glass). New Gray Jay Deluxe Canadian Whisky is produced locally by a craft distiller in Ontario The product has recently won the Best New Product Award in the Canadian Whisky category KitchenAid food processor  For the dad who loves to cook - the new KitchenAid food processor (launched in May) has a small footprint but a large capacity – making it great for kitchens of any size. The 13-cup capacity can make enough food for the whole family. This really is a small appliance that is useful all year round. Powerful enough to slice, dice, mix, chop, knead, puree...it comes with 9 attachments. Great for all the meal prep and summer recipes ahead. Happy Pops! The gift of Happy Pops! All natural fruit popsicles launched in Ontario by a woman who wanted to create interesting flavours that she wasn't finding in stores. Flavours like soursop, guava, passionfruit, mango peach. Order a gift pack for delivery (ships across Canada, packed in dry ice) as a delicious and refreshing gift for yourself or a dad in your life. They also recently launched a fruit pop subscription so you can keep your freezer stocked through the hot summer months. Handblown wine glasses  Planning ahead to more summer refreshments: handblown wine glasses inspired by fireworks. This is an easy and affordable way to support small artists and craft makers and something unique to toast warm summer nights. These glasses are made by Studio Honami a husband-and-wife owned Etsy shop specializing in hand blown glass products. They are based in Glen Williams, Ontario and part of the Glen Williams Glass collective studio. Artist Masaru Honami is a Japanese-born professional glass blower with a background in fine art.

[bc_video video_id="6259043832001" account_id="2226196965001" player_id="rkljM4WDEg"] Many of us have been working from home and not moving around as much as we should.  Our energy is down and when you’re too tired to work out, what else can we do to boost our energy.  Trudy Stone shares some great simple techniques to re-charge! One of the best ways to get more energy is to workout. If we’re too tired to exercise, there are simple things we can do to change that. Stress relieving activities: You don’t have to do a strenuous workout to move your body. Try going for a lunchtime walk around the block or a quick 2 minute chair yoga. Chair yoga is an ideal way to invigorate your mind and body from the comfort of your office or desk chairs. In as little as 5 minutes, you can perform a handful of poses that will stimulate your circulation, and fill you up with a surplus of energy. It’s a convenient and handy way to integrate yoga into your day and the perfect antidote to the fatigue as your energy begins to falter. Fatigue is one of the main symptoms of stress. Chronic fatigue and decreased energy levels can also be caused by prolonged stress and haven’t we ALL had a lot of that! Magnesium is a mineral that I like to provide support to my body during times of stress. Magnesium is also an important factor in the maintenance of overall health. Jamieson Liquid Magnesium is a more convenient way to increase your magnesium intake without taking a pill. It’s extra strength for better absorption and comes in a delicious berry burst flavour. Hydrate If you are not topping up your body with water throughout the day, then this can have a dramatic effect on your energy levels and overall health. About three-quarters of your brain is made up of water, and when you’re dehydrated, your brain actually shrinks in volume. Even mild or temporary dehydration can alter your brain function and may impact your energy levels and mood. One easy way to increase the amount of water you consume on a daily basis is to eat it! {PROPS} Consume fruits and vegetables with a high water content like cucumber (96% water), zucchini (95% water), watermelon (92% water), and grapefruit (91% water). Eat for energy Food is energy so we need to support our body with food that supplies us with energy rather than those that deplete it. There are two important nutrients that help to provide our body with the support that it needs. The first is Vitamin C. Some people who have vitamin C deficiency often feel fatigued.When consumed along with a healthy diet, vitamin C benefits the body by supporting a healthy response to stress – which  may be draining your energy levels and a healthy immune system. There is a very high concentration of Vitamin C in our adrenal glands which are involved in our stress response. The more we stress, the more we lose vitamin C,. Vitamin C is water soluble which means that your body can’t store it efficiently for very long. Instead, your diet must do the heavy lifting when it comes to avoiding deficiencies. A daily vitamin C supplement is an easy way to increase levels of this vitamin in your body in order to give your body the support that it needs, especially when it comes in a fun format like Jamieson Vitamin C Gummies. These gummies are an antioxidant source for the maintenance of good health and come in a delicious orange flavour with no aspartame, artificial colours or flavours. Then there’s B12: B12 helps in the normal function of the immune system, to maintain healthy metabolism as well as helping to maintain the body’s ability to metabolize nutrients that may help enhance your energy levels. As you may have heard, vegans are especially at risk since one of the best sources are animal foods. Since B12 is not found abundantly in food this is where a good quality supplement comes in. Jamieson Vitamin B12 | Fast-Dissolving Tablets are formulated exclusively with methylcobalamin, an advanced source of B12 that allows for faster absorption, so you can be naturally energized, faster! It helps to convert carbs, proteins and fats to energy and is available in a delicious, fast-melting natural cherry flavour Breathe The way you breath may be causing you to feel tired, fatigued, foggy, and uninspired. This is because proper deep breathing helps balance the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in your blood. This is vital for high energy levels and mental alertness. Breathing exercise: This one-minute breath practice is perfect for when you’re energy dips. It’s an activity based on a slow inhalation and an incremental increase in the length of exhalations. Inhale to the count of two Exhale to the count of two Inhale to the count of two Exhale to the count of three Inhale to the count of two Exhale to the count of four Inhale to the count of two Exhale to the count of five Repeat several times, then return to your normal breathing. Your improved breathing will help regulate the oxygen flow in your blood, making you more alert. In addition to breathing sleep is also important. Your ability to make healthy decisions is severely reduced when you lack sleep. I don’t know about you but I tend to overeat when I don’t get a good night’s sleep! Jamieson Melatonin Gummies helps improve sleep quality in a fun way and is a natural, safe and non-habit forming sleep aid. It’s available in a delicious strawberry flavour with no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.