Greece holds a special place in my heart. Each summer I dream of going away to this place. Greece has great summer weather, especially considering how damp and cold UK summers can get, has a rich history, is relaxed and stunning, everything I have been looking for in the perfect holiday destination for a family. Furthermore, the cost of living is affordable and it’s actually closer to home.

With 227 islands and islets being inhabited, Greece is home to around 6,000. We are yet to visit any Greek island twice even after going to a number of them over the years.

I feel that I experience the Mediterranean as it was meant to be whenever I visit Greece. This is exactly how the south of France and Italy must have been back in the 50s I imagine. Unlike no other Mediterranean destinations where people have to deal with congested beaches, restaurants and roads during the busy summer season, Greece has a traditional and timeless feel.

Locating a peaceful picturesque marina with a number of simple taverns and some colourful wooden boats is quite easy even though some parts of the country are full of hotels and resorts, such as the Ikos Andalusia Hotel.

Unspoilt & Timeless

Old fashioned and untouched, this is what most of Greece feels like. You will find old women wearing all black sitting over laced mats and adult males playing backgammon throughout the day as you walk around local villages. With everyone taking a nap, some villages have a ghost town feel when you stroll around in the afternoon.

Greece is the perfect holiday destination for families. The relaxed environment ensures that the entire family enjoys a laid back experience, while kids, who are simply adored, get a warm reception from all the people they meet.

In our family, everyone finds Greek cuisine irresistible. Sharing the fun to eat, healthy and delicious food together is always an enjoyable experience. Each day, we eat loads of vegetables, salads and fish during our time on Greek islands. From thinly sliced or fried octopus in olive oil, whitebait and anchovies to calamari, red mullet and sardines we will gladly eat through of these tasty dishes.

From grilled feta cheese, cheese and spinach pies, Greek salad, stuffed vine leaves, fish, dips – taramasalata and houmous – and stuffed tomatoes and peppers to courgette flowers, we usually order various dishes for the entire table and then sample each. We always try to sample each, even though everyone has a favourite, and it’s all surprisingly tasty.

We tend to socialize a lot more when we eat together like this. We interact with each other more when sharing food. Everyone enjoys the experience even more as we engage with each other.

A Rich Past

Any child will be fascinated by the interesting stories of ancient Greek mythology and all their gods. On even the tiniest islands, you will find temples devoted to one of the many Greek goddesses or gods as history takes a life of its own in Greece.

Tour Olympia, where the first Olympic Games were held; go atop the Acropolis to take in views of the Parthenon temple in Athens; check out the very spot where the fight between Theseus and the Minotaur took place in Crete’s Minoan palace or head over to the home of the centaurs, Mount Pelion.

You will always get more for your money in Greece. It is possible for you to pay as low as 45 Euros when dining out as a family of 4, and enjoy lower accommodation costs at charming boutique hotels than you would in say France or Italy.

You can get affordable flight tickets if you book early, and most foreigners don’t even need to pay anything for a visa. As you can see, there’s nothing holding you back, so go for it!

As technology and the lifestyles change, the world must keep up with those changes. This can mean a number of things for those that live in long-stay apartments.

Living With Tech Or Not?

Many homes and apartments are getting introduced to smart technologies. As the future fast approaches, homes are seeing the introduction of automated monitoring for ovens, bathtubs, and general heating and cooling. In addition, we can see robots that have the ability to monitor our pets as well as vacuum the floors in our homes. Technology has also enabled the customization of home decor. It is quite possible now to decorate the home with digital pictures as well as having digital butlers suggest various tailored activities.

However, have we reached the peak of possible technology? We may soon find that this digital invasion leads to a backlash. The team at House of Fisher have recently begun to see a demand for tech-free spaces that may lead to tech-free buildings in the future. We may find that face-to-face interaction becomes more of a priority as the digital world overrides every component in our daily lives.

Modular Living

While the overall size for an apartment seems to be smaller, consumers still expect to have the same amount of amenities, if not more. With the advent of modular and moveable apartment designs it is quite possible to have a living area, full kitchen and bedroom in just under 20 m².

The downside to modular apartment design is it can be vastly expensive. There has been no verdict on whether the benefits of modular living outweigh the complexity or the cost. However, many consumers find that a co-living model which offers simple sleeping pods with easy access to communal living space through co-working and co-living areas is a better solution.

Green Living

The pressure for environmental change is only going to increase in the future through legislation and consumer demands. With this in mind, environmentally friendly materials will become more readily available. Some apartments are including carpets that convert carbon into oxygen as well as porous building materials that enable the growth of green walls and moss.

Food packaging will be nearly eliminated for grocery shopping and on-site food production. In addition, energy can be produced and stored on-site through the use of solar panels and smart windows, as well as being produced kinetically through the use of gym equipment. In time, there are going to be some aspects of our modern life that will need to be challenged as to whether they are truly essential needs – such as air-conditioning as a standard amenity in the northern hemisphere.

Sleep Tech

By the year 2020, solutions for insomnia are expected to be an $80 billion industry. Machines will have the ability to monitor sleeping patterns as well as enhance the quality of sleep through lighting and sound waves. Smart beds will be able to regulate the body’s temperature. Digital butlers will be able to send reminders to exercise, sleep, and hydrate.

However, before we get lost into this feature of technology, it is absolutely essential to remember the fundamentals that are needed for a good night’s sleep: the right mattress, the right acoustics, and the right amount of lighting.

Light and sound from technology may actually disturb your sleep patterns. A technology blackout may be a more positive solution for some consumers.

Virtual Reality

In the future,  virtual reality may be more than just entertainment, as it may create a sense of place within neighbourhoods and communities. Would it be possible for virtual space to replicate a residential lounge?

It may be possible that VR will have the ability to enhance design and research. Hans Meyer, the co-founder of Zoku, has already been using virtual reality to create room prototypes with consumer groups.

Revolution Versus Evolution

As new technology becomes available it creates the opportunity for hospitality leaders around the globe to improve their products. While these will generally be embraced there is still a note that must be observed.

The industry needs to be mindful of their consumers as well as any possible backlash due to technology overload. This type of technology should only be used if it is going to enhance the overall consumer experience. Due to this, we can expect an incremental change in technology as opposed to a dramatic shift.

While there will be large innovations that move trends forward these will still be based upon small incremental changes over time.

Over the last 200 years, UK’s life expectancy has doubled. Consequently, about 16% of our population is aged 65 and above. Furthermore, among our senior citizens, today we have a greater number of people aged 85 and above.

While a greater life expectancy is generally great, it can also prove to be troublesome for many people. For some people, they do not live a healthy life across the added years. This negatively affects the quality of life among our senior citizens.

For instance:

• The physical changes that our bodies undergo as we age can affect and change the way we feel and think about food. These seemingly natural changes can prevent seniors from taking a healthy diet. Furthermore, these changes can alter our appetite, making one think he or she is full and, therefore, eating less.
• As you might appreciate, good nutrition, as well as regular physical activities, play an integral role in protecting people from age-related conditions and ailments, especially cardiovascular diseases and cognitive decline. They also play a role in protecting one’s bone and joints and oral and dental health. As we age, people tend to slow down and take up less physically engaging activities, which can have a negative impact on your life.

Ageing and Healthy Eating: the Myths

To help you understand what happens as you age, we will debunk top 10 myths regarding ageing and eating a healthy diet.

1. You Will Experience Stomach Shrinkage As You Age

This is a very common and popular misconception about ageing. Many people think that as they age, their stomach gets smaller, hence why they take less food. While your capacity to eat food and appetite might change over time, your stomach does not change.

2. You Should Eat Less As You Age

The vast majority of people think that they should eat less as they age reasoning that their energy requirements diminish as they age. This is not necessarily true. Whilst our metabolism does slow down with age, eating quality food in the right might amount plays a huge role in protecting and fuelling the body. It is the key to ageing well.

3. Weight Loss Is Always Healthy

Among the masses, losing weight is almost universally considered as healthy. However, this is not the case as we get older. In fact, Gabriel’s Angels suggest extreme dieting and sudden weight loss must be avoided as we age unless advised by a dietician or a GP.

4. Eat Only When You Feel Like It

As we age, your body alters in very many ways. As such, you should expect the usual triggers such as hunger or feeling full to change. However, you should know that extreme losses of appetites is not normal and could be a sign of underlying problems.

5. You Should Eat a Low-Fat Diet to Stay Healthy

Contrary to what many people think, a low-fat diet is not necessarily the best diet nor is it the best dietary approach, especially for the elderly. We need fat as a source of energy. Some senior citizens need a healthy supply of fat to maintain a healthy diet.

6. Eat More Vegetables

Eating is nutrient-rich vegetable is important as a part of a healthy diet. However, it should be eaten as part of a balanced diet; therefore, it should eat along with a healthy supply of fluids, proteins, and carbohydrates. Do note that as we age, we need a healthy supply of proteins to protect and restore your immune systems, your body organs, the brains, and muscles.

7. You Should Drink Water Only When You Feel Thirsty

Thirst is a trigger to drink water. It is a means your body uses to tell you that you need fluids. If you feel thirsty, and you feel confusion or a headache, chances are that you are dehydrated. Dehydration can negatively impact your kidney function. As such, do not wait to feel thirsty. Drink plenty of water.

8. Meal Supplements are Sufficient to Stay Healthy

This is not true. Our bodies are not capable of living off vitamins and supplement alone. Furthermore, some of the supplements may interact with medication, reducing their efficacy or not working at all. As such, the focus should be on eating a healthy diet.

9. You Must Eat 3 Meals a Day

Staying healthy and ageing well requires you to eat regularly. However, due to appetite changes, eating three full-sized meals might prove to be a huge challenge for many seniors citizens. An alternative to the 3 meals is to eat more frequently but smaller portions.

10. Malnutrition Is Just Another Symptom of Ageing

Malnutrition is a condition that can affect anyone at any age. It is not strictly an age-dependent condition. Moreover, it can affect people of any body size. That being said, you should note due to the changes that you experience as you age, the elderly are more susceptible to malnutrition. As such, do not dismiss malnutrition as part and parcel of ageing.

As you can appreciate, there are many things to consider. It is little wonder that the elderly citizen living alone struggles to eat correctly and stay healthy.

Should you hire a marketing agency or keep everything in-house? This can be a crucial decision to make when it comes to your online marketing. The following is a breakdown of the key differences between hiring an agency and hiring in-house.

Diversification of Skills

Generally speaking, online marketers have a tendency to have specific sets of skills. There are conversion rate specialists, content marketing experts, social media masters, paid search specialists, and so forth.

However, online marketing is much complex for just one individual to have expertise in every aspect.

So when you hire an in-house paid search specialist, you expect that they will do a great job with paid search. However, what if your paid search campaigns are not working out? Then what do you do?

Diversify Your Marketing Efforts

Companies that hire in-house frequently struggle with diversifying their online marketing efforts. Investing in new marketing channels, after all, can be a big risk. So when you hire somebody and things don’t work out then you have created a situation for yourself that is very difficult.

This results in companies frequently end up stuck with just using one marketing channel. Often, the channel isn’t even working very well.

For instance, if you have a really good landing page designer, but you have horrible ads driving the wrong type of traffic to your website, then you might have a hard time achieving good results from your marketing campaigns.

Is This the Fault of your Designer?

No, of course not! However, if your marketing skills are siloed like this, then you probably will not end up achieving the results from your online marketing efforts that you would like to.

On the other hand, if you hire a good brand agency, like Muze Creative then you will have access to a broad range of skills at hand.

For instance, accounting managers are part of marketing teams which include experts that have a broad range of various online marketing specialties: site testing, design, Facebook, AdWords, etc.

Each team member individually is great at the work they do, however, collectively they offer a lot more value compared to what just one person can.

An added bonus is that since every member of the team is working on several different accounts, they have the breadth and depth of experience that provides them with insights that can be applied to new situations and campaigns.

Pay for a Diverse Set of Skills

When looking at this at first glance, it may appear to be more expensive to do things that way. After all, if you cannot afford to hire another individual for diversifying your marketing efforts, then how will you be able to afford to pay a marketing agency to do this for you?

Generally speaking, a majority of companies do not need to have dedicated services of a full-time Facebook account manager, full-time designer, and a full-time AdWords expert. However, they will benefit from each person’s services.

Unfortunately, if you are going to hire in-house, it may be difficult to find a web designer or AdWords expert who would be willing to just work for a couple of hours per week. However, in an agency, one AdWords expert can manage multiple accounts. This will keep her or him busy enough in order for the agency to justify full-time employment, even though one account may not require the person’s full-time talents and work.

As a result, whenever you are working with a marketing agency, you have access to the skills and talents of high-level experts from various specialties without needing to hire them as full-time employees – which for your business is great news.

In-House vs Agency

So in terms of skill diversification, should you hire in-house or go with a marketing agency?

When getting down to it, it comes down to resources. For a bigger company, it might be worth investing in hiring someone in-house in order to further diversify its marketing efforts.

So if you have significant marketing needs that justify a dedicated expert being hired, then you will achieve the best results from someone being hired in order to work full-time in that channel.

For most businesses, however, agencies are an excellent diversification option.

Most companies either can’t afford or need to hire an entire team of dedicated marketers, then working with a marketing agency can be a really good way of broadening your marketing without having to increase your overhead significantly.

The painful reality of stress is cropping up in an increasing number of scientific studies such as the one conducted by the American Medical Association that reported that stress plays a role in 75% of diseases. There was even a recent study that linked stress effects with weakening the heart muscles.

Effects That Stress Has on the Heart

It was reported in GreatLife magazine in the August 2004 edition, that researchers at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. had in a clinical trial studied the effects that stress has on the heart and monitored the heart’s reaction to everyday events.

The researchers discovered that the more sadness, anger, and stress that someone has experience, the less their hearts are able to respond effectively. It is as if the pressured that is exerted on the heart through the continuous emotion ups and downs that stress has caused to stretch beyond it being able to rebound to normal.

Link Between Reduced Heart Rate and Depression

It was determined by another study that there is a link between impaired heart health and depression. Researchers at Yale University and Emory University studied 50 pairs of boy twins recently by hooking them up for 24 hours for electrocardiograms. It was concluded that a link existed between reduced heart rate variability (HRV), or the fluctuations in between heartbeats, and depression. Reduced HRV may weaken the heart and cause it to be susceptible to experiencing sudden fatalities.

Reflexology: Low-Cost Option for Offset Stress

Reflexology may be a low-cost, natural option to natural sedatives for offsetting the effects of stress on overall health and stress on the heart. The aim of reflexology is to treat the spirit, mind, and body as a comprehensive system to get at the cause of the disease, and not just its symptoms. Reflexology has the capacity for cancelling out the effects that stress has and helps the body get to the place of deep relaxation so that the body systems can be balanced.

Reflexology Reduces Stress

The relaxation process allows the body to be better able to deal with all of the stresses that daily living places on it along with those that are associated with illnesses. Reflexology is able to nudge the body gently towards improved functioning of the body’s system through improving muscle relaxation, stimulation of nerve pathways, venous circulation, and lymphatic drainage.

In a reflexology research report, there was a Chinese study that showed how reflexology was able to effectively alleviate the effects caused by extreme stress. There were 20 patients treated for neurasthenia – which is a condition involving extreme emotional stress who were given a reflexology course at the department of physiotherapy at the hospital. The treatments were focused on parts of the feet that related to the heart, brain, sinus, bladder, kidney, and adrenal glands, which are organs that stress effects compromise.

These treatments were given every day for one week and the results were present in July 1993 at the Chinese reflexology symposium: 40 percent were completely cured; 35-percent experienced significant improvement; 15 percent saw a mild improvement, 10 percent did not report any change.

Feel-Good Hormones Are Released By Reflexology

Reflexology reduces tension and stress therapeutically throughout the body’s systems in order to improve lymph and blood circulation, release toxins from the tissues of the body, and increase nerve supply into the cells. It is thought to encourage the release of endorphins, which are the natural feel-good hormones of the body, which are well-known for being able to relieve stress.

Self-Healing Is Supported By Reflexology

Those physiological benefits help to facilitate improvement in the body assimilate nutrients, immune system stimulation, and elimination of wastes. Reflexology supports the body and its self-healing process for maintaining the balance that results in good health.

Reflexology also feels great and almost everyone is a good candidate for reflexology – including individuals who are not good candidates for various types of traditional massage therapy based on physical restriction or who might have inhibitions about disrobing. You just remove footwear with reflexology.

What Is It Made of?

Also known as petrolatum, petroleum jelly is a mixture of waxes and mineral oils that combine to form a semisolid jelly-like substance using barrel pumps to transfer the product into user-friendly packaging. Discovered by Robert Augustus Chesebrough in 1859, petroleum jelly has not changed significantly over the years. He noticed that workers in the oil industry applied a gooey jelly as a remedy to burns and minor wounds. He thereafter packaged the gooey jelly as Vaseline.

The petroleum in the jelly is the main beneficial ingredient used in the jelly. The petroleum helps to seal your skin, forming a water-tight barrier that enhances your skin’s water retention. In doing this, it helps the skin to heal much faster. To understand the various uses of petroleum jelly, read on.

The Uses And Benefits Of Petroleum Jelly

1. Heal Minor Skin Burns And Scrapes

Studies have shown that petroleum jelly is very effective at helping the skin retain moisture while healing from post-surgery wounds. As such, patients can leverage these properties to heal regular minor skin injuries. That being said, it is important to ensure that you ensure your skin surface is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Applying petroleum jelly on the skin surface with pathogens and bacteria will trap these organisms, infecting the skin and delaying or compromising the healing process.

2. Moisturise Your Hands, Face And Other Parts Of Your Skin

Using Petroleum Jelly As A Face And Body Lotion – For the best results, apply the petroleum jelly after you take a shower. Given that it is an occlusive moisturiser, petroleum jelly prevents your skin from drying. As such, it is a good solution to use for dry noses during the allergy and cold seasons.

Using Petroleum Jelly To Deal With Cracked Heels – To deal with cracked feet, soak your feet in warm water slightly salty water. Thereafter, towel-dry and apply petroleum jelly. Once you finish this process, wear clean cotton socks.

Using Petroleum Jelly To Take Care Of Your Hands – Wash and dry your hands then apply some petroleum jelly. Thereafter, put on clean cotton gloves to help lock in the moisture.

Using Petroleum Jelly To Deal With Chapped Lips – Just apply petroleum jelly on your chapped lips. It’s that simple.

3. Dealing With Pet Paws Issues

If you notice cracks on your dog’s pads and the discomfort arising from the cracks, use petroleum jelly to treats their paws. After taking your dog for a walk or when the dog is resting, clean the paws using cotton gauze and dry the paws. Thereafter apply the jelly.

4. Prevent Nappy Rash

Studies have shown that petroleum jelly can reduce nappy rashes in babies. To use it, just clean and thoroughly dry your child’s skin with a clean towel. Thereafter apply the petroleum jelly. The petroleum jelly forms a barrier that protects their skin from being overexposed to moisture. However, should the rashes persist, visit a doctor.

5. Removing Eye Makeup

As you might know, oil is a very effective makeup removal medium. Moreover, an eye ultrasound study revealed that petroleum jelly is safe to use around the eye region. Just use cotton and or Q-tip with petroleum jelly pressing to remove the oil. Ensure you press lightly without tugging the skin too hard. Always close your eye while doing this.

Additionally, there are people who use it on crow’s feet line. You might give that a try as well.

6. Deal With Split Ends

Exposing your hair to the wind and the sun or even swimming pool water can cause your hair to split. To deal with this issue, just rub a small amount of petroleum jelly between your palms. Apply to your hair ends to reduce their appearance.

7. Prevent Skin Stains Caused By Nail Polish And Hair Dye

Petroleum jelly is applied along the hairline as a protective barrier between the dye and your skin, thereby preventing dying your skin. The practice is used when applying nail polish, especially at home in a DIY setting

8. Preserve Perfume Scents

You can apply petroleum jelly on your skin as your perfume base. This helps it last longer.

9. As Lubricant For Stuck Objects

You use the jelly to remove a stuck ring. Just apply some petroleum jelly around your finger and slip the ring out.

You can use petroleum jelly on door hinges to lubricate the door. Just apply and swing the door or window to help the jelly spread evenly.

Petroleum jelly has been a staple product in the beauty industry and the medical industry for hundreds of years now owing to its safety record, ability to heal the skin, and emollient properties. That being said, for the best results, ensure you choose a triple-distilled and purified petroleum jelly – such as the world-renowned petroleum products Vaseline. Using purified jelly reduces the chances of coming into contact with toxic contaminants, some which are classified as carcinogens.