8 Tools to Open Your Heart and Encourage a More Joyful life

Isn’t it wonderful when the heart is in balance, where feelings of love and appreciation, connectedness and compassion take center stage? But when this energetic center is off-kilter, a darker side emerges and we experience periods of depression, anger, jealousy, resentment or bitterness.

Mainly, we just feel ornery towards ourselves and those around us. If you would like to break this pattern of unpleasantness — or simply give your heart chakra a well-deserved tuneup — the following eight practices can help.

Cashew: A Disease-Destroying, Bacteria-Blasting Super Nut

The bacteria responsible for acne, tooth decay, tuberculosis, pneumonia and leprosy have met their match with, of all things, the cashew nut. Containing anacardic chemicals that destroy gram-positive bacteria, this tasty seed of the cashew apple helps eradicate dangerous pathogens that cause a multitude of issues. Not only that, but cashews have also been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and certain types of cancer.

Native to Brazil and grown worldwide in countries such as India, Mozambique, Tanzania and Nigeria, cashews are an outstanding source of copper, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and zinc. However, sound harvesting and processing practices are crucial to avoid contamination with the caustic resin located within the cashew shell -- otherwise, the nut is unfit for consumption. This is the reason why cashew nuts are always sold pre-shelled.

Access to Clean Water Has Reached Crisis Point Worldwide

By John Hawthorne

Water across the world in in such a short supply, it’s hard to imagine what it would be like to not have it as accessible as it is in the west. We don’t take into consideration that most people across the world do not have the ability to drink clean water. Astonishingly, there’re approximately one billion people on the Earth that do not have a means of getting access to safe drinking water. Unicef estimates that 2.6 billion people do not have access to a sanitary septic system or means of using a bathroom. The damage done by not having an ability to get fresh clean water has a variety of effects.

Monsanto, Big Pharma, George Soros, and the Push to Legalize Marijuana

When it comes down to it, corporations have just one purpose: turn a large profit for shareholders. So it should come as no surprise that corporate America has turned its eye toward the wildly successful recreational cannabis movement. In 2015 alone, legal pot sales in the United States jumped 17% to $5.4 billion and are expected to grow 25% this year — an estimated $6.7 billion in U.S. sales. And, of course, corporate interests want their share.

But it’s not simply a modern day gold rush, many feel there is an underlying agenda at hand — with a few very wealthy individuals pulling the strings.

DIY: 3 Ideas For a Backyard Pub Shed

By John Hawthorne

A grown up version of a tree house is the garden pub shed, which is fast becoming a popular way to get that extra bit of value out of your home property. First, you need to think about what you want to build and the overall theme for your pub shed. For some it will be utility over comfort, while others will prefer a more personal feeling. So hopefully between the examples given below, you will find a bit of inspiration if you are interested in building one of your own.

Our first example is the ultimate in function, as it is primarily a brewing facility right on your own property. Endless conversations can be had as you guide your guest through the process and you sample the various wares. This style of pub shed should have the majority of space given to brewing and bottling, with a separate area for relaxing and enjoying the end result.

Six Habits of Highly Grateful People

(Greater Good) Are you bad at gratitude, just like Jeremy Adam Smith? He has some lessons for you from people who know how to say "Thanks!"

I’m terrible at gratitude.

How bad am I? I’m so bad at gratitude that most days, I don’t notice the sunlight on the leaves of the Berkeley oaks as I ride my bike down the street. I forget to be thankful for the guy who hand-brews that delicious cup of coffee I drink mid-way through every weekday morning. I don’t even know the dude’s name!

Buyer Beware: Sport and Fitness Supplements Can be Dangerous

When 22-year-old Michael Lee Sparling died from cardiac arrest, a dark secret of commercial sport and fitness supplements emerged. Often used to increase performance and stamina, these pills and powders can have tragic consequences. To compound the problem, the bottom line usually reigns supreme and corporate leaders choose profit over supplement safety. As healthy young athletes suddenly die from heart failure, a misunderstood and lightly regulated industry is called into question.