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We all know at least one friend or loved one who deals with health issues. Millions suffer from depression, stress, anxiety, chronic pain, illnesses like heart disease, and conditions like diabetes.

Typically, we all want to do something to help these friends and loved ones, or at least ease their burden in some way. With the holidays here, it’s only natural that we’ll be looking for gifts, and why not give something that can help them heal?

Below you’ll learn ways you can give the gift of a healthier New Year to loved ones who suffer back pain, diabetes, or stress and anxiety this holiday season.

Back Pain

Millions of people deal with chronic back pain on a daily basis. While there are many causes of back pain, from injury to working conditions to weight problems, there are a few standard ways to relieve the pain and discomfort.

One of these is heat. A homemade rice pack that is large enough to cover the entire lower back would be a most thoughtful, and personal, gift for someone with this condition.

Another source of pain relief is massage. A gift certificate to a masseuse, or a massaging mat for the home...

Anyone who enjoys cooking knows what a hassle a cluttered kitchen can be. Even if a homeowner does not particularly enjoy cooking, eating is a necessity, and therefore a cluttered space can make a kitchen less inviting. When areas begin to pick up clutter, it can seem to build exponentially in a very short amount of time. By following a few easy tips, you can de-clutter your kitchen and once again be able to host without worry and enjoy this wonderful area of your home.

Ask Yourself When You Used it Last

An easy way to start the de-cluttering process is to take a look at each item and ask yourself when you used it last. For example, Tupperware containers usually come in sets. Oftentimes containers acquired in a set of Tupperware don't seem to ever work for your personal needs, and they take up space while remaining unused. These extra containers sit around tucked away in a cabinet or storage area, taking up valuable shelving that could be used for something else. Consider donating them, swapping with a friend, or taking them out of the kitchen and using them to store...

Even though it’s over twice the size of Texas, Alaska is the fourth least populous state in the United States. Still, thousands of people contact Alaska moving companies each year to relocate to the beautiful, largely untouched Last Frontier. The huge state is filled with rich history, natural wonders, interesting people, and a great deal of mystery.

Let’s peel back some layers and take a look at some interesting aspects of the Last Frontier.

1. The Alaskan Pipeline

The United States approved the construction of a pipeline across Alaska in 1973, after the oil crisis. The pipeline was completed in 1977. Today, the 800-mile pipeline, privately owned by the Alyeska Pipeline Company, spans from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez and is responsible for about 20 percent of the United States’ oil production.

Of course, a huge pipe filled with oil is bound to come with controversy. In 1978, someone blew a hole in the pipe, causing an oil leak equivalent to about 16,000 barrels. In 2001, a man shot a hole in the pipe, leading to a leak of about 6,000 barrels of oil. You’d think the pipeline would be able to withstand...

Called “hee nalu” in Hawaiian (which translates to “wave sliding” in English), surfing is an ancient activity that dates back centuries in this island paradise. With hundreds of miles of beautiful beaches and cliffs, it is not surprising that Hawaii has some of the best surfing in the world.

Are you an amateur visiting the islands and have a surf lesson on the agenda? Perhaps you’re a surf star who makes regular use of Hawaii interisland shipping to satisfy your island-hopping habit. Either way, there’s a little something for anyone who’s ready to drop their board in the water and catch some waves.

Here are 5 of Hawaii’s best surfing spots:

§  Waikiki Beach – Honolulu, Oahu. Perhaps one of the best-known surfing destinations, it was here that that surfing saw a revival in the early 20^th century after missionaries put a damper on the sacred pastime in the 19^th century. Waikiki is the quintessential surfing town, boasting miles of beaches lined with pro shops and local fare. 

§  North Shore – Oahu. Drive an hour from Waikiki and you will find yourself in the surfing mecca of the world. With swells rising as high...

Guam. The word conjures up pictures of tropical breezes, white sandy beaches, coconut palms swaying along the shoreline, and the crystalline sultry waters of an island only 18 degrees above the Equator in the North Pacific.

Getting Around in Guam

Guam is 6,000 miles from the U.S. West Coast. It’s a 14-hour flight if you come through Hawaii and 14.5 via Narita, Japan.

You’ll quickly learn to navigate Guam’s 200-ish square miles: the island is only about 30 miles long, and at its widest point it’s about 8 miles.

The public transit isn’t the most reliable, and cycling isn’t recommended on busy, traffic-heavy roads. Therefore, most residents like to have a car to get around when walking isn’t an option. If you’re moving in from overseas, don’t fret—there are services for car shipping to Guam.

Enjoying Guam’s Outdoors

The “boonies”—Guam’s pristine jungle—are yours for the hiking. The beaches are not usually more than a 30-minute drive away. While cycling in Guam can be dangerous, enjoy riding your bike in quieter neighborhoods and communities without a lot of vehicle traffic to feel the island breeze in your hair.

Weathering the Climate

Guam is a tropical island. It has...

The medical world is filled with a wide range of advanced tools and equipment to keep people alive and well, but did you know that one of the most important tools in any doctor’s arsenal is actually… poison?

Of course, it’s been reworked and engineered for safe use, but poison actually plays an important role in various forms of therapy. Let’s take a look at some poisons that could save your life.

1. Cone snails (non-addictive pain killer)

Cone snails are predatory sea snails, ranging from small to large in size. These aren’t your typical garden snails. Cone snails have a modified radula that it can shoot out of its mouth like a harpoon. At the end of the radula is a poison gland containing a series of neurotoxins to immobilize their prey or as defense against potential predators. Smaller cone snails produce stings that are generally on par with bee stings, but larger species have stings that can have very serious, even fatal consequences for humans.

·         Use: The venom from some cone snails has been used as a pain reliever that is a thousand times as powerful as morphine...

Cloud computing is all the rage these days, but how do businesses know if a move to the cloud is right for them? Small businesses can often get along without cloud technology, but many of them are embracing cloud services instead because of the efficiency and convenience.

Although it’s becoming very difficult for larger companies to operate without cloud technology, the type of business you do and the ways cloud will help support your business’s core services are the most important factors when considering a move to the cloud.

A Cloud of Confusion

If you feel confused about the enigmatic and ubiquitous cloud, rest easy, because chances are you’re already benefiting from some type of cloud-based technology, at least in your personal computing life. Google’s suite of consumer and business services are all cloud based, such as Gmail and Google Drive.

As another example, consider the Adobe Creative Suite—the collection of programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and the like. You install these programs on your computer. But Adobe now offers Adobe Creative Cloud, which essentially contains the same programs but they are accessible via the Internet at any time with a monthly...

Many couples dream of an exotic wedding halfway across the world only to find out that it’s not in the budget and none of their loved ones will be able to attend. Choosing a wedding ceremony site and reception venue can be the single most difficult decision a bride and groom will make during the course of planning a wedding, because so many of the details of the wedding depend on it.  

There are a lot of reasons that many couples end up getting married close to home, including the cost, convenience, and guest list. But in a destination location like San Diego, staying local means the wedding of your dreams is right at your fingertips.

Consider these 5 types of wedding ceremonies and wedding reception venues for a dream wedding in San Diego.

1.     Botanical Garden. Botanical gardens create a scenic, natural getaway that’s peaceful and quiet, often in the middle of the city. Gardens offer a retreat to nature with local convenience. These venues may have several options for ceremony and reception sites, including indoor gardens for a warm and tropical winter wedding.

2.     Golf Club or Country Club. The...

Obesity has become one of the most pervasive issues in modern America. More than one-third of adults and one-fifth of children are obese. This troubling epidemic has everyone from doctors to business owners to the government to economists like Peter Orszag trying to fight back and promote sweeping changes of the public’s habits for healthier lifestyles. Orszag recently wrote in his Bloomberg View column about strategies and programs to effectively reduce the obesity epidemic currently plaguing our country, particularly in children. But what if we’re missing part of the puzzle?

What if obesity isn’t just about excess fat, lack of exercise, and poor diet habits? Maybe there’s a psychological aspect of obesity that makes batting the problem even harder for those actually in the thick of it, and not the spectators who rattle off statistics and talk about the problem from an un-empathetic angle. And worst of all, what if you’re somebody who has discriminated against an obese person, contributing to the psychological and mental struggle that comes with battling the bulge?

Keep reading to learn 3 ways we, as a society, discriminate against obese and overweight people, and then consider whether that helps or hurts the struggle to...

Nothing causes panic like when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wants to see you about your tax return. The IRS classifies returns for audit each tax year, and they sort them based on red flags that make a return a likely candidate for a tax audit.

Reasons you may be audited:

·         Choosing a bad tax preparer

·         Being overly charitable

·         Failure to file

·         Having a home office

·         Owning a sole proprietorship

Tax Preparer

Watch out for the preparer whose reputation comes from unusually high refunds. If he asks you for your grocery receipts, then you know something is amiss. The unprofessional preparer can put you at risk by including fraudulent information in your return that can present a danger for you. Right or wrong, all reported income is ultimately your responsibility, regardless of what your tax preparer tells you. Been scammed by an unsavory tax preparer and now you’re being examined by the IRS? Contact a local San Diego tax audit lawyer to help you through the process.

Charity

Exaggeration is obvious to the IRS. Report the current value of donated items, not the replacement cost. Reporting a donation amount...