The health benefits of owning a dog have long been known, but not so clearly understood. People with pets, particularly active ones like dogs, naturally have a better lifestyle and are more active on daily than their non-pet owning counterparts.

New research has delved into the exact benefits, however, with two new studies done by a Canadian and a Swedish research team further quantifying the health improvements seen in dog owners.

Longer Lifespans

The main bulk of research from these respective two studies is the increase in lifespans. In fact, there is an estimated 24% reduction in risk of death amongst dog owners from any cause of death, and a 31% reduction of cardiovascular related deaths amongst dog owners.

The increase in life expectancy increases for those living alone. Single dog owners were 33% less likely to die of a heart attack, and 27% less likely to die from stroke.

Increased Fitness

The biggest reason for this reduction is the simple fact that dog owners are generally more active, as they need to walk their dog on a regular basis once or even twice a day. Dog owners are also more likely to go on hikes and spend more time outdoors, where they can enjoy the benefits of exercise and nature more fully.

Improved Social Connections

Dogs are incredibly emotional creatures. It isn’t a mistake that many people today would consider their dogs their children. Not only do they require a lot of care and attention, but they also give it back. These social connections can help fight loneliness and similar anxieties in those who live alone, and thus improve their mental health and life expectancy.

Improved Mental Health

Caring for another being can help give those suffering from a variety of mental illnesses structure and routine. Those with depression find it easier to get out of bed when they have a dog that needs to be walked. Those with anxiety find it calming to care for their dog and even enjoy a physical reaction when they pet their dogs.

It can be particularly beneficial if dogs share the same traits as their owners. A person with anxiety should look to rescue a dog. Together, both owner and dog can work through their anxiety. Additional treats like CBD for dogs or CBD for people can be useful and a great tool to use, but even that doesn’t replace the benefits of just being together. It is the companionship, routine, and exercise that will provide the biggest benefits to both parties.

Better Routines

Routine is where bodies are their healthiest, and dogs demand this. The benefit beyond the regular daily walks and hikes is simple: when you have a routine that you need to follow for your dog, you can combine your own routine in the process. This means that those with dogs can build better, healthier routines in all aspects of their lives, and improve their health outlook in the process.

Dogs have been bred to be our companions and the benefits they offer are wide reaching and directly impact our health and wellbeing. Doctors everywhere need to be more aware of the holistic benefits of owning a dog and be open to encouraging patients to take on the responsibility of a pet as part of their treatment.

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When you’re moving to a new state, it might make more sense to ship your household belongings and fly rather than driving everything to your new house. If you’re making a long-distance move, you’ll need to figure out how to ship your car—and fit the cost into your moving budget—before moving day. What are your options, and how can you make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible?

 

Find a reputable transport company.

 

When planning your long-distance move, the first step is to find a reliable vehicle transport company. You’ll want someone you can trust to drive safely and take care of your belongings for the long haul, and it can be tricky to find the right people for the job. If you’re not sure where to start, consider using a free online auto transport company directory to search for auto transport companies in your area.

 

There are several reputable auto transport companies to choose from, so it’s important to base your decision on availability and cost. Before making the decision, make sure the company is licensed and insured for interstate moves and has good online reviews.

 

Consider your budget.

 

There are multiple factors that affect the total cost to transport a car. For small vans, pickup trucks, and SUVs, average car shipping costs range from $800 to $1,070 for a New York to California move. If you’re moving during the off-season winter months, expect to hit the lower end of the range. On the other hand, if you’re moving in the summer, expect to spend more.

 

Check your insurance.

 

Although most reputable auto transport companies carry insurance, be sure to ask for a physical copy to ensure the policy is current. If the auto transport company doesn’t clearly list their insurance information, contact the company to verify what is and what isn’t covered by their insurance.

 

Before the move, contact your car insurance company to determine whether your vehicle is covered during transport. If your existing insurance policy doesn’t cover transport, your insurance company may offer supplemental coverage. It’s also important to keep in mind that some insurance providers require advance documentation from your auto transport company.

 

Prepare your vehicle for transport.

 

To ensure your transport goes as smoothly as possible, prepare your vehicle before the move. While the transport company you work with will provide the specifics that you need to do before pick-up, it’s also a good idea to empty your car, remove your valuables, and check your tires, battery, and fuel gauge.

 

To be safe, you should also inspect your vehicle for existing damage and photograph the vehicle from all angles. If your vehicle incurs any damage on the road, you’ll have enough evidence to seek reimbursement.

 

Lease a vehicle storage unit.

 

If you’re still searching for a new home, consider leasing a vehicle storage unit to keep your vehicle safe during your search. In addition to cars, vehicle storage units can also store motorcycles, jet skis, automobiles, trucks, boats, and RVs.

 

Before leasing a vehicle storage unit, it’s essential to choose a reputable storage facility. Storage facilities offer a range of options to store and protect your vehicle, ranging from a dedicated parking spot and covered parking spaces to fully enclosed storage units. If your budget allows for it, a fully enclosed vehicle storage space offers the most protection for your vehicle, with complete enclosure and a padlocked roll-up door.

 

Moving is notoriously stressful. If you’re just starting the search, the real estate brokers at Ashe County Real Estate can help you navigate the moving process and find your dream home. As a leading real estate company in North Carolina, Ashe County Real Estate specializes in mountain properties, retirement homes, and log cabins. To make your move as stress-free as possible, reach out to the experts at Ashe County Real Estate for more information on Blue Ridge Mountains NC property listings and other moving assistance.

Road trip! It’s time to load up the RV, corral the kids and pets, and take it to the highway. There are few things more exhilarating than taking the scenic route with people you love.

Solar energy is increasingly becoming a more power source of energy. Especially as its clean and renewable and does not have an adverse effect on the environment. If you’re interested in learning about how solar energy works and how its used on a day to day basis, simply continue reading.

How Does Solar Energy Work?

How do residential solar panels produce electricity?

Solar panels feature photovoltaic cells, which are capable of capturing and absorbing the sun’s energy and automatically coverts the energy which is stores into DC energy. However, DC energy can’t be used to power the appliances and electronic devices in your home, so a solar panel’s inverter will then covert your solar panel’s DC energy into AC electricity. As AC electricity is used by the vast majority of home appliances and electronic devices. As examples, your fridge, TV, washing machine and microwave are all powered by AC electricity and can’t be powered by DC energy.

More information about how photovoltaic cells work:

Sollar cells absorb the energy in sunlight, which then moves along an electrical current in a solar panel. The wiring in a solar panel then combines the power captured by one solar cells, with the power captured by the rest of a solar panel’s cells.

What happens to the excess energy which is produced by residential solar panels?

You may be curious as to what happens with any excess energy which is produced by a residential solar panel. Any energy which is not used, is fed back to the grid, where it can be sold off to power companies. For a reasonable price. So if you’re interested in investing in solar panels to power your home, in order to save money, you’ll actually be able to make money. If you use your power wisely and sell off the power that you don’t require to the grid.

What are some of the key benefits of having solar panels placed on your roof:

There are a wide variety of benefits of choosing to have solar panels placed on your roof. Firstly, you’ll be able to decrease your reliance on fossil fuels and will be able to rely on your own clean, renewable source of energy. If you want to decrease your personal carbon footprint, it’s well worth investing in solar panels for your property.

The primary reason why most individuals opt to have solar panels placed on their roof is to save money. As energy costs rise, it’s a smart idea to be able to run your home off the solar power which is collected by your solar panels PEI. As you’ll be able to stop paying a money hungry power company for electricity.

Another benefit of relying on solar panels to power your home is that installing solar panels on your roof will instantly increase the value of your home. So if you’re looking for a fool proof way to increase the value of your home, it’s well worth finding out more information about purchasing solar panels for your property.

Having a baby is such an exciting time for any family, and one of the things you need to think about is buying baby clothes. Don’t begin buying baby clothes without reading the tips that we’re going to provide for you in this guide.

Without further ado, let’s get into this list to help you buy the clothes that you need for your child.

1. Go a Size Up

The first few days that your baby is home, all they’ll need is their diaper and a warm blanket. Instead of wasting money on newborn sized clothing, choose to purchase bigger clothing.

Babies grow quickly, and you’ll be amazed when they no longer fit in the small clothes that you bought for them. Instead of being frustrated about them growing fast, purchase clothes that will allow them to grow into them.

Oh yeah, when babies are often born times their already larger than newborn size.

2. Sales, Sales, Sales

Sales are the best places to find baby clothing because you’ll be able to get a variety of things at a lower price. And the best part is you’ve got months to get the clothing that you need.

Why is this important? Because you can plan to go to as many sales as possible between the time you find out your pregnant to the time that the baby is born.

3. Think Functional

There are many types of baby clothing out there that are designed to be cute and get you to buy them. But, before picking up the dress with 20 buttons, think about functionality.

Are you going to want to remove the bottoms multiple times to change a diaper? Or are you going to want to keep putting the bow back on your little one’s head?

If the answer is no, then don’t buy it.

4. Choose Soft Fabric

Baby skin is very sensitive, and if you’re not careful, the clothing that you purchase can have fabric that’s uncomfortable and causes your child to experience skin irritation. When shopping for clothing, try to choose clothes that are made of softer fabrics, including cotton.

5. Get Clothes For Each Season

Your child will need clothes to keep them warm or cool, no matter what the season is, which means when you visit a sale if they have winter clothes out, then purchase some of them.

There’s nothing wrong with being prepared, and besides, the clothes that you buy that are too big can always be stored on a shelf or in a closet until your child is big enough to fit them.

But don’t go crazy purchasing clothes for your child because you’ll need to save money for other things, including budgeting for childcare.

Buying Baby Clothes Made Easy

When buying baby clothes, always remember that going a size up is better than having tons of clothes that are several sizes too small. Also, sales are your best friend, and you can often get more clothes at lower or discounted prices.

Our site focuses on providing the most family-friendly tips and advice that will benefit you and your little ones. Continue reading the articles we’ve posted on our blog.

There’s nothing like giving someone a bouquet of flowers to tell them that you love and care deeply for them and if you’ve ever given (or received) one, you know that.

The big question: which flowers should you pick?

In today’s article, we bring you seven of the most romantic flowers you can buy, as well as what they symbolize and which occasions they’re appropriate for. Read on, you love bird!

1. Red Carnations

Beautiful and affordable, red carnations symbolize fascination, love, and pride, and they’re the perfect choice for a young couple starting their love story.

Whether you’re celebrating your first year together or you’re even thinking about proposing, a bouquet of red carnations is one of the most romantic gifts you can give your partner.

2. Roses

When it comes to flowers of love, roses are one of the biggest classics.

If you want to go all out, we say you choose a bouquet of deep red roses. However, other colors work too: pink roses represent gratitude, purple roses symbolize adoration, and orange roses signify passion.

Choose your message and you’ll know which ones to get!

3. Sunflowers

When you think about romantic flower names, “sunflower” isn’t the first one that comes to mind, but hear us out.

These beautiful yellow flowers actually symbolize loyalty, which is one of the main pillars of any long-lasting relationship.

Plus, if you and your partner like to do things differently, something as common as a bouquet of roses won’t be nearly as exciting as one of sunflowers!

4. Orchids

If you’re looking for a unique flower that still screams “I love you to the moon and back”, orchids are a perfect choice.

There are actually over 25,000 different species of orchids, so you’ll have plenty to choose from, and many of them look really exotic and sophisticated. Some orchids even produce vanilla beans, so they’re not just beautiful, but also useful. Perfect for the practical couple!

5. Camellias

Have you and your partner been together for years and years?

Then a bouquet of camellias is the perfect anniversary gift! Symbolizing longevity, passion, and faithfulness, these Asian flowers come in different colors and they’re the perfect way of saying “I will always love you”.

6. Peonies

Delicate and elegant, peonies represent the rebirth of relationships, which makes them the perfect choice of flower if you and your partner went to a bit of a rough patch and now you’re finding the love and romance again.

In some cultures, they symbolize good luck; in others, a happy marriage; and in others, simply love.

7. Tulips

Tulips come in several different colors, but there’s none that’s as romantic as the red ones… especially if you’re thinking of making a grand gesture like proposing (or celebration your 11th anniversary)!

Even if you’re just asking someone to be your partner, tulips are still a great choice, as they represent a declaration of love.

Choosing the Right Romantic Flowers for Your Loved One

There are countless romantic flowers you can give your partner and, to choose the right one, simply consider the message you want to convey and the bouquets your loved one usually likes.

If you’d like to read more articles about relationships, keep exploring our blog!

Each year, about 40 million Americans move their entire life to a new destination.

If you’re going to be moving soon, whether it’s for work or personal reasons, you might be wonder what is the cheapest way to move long distances?

Thankfully, there are plenty of options that will save you money and get all of your belongings to your next destination.

So What Is the Cheapest Way to Move Long Distance?

Sometimes if your job is forcing you to move, you can get them to pay for all of the moving costs.

However, some of them don’t. And if you’re moving for personal reasons, all of the costs will fall on you.

To save money, you can do a few things.

Find Free Supplies and Pack Yourself

It can always be a lot of work, but one of the alternatives is to score some free supplies and start packing everything up yourself.

It will save you a lot of money, but you’ll be spending more time on it. If you’re going to do this option, start as soon as possible and don’t put it off.

This might be a big task, but just do a little bit at a time to help break it down.

Get Rid of Some of Your Items

Most moving companies will give you a price based on the weight of your items.

To save some money, that means you could always get rid of items you don’t need to lower the weight. You could even get some money back to pay for the moving costs by having a yard sale.

You could also try selling your items on Facebook Marketplace as well.

Use Portable Storage

If you’re looking for moving truck alternatives, packing your things into portable storage containers is a popular idea.

Portable storage containers are normally pretty cheap, and you can shop around to ensure that you find the best deal possible. The larger you get, the more expensive they’ll be.

That’s why it’s a good idea to sell some of your things so you can fit as much as possible.

Once you’ve packed everything into a portable storage container, you can ship it across the country and not have to worry about getting it there yourself.

Rent a Truck

Lastly, you could also rent a truck yourself. There are several truck rental companies out there from you to choose from as well.

You’ll be in charge of making sure your belongings get there safely, so make sure that you are comfortable driving a larger truck before you decide on this option.

Discover More Ways to Save Money on Your Move

When you’re wondering, “What is the cheapest way to move long distance?”, these are only a few of the answers.

If you still don’t think you can take the time to pack yourself or hire movers, you could always reach out to friends and family members to see if they’d be willing to help you out.

Just remember to return the favor one day.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure that you explore our website to find more just like this one!