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Travel

Travel Helps Reduce Signs of Aging and Keeps You Healthy, New Study Says

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of exploring new places. Whether you choose to stay close to home and walk the streets of a new-to-you town or stamp your passport on the way to some far-flung location, travel is on nearly everyone’s personal bucket list. And now, there’s proof that it does more than just fill your camera roll with memories. According to a new research paper from researchers at Edith Cowan University, there’s scientifically backed evidence that positive travel could experiences could be your best defense against signs of aging, both physically and mentally. How Does Traveling Reduce Signs of Aging? It probably comes as no surprise that travel can act as a serious mood booster—after all, many of us have felt the euphoria that comes from exploring a new place, finding the perfect roadside lobster roll, or cozying up in a quaint inn. However, according to the researchers at ECU, stepping out of your routine and experiencing new cultures can also lead to noticeable improvements in mental clarity and emotional health. Here are some of the major benefits. Provides Mental Stimulation When you travel, you’re not just collecting souvenirs; you’re also engaging your brain in fresh experiences, in turn giving it mental stimulation that can help enhance cognitive function and even fend off the cognitive decline that often comes with aging. Encourages Physical Activity That’s not the only perk of hitting the road (or skies), though. Physically, travel can encourage you to be more active even outside of your regular workout routine, whether it’s indulging in a mid-day hike, wandering through a vibrant market, or taking a leisurely stroll along the beach. Swapping your desk time for a more active vacation lifestyle helps to keep your body moving, which is crucial for maintaining strength and mobility as you grow older. Gives You Energy The excitement of a new adventure (and a new backdrop) can give your energy levels a natural boost, making you feel more youthful and vibrant. Reduces Stress Beyond the physical benefits travel can provide, the researchers at ECU also found a significant impact on stress reduction and adaptability. Getting away from the grind of everyday life (think work responsibilities, house care, and after-school activities) allows you to relax, recharge, and break free from the pressure that comes with, well, adulthood. Improves Resilience By exposing you to novel environments or situations, travel can also stimulate what researchers call your stress response, essentially training your body to be more adaptive and resilient against stressful situations and the subsequent signs of aging. All that said, a life of travel isn’t feasible for many of us—and luckily, you can still achieve some of the touted benefits without blowing through your vacation days. Instead of booking a month-long excursion across the globe, start small by planning a weekend getaway or a day trip to a nearby town. Even a weekend spent embracing the joy of discovering new environments, foods, and people can give you a taste of that travel magic.

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Travel

How to Actually Sleep on a Plane—and Wake Up Rested—According to Travel Pros

Sleep can already be a pretty stressful thing for many of us, but sleeping on a plane? Talk about an added degree of difficulty. And it can be pretty crucial to get that sleep. Especially if you decided to take the 4 a.m. flight to avoid delays later in the day or are taking a red eye. Heck, even if you're just trying to catch up on some missed naps, a plane is a good place to get more hours in. The problem is that there's a lot of pressure. It's like the moment you have to go to sleep, you suddenly aren't tired or can't get comfy (and is it OK to recline your seat?). To help, we asked some frequent flyers for their best tips and tricks for mile-high shut-eye. Just Focus on Resting Sometimes the pressure we put on ourselves to fall asleep is precisely the reason we can't. "My advice for sleeping better is to try not to focus so much on the actual sleep," says TV host and travel expert Darley Newman. "Sometimes rest can be good enough." So, next time you're on a red eye, try just enjoying the resting time and seeing what comes of it. Mimic Your Nightly Routine We all have our own agenda of things we need to do before bed. While you might not have your actual bathroom vanity and bed available, you can get pretty close, says travel writer Michelle Joy, "At home, this involves a shower, skin care, and clean pajamas before crawling into bed," she says. "For my scaled down plane version, I brush my teeth, use a wet wipe and moisturize my face, and put on fuzzy socks." Swap Out Your Earbuds "I always bring a blackout sleep mask with built-in Bluetooth speakers—it's much more comfortable than earbuds when falling asleep on a plane, especially on overnight flights," says David Brodie, the founder of Voyascape and host of the Travel in 10 podcast. What should you listen to? Brodie suggests downloading podcasts about the destination you're heading to so you can immerse yourself before you land. Opt for a Window Seat Yes, an exit row or first class would be amazing, but if those pricier tickets aren't in the cards for you, travel journalist Wendy Helfenbaum implores you to get a window seat. "You can lean against the wall, and won’t be woken up by seat mates having to use the loo!" Download a Helpful App Erin Carey, Director of Roam Generation, a PR agency specializing in travel, says one of her biggest tips is to use the Timeshifter app. Download this before jumping on a plane headed to a different time zone and it can help you prep in advance. "It helps you adjust to the new time zone. I follow it's recommendations to a a tee, avoiding caffeine and taking melatonin at the suggested times to help regulate my sleep cycle." So, if you're supposed to be sleeping on a plane to help avoid jet lag, this could help!

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Gardening

This Is How Often You Should Really Deadhead Petunias for Healthier Blooms, According to Gardeners

Petunias are known for their vibrant, trumpet-shaped blooms and long flowering season, making them a staple in many home gardens. But to keep these colorful plants looking their best, regular maintenance is key, especially when it comes to deadheading. Removing spent flowers not only improves the plant’s appearance but also encourages more blooms throughout the season. So, how often do you really need to deadhead your petunias? We turned to gardening pros for the answer. Meet the Expert Julia Omelchenko is the resident botany expert at Plantum, a plant care and gardening app that helps identify plants and improve plant care. Kelly Funk is an experienced gardening expert and the President of Jackson & Perkins, an online plant nursery specializing in roses and other garden plants. Why Is Deadheading Important? When a plant’s flowers start to fade, it signals to the plant that it’s time to direct its energy into producing seeds. Deadheading disrupts this process and naturally extends the blooming season by removing the spent flower altogether, thereby redirecting the plant’s energy from seed production to producing more flowers. Not all flowering plants require deadheading, but many benefit from it, especially annuals like petunias. If you want your petunias to bloom all summer, deadheading is the way to do it. How Often Should You Deadhead Petunias? According to gardening pros, it’s best to deadhead petunias regularly to encourage more blooms and prevent them from going to seed. The frequency will vary slightly depending on your climate and the cultivar you have, but in general, you can expect to be deadheading your petunias at least once a week. “Ideally, petunias should be deadheaded at least once a week, but checking on them a few times a week is better, especially during peak bloom periods," says Kelly Funk, President of Jackson & Perkins. "I recommend making it part of your routine when watering or doing other tasks." Some petunia cultivars, such as Wave petunias and Supertunias, are bred to be self-cleaning, meaning they don’t require deadheading to encourage more blooms. Still, according to Julia Omelchenko, resident botany expert at Plantum, it’s best to prune these varieties occasionally to maintain their shape and stimulate vigorous growth. If deadheading your petunias multiple times a week sounds like a lot of work, we have good news for you: deadheading is super easy to do, and will only take you a couple of minutes to complete. The key is to ensure you’re doing it properly. How to Deadhead Petunias Deadheading involves removing the entire flower head once it starts to wilt. This includes the petals, the peduncle, and the receptacle. Basically, you want to remove the entire trumpet-shaped flower, including the green base that attaches it to the stem. This can be done by hand, or using sterilized scissors or pruning shears. “It’s important to deadhead properly by removing not just the petals but also the green base of the flower," Omelchenko says. "If you only pull off the petals, the plant will continue to produce seeds in the ovary." Additional Petunia Care Tips for Continuous Blooms Besides regular deadheading, there are a few other ways you can encourage your petunias to bloom all summer. Ensuring they have adequate light (full sun) and water (soil shouldn’t dry out completely) is the first step. Funk also recommends fertilizing your petunias every two weeks to help support vigorous growth. Finally, our experts say it’s common for petunias to start looking leggy by mid-summer, even if you’re deadheading regularly. To facilitate bushy growth, they recommend a light pruning to help tidy the plant. Not only will you be rewarded with fresh, compact growth, but you’ll also get a flush of new blooms.

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Gardening

Want Juicier Strawberries? How to Harvest Them Without Wrecking Your Plant

There’s nothing more delicious than intensely sweet, sun-warmed, home-grown strawberries harvested from your yard—especially when they cost a fraction of the price of store-bought varieties. Selecting the right type of strawberry, providing top-class care, and harvesting at the right time and with the right techniques means you can enjoy the freshest of fruit throughout the summer. Learn when and how to harvest strawberries to make the most of your patch's pickings. When to Harvest Strawberries Harvest your strawberries when the fruits are uniformly red (regardless of what size they are), without any visible white patches. Most strawberry varieties' fruits fully ripen about 28 to 30 days after the plants bloom. However, the timing of strawberry harvest depends on the variety you’re growing, the planting date, and local conditions. During the peak harvest period, you'll need to pick strawberries every other day when the weather is warm and every three to four days when conditions are cooler. June-Bearing Strawberries June-bearing strawberries produce one fruit crop per year. The year after planting, you should be able to harvest from your plants for around three to six weeks at some point starting in late spring or early summer. Harvest timings vary depending on your local climate and whether the strawberries are rated as early, midseason, or late varieties. Everbearing Strawberries You’ll be able to harvest from your everbearing strawberries twice a year—once in early summer and again in late summer. However, be aware that they don’t tend to be as productive as June-bearing or day-neutral varieties, so your harvest will probably be smaller. Day-Neutral Strawberries Providing temperatures remain between 40ºF and 90ºF, you should be able to harvest day-neutral strawberries throughout the growing season. This can start as early as May for some cultivars and climates and go all the way through to the first hard frost around October. Avoid Overripe Strawberries Leaving strawberries on the vine too long encourages mold, which can spread to other plants. The fruits also lose their intensely sweet flavour and can turn mushy. How to Harvest Strawberries Perfecting your strawberry picking practices means the fruits will better retain their firmness and flavor. Carefully inspect your vines and fruits: Those red, ripe berries can be hiding amongst the tangle of runners produced by these low-growing vining perennials. Leave some stem attached: Use your fingers or small, sterile pruning shears to pinch off around 1/4 inch of the stem below the fruit rather than pulling them off by the little green cap. This minimizes the chance of damaging the fruit, keeping your berries fresh for longer. Eat while they’re fresh: Garden-grown strawberries taste better than store-bought, but they don’t last as long. They taste delicious when freshly picked, or you can store them in the fridge for a few days to a week. Repeat the process every two to four days: This reduces the risk of diseases spreading and improves harvestable yields. If you spot any wounded or moldy berries in your vines, it’s best to remove them immediately. Strawberry Care Tips Providing optimal care and conditions means your strawberry harvest will be healthier and heftier. Keep these tips in mind to make the most of your crop. Select a sunny site: Strawberries need a full sun position to produce the best harvest. Ten or more hours is ideal. Don’t forget to feed: Your strawberry plants will appreciate a loamy soil rich in organic matter such as leaf compost or manure. When and what you fertilize your strawberries with depends on the variety you’re growing and your soil composition. Tidy your plants: Pruning strawberries by removing runners and thinning out these fast-growing vines directs energy to the mother plant and promotes good air circulation. Watch out for weeds: These can quickly outcompete your sensitive, shallow-rooted strawberry plants. Hand weeding is the safest option if you see them sprouting up between your strawberry plant rows. Protect your plants from frost damage: If temperatures drop below 15°F in your region, winterize your strawberry plants. Cover these perennials with a generous layer of insulating straw mulch or row covers that you can remove when it gets warmer in the spring.

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