Let’s face it. We have all looked at our furry four legged friends and wondered what in the world is going on in that brain of theirs. What are they thinking? How do they feel? What mood are they in, etc. and so on.

The Dog:

Humans and dogs have lived together for 30,000 years. Let that sink in for a moment. 30, 000 years.

During this time the relationship between man and beast has developed into one of unconditional love, friendship, and companionship. Today, you can find a dog in 50% of American households.

We like to think that the vigorous wagging of a tail, constant licking, or head nuzzling movements are signs that our dogs love us back.

However, since dogs obviously can’t communicate with us verbally we can’t really be sure. Can we?

Dog Brains:

Thanks to recent developments in brain imaging technology, we’re starting to get a better pictures of the happenings inside the canine cranium. Scientists have started to study the brain of the domestic dog and the results of this are quite exciting for all dog owners.

Studies show that dogs not only love us back but they actually see us as their family. Dogs rely on humans more than they do their kind of affection, protection, and anything in between. Continue reading →

Typhon: Typhon was the father of most mythological creatures. He was the last child of the goddess Gaea. He was an enormous being. It is said that he was as tall as the stars and his arms stretched from East to West.

Some legends describe Typhon as having a hundred dragon heads, some describe him with one human head and dragon heads for fingers. However, most stories agree that his body was covered in dragon wings and had hundreds of serpents for legs. Typhon could throw mountains at people he didn’t like.

Echidna: The Echidna was a snake woman who chose Typhon as her lover. Both she and her mate were children of Gaia and Tartarus. She had the distinction of giving birth to the most terrifying, horrible and dangerous monsters in the ancient Greek world.  Her offspring included; Cerberus, the gorgons, the Hydra, the Nemelan Lion, Chimera, and the Sphinx.

Echidna and Typhon attacked Olympus, but Zeus managed to repel them, burying Typhon under Mount Etna. Echidna and her children were spared to continue challenging future heroes. Eventually, Echidna was killed by Argus Panoptes while sleeping.

Terrifying offspring of Typhon and Echidna:

Cerberus: You might know this one as the three-headed dog who guards the gates of Hell and Hades. Cerberus has the claws of a lion, a mane made out of snakes, and a serpent’s a tail. Legend tells of a few living people who were able to sneak past the great beast with bits of magical music or drugged food. Hercules is the only one who is said to have defeated the monster head on.

Chimera: One of the most fascinating mix n’ match monsters, the Chimera had three heads, but only one of them was on its neck. The torso and main head was that of a lion. It had a goat’s head sticking out of its back and snake as a tail. It could also breath fire. Continue reading →

Across human history a multitude of different cultures have used teas and crushed fruits (which we now call smoothies) for therapeutic reasons, from Greek philosophers to Chinese emperors. Science has now proven the validity of ancient claims that these drinks have a positive impact on your mental health.

With so many pressures that face each and every one of us in the modern world, the state of our mental health has never been under such scrutiny. The pressures we face and our own awareness of our mental health can cause us all anxiety. This list is designed to help you find the best teas and smoothies to help manage your stress levels.

Ashwagandha Tea

Ashwagandha is an Indian herb that has been used throughout the centuries and literally means ‘smell of horse’ as it was once thought to give the drinker the strength of a horse.

Although this has been disproven, science has now shown that ashwagandha tea is an adaptogen – meaning a compound that prevents the physical and chemical effects of stress.

You can drink ashwagandha tea several times a day and it is well known for its earthy taste. It takes between 5-10 minutes to brew and should be covered during brewing for best results.

Alongside its ability to help with anxiety, Ashwagandha is also shown to help improve memory and lower cholesterol.

Lemon Balm Tea

Where ashwagandha tea is effective at preventing the buildup of stress and anxiety lemon balm tea is the perfect antidote when you’re already stressed. Continue reading →

We, as humans, revolve our lives around the cycle of the sun. We have done this pretty much since the creation/development of our species. To this day, humans consider the time when the sun goes down to be night time, and time to power down.

It is a time for our body to sleep and rejuvenate for the next day.

This stems all the way back to our first ancestors and cavemen who would return to their camps at night for protection from the elements and animals.

When the sun starts peeking through our windows at 5-6 in the morning, we know that the day is fast approaching and soon we will have to roll out of bed and attack the day.

When there is an overcast week, most people get the bad weather blues. But it’s actually not the weather’s fault at all- it is the lack of sunshine that encourages your mopey and drained feelings.

This feeling can also overcome individuals in the winter months and is scientifically termed “Seasonal Affective Disorder.” 

Why is light important?

Light is necessary for the survival of life on Earth because almost all energy used by life is derived from the sun. Plants and algae use light energy in photosynthesis, which provides usable chemical energy for heterotrophic organisms. Plus, without light, the Earth would be completely cold and dark since even the moon gets its glow from reflecting the sun.

Continue reading →