Stop waking up in the morning and dreading having to look in the mirror because you look old. Instead, wake up to a relaxing full-body stretch and yawn unapologetically. Smile afterwards. If maintaining a youthful state-of-mind was as easy as that, everybody could just wake up to a good mood. Well, that can be a start. However, staying youthful means more than just those fancy chemicals advertised on TV promising you a youthful glow after seven days or so.
If you really want to take it seriously, first, you examine the things and the values which are attributed to being old. Examples of such are being no fun, unfashionable, irritable and weak. Let's dissect these attributes and turn them 180 degrees around.
Say Yes To Fun Remember when you were a teenager? When the world seemed to lack boundaries and when rules are made to be broken? Feel that rush. I am not suggesting you become a criminal. It's just that when we get older, our priorities become tweaked. Readjust them again and insert some fun into it. Eat street ice cream once again! Have a Big Mac once in a while!
Get your nails painted regularly. Hang out with your younger peers your nieces count once in a while. It will keep you on your toes about what the funniest fun feels like. And trust me, it's a high that no other drug or anti-aging cream can provide.
Stay Updated on Fashion Trends Fashion is both an art and a discipline. However, it's not as hard as you think. There are general rules like matching your bag with your shoes, not wearing more than three colors at once, etc. There are certain fashion styles that never fade. Jeans, for example, is a worldwide classic. Learn how to use them properly. Read fashion magazines apt for your age, surf the internet for celebrity styles or even chat to your peers about it.
Turn Away That Frown Smile! Nothing brings more negative vibes than a sulky frown. In case you haven't heard yet, it takes three times more number of facial muscles to frown than to smile. So smile! In fact, studies show that the mere act of curving your lips upward even if you're not really smiling releases endorphins (the get-happy hormones) throughout your body.
If you're trying to score a date, smiling will ease the tension down and makes you look more approachable. Moreover, notice the people in their 40s who always smile. They have an unexplainable, beautiful, youthful aura that works like an invisible halo that makes them always pleasing to the eye. You too, can be like them. It's all about attracting positivity in your life. Start by smiling.
Get Those Muscles Moving Oh come on! Who says you're bedridden? Get those muscles moving! Take an early morning jog and release more endorphins! Try walking to your destination if it's the sun is not so glaring. It's about time that you get out of your home and welcome the world outside!
Experts suggest backyard sports like Frisbee, badminton and table tennis. However, if you seem to not have time for these sports (say, even on weekends) try doing a fifteen minute full-body stretch right after you wake up. It gives you time to meditate and plan your day ahead. Moreover, it also improves your flexibility. Work on it so you don't have to ask someone to get the slipper stuck under the sofa again. It's not yoga, but hey, you will get there.
The best thing about this is that you don't have to eat a special food or buy special equipment. You will hate having to eat oatmeal and bananas for the rest of your life and without turning your state-of-mind the way it should be, the treadmill you might purchase will just look forlorn in one corner.
Youth is all about embracing life to the fullest. You can make youth eternal. Remember, Sex and the City? Samantha was still steaming hot even when she was fifty.
The difference here is similar to the difference between indoor and outdoor cultivation. Soil growing requires less equipment, investment and, generally, less work to control the various factors influencing growth.
The only specialist equipment required for the simplest indoor soil set-up would be seeds, organic nutrients, a light and a timer. The remaining equipment - soil, pots, fans, reflective materials and such should be easily available in most countries.
As an organic compound, soil is less sensitive to changes and small variations than a synthetic medium like rockwool. It could be called a self-regulating environment. Thus, pH testing equipment is usually not required.
Similarly, organic nutrients are gentler to plants than the concentrated salts and minerals of hydroponic feed mixtures. Therefore, while it is still possible to over-fertilize an organic system, such a mistake is less likely to 'burn' or kill plants. An EC meter is not required for soil growing
In short, soil growing is easier and more forgiving of growers' mistakes. Therefore it is a highly advisable method for the first time indoor grower.
The advantages of growing hydroponically indoors
Indoor cultivation allows more control over a plant's life cycle than outdoor. In the same way, hydroponic cultivation allows the grower an even greater level of control.
Since plants in a hydroponic setup are growing in a synthetic, neutral medium the grower is able to dictate exactly which nutrients are given to a plant, and at what levels. Of course, this requires more care than organics and usually necessitates the use of a pH meter (to measure acidity in water) and an EC meter (to measure the level of nutrient in water by means of its Electrical Conductivity).
Hydroponic growing mediums are less bulky and heavy than soil, often easier to handle and possibly easier to dispose of. Pests and fungus are less likely to flourish in rockwool or similar mediums, and are almost never endemic to newly bought synthetic mediums.
Hydroponic nutrients, since they are highly concentrated, take up less space than organics, especially for large crops. They are usually pre-mixed and do not require the grower to supplement them or combine several different formulas. Also, they will often smell less than organic nutrients.
In short, the more in-depth control available with hydroponics, when managed effectively, allows for a bigger, more potent and sometimes even faster crop. While such systems are not recommended for first-time indoor growers, those who have experienced success with soil cultivation indoors may wish to try this as the next step in refining their technique.
The advantages of growing outdoors
Outdoor cultivation requires less equipment, expertise and labour.
For the first few weeks of life, outdoor plants need the same care and attention as indoor ones. However, once a few basics have been well established, outdoor plants may be left (in a good, sunny spot) to take care of themselves. They may need to be regularly watered and fed and, occasionally, pruned but most of their development will be accomplished simply by allowing them to grow over spring and summer.
This feature of outdoor cultivation is what makes 'guerrilla growing' possible. Established plants may be placed outside in remote or wild areas and left to their own devices throughout the growing season. The guerrilla grower need only visit them a few times in this period, or even just the once, at harvest time.
Outdoor plants will usually yield more than indoor ones. This is simply because they are able to grow larger. Few indoor setups are able accommodate plants larger than 180cm. Assuming that detection is not a problem, outdoor plants may comfortably grow to 2 or 3m in height. It is possible for a single plant of this size to produce 500g or more of dried bud.
Germinating seeds early in the growing season (March or April in the Northern hemisphere) will allow your plants a long vegetative period before flowering is triggered by the shorter days of late summer.
Some people prefer the taste and effect of organically grown cannabis. Many cannabis lovers insist they can easily differentiate between buds grown with soil and sun and those produced with hydroponics and grow-lights. This, however may simply be the result of their smoking over-fertilized indoor cannabis, or even the fact that indoor buds can taste very different, due to their containing an uncommonly high level of THC that is simply not attainable outdoors.
Sjoerd Kold has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Education and Education. The author is a Cannabis enthusiast who is committed to promote the environmental and social benefits of Cannabis in general and Medicinal in particul. Sjoerd Kold's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.