Does Hugging Improve Relationships?

Who hugs everyday? I wish I hugged everyday. We don't necessarily need hugs everyday, but really think hard about the last time you hugged. Don't worry, you are not alone!

Definition: Squeeze (someone) tightly in one's arms, typically to express affection, appreciation or to demonstrate your love in one's relationship

Science of Hugging - Research by various hugologist arrived at one conclusion that hugging encourages positive pair bonding, and allows one person to imprint on other through scent and mirroring. It's been recommended that hugs should be held for at least 20 seconds to be most effective. Another explanation is that through the physical pleasure of hugging, our brain is programme to release oxytocin to feel happiness, triggering other feel good memories and lowering anxiety. Oxytocin hormone is also present when you are engaged in sexual activities with your partner and when you are give birth.

So, open your arms today and send a simple message to your loved ones! HUG!

If you enjoyed this article, please leave a comment below and remember to subscribe to FFM!

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Mommy Money Saving Tips: 1

In today’s downturn economy, all moms & dads are having to find new ways to be efficient with a tight shopping basket budget. This doesn’t necessarily mean that luxuries like family vacations and weekends away should immediately get the axe. If there’s one positive outcome from the global financial crisis that has hit thousands of families and households across the globe, it’s the crafty and creative ways parents have found to save money and still keeping a sort of lifestyle.

When I heard of house swapping, I thought that it sounded too good to be true. Friends of mine who live in Manchester have swapped all over the UK to some great locations: Edinburgh for the fringe Festival, weekends in Brighton, and they are now getting ready to swap in San Francisco!

House swapping became popular within the last decade. It’s a very simple concept and relies on a culture of trust and respect for other people’s property by exchanging homes for an agreed period of timethrough a registered third party (such as Home Exchange ). People even swap cars and pets! There are thousands of house swappers across the globe. If you live in London or New York then your property is almost certain to attract other house swappers from around the world.

For families with kids it can be an ideal arrangement if you swap with another family who are willing to trade homes for a while. Apart from the registration fee which can be as little as £35 / $50 for a yearly online subscription, house swapping is absolutely free, meaning there are no hotel bills.

How it Works

Register your home with a house swap service and start looking at the other listings of people whose houses are available for the time you want to spend away. If they are looking for a house or apartment in the same area that you live in and at the same time you want to travel, then you can contact other house swappers and fix arrangements for your free holiday!

Other benefits of house swapping

• House swapping offers the chance to really get to know a culture away from corporate hotels

• Save more money on restaurant food when you’re on holiday by having a kitchen to cook in

• Have peace of mind that your house is being looked after while you’re away. Arrangements to look after pets can also be agreed

• If you’re a large family, then house swapping offers the space and room to relax that a hotel or self-catering apartment may not.

Super Healthy Ginger Cookies

Super Healthy Triple Ginger Cookies

Soft, Tender and a Gingery Texture. The taste feels raw and crunchy leaving a touch of vanilla sweet fragrance lingering in your mouth...

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup rice flour
• 3/4 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger (use frozen or peeled ginger)
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
• a finger pinch of minced crystallized ginger
• crushed brown sugar

Directions

1. Whip the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy, then add the egg and vanilla and stir to combined.


2. Whisk together rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, sweet rice flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt in a medium bowl and add to the butter mixture. Stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated.


3. Add the molasses, fresh ginger, powdered ginger and crystallized ginger and mix to distribute evenly.


4. Put the mix in the fridge for an hour. *this process encourages the mix to reform and flavours to soak through*


5. 10 minutes before the mix comes out of the fridge, preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.


6. Sprinkle some of the brown sugar onto a large plate.


7. Take heaping teaspoons of chilled dough and roll in the sugar. Drop on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.


8. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the cookies turn a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let the cookies stand on the baking sheet for a minute or two. Remove to a cooling rack.

Depending on your taster's appetite, you have enough dough to make 30 - 40 cookies.

Please subscribe to FMM if you wish to see more of these articles! <3 <3 <3

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Mommies Addiction

Dear Super Moms

This is day1 of FastFoodMom blog. In the mist  of the parenting lifestyle, one has to face reality though it may be harsh and far from our ideal. It is a solution. A Solution that presents itself in different forms... therefore we are FastFoodMoms also known as FFMs. Consumers to the mass conveniences services, products & consumable goods.

From today forth, I shall call upon all FFMs to come together and share their FFM lifestyle & solutions.

Signed

Crystal K