I am very much the first type of person, and while both of these people are portrayed hyperbolically, the real question is are either of these people paying attention to what matters most in a shoe. 

Person number one is simply going for what they know and like. Person number two is definitely looking with more detail, but in my experience, they are looking at style more than anything else. 

The wrong shoes can provide a lot of foot and ankle problems. It is important to know what to avoid in a shoe, aside from if it is stylish or not.

Crammed/Pointed Toe

How to Stretch Shoes That Are Too Small

I don’t think anyone has ever put on a shoe, felt their toes squished down at the end and thought, “I’m going with these ones!” It is a pretty obvious no go. Though we may not do that, many people wear shoes that their feet have outgrown. Pointed toe shoes and high-heels are huge culprits in causing hammertoes. 

Crammed toes at the end of the shoe can cause a condition called a hammertoe. A hammertoe is when your toe arches unnaturally in the middle. Your foot and the tip of your toe would be flat on the ground, but the middle of the toe would be permanently arched. It can be very painful and often requires surgical intervention. 

Lack of Support

You may have a pair of shoes that feels so comfortable when you first try them on, only to later develop pain in your feet. Many shoes, like flats and flip-flops, do not provide adequate support for your feet, especially the arches in your feet. 

At first, you might feel discomfort in your arch, and heel pain. Over time, the stress can cause inflammation of the plantar fascia, or plantar fasciitis, which is the tissue on the bottom of your foot. It is painful to walk with such a condition and should be treated by a medical professional.  

Bendy 

One aspect of shoes that has become more popular in the past few years is the flexibility of the shoe. It may look cool to watch how the shoe is able to bend, but it isn’t cool to your feet.

If a shoe easily bends, it likely doesn’t provide enough support for your feet. This can cause some of the same problems as noted above. A shoe can have some flexibility, but it also needs to remain firm enough to prevent injury. If you can see the shoe not staying firm enough to prevent you from rolling your ankle, it may be worth it to pass it up.

Pressure on Forefoot

8 Shoe Mistakes That Could Definitely Be Causing Your Foot Pain

Some shoes put a lot of pressure on the front of your foot. This is uncomfortable and can cause issues with your toes. Again, heels are the main culprit here, sorry ladies. 

The other big issue with shoes like this is that it can stretch your Achilles tendon. This can lead to discomfort, pain, or if weakened enough it can rupture. Heels may look great but can really hurt your feet, short term and long term. 

Conclusion

There are many things that can cause your feet pain or injury. Being active, holes in the ground, the can of peas you dropped on your toes, and so many other things. Don’t let your shoes, the items that are sworn to protect your feet, be the thing that causes problems. 

The post 4 Factors to Watch Out For When Buying Shoes appeared first on InstantELLA.

Sometimes it can seem that everywhere you turn someone wants you to buy something.

And it can be very tempting not to give in and buy it because most of us feel like we might actually need it.

But the truth is we probably don’t, outside of the basic necessities of food, shelter, and water.

So, what is there to do when you’re got caught up in the cycle of “stuff”?

Luckily, there are many ways to be less wasteful, but here are five to help us all start out and keep our homes and our planet from being overrun.

Buy second hand

How To Make Extra Holiday Cash Selling On Facebook Marketplace

Speaking of garage sales, instead of going out and buying something new when you need something for around the house or maybe the kids to need new clothes, shop second hand.

You can go to garage sales, thrift stores, and now, thanks to technology, there are online forums and Facebook pages that also sell nice items second-hand.

Just like the garage sale, you are re-purposing things instead of just throwing them away and filling the world with more trash, which is really good and helps you to live more sustainably.

Care about who you buy from

Turn Your Business Into A Cornerstone Of The Community

There are certain companies that care about waste too, and it’s a good idea to buy from them versus others who don’t necessarily do that.

Do a little research to see who you are really buying from and how they treat this planet.

There are companies like BioLogiQ who use recycled materials to build and create other sustainable materials.

You may see which companies help you to recycle or even incentivize when you do so.

Have a garage sale

The Easiest, Investment-Free, and Most Engaging ‘Make Money Online’ Methods

If you are looking around your house, storage shed, or garage and thinking, “I don’t even know where half of this stuff came from let alone the last time I used it?” It’s probably time for a garage sale.

A garage sale is a great opportunity to give a second life to items you don’t use anymore and receive a little profit from them.

And when it is all over the items you didn’t sell you can donate and wa-lah! So much less clutter and waste.

Buy less and less plastic

5 Ways to Help the World’s Plastic Problem

Plastic can be so easy, especially when you have kids who like to touch everything and who aren’t very gentle with things either.

But the hard part about plastic is after you ‘re done with it and throw it away, when it gets to the dump it ends up sitting there and just adding to all the other trash that is there.

If there is a way for you to use less plastic or to make sure you recycle the plastic you are done with, you can help lessen the waste and help keep things like the ocean cleaner.

Donate your time

4 Ways to Help Your Community

One great way to keep yourself from being tempted to buy more and more is to use the free time on your hands to volunteer somewhere and help.

Helping others can make you more grateful for the things you already have as well as give your time to others or causes that may sorely need it.

The post 5 Ways to Be Less Wasteful appeared first on InstantELLA.

It used to be that big department stores and other industrial corporations were the greatest demand of communities. The convenience of having large quantities of items available in one location was a major draw, but more and more we’re being urged to shop local, and here are 5 reasons you should do it, too.

Do it to Support Your Friends and Neighbors

Keeping Your Small Business in Business

Local businesses and farms are run by the people you know living down the street. Imagine how much you could do to further your dreams and ambitions with their support; why not do the same for them?

Supporting your friends and neighbors in their livelihood also helps to improve the relationships you have and the quality of life in your little community.

Do it to Create a Strong Community Economy

How Your Small Business Could Help Your Community

When you buy and sell within your own community, those funds circulate in the local economy which means they stick around and continue to sustain the businesses and organizations you see and use every day.

Spend your hard-earned money in local shops where sales tax will go toward your city’s growth and maintenance rather than one a couple states over. It will benefit your family through public school and community programs, too.

Do it Because it’s Better for the Environment

How To Be More Environmentally Conscious

The great thing about your locally created and manufactured goods through small businesses is they don’t rely on factories that add to pollution. They also make use of environmentally-friendly materials like NuPlastiQ for bags and packaging if they don’t forgo them completely.

In fact, the packaging itself is often its own cute bonus to take home. It tends to be durable, too so you can reuse it then recycle or upcycle it when the time comes.

Do it Because it’s Healthier for You

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With so many concerns about groceries that are too processed, too preserved, too genetically-modified, and too exposed to pesticides, can you really trust food from unknown parts of the country in your own body?

When you shop local, you can trust farmers to sell healthy produce that’s better than what you would find in a large supermarket. You know where it comes from because you pass the fields almost every day and you know whether it’s organic or non-GMO because you know the crew that cultivated it.

Do it Because You’ll Get More Unique Products

Location, Location, Location And Why It’s So Important In Retail

Maybe you thought the Super Walmart on the outskirts of town was supposed to have more variety to choose from, but the truth is, when you walk into a department store, you already know what you’ll find inside.

We all value our individuality, so why would we buy the same products our neighbor does? Local businesses offer unique products just for you. They can often surprise you with something special that just says you and will even take on commissioned pieces. And to ice that cake? You’ll get a more personal customer experience because they care about everything they sell.

The post 5 Reasons You Should Shop Local appeared first on InstantELLA.

Harvest was an incredible time to ask a girl on a date. There are always amazing events and activities available. But now that the time for corn mazes, pumpkin carving, and haunted houses are behind us, it’s time to find fun ways to enjoy dating this winter.

It is no surprise to many of us that winter is a hard time to plan or go on dates. We get busy during the winter, important holidays come up, and soon it is the new year. Where did the time go, and did we even do anything this winter? It doesn’t have to be this way, however, with a couple of dating ideas, you will find that this miserable and cold winter could bring about great memories.

Christmas Movies

Netflix Is Releasing Another Christmas Movie This Weekend

The norm would say that watching movies on a date would be the worst date scenario, but if you make the right choice of a movie then you never know what could happen. During Christmas, there are plenty of movies that fit the mood of any date. Grab some hot chocolate and pick out a nice movie and get to snuggling, to keep warm of course.

Gingerbread Houses

How To Build An Indestructible Gingerbread House

There is nothing quite like a situation where you are on a date, and decisions must be made, and no one can make up their mind. When you create gingerbread houses together you and your date’s creativity and imagination come alive. It is fun to see a different side of someone, especially their creative side.

Shopping

Shopping would probably not even make it onto this list, but when you make shopping for one another a game then it can get interesting. Take the example of Stephanie, 21 who went on a date with her boyfriend. Another great idea is to find an organization that is doing a ‘giving tree’ and go out with your date to find what the family or person needs.

Snowball Fights

Image Source

If you want to have a date that is more on the friendly competitive side, take your date outside where it is snowing and show them your snowball fighting skills. If you go on a group date, turn a casual snowball fight into an all-out war. Split into teams, where you’re with your date and begin strategizing what you could do to win!

These ideas and many more will turn the holiday season into a year to remember. Just be creative, have fun, and enjoy the time with your date.

The post 4 Super Fun Winter Date Ideas appeared first on InstantELLA.

My answer is always the same, “You’ll have to go there to truly appreciate the difference”. And this response goes both ways for non-Americans wanting to know what the U.S is like. We already know about the major differences in weather, language, culture, food patterns, rules of driving and insurance policies. It’s been covered extensively by the news, lifestyle channels/ magazines and social media and who can forget An Idiot abroad TV series .

But here are some fun facts and subtle differences I didn’t expect and which no amount of preparatory research could have prepared me for.

So, for all my American buddies who asked and all my Indian friends planning to visit the U.S, here are some of the differences less talked about. Depending on which side of the continent you are, you may find it strange, amusing, or absolutely insignificant. Either ways, it’s worth a mention. No judgement, just facts. Here goes.

It’s always iced!

The Bizarre But True Story of America’s Obsession With Ice Cubes

So, I step off the plane, out of the airport and into a fast food joint looking for something to drink – water or maybe a soft drink because, jet lag from a 35 hour flight! It’s January and freezing. When I get my order, it’s loaded with ice! My first reaction is ‘this can’t be right, isn’t it cold enough with winter and the freezing temperature’. It’s just the opposite in India where, unless it’s a beer or alcohol meant to be served chilled, every other drink is served ice-less, unless you ask for it, which again, is rare. But I was quick to realize that’s just how they do it here. Seasons and temperature don’t matter….at all. If it’s a liquid, it will be served with ice. Solution: Every time I order a drink, I always follow it up with “and no ice for me, please.”

Living in a Shopper’s Paradise: Returns, Lay Away and Clearance

Why Shoppers Just Can’t Resist Clearance Sales

This one is a clear winner when it comes to shopping in the U.S. Who knew, at least people from my part of the world , that there was ever a thing as ‘returning’ purchases. At best, they could be exchanged for something of similar value , or higher to the store who would very reluctantly accept the return. But here in the U.S the 30 day return policy, no strings attached, is gold!

And if that weren’t enough, there’s this other little temptation called – Clearance. Almost every retail store including grocery, apparel and furniture have clearance racks and sections dedicated to stock whose price has been  significantly marked down because it’s been in the store too long or has even minor defects and the store wants to get rid of it to make way for new merchandise. Try selling this idea to a store in India and they’d look at you incredulously. In fact, the first time I experienced ‘clearance’ I demanded to know how they were going to explain the gap in their ledger when they retailed something lower than the cost price. My husband simply asked me if I wanted my leather boots for $7 and J Crew blouse for $5  (entirely too cheap by Indian standards) and if I did, I should just smile, say thank you and leave after paying for it. Which I did. And so must you if ever you find yourself in a similar situation.

Finally, Layaway. What’s that, right?  I didn’t know until Christmas 2016 when the lines for Christmas shopping got too long and shoppers started making their way to the Layaway checkouts. Layaway is a purely philanthropic gesture or service extended by the store to  shoppers who are low on finances and cannot pay the full amount upfront but pay in installments. Their purchases are kept aside for them in a designated area of the store that is inaccessible to the shopping public,  and when the full amount is paid, they pick up the item.

While all these features make it fun to shop in the U.S, they must be used responsibly or you might find yourself trapped in an endless shopping spree, ending up with entirely unnecessary purchases and shopaholic tendencies you could do without.

Welcome to the world of Gaming and Anime

Video Games’ Place in American Culture

Yep, I walked straight into that, my bad. But there is literally no escaping something that has American kids and adults hooked. Something that I was never a part of growing up or even through my young adult years. All I heard at home, from husband and kids alike was Mortal Kombat, Minecraft, Call of Duty, FNAF, Mario Cart, World of Warcraft and the list went on and on and on. For the next 3 months I made a very reluctant effort to understand what each of these were. I was introduced to Anime, because I whined too much about the Videogames and my husband thought switching it up a bit would help. Surprisingly though I found myself appreciating the detailed plots and intricate artwork that comes with good Anime. Beserk, Attack on Titan and DeathNote – Animes I should have watched a long time ago with the rest of the American teen population, I was watching only now, in my early 30s. And over the next 6 months I have not only started playing videogames and watching more anime, I can actually have full conversations around this topic. The point I’m trying to make is, be prepared to get used to gaming and anime when you step into the U.S, otherwise you may just find yourself out in the cold when it comes to social bonding.

Cable TV? Not For Me

10 best online TV streaming services: which are best for you?

Not unheard of in the U.S but definitely in it’s last stages. The Cable/ Satellite TV Culture has given way to online video streaming services in the U.S – Netflix and Amazon Prime to name a few. I was on my way out (of India) in January 2015, when Netflix had just made its way in. Amazon Prime is now listed on India’s Google Play Store and Apple App Store, and supports Amazon India credentials for login.

Despite the availability of these online video streaming services in India, what needs to be pointed out is that they have just launched (can’t stress on the word ‘just’ enough)  and have a long way to go in terms of every household having access or migrating to this more convenient way of video watching. Americans on the other hand have already adapted. I was speaking to a lady fit enough to be my grandmother in  Church this Sunday, who said she’d been watching movies on Netflix! Needless to say, I had a very loud, very clear ‘you go girl!’ thought in my head and had to refrain from saying it out loud.

This past year I learnt new ways of doing things, opened up to a new culture, shared a bit of my own and through it all, added another tiny layer to a personality I didn’t think could afford more complexity. But it’s true when they say nothing stays the same and change is the one inevitable. If you’re the type that travels and loves discovering new places and cultures, I hope my experiences will in some way help you relate on adventures of your own.

The post What Every Non-American Needs To Know About America appeared first on InstantELLA.