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The ULTIMATE Wedding Planning Checklist | Provided by Canadian Wedding Planner Imtazur Rahman

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Congratulations! You’ve decided to finally tie the knot with the love of your life.

But now what? As big of a milestone as getting engaged is — the journey to your happy ever after is not over quite yet! There’s still a wedding to plan!

There’s so much to do, so many things to work out…

What do you even do first? Is there supposed to be an order to these things?

The answer to these questions, and more! Are answered below in the ULTIMATE wedding planning checklist — brought to you by the Canadian wedding planner, Imtazur Rahman.

Wedding Planning | THE TIMELINE

Imtazur Rahman: I get clients with timelines ranging from an average of a year or a couple of weeks of prep time! As a professional wedding planner, the closer timeframes are just part of the job. But, whenever I do have the option to recommend a time frame to one of my clients, rather than to tell my clients to go for the more immediate option. I usually recommend that they set their wedding date a year from the moment that they contact me.

To some, that might seem like it’s a bit too long — too far away. But there’s a couple of benefits to planning earlier. Key examples being: having more time to save money, earlier notice for guests, early booking discounts from vendors and venues, etc.

In any case, that’s why the checklist I have below is based on a 12-month timeframe!

1. Tackling the BIG Picture Stuff | 12 Months Away!

Imtazur Rahman: The wedding probably seems very distant at this point, but that’s exactly why it needs to happen now. This is when you tackle the BIG stuff:

  • Budget: Every event needs to have a set budget, and this should be one of the first things you tackle so that you can be realistic about your wedding plans.
  • Hire a Wedding Planner: Do you want to plan your own wedding? Yes, no, or maybe? If it’s a maybe, consider how much time you’ll be able to devote to your wedding plans — if you and your partner have demanding work hours, hiring a wedding planner should ease some of the burdens off your shoulders so that you can focus on more important things.
  • Decide on a Style: Weddings come in all shapes and sizes these days! You can go for the traditional type of wedding if that’s what you fancy. Or you can do something fun or wacky if that suits you more. Whatever you want, brainstorm, and decide now!
Canadian Imtazur Rahman

2. Start Hashing Out the Details! | 11 Months Away!

Imtazur Rahman: Immediately after getting the big picture stuff out of the way, it’s time to start hashing out the details. Again, the earlier the better on these items:

  • Decide on a Venue: After deciding on what style of wedding you’d like to have; you need to choose a venue that suits your taste. Your wedding planner can help you out with this if you have one. If they’re like me, then they’ll be able to provide you with a list of potential venues (for cheap!) ASAP!
  • Start Talking to Vendors: Caterers, photographers, entertainers, florists, etc. These are the people that will ensure that everything in your wedding goes smoothly. Again, your wedding planner should be able to point you in the right direction for the best deals!

On the more ‘personal’ side of things, this is around the time that you should choose your bridesmaid, best man, etc. That way, they can help you with the details!

3. Work Out the Personal Details | 9 Months Away!

Imtazur Rahman: A bit of a time skip, but an important one! Now that you have some of the more ‘business-oriented’ details worked out, it’s time to work out the more personal details:

  • Invites: Who do you want to attend your wedding? Plan who to send invites to now so that you can be sure that they’ll be there during your special day.
  • Wedding Dress/Suit: Again, more of a personal touch. Bring your family and friends along so that they can point you in the right direction.

Other examples of personal details that should be tackled at this stage are your honeymoon plans ;), the outfits of your attendees, your wedding cake, etc.

4. Ensure A Successful Wedding | 3 Months Away!

Imtazur Rahman: Most of the work should have been done long before now. And you need to take this time to make sure that everything and everyone is buttoned up and ready to go. That includes checking, and re-checking, everything — from getting the bride’s wedding dress re-altered to checking back in with venues and vendors.

5. Crunch Time | 1 Month Away!

Imtazur Rahman: The month before a wedding is the busiest time for an expectant bride and groom! It deserves its own specific checklist if I’m being honest. But to keep things simple, if the past couple of months were making sure everything was in order, this is the time to put everything in place for the special day!

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A Nutritious Diet in your Middle Years is the Key to Healthy Aging

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Your midlife diet has an impact on your health beyond the age of 70. This may come as a surprise, but new evidence supports the idea. According to the study, eating a balanced diet in your 40s may greatly improve your odds of living a long and healthy life.

Less than 10% of people are able to sustain excellent mental, cognitive, and physical health past the age of 70, but you could hold the keys to becoming one of these select few.

Diet in middle age and future health

Some surprising findings were revealed by the research, which focused on a large data set of over 100,000 people studied for 30 years.

It was shown that those who started eating healthily in their 40s had a significantly higher chance of having a well-functioning body and mind when they were 70. In fact, when compared to individuals who did not follow a balanced diet, their chances of aging healthily were increased by as much as 84%.

Dr. Anne-Julie Tessier, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, stated that “people who adhered to healthy dietary patterns in midlife, especially those rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, were significantly more likely to achieve healthy aging.”

One crucial hint is provided by the research: “The quality of your aging process can be significantly impacted by your midlife diet.”

Does aging well require a special diet?

Nuts, legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, nuts, and low-fat dairy products have all been connected to increased odds of healthy aging. On the other hand, there was a correlation found between decreased chances of healthy aging and large intakes of trans fat, sodium, whole meats, and processed meats.

This study is unique in that it focuses on healthy aging, even though there have been many studies investigating the effect of nutrition on chronic diseases.

Here, being able to live freely and maintain a high standard of living as one ages is considered healthy aging, rather than just the absence of disease.

According to Tessier, “dietary guidelines and research have traditionally focused on preventing chronic diseases like heart disease.” “Our study provides evidence for dietary recommendations to consider not only disease prevention but also promoting overall healthy aging as a long-term goal.”

Rethinking the Dietary Recommendations

The study examined information from more than 106,000 participants who were free of chronic illnesses and at least 39 years old as of 1986. Not surprisingly, by the age of 70, only 9.2% of respondents had maintained their level of physical, cognitive, and mental fitness.

Notable trends were observed, based on eight healthy dietary patterns from earlier scientific investigations.

The strongest link was seen with the alternative healthy eating index, which closely followed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Individuals who adhered to this food regimen had an 84% higher chance of aging healthily than those who did not.

Researchers also discovered that a diet known as the “planetary health diet,” which is modeled after the one recommended by the EAT Lancet Commission, significantly influenced the process of good aging.

The link between a healthy aging process and a planetary health diet was one of Tessier’s most notable discoveries. The EAT Lancet Commission’s report, which places an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, plant proteins, and healthy fats from sustainable sources, served as the foundation for this diet.

“The fact that it emerged as one of the leading dietary patterns associated with healthy aging is particularly interesting because it supports that we can eat a diet that may benefit both our health and the planet.”

Even after accounting for variables like physical exercise, which is known to have an impact on health, these results persisted. All the physical, cognitive, and mental aspects of good aging were associated with each food pattern.

Supplements’ place in diets for middle-aged people

In a midlife diet that focuses on healthy aging, supplements might be helpful even if whole foods should be the main focus.

Research has demonstrated the benefits of specific vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D, for both physical and mental well-being.

Future research may assist to explain the possible implications of making a healthy diet change later in life, as the study focused on midlife dietary patterns. The study’s findings do, however, make one thing abundantly evident: the seeds of good aging are planted in middle age.

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A Healthy Lifestyle Helps Mitigate the Genetic Susceptibility to Obesity, According to Study

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According to a new study that was published in the journal Cell Metabolism, lifestyle factors that can be changed can reduce an individual’s hereditary risk of obesity.

A non-infectious pandemic of obesity is being caused by sedentary lifestyles and increased consumption of foods high in calories. Obesity is polygenic and heritable. Weight growth is a result of multiple metabolic pathways, and obesity is linked to over a thousand genetic variations. It has long been accepted that there is no way to change an individual’s genetic propensity to fat.

Studies on the interactions between genes and environment, however, have revealed that some lifestyle choices may lessen the impact of particular genes linked to obesity. However, these investigations were restricted to a small number of obesogenic genes and lifestyle variables. Furthermore, it is unclear how genetic propensity to obesity interacts with modifiable lifestyle factors to lessen its burden.

Researchers looked at whether lifestyle factors that can be changed could reduce an individual’s genetic risk of obesity in the current study. After removing over 1,000 patients without data on body mass index (BMI) or obesity-related morbidities (ORMs) and identifying over 338,600 white British people from the United Kingdom Biobank who passed the genetic quality control, 337,554 people were left for inclusion.

Based on a genome-wide association analysis for BMI in individuals with European ancestry, a polygenic score (PGS) was calculated. Five obesogenic lifestyle factors—alcohol intake, sleep length, sedentary habits, nutrition, and physical activity—were combined to create a healthy lifestyle score. After examining the Biobank health data, incident obesity was found to be the main effect. The secondary outcome was prevalent obesity, which was defined as having a baseline BMI of 30 kg/m2.

By calculating the odds (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) of prevalent and incident obesity by PGS percentile and lifestyle, absolute hazards were estimated. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate HRs, while logistic regression models were used to evaluate ORs. Additionally, the likelihood of obesity by the age of 75 was estimated. Using hospital data, self-reports, or death registry records, incident ORM was determined.

Using additive and multiplicative interaction analysis, the relationship between lifestyle and genetic susceptibility to obesity was assessed. The correlations between genetic risk and lifestyle factors and incidence obesity and ORMs were investigated using Cox proportional hazard regression models. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the relationship between genetic risk categories, lifestyle categories, or both, and the prevalence of obesity.

People who were obese had lower levels of healthy lifestyle characteristics and a higher PGS. Obesity was found to be both independently and together related with an unhealthy lifestyle and a high genetic risk. The researchers looked at the independent effects of lifestyle on obesity and genetic risk on obesity after controlling for lifestyle categories.

Regardless of lifestyle categories, a high genetic risk was linked to a higher incidence of incident and widespread obesity. In a similar vein, poor lifestyle choices were linked, independently of genetic risk, to a higher chance of incident and widespread obesity. When comparing people with a healthy lifestyle and low genetic risk to those with a poor lifestyle and high genetic risk, the HR of obesity was 3.54.

The healthy lifestyle group had a 1.7% chance of obesity by age 75, while the bad lifestyle group had a 2.8% chance based on incident obesity. According to the prevalence of obesity, the comparable estimations were 30.7% and 13.9%, respectively. Different additive interactions were found when analyzing the relative excess risk caused by the interaction between genetic risk and lifestyle; multiplicative interaction analysis also yielded reliable results.

Regardless of genetic risk, the lowest risks of obesity were linked to avoiding sedentary behavior. The dangers of ORMs were similar for people with high PGS and healthy lifestyles compared to those with low PGS. On the other hand, ORM risks were higher among those with a bad lifestyle and a high PGS. After controlling for BMI, there was no longer any correlation between PGS and ORM risks.

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Zufi Alexander: Enchanting the Fashion Cosmos with Zedit

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In the boundless realm of fashion, there emerges a luminary whose name resonates with the very essence of creative brilliance and empowerment – Zufi Alexander. Her imprint upon the tapestry of fashion is nothing short of extraordinary, and her latest opus, Zedit, stands as a beacon of inspiration and innovation that leaves us in awe.

Alexander, a true visionary in every sense, has woven her dreams into reality through Zedit, a magnum opus that transcends the conventions of mere fashion publications. It is, instead, an embodiment of her relentless devotion to empowering women. In a world awash with magazines, Zedit isn’t just one more periodical; it is a catalyst for metamorphosis, a chronicle that seeks to inspire and embolden women worldwide with a touch of sophistication and an undercurrent of raw authenticity.

A testament to the essence of female emancipation, Zedit exists not merely to depict fashion, but to epitomize individuality and self-assuredness. It is the symphony of self-expression composed through the medium of couture. This endeavor, resplendent with fervor, aims to coax women into embracing their unique identities, nurturing the seed of confidence and allowing it to flourish against the backdrop of their own skin.

At the heart of Zedit’s mission is a profound connection between emotional well-being, mental health, and the choices we make in clothing. In the profound philosophy of Zufi Alexander, the attire we drape upon ourselves orchestrates the symphony of our emotions. Here, fashion isn’t just a veneer; it’s an interface between the inner world and the outer realm. The magazine itself unfurls as a canvas where the strokes of fashion harmoniously blend with the hues of mental wellness, a living tableau that beckons women across the globe to join this transformative journey.

Zedit emerges as an oracle of empowerment, an emporium of inspiration that empowers women to embrace their most authentic selves. It’s akin to a secret garden where confidence blooms, empowerment takes root, and love is a cornerstone. This sanctuary boasts an eclectic array of offerings – from sartorial counsel to life’s wisdom, from heart-to-heart conversations with trailblazing women to a repository of tales that resonate with the very pulse of womanhood. Each fragment sewn into this tapestry crafts a mosaic of empowerment that resonates beyond the confines of its pages.

What distinguishes Zedit from the rest is its audacious approach to the world of fashion. It is not confined to exalting fleeting trends or venerating haute couture. Rather, it casts its gaze on the fierce individuality that lies dormant within every woman. The magazine’s essence rests in the art of unearthing this distinctiveness, nurturing it, and transforming it into an armor of self-expression. In this symposium of style, Zufi Alexander proclaims that fashion isn’t a mere ensemble; it’s an ode to self.

Embedded within Zedit’s DNA is Zufi Alexander’s unwavering advocacy for emotional and mental well-being. A fervent champion of these vital aspects of human existence, the magazine becomes a conduit for these beliefs to resonate. It bridges the chasm between clothes and emotion, advocating that fashion can be an instrument for emotional resonance. This profound philosophy underscores the harmony between the inner soul and the exterior visage, weaving a narrative that portrays the exquisite interplay between the two.

In summation, Zufi Alexander’s meteoric rise in the fashion cosmos finds its apotheosis in the form of Zedit. This unparalleled creation stands as a radiant nexus where empowerment and fashion converge, where emotional well-being is elevated through the art of dress. It reinforces the profound sentiment that the pursuit of fashion isn’t merely an art of appearances; it’s an odyssey of self-love and empowerment.

For an immersive encounter with this captivating universe, delve into zeditbyzva.com. To glean deeper insights into the brilliance of Zufi Alexander, venture into the digital realm and follow the odyssey at Zedit.Zva on Instagram.

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