Lauren Blanchard

Build on the wealth of knowledge gained in the course Master Herbalist with Master Herbalist 201 - a transformative continuation of your health journey. This course will empower you to delve even deeper into the world of herbal remedies and their potent healing potential. A continuation of the course Master Herbalist 101, Master Herbalist 201 will equip you with specialized herbal remedies that can combat more specific ailments and conditions. By seamlessly integrating nature’s bounty into your

Are you looking for a smart and easy way to lose weight and get fit? Are you curious about how artificial intelligence (AI) can help you with your health and fitness journey? Do you want to get personalized AI coaching and feedback to improve your lifestyle habits? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this course is tailor-made for you! In this course, you will: • None Explore the basics of using AI for weight loss • None Discover top AI apps and devices for your health and fitness

Herbalism and incorporating herbs into your everyday life can save you money, boost your health and help you sustain a greener lifestyle. Take more control over your own health and wellbeing by learning how you can use natural healing techniques to aid recovery and prevent ailments. Discover how to transform kitchen herbs and backyard plants into alternative remedies.

ChatGPT is one of the latest additions to the world of AI and it’s taking the planet by storm! Are you wondering why everyone is talking about it? Do you want to learn how to use it for your personal and professional projects? If so, then this course is for you! In this Introduction to ChatGPT course, you’ll learn how to use this groundbreaking technology effectively in both your daily and professional life. By the end of the course, you will understand the seven main ways that AI can be effect

Have you ever dreamt of traveling the world, but don’t have the money to start? Do you have experience working with children and a desire for new experiences? It sounds like working as an au pair abroad is perfect for you! An au pair is someone who travels to another country to work in the household of a family and help with childcare. Au pairs work in exchange for food, boarding, and a weekly salary that allows them to travel and learn while they are abroad. This course will give you a thor

It’s every kid's dream: It’s Christmas morning, you excitedly get up and race for the Christmas tree. Underneath, among the presents, sits a small kitten or puppy with a bright red bow tied around it. It’s the perfect present, right? Well, not necessarily. In fact, the act of giving pets as gifts is a very controversial topic in the animal welfare community. Some shelters are happy with the potential boom of adoptions that may come in December, while others discourage giving pets as a gift for t

This brawny, yet kind pup can make a great apartment pet, with less of a need for a yard than other dogs due to their low endurance. In fact, they’ll be much happier in a cozy home than outside as they have a hard time regulating their body temperature. Even though these are purebred dogs, it’s actually quite likely you’ll find some in shelters and pounds, so have a look around to see what bulldog rescues are out there. These energetic and loveable dogs are a great pet for families with kids. H

We covered how to deal with separation anxiety when going on vacation in the post Managing Separation Anxiety in Needy Dogs: A Guide for the Traveling Pet Owner. But what about when we get back from vacation? What if you’re still dealing with an anxious dog? Doggy Daycare may be your saving grace. They accept dogs of all ages and can be a great option for dogs with high energy who need a safe environment to run around. But it’s not for every pet or pet parent. Let’s look at some of the pros and

Even if you’re going to adopt, it’s good to keep in mind what dog breeds you may prefer over others, and what you can expect from your little mutt. Every year the American Kennel Club puts out a list of the most popular dog breeds in the USA. We’ll break down the top five breeds and go over the good, the bad, and the cute and cuddly. Coming in at the number one most popular dog breed are Labrador Retrievers, and it's easy to see why. This breed has a reputation for being incredibly friendly and

While for most people the idea of going on vacation fills them with excitement, for some unlucky pet owners traveling for the holidays brings on a whole new level of stress. What are they to do with their pup? As people swarm back to airports and travel routines, dogs may be left confused and panicking by this change. After two years of staying home, our pets may be caught unaware by our sudden disappearance. Especially if you’re a new pet owner who got an animal during the pandemic, they may not know what it’s like for you to leave for long periods of time.

While it’s not unreasonable to assume that a pet regressing in their house training might be suffering from Cognitive Dysfunction, this may not be enough information to determine the cause of their accidents. Breakdown of house training is a common symptom of Cognitive Dysfunction, but here are some other explanations for this behavior: Cases of animals having accidents next to the front door may indicate an inability to hold their bladder until the owner gets home. The pet may be suffering wit

Here are some of the things to consider when becoming a pet sitter: 1. What kind of animals do you want to look after? This answer may seem obvious if you’re a dog or cat person, but don’t forget that owners need just as much help when it comes to their pet birds, hamsters, lizards, rabbits, and snakes. Would you have the stomach for feeding frozen or live prey to a client’s boa constrictor? 2. How much should you charge? An average rate for a pet sitter is $15 per 30-minute visit, $20 to $3

It seems simple; wild dogs and cats subsisted by hunting and scavenging other animals. They ate raw meat, so can’t I feed the same thing to my pet? Well it’s no surprise that your Poodle has some biological differences to the wild animals it is descended from. While raw meat diets are becoming more and more popular for dog owners, keep these things in mind: 1. Always implement diet changes for your dog with the advice of your veterinarian, don’t just start throwing your dog ribeye steak without

Surprisingly, there’s a lot of controversy around this question. Why? Well, there are plenty of arguments for both. Certainly most dog owners know that their pet will just as happily chomp down on a roll of toilet paper, a shoe, or grass as they would a piece of meat. For the real answers, we look to biology: 1. Dogs chop instead of grind. Unlike plant-eaters like cows, dogs chomp their food with their teeth, much like we do, which allows them to cut into and eat meat. They also chew with an up

SHARING THE LOVE: How to Give Back to Your Pandemic Pet If dealing with all the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic was made a little easier by the companionship of your pet, then now is the time to give back to them. Check out these tips that’ll keep your animals happy and healthy. The Good News and the Bad News An ASPCA survey found that 23 million American households adopted a cat or dog during the pandemic . That’s nearly one in five families taking on a new pet in the last two years. The bet

From 2019 to 2020, I co-chaired the European Glaucoma Society (EGS) Guidelines Committee with Carlo Traverso. The 5th Edition of the EGS guidelines was published in October 2020, after a superb team effort among a large number of colleagues (1). We aimed to promote evidence-based clinical practice and, to that end, followed GRADE methodology, including identification of key questions, critical evaluation of published literature, and formulation of recommendations. A key issue was the recommendat

The approval of new ophthalmic medical devices and medicinal products are governed by separate processes in Europe with different requirements, classifications, and timelines involved. For pharmaceuticals, companies can go through a centralised European level process working with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or a decentralised procedure working with a member state competent authority to gain approval or via mutual recognition. For medical devices, companies must work with a European Union-approved Notified Body (NB) as there is no equivalent to the EMA. With medicinal products, approval can be sought as a new medicinal product, generic, known substance or as an advanced therapy. With medical devices, the classifications are based on the use and complexity of the device as well as the risk, beginning with Class I (surgical instruments and some diagnostic devices), to Class IIA, Class IIB and Class III, which are the most invasive devices, such as pacemakers and breast implants. From May 2021, the European Union will fully implement the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which enforces increased requirements before Class IIa and above devices can be CE marked. This process for approving medical devices and pharmaceuticals in Europe is designed to ensure that new technology is thoroughly vetted before becoming commercially available.

A short story by Lauren Simone Blanchard on a haunted painting in a school for girls. Paper Lanterns is a new young adult literary journal based in Dublin.

As the largest research facility in the country at 7,000-acres, two miles wide, and eight miles long, the Research Triangle Park (RTP) is the home to more than 250 businesses and employees, and more than 50,000 people. With nearly one in five people at the RTP holding a graduate degree, the promising population of industry-leading physicians, clinical researchers, and engineers makes this region one of the most innovative in the world, as Lauren Blanchard discovers When looking at places that b

Every day, all over Europe, people use at least one of the 500,000 medical device products available – from high-tech MRI machines and surgical robots, to contact lenses and condoms. In Europe, the medtech sector enjoys a rapid rate of innovation as industry products usually only have a lifecycle of 18-24 months before an improved device replaces them. This entrepreneurial and quickly growing field has much to celebrate and, increasingly, there are formal ceremonies to recognise the achievements