XpatAthens
The Superfood That Fueled Alexander The Great
The small orange-yellow berries are described as a superfood. They are full of vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids that have been shown to aid in hair and nail growth, benefit eye health, and even boost the immune system as well as increase concentration.
Ancient Greek figures in pharmacology, medicine, botany, and nutrition have long been known for the healing, beneficial qualities of the sea buckthorn berries.
Alexander the Great ate the superfood
Alexander the Great noticed the beneficial qualities of the sea buckthorn berries superfood during his military campaigns in the then known world which he incorporated into his own diet as well as the diet of his troops to give them strength and vitality.
According to ancient sources, the famed Greek leader noticed that his horses loved the berries, and after eating them, they had more strength, shinier hair, recovered more quickly from injury and illness, and seemed to radiate health.
It’s from Alexander that sea buckthorn berries got their scientific name, Hippophae, which comes from the Ancient Greek words hippos and phaos, meaning “shining horse,” referring to the radiant effect the berries had on his horses.
To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com
Greek Running Tours - The Ultimate Runcation
Photo Credit: Angelos Zymaras
The Healing Power Of Music
Originally published in Greek on: loveyourselfmagazine.com
Love Yourself is a comprehensive Greek media platform dedicated to embracing mindstyle as its fundamental essence. It advocates for a wholesome lifestyle that nurtures not only our soul, mind, and body but also promotes a positive and sustainable attitude towards the planet we call home. For more information, visit Love Yourself's website!
Magical Festive Theme Parks Around Greece To Visit This Christmas
Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
The Tree of Elves – Patras
@dentro_xotikon
Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Ο Μύλος των Ξωτικών
Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
@christmasfactory
Hours: Daily, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Magical Lake City - Kastoria
Hours: To be announced
Butterfly Valley Of Rhodes
A unique nature reserve is to be found inland on Rhodes, “Butterfly Valley” (in Greek “Petaloúdes”). Apart from its aesthetic value, it is also the site of the only natural forest of Liquidambar orientalis (Oriental Sweetgum trees) in Europe, and a resting point for the Jersey tiger (Panaxia Quadripunctaria), a nocturnal moth. An excellent place for families with children who wish to enjoy the beauties of nature and examine the life cycle of butterflies as part of their summer holiday.
You can take a peaceful walk through the shaded, green valley with its small river and beautiful waterfalls. You are permanently surrounded by butterflies camouflaging themselves against the tree trunks as you walk up towards the monastery at the top, or rest for a while on one of the wooden benches along the way.
Visitors can witness a spectacular phenomenon which occurs only rarely in nature. Huge numbers of butterflies congregate in this small valley during the final stage of their life cycle. Every year, at the end of the wet season (late May), thousands of butterflies attracted by the scent of the Oriental Sweetgum trees cover the entire landscape. They are actually adult insects that follow the waterways and migrate here to reproduce (females leave for other suitable areas to lay their eggs in the early fall) due to the high humidity of the area.
Hush, hush..butterflies are resting here…The moths cannot eat during this final phase of their life cycle, so they rest here to conserve energy. Any loud noise would force them to fly away, thereby consuming valuable energy. Observe them as they “sleep” well-camouflaged in black and yellow; in flight their cherry-red overwings flash. If you are quiet and still, they may even land on your arm –that would make a wonderful photo!
To read more, please visit visitgreece.gr
Unprecedented Media Coverage Of Election
This year’s general election garnered unprecedented and widespread international media attention. 1,060 media representatives from more than 45 countries were accredited, the vast majority of whom were foreigners. The media coverage in terms of representatives sent to Greece increased by 35% compared to the 2012 general elections. Spain, in particular, was the country which showed the most eager interest in the events.
With 70 media representatives accredited and two political leaders present during the pre-election period (Mariano Rajoy and Pablo Iglesias), Spain followed the political developments in real time and up close.
The 2015 Elections Press Center of the General Secretariat for Communication and Promotion was hosted at the Zappeion Conference Centre, the same venue which served as the headquarters of Greece’s presidency in the Council of the European Union during 2014.
To read more, please visit greeknewsagenda.gr
metamatic:taf
Amazing Humans - Play Specialists Help Refugee Children Smile Again
Kolokithopita - Greek Pumpkin Pie With Feta Cheese
Serves: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy
Cooks in: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds (1- 1/2 kg) pumpkin
- 2 medium onions
- 8-9 ounces (200-250 grams) crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint or 2 tablespoons dry mint
- Salt/pepper
- 1 egg
- A pinch of cumin
- 12 phyllo sheets
The Rise Of The Freelance Workforce
There’s been a lot of talk recently about freelancers disrupting the workforce and existing markets. A 2016 McKinsey Global Institute report found that a huge 20-30% of the workforce in Europe and the US engage in some form of independent work – and its more than just new players like Uber making up the numbers. We’re seeing a broader shift in both corporate strategy and workforce attitudes that’s changing the way we do business, for the better.
Empowering Individuals
A big factor in the rising freelance workforce comes from an increasing desire for more freedom and control. Around 61% of respondents to our Great Big Survey, which included 40,000 workers from around the world, said that work-life balance is the main driving force behind flexible working.
Workers also want greater autonomy to forge ahead on their own path. You can see this in the OECD’s Entrepreneurship at a Glance 2015 report, which surveyed people aged 18-64 from 41 different countries. This study found that 48% of men and 36% of women would rather start their own business than work for someone else.
Spotting The Trend
The people behind the gig economy (using freelancers on an ad-hoc basis) were early birds: they recognised a rising value for independence and entrepreneurial spirit and they leapt at the chance. All companies have the power to respond and integrate this system to benefit their own workforce, and there’s evidence they’re starting to do so. Around 42% of executives surveyed by Deloitte in their Global Human Capital Trends 2016 report said they planned to employ more ad-hoc workers over the next three to five years.
This isn’t simply a response to worker demands. 58% of businesses told us that reducing permanent staff overheads is key to their post-recession plans. It also helps them work in a more agile way, scaling their workforce up and down to meet changes in demand and new industry developments.
To integrate larger numbers of freelance workers, companies are changing their office environments. PwC’s 2016 Emerging Trends in Real Estate survey found that more and more businesses are looking for high-quality, flexible and serviced office and co-working spaces, like Regus, where they can scale up and down quickly.
The next step is to ensure that these flexible, changing teams are working in the most creative and productive ways possible. According to the 2017 Deloitte Human Capital Trends report, this will mean moving away from management hierarchies and towards groups of empowered networks that are able to change regularly and quickly.
Explore Regus' flexible workspace locations to help increase business productivity!
This content has been sponsored by IWG - an XpatAthens Brand Partner.
