June Issue of Bellena fashion & beauty magazine

Bellena Issue # 7, June 2012

The Art of

eminine

Physical FITNESS

10

TOP Skin Care Tips

Fashion Tips

MR. PERFECT Doesn’t Exist

WWW.BELLENA.CO.UK

Buying Diamond

ONLINE Benefits of

STRETCHING

Postpartum Depression

HAIR Vitamins

Bellena is a fashion and beauty magazine which provides interesting and updated news and information related to hair, beauty, fashion, UK fashion, food, family, travel and a lot of other things to explore. Those who are interested in style and fashion and want to keep a tab on World Fashion and UK Fashion can check Bellena.co.uk for latest news and updates.

Bellena has wide range of information on it including fashion shows, beauty tips, food and health tips, travel tips, stress management tips and a lot more to make your every day successful. Bellena also provides updates on celebrity style and fashion. So people looking for the style, fashion and beauty tips of their favourite stars and celebrities can find it all easily on Bellena.co.uk.

Bellena magazine helps women to adopt latest fashion, use beauty tips and make healthy food part of their life which eventually results in enhancing their beauty, polish their personality and boost their self confidence. So, if you are in search of fashion news and updates, extra ordinary hair and beauty tips, healthy food options and travel suggestions then stay connected to Bellena.co.uk and benefit yourself. Bellena fashion magazine blog knows what you are searching for and brings you everything at one place.

Heba M. Ali

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ELLENA MAGAZINE HAS ARRIVED

EDITOR Heba M. Ali FASHION DIRECTOR Marwan M. Hassan BEAUTY EDITOR Raneem M. Hassan ART DIRECTOR Yousef M. Hassan GENERAL MANAGER Heba M. A

Contents Buying Diamond Online

1 Mr. Perfect Does Not Exist!

5 The Importance of Physical Fitness

11 The Truth About Postpartum Depression

17

Benefits of Stretching

3 Fashion Tips For Plus Size Ladies Over 50

9 Healthy Hair Vitamins

13 Top 10 skin CARE TIPS

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BUYING DIAMONDS nline With all of the potential for scams concerning diamonds, buying diamonds online almost seems unthinkable! However, you actually can purchase diamonds online, without any problems – as long as you are careful.

First, think about your reasons for wanting to purchase the diamond online, as opposed to making a purchase from a local jewelry store.

The most common reason is price. Due to low overhead costs, online jewelers and wholesalers are able to offer lower prices.

However, you must be careful – sometimes a price that is too low is a sure indication of a scam.

Before shopping, learn as much as you can about diamonds – especially cut, color, clarity and carat weights. When you are knowledgeable about diamonds, it will be harder for a con artist to rip you off. Once you know more about diamonds, you will be ready to start shopping.

One of the best things about purchasing online is the unlimited selection. When shopping offline, you are limited to the selection in the stores in your general area.

Online, there are no limits. But again, you must use a great deal of care and consideration before handing your money over to someone that you cannot see and have never met!

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Buying Diamond Online

Take your time. Don’t purchase the first diamond that you see that interests you.

Instead, look for similar diamonds for sale.

Do some comparison shopping to find the lowest prices. Once you have found the lowest price, start doing your investigation.

You know about diamonds, you’ve found a diamond that you love, and you’ve found the lowest price – but you are still quite a ways away from actually purchasing that diamond!

Ask about the seller’s credentials, such as professional jewelry associations that they belong to. View and print the seller’s return, refund, and upgrade policies. Also inquire about additional services, such as settings and mountings, sizing, and free shipping. Do a search for customer reviews on this particular company around the Internet. Also check with the BBB Online to see if there have been any complaints.

Ask for a diamond grading report from an independent laboratory such as GIA, HRD, EGL or AGS. You should see this before making a purchase.

Finally, use a reputable escrow service for high dollar diamonds – preferably one that will have the diamond appraised while it is in their possession. The seller sends the diamond to the escrow service, and you send the money to pay for the diamond to the escrow service. The escrow service has the diamond appraised, sends the diamond to you, and sends the money to the seller. This is the surest way to protect yourself…again, make sure that you use a reputable escrow service!

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Benefits Of STRETCHING

The body is flexible. It is supposed to be flexible. You must be able to bend and reach that something you dropped on the floor. You must be able to zip the back of your favorite dress on your own. You must be able to reach that book you need to read at the top shelf.

These are simple activities. Nothing grand about them, you merely stretched out a bit. However, if there are difficulties in doing such simple motions, then you have to stretch your limits. You already need a stretching program.

What Is Stretching?

Stretching is simply the act of extending to full length the body or simply a part of it. This activity involves straightening or stretching the structure or the limbs.

How Does One Do the Stretching?

Stretching is fairly easy. As mentioned in the introduction, it is involved in the normal activities.

It can be done by any people, regardless of age.

However the extent of stretching and flexing differs. The muscles tighten as a person ages. The range of joint movements can be minimized. This can very well obstruct an on-the-go lifestyle. That is why as the person grows older, bending or flexing becomes more limited. This is why stretching regularly, as part of a routine is very important.

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imple stretches can be done everyday. It can be incorporated in the lifestyle and the daily activities. It does not require much of your time.

Stretching exercises can also be done while training. Actually, stretching is an essential part of any training or sport. It must be done first before anything else. Stretching the body and the limbs is a good preparation for a more rigorous activity.

Most athletes would do the sit and reach, wherein they position on the floor, extend their legs and reach the tip of their foot with the tip of their hand. Actually, most trainers actually require their athletes to really do the stretching before playing.

There is actually an ideal length of time in stretching. It is best to do it in 10 minutes. This will give the body enough opportunity to move and flex the muscles, thus preparing it for more complicated and strenuous movements.

Experts however would frown upon going way beyond 10 minutes. Stretching the exercise to 30 minutes or more will already wear out the body. This will not be favorable if one is preparing for a game.

What Are the Benefits of Stretching?

INCREASE THE RANGE OF MOVEMENT As one constantly do the stretching exercises, the length of the muscles and the tendons are also increased. This will help in increasing the range of your movement. Thus, the limbs and joints will be able to move, way before an injury can take place. You are definitely physically fit.

Increased Ability to Perform Skills When you have a wide range of movement, the more you will be able to do more things. For example, you can jump high without feeling any pain when you land back on the floor. This will also help you start a new sport or improve more if you are in one. Stretching in this aspect also allows you to have a more active lifestyle.

Injury Prevention One can prevent injury to joints, tendons and muscles with stretching. When the muscles and tendons are well-flexed, they are considered in good working order. This will help in a faster recovery and decreased soreness. The muscles of the body will be able to take more exhausting and rigorous movements with less probability of being injured.

Reduce Muscle Tension If the muscles are given their regular exercises and stretching, it is less likely that they will contract. This will definitely relieve you of any muscle pain or problems.

Enhance Energy Being able to move more will also give you more energy. Stretching will also help enhance your awareness, like knowing that you have a body that is capable of doing many things. As such, you are going to be more driven to move rather than sulk in the corner.

Reduces Cholesterol Research also shows that doing prolonged stretching exercises, like yoga, will help reduce the cholesterol in the body. This of course must be done with a healthy diet at hand. This could prevent and even reverse the hardening of the arteries, allowing you to avoid coronary diseases.

Incorporate stretching in your everyday lifestyle. It has benefits you can not say no to. It also does not require much. It can be your usual activities, bending and flexing every now and then.

After all, your fitness is everything so do what it takes to keep the body healthy.

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Mr. Perfect Does Not Exist!

The sooner you realize this sad but true fact, the sooner you can get on with finding Mr. CloseEnough-To-Perfect. Prince Charming, riding on a white stallion, lost his way or found Princess Charming and got married on his way to your castle. Get over it and get on with it. You ARE going to have to actively seek the man of your dreams and you won't find him hiding under your bed. You already know that he isn't among the men that you are acquainted with so, now what? Online dating is “what�.

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Mr. Perfect Does Not Exist!

It's true that online dating, while in its infancy, was only made up of perverts, sexual predators, nerds and weirdoes but that is no longer true. It has become the main tool of the single person in every developed country in the world. Forty million people can't all be wrong. Ask your girl friends if they have ever used online dating or are using it now. If they are honest with you, most of them have or are now members of at least one online dating site and maybe more than one. It really is the way to go to meet eligible men who want to meet you. It doesn't matter what any of your numbers are…like age, height, weight or income either. Somewhere out there in the big wide world there is a man who will like you…..then love you….and think that you are beautiful and desirable. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is true. What is considered beautiful in one part of the world is completely different from what is considered beautiful in another part of the world. It's even different from one part of this country to another.

Find an online dating site that fits your needs. Write a great profile and post a flattering picture. Start contacting eligible men on the site. Mr. Close-enough-to-perfect could be a few mouse clicks away.

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FASHION TIPS For Plus Size Ladies Over

Women are just like fine wine. As they get older, more mature, and more beautiful, their inner woman seems to gain a sense of assured confidence, brought on by the years of experience in life. I have always admired women over 50 who carry their age with a sense of pride, style and class.

As women get older their sense of fashion seems to mature along with them. What is trendy and ‘in fashion’ might not necessarily be the apparel of choice any longer. Why does this happen?

Probably as women get busier and have more responsibilities they seem to opt for items which are comfortable to work in not necessarily stylish.

However I think women should not give up their sense of style, just because their day got busier and a few gray hairs are showing up here and there. On the other hand as women get older they should adjust to their age, by choosing items of clothing which enhance their beauty and their figure.

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FASHION TIPS For Plus Size Ladies Over 50 Plus size women who are over 50 have every reason to dress in a stylish manner. Stores which cater for their needs might not necessarily be easily available, that is true.

However that is no reason to compromise.

Especially with the Internet being so widely available these days, a multitude of store are suddenly available to cater for a mature plus size woman’s needs. For instance store like Ulla Popken and Junonia have a great selection of plus size clothing available which is great for the mature woman’s needs. Prices are reasonable and sizes are vast.

Mature plus size ladies should be careful to choose items which make the most of their curves, and also their age. Some tips to abide by are the following .

Be careful to choose the right size to fit your body. Don’t go for items which fit too tightly, the idea if for clothing to hug your body so that is gives it definition and enhances the curves.

Choosing items which are too tight will not look too classy. At the same times items which are too baggy should also be avoided. Your dress of choice does not have to look like a tent! Just because you’re plus size, does not mean you have to hide your body. Show off those beautiful curves in a classy and chic manner.

Avoid fussy prints. Fussy fabrics have the tendency to make plus size women look even bigger.

While we are proud of our curves, the clothing we choose should make the most of our full figures, enhancing them instead of giving them wrong definition.

Stick to classic designs and clean cuts. Just as fussy printed fabrics make us look a little bit bigger, so do fussy designs. For example avoid too much frill and things of the sort. Such clothing does not help define a full figured body to the best of it’s shape. Instead stick clean cuts and classic designs which work best for our curves.

Try and avoid wearing anything that is too short. If you have beautiful legs, be proud of them and by all mean show them off whenever you get a chance however, do this with taste, style and moderation. Do wear skirts and shorts. However avoid anything that is too short.

As we get older, some parts of our body tend to lose some of that useful gravity. This is nothing to worry about, as when choosing clothes and underwear with good support, things can be kept up to the necessary heights at all times. However I would suggest not to exposure the arms too much.

Being over 50 does not mean women have to give up on having a sense of style. Especially not plus size women! On the other hand women should make the most of this time in their life. With the right clothes any plus size lady who is over 50 can look and feel like a million dollars!

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The Importance of Physical Fitness

One of the simplest and most effective ways to bring down blood glucose levels, cut the risk of cardiovascular disease, and improve overall health and well-being is physical fitness and exercise. Yet, in our increasingly sedentary world, where almost every essential task can be performed online, from the driver’s seat, or with a phone call, exercising and being physically fit can be tough case to sell.

Inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in America, because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance and other factors that trigger other kinds of diseases.

In reality, everyone should exercise, yet survey shows that only 30% of the United States adult population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all.

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The good news is that it is never too late to of the easiest ways to start controlling the For people who are already candidates for diabetes and heart failure, exercise and condition of some parts of the body like of heart disease, and promote weight

get moving, and exercise is one onset of any kinds of diseases. some serious diseases like physical fitness can improve the insulin sensitivity, lower the risk loss.

In 2003, the Journal of Clinical had published an issue regarding found out that lack of exercise and factors behind obesity and other

Endocrinology and Metabolism the result of their study and physical fitness were the key serious diseases like diabetes.

Hence, it is extremely important for physically fit in order to avoid such illnesses.

a person to stay healthy and be

GETTING STARTED The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a “dyed-in-the-wool” couch potato, is to consult with your health care provider.

If you have cardiac factors, your doctor may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.

Certain complications of some diseases will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible “retinal detachment.”

Health experts also contend that patients with sever peripheral neuropathy or PN should avoid foot-intensive weight-bearing exercises such as long-distance walking, jogging, or step aerobics and opt instead for low-impact activities like swimming, biking, and rowing.

If you have conditions that make exercise and physical fitness a challenge, your provider may refer you to an exercise physiologist who can design a fitness program for your specific needs.

If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor.

The bottom line is that physical fitness and exercise should not have to be a rigid activity and should not come off strong. Your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk, walking the dog, or simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The important thing is that you keep on moving. Every little bit really helps a lot.

In the end, you will realize that the many things that good food can bring you are equally the same as what physical fitness can do for you.

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Healthy Hair Vitamins

There a number of different specific hair vitamins and minerals that can play a major role in helping a person have a healthy head of hair. If a person does not have sufficient hair vitamins then the deficiencies can lead to thinning hair or even total baldness in the most severe cases. The fact is that the state of a person’s hair reflects the overall condition of their body. Extra hair vitamins are likely to be needed if a person is generally unwell or is undernourished as their hair will show damage too and may even stop growing.

Some of the most important hair vitamins that a person needs to have healthy hair include B6, biotin, inositol and folic acid. The best way to ensure that a person receives enough of these essential hair vitamins are for them to be taken as vitamin supplements. It is not just hair vitamins that are necessary for healthy hair though as there are a number of minerals that are essential, including magnesium, sulphur, silica and zinc.

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Healthy Hair Vitamins The most essential hair vitamin is vitamin a but the best form of this is to include in the diet is beta-carotene. This is because the hair vitamin A can be toxic if consumed in large quantities but beta-carotene has no such problems and is converted by the body into vitamin A that can be used to promote healthy hair. Of course, vitamin A is not just a hair vitamin, it is also needed for a number of other functions including normal growth of bones, skin, nails and the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres.

Protein is another essential hair vitamin. This is because hair itself is essentially protein. The amount of this hair vitamin that a person consumes in their diet can affect the hair directly. If a lot of protein is included in a person’s diet then this hair vitamin will lead to improved hair growth and a far fuller head of hair. However, a person who has a diet that is lacking in this hair vitamin will suffer from thinning hair and slow hair growth.

Of course, it is not just hair vitamins and minerals that are needed to ensure that a person has healthy, strong hair.

There are a number of researchers who have found that there are direct links between the overall health of a person and the condition of their hair. If a person is under a lot of stress or suffers from a lack of sleep then their hair is also likely to suffer and it is likely that their diet will not provide enough hair vitamins to counter these effects. Hair vitamin and mineral supplements can be the solution to weak and damaged hair.

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BELLENA UK IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE ITS 2012 WEIGHT LOSS COMPETITION

The program is a step into bringing a healthy lifestyle into the life of women. Losing weight is not easy, but it can be done. Bellena UK will be starting its Weight Loss Competition on June and the contest will be ended on December.

Getting into the Bellena Weight Loss Competition will help you from two perspectives: 1. YOU WILL SET A GOAL AND A GOAL DATE FOR YOUR WEIGHT LOSS. 2. ANNOUNCING PUBLICLY THE INTENTION OF LOSING WEIGHT WILL TRIGGER THE PEER PRESSURE, WHICH SHOULD HELP YOU BE EVEN MORE MOTIVATED TO LOSE WEIGHT.

The contest requires a small 10 GBP registration fee, which will account for being able to post videos and statistics about your weight loss progress. The 6 months contest will have give prizes to the three biggest “losers” of the competition which will be announced on our site.

HOW TO APPLY: To register for the Bellena UK Weight Loss Competition of 2012, the participants are required to sign up and fill a form. The entry fee is set at a fixed price of 10 GBP, one time charge. The contestant will be able to upload videos on BELLENA UK and post statistics on their progress, as well as registering to Bellena newsletters tips and methods on losing weight beside free samples from sponsors of the program which will be delivered to your place.

THE CRITERIA FOR “WINNING” The winners of the contest will be determined by the percentage of total weight lost during the 6 month period. This is a fairer comparison than total pounds lost due to the fact that heavier persons can safely lose weight more rapidly. A healthy rate of weight loss is considered 1% of beginning weight lost during one week. For example, if a person weight 200 lbs then a safe rate of weight loss is around 2-3 pounds per week.

Example calculation: 1. Beginning weight – Ending weight = Pounds lost 2. (Pounds lost / Beginning weight) X 100 = % of weight lost

The contest is meant to incorporate healthier eating and exercise habits in for women of all ages. Participants are on the honor system and are expected to compete in a friendly, fair and healthy manner.

We strongly advise you not to indulge in any activity that will harm your health, even if it is a great way of losing weight. Bellena UK is not responsible for any health issues that may occur during the contest. The contestant is solely responsible for his actions and will not hold Bellena UK for any injuries, illnesses or other health problems that may appear.

Happy Weight Loss to everyone! With us the “biggest loser” is the winner!

Kindly, Bellena UK

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HE RUTH ABOUT POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields are currently engaging in a word war against each other because of a type of depression, called postpartum depression. Cruise's and Brooke's debacle started when Tom Cruise openly disapproved of Brooke Shield's personal choice of opting to take prescribed medicines to cure her postpartum depression, when he guested at the Today Show. According to Cruise, who is a popular devotee of Scientology (who believes that we can be cured through natural means and that taking medicine is doing our body harm), Brooke Shields should have instead, opted to cure her postpartum depression by doing healthy exercises. Adding that a lot of people have been misinformed about depression and how to actually cure this common illness.

But what is postpartum depression really?

We've heard about it often enough, yet are we really sure that we know enough about it for us to actually understand this illness in order for us to help ourselves as well as others? Being pregnant should really be a source of joy for everyone, especially the mother to be, who for nine months, will actually have living being grow from inside of her. Unfortunately, there is another side to this joyous occasion, being pregnant means that you and your body will have to get used to some adjustments for you to have a safe pregnancy. Smoking, alcohol, strenuous activities as well as stress should be avoided at all cost. A healthy baby means having a healthy mother as well. But given that you have been able to successfully avoided all these bad habits for your baby to be, childbirth is a whole different thing, as much as we may try to avoid it, there are still some unfortunate cases wherein the mother's as well as the baby's life might be in danger.

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But there's actually more, postpartum depression actually happens after childbirth. Although it's quite common and a lot of women have learned to how to deal with it as well as successfully treat it (like Brooke Shields), it is still quite avoidable. Postpartum depression is actually a lot like depression, but only new moms are the possible victims of this illness. There are actually a lot possible reasons why postpartum depression occurs: Childbirth as we all know is not as easy as pie, actual physical stress from giving birth is one of the main reasons why postpartum depression occurs. Next postpartum depression trigger is massive changes is hormonal levels. A lot of moms-to-be who were hesitant about bearing a child are also more susceptible to postpartum depression, those who are not ready to be a mother yet are more easily to get depressed as opposed to happy and excited moms-to-be.

When postpartum depression happens, it really is best to go to the doctor immediately. Aside from obviously having ill-effects for the new mother, postpartum depression can prove to be harmful to the child as well. New mothers who are suffering from postpartum depression may be harboring ill feelings toward their children. Their are actually some cases of murder wherein postpartum depression has been cited as the reason. Mothers who suffer from postpartum depression may blame their child for their weight gain, thus feeling like they've become less attractive and unloved.

It is really best to consult a reputable cognitive behavior therapist to take care of your postpartum woes, your therapist may prescribe medications to help cure postpartum depression as well as therapy sessions to help relieve whatever pent emotions that you may have.

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TOP 10 SKIN CARE TIPS

Healthy skin is really one of the most important ingredients for beauty-enhancement. This article on skin care tips is an effort to bring the 10 best skin care tips to you. The list of skin care tips has been restricted to 10 because anything more that that would not only be difficult to remember, but also shadow the more important skin care tips. So let’s see what these top ten skin care tips are: Knowing your skin type is one of the most important skin care tip. This is important because not every skin care product suits everyone. In fact, all the skin care products specify the type of skin they cater too.

‘Drink a lot of water’. This will not keep your skin moist but will help in overall upkeep of your health (and in turn your skin). It might seem a bit awkward to some, however, this is an important skin care tip.

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Cleanse your skin regularly (1-2 times everyday). A very effective skin care tip that helps in getting rid of the dirt and other harsh elements from your skin. Cleansing is especially important when you have been out of your house (and hence exposed to pollutants, dust etc). This skin care tip also advocates the use of Luke warm water for cleansing (hot and cold water, both, cause damage to your skin) Be gentle, after all it’s your skin. Don’t scrub/exfoliate too hard or too often. Similarly, don’t apply too much or too many skin care products. A must-to-follow skin care tip.

Keep your skin moist at all times. This is one of the most important skin care tip. Don’t let your skin get dry. Dryness causes the outer layer of your skin to break, leading to a rough and unattractive appearance. Use moisturisers/ emollients. Moisturisers work best when applied while the skin is still damp.

Avoid the use of soap on your face. Soap should only be used from below the neck. A small but important skin care tip.

Use sunscreen to protect yourself from sun’s harmful UV radiations. You can use day-time moisturisers that have sunscreen built into them. Use them even when it’s cloudy. UV radiations are known to cause skin cancer, so follow this skin care tip without fail.

A bit of exercise and good sleep are essential too, not just for skin care but for your health as a whole. Lack of sleep can lead to formation of wrinkles below your eyes and lack of exercise can cause your skin to slack. Moreover, exercise and sleep also help in beating stress. So besides being a skin care tip, this is also a health care tip.

Treat skin dilemmas with care. This skin care tip is about not ignoring any skin dilemmas.

Consult your dermatologist before you go on to use a skin care product (lest you do end up harming your skin even more).

Beat the stress. The harmful effects of stress are known to everyone, however, sometimes stating the obvious is essential too (and hence this skin care tip found its place here). Yes, stress harms skin too. So, take a break or indulge in a warm bubble bath or just get good sleep.

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