Leading the Most Environmentally Friendly Lifestyle You Can!

In the past, many of us were completely unaware of the ways that our actions impacted the planet. Nowadays, few of us can plead ignorance. We’re told time and time again that we need to start living more environmentally friendly lifestyles in order to minimise the damage we create. Climate change is speeding up and we’re genuinely starting to see negative consequences. So, what can you do to be a bit mindful of Earth and lead an eco-friendly lifestyle? Well, there are countless changes you can make. But those listed below provide a pretty good starting point!

Switch to a Green Energy Supplier

We’re all well aware that fossil fuels aren’t sustainable and they are contributing greatly to environmental degradation. It’s bizarre that we’re still using them widely when there are so many better and greener options out there! Plus, these options are becoming increasingly easily available. When your current energy tariff comes to an end, make sure to switch to a green energy supplier. They will be able to fuel your home with energy that is sustainable and sourced in a much more eco-friendly way. The good news is that green energy suppliers are often cheaper too! For the best deal possible, make use of a price comparison site. This will pull up the best deals and the lowest rates in your local area, helping you to choose the right green provider for your needs!

Generate Your Own Energy

Of course, generating your own energy is an option too! Solar panels tend to be the most popular method. You have them fitted to the roof of your house or another sunny area and generate your own green energy independently!

Avoid Fast Fashion

Fast fashion has acted like a plague on the environment. Put simply, it’s low cost clothing that is created for one time use, or isn’t of a standard that will last many wears. People buy it because it’s cheap. But by throwing out outfit after outfit, you’re contributing to landfill and creating more emissions through increased numbers of manufacturing processes. So, instead, opt for more sustainable clothing. Take a look at Etiko Fair Trade Sustainable Clothing as a great example. Buying from companies like this can make all the difference to the planet.

Recycle

Another step that the eco-friendly amongst us should also be taking is recycling. Now, this is simple and most areas have some sort of recycling collection, so please make the effort if these collections are available to you. Simply separate your waste into separate bins for paper, tin, plastic and general household waste that cannot be recycled. You could even use organic waste to create your own compost!

These are just a few suggestions you can try out to make your lifestyle a little more eco-friendly. There are countless more steps that you could take into consideration, but these are pretty easy to implement and can have great results!

Top Ways to Make Sure You Get Enough Vitamins

Getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet is a vital part of staying healthy. When you don’t get enough of something that your body needs, it could cause a variety of problems for your body. Many of us think of vitamins and minerals as coming from fruits, vegetables, and salad leaves, but we can get them from many food sources. Opinions differ on how many portions of fruit and veg you should have each day across the world, as well as what a portion even is. But if you think that you might not be getting enough, there are plenty of ways to make sure you get enough vitamins in your diet.

Expand Your Palate

A broad and diverse diet is the best way to make sure you’re getting lots of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. By exploring new foods and expanding your palate, you can introduce foods into your routine that will help you to be healthier. Keeping things exciting can help you to stay motivated to eat a healthy diet. Open yourself up to trying different fruits and vegetables, as well as grains and other foods with plenty of healthy nutrients. Don’t just try out these things to eat, either. Learn to prepare and cook them too.

Look for Things to Add to Your Meals

One way to get more vitamins into your food in an interesting way is to look for things that you can add to the meals and snacks that you already make. What ingredients can add flavour but also make your meal even healthier? If you use 100% pumpkin seed oil in salad dressings or add it to desserts and other food, you benefit from B vitamins, zinc, calcium, and other healthy minerals. A spoonful of Marmite or Vegemite can add umami flavour to a surprising amount of things and gives your meal extra B vitamins.

Make Your Snacks Nutrient-rich

Swapping out your snacks for healthier versions is another great option for getting more vitamins into your diet. Although it might be enjoyable to simply open a packet of something salty, there are always healthy snack options available too. An apple or banana can be filling and provides you with lots of nutrients. Vegetables can make good snacks too, and you can have them with a healthy dip or drizzle them with something rich in nutrients too. It’s a good way to sneak in some extra vitamins between meals.

Take a Multivitamin

If you want a quick way to get some of the vitamins that you need, taking a daily multivitamin can help. It’s particularly useful if you have a vitamin deficiency of any kind for some reason. For example, some people might not get a lot of vitamin D and can benefit from a supplementary boost to help them get an adequate amount. Not everyone needs to take a multivitamin, as you can get all the vitamins that you need from your diet, but some people need a helping hand.

Make sure you get enough vitamins, and you can protect your health and your immune system.

8 New Habits You Should Adopt In A COVID-19 Era

In December 2019, when the Coronavirus outbreak broke out in Wuhan, China, it was a pretty much unknown disease. Fast forward to August 2020, over 830,000 lives have perished around the world. If this figure is not scary enough for you to adopt new stringent habits, you must rethink your stance.

  1. Heightened need for cleaning and disinfection

Regular cleaning and disinfection may have been your routine safety regimen, but, the keyword here is ‘heightened.’ Most bacterial and fungal infections in the body require antibiotic treatment. However, the contagion at the centre of the pandemic is a virus called SARS-COV 2 and antibiotics do not work against them. Their inability to destroy viruses is due to the differences in cell structure between bacteria and viruses. An antibiotic would function by directing its potency against a bacteria’s growth speed.

Are you aware viruses multiply faster than bacteria? For this reason, a heightened cleaning and disinfection regime immediately eliminates the rate at which the virus would multiply.

Alcohol and bleach or chlorine-based cleaners are most effective against the Coronavirus. If you have to use it at home, you must be cautious because there is a recommended concentration. At home, you can use a concentration of one part of 5% strength household bleach to 49 volumes of water.

It would help if you also used alcohol with a 70 to 90% concentration to disinfect your surfaces at home or work. The best way is to initially clean with water and soap to remove dirt before disinfection. When cleaning, you must endeavour to begin from the least soiled to the most soiled. The reason behind this is to avoid spreading dirt to the least soiled area.

  1. Wear approved nose and face masks

The reason behind wearing face masks is to act as a protective shield for you. However, there is a science to it. The SARS-COV 2 (the virus) outside of a host is inactive but potentially infectious for a while. They possess nothing of the features a living organism should have on its own; such as mobility.

What they do is to lie in wait for someone to get in contact with them. As sneaky as the virus is, it thrives in the upper respiratory tract and begins to multiply. Your face/nose mask acts as the first line of defence against the virus. Without your nose mask, your nose and mouth are defenceless.

 One in every five people who get infected develop breathing difficulty and require medical care. Unfortunately, if you are over 60years old or have an underlying health condition (such as Asthma, diabetes or hypertension), your chances of survival could be limited.

The mask may feel uncomfortable initially, but you will get used to it. Moreover, you can find a variety of nose masks if you shop online. Dynamic Gift is an online store where you are bound to find comfortable, secure, unbranded, and hypoallergenic nose masks to purchase as a wholesaler or retailer.

  1. Avoid touching your face

As you read earlier, you already know the virus needs a host to survive. In the unlikely event that you touched a contaminated surface, your face should be a no-go area.

Your eyes, nose and mouth are entry points to the respiratory tract. That is the reason.

Therefore, for the avoidance of doubt altogether, avoid touching this part of your body unless you wash and sanitize your hands thoroughly.You should know that once the virus is inside your cell, it can reproduce and make 10,000 copies of itself in a few hours. Armed with this knowledge, you must adopt the conscious habit not to touch your face. 

  1. Adopt social distancing protocols

Also described as “physical distancing,” this is a safety measure by keeping a safe gap between yourself and others who may not be from your household. The WHO recommended distancing is a minimum of 6 feet, whether indoors or outdoors.

But did you know the science behind this? Respiratory droplets when you cough or sneeze can travel up to six feet! Imagine spit on a catapult. Now that sounds disgusting. You know now why you must not ignore keeping a safe distance from others.

  1. Cover your nose & mouth when you cough or sneeze at all time

The medical reason behind the need to cover your nose and mouth is to limit passing on respiratory droplets containing infectious pathogens to others. Besides, it is good etiquette to do so.The other medical reason is that viruses live through humans and animals. They survive by intertwining to cells. If you sneeze or cough without covering these facial parts, you risk infecting others. It goes the other way too.

  1. Increased intake of fruits and vegetables

Your body needs its immune system to be in tiptop shape at all times. Your soldiers require weapons to fight threatening intruders and enemies.

In the same way, vitamins derived from fruits and vegetables are the necessary nutrients required by your body’s immune system. Vitamins enhance the fighting potency of white blood cells, the disease-fighting soldiers within the body.

  1. Stick to information about the disease from credible sources only

Your ability to remain sane during the pandemic is a skill and habit required for your mental and emotional health. At this time, many fake news channels attempt to draw attention to themselves by churning out inaccurate news content. Stick to credible news sources on your television or other. The BBC, CNN, ABN, CNBC are examples of such credible news outlets.

  1. Work from home if you can

The contagion as you have already learnt spreads by close contact, and by breaking this chain, you may live. By working from home, you restrict yourself to virus-free spaces which are potentially not infected. You limit your chances of infection and enhance the safety of your family. On a brighter side, employers who formerly refused this working style consider it a necessity now.

Your new daily habits and positive changes made to your lifestyle are the new normal. Stay safe as you protect yourself and others.

Stay Healthy, Stay Happy

We all want to live the happiest life possible. When we are happy, we give our everything and get the very best out of life. There are so many things that affect our happiness levels, one of them being our health. If we are free from illness and pain, we will have a much better quality of life. While it is no guarantee, the best thing that we can do to protect our health is to live a healthy lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to do this.

Eat a healthy and balanced diet

The first step towards healthy living is by following a balanced and nutritious diet. Eliminate as much processed food and refined sugar as possible, and replace them with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you eat meat, swap out red meat for leaner white meal and poultry such as chicken. They are superb sources of protein and have fewer calories. If you eat a healthy and balanced diet, your body will be getting all of the minerals and vitamins that it needs to work properly. As well as that, you will feel great on the inside and look great on the outside. 

Take supplements

Sometimes, even when we follow the healthiest diet possible, we may find that our body lacks something. Find out from your general practitioner what you need and top it up with a supplement. Things like multi-vitamins, iron tablets, and energy boosters are readily available and give you the additional support that you may need.

Keep fit

While slumping in front of Netflix is tempting, it is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Put your sneakers on and head outdoors for a run or the gym for a workout. If staying at home is more your thing, find a workout video you can do in your lounge or even pop some music on and dance around your living room! Staying fit means that you won’t put on any excess weight and have more energy to chase after the kids and play a game of ball with your friends.

Get plenty of sleep

Sleep is often under-prioritized, due to us living such busy lives, but if we want to be healthy and happy, it is essential. Try to make sure that you get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Not only does it leave you feeling fresh and revitalized for the new day ahead, but it gives our body the chance to rest and recuperate, reducing our risk of catching illnesses or getting injures. Make sure that your bedroom is set up for quality sleep – a dark, quiet environment free from screens is optimum, as is a good routine. 

Reduce stress

Stress can have an affect on our physical health as well as our emotional health. If things are getting on top of you, try techniques such as mindfulness or even yoga. While they won’t magically make your worries and problems disappear, they will help you to find ways of coping with it.  

6 Tried and Tested Ways to Freshen Up Your Look

,

It’s always important to keep things fresh. If you don’t, then things can begin to feel a little stale. This is true for all areas of our lives; our interests, our day to day routine, and, yes, how we look too. Aside from all the other benefits that mixing up your style can bring, it also helps to keep life interesting and can make looking back at photographs all the more fun (who wants to look the same their whole life?). In this blog, we’ll take a look at a way tried and tested methods for mixing up your look and keeping things fresh. 

New Threads

The easiest way to freshen up your look is to get out the credit card and hit the stores. Indeed, within just a few hours, you can have a whole new wardrobe! But of course, that’ll be expensive. Rather than focusing on quantity, think about what type of clothes you really want, and make the investment. It’s not just about from where you buy the clothes (though that is important), but also about how you wear the items you buy. You can make an “off the rack” piece of clothing look great just by wearing it in your own style.

Out With the Old

As well as buying new clothes, you’ll want to take a look at the clothes that are currently in your wardrobe, and see whether they should really be worn out in public. We all get attached to those pieces and outfits that did, for sure, once look pretty hot. But that some time ago; over time, the colors will begin to fade and other imperfections will set in. At that point, it’s best to put the clothes out to pasture. Sometimes, the best way to freshen up your style is to commit to wearing other items outside. 

DIY Pieces

Not that all items that are slightly past their best have to be thrown out. You may be able to modify them into new wearable garments. Clothing DIY is easier than you might think, and can be an effective way to really make your look stand out a little more. And aside from being effective: it’s fun! If you or one of your friends is the artistic type, then take a look at getting out pens and going to town on the t-shirts that would otherwise be retired. You might just find that you’re able to create an enviable item with just a bit of effort.

Accessories and Essentials

Not enough people make the most of accessories. They can turn a standard outfit into something special, with next to no effort. The types of accessories you wear will depend on the time of the year. During the summer, it’ll be all about hats and summer jewelry; in the winter, your scarves, gloves, and earmuffs can provide an additional source of style. Don’t forget about the essentials, either. Glasses aren’t just functional; they can be stylish too. Check out the collection at www.eyeglasses.com, and get a pair that gives your style a boost. The glasses (and sunglasses) that you wear can really change the overall look and feel of your style. 

Hair and Makeup

Just as with our favorite clothing, we usually fall into a cycle of styling our hair and doing our makeup in the same way as always. If this sounds like you, then why not change things up? For your hair, it’s recommended that you visit the best salon in the area and ask them to create something stylish and trendy; you’ll pay more for it, but it’ll be worthwhile, plus it’s not an expense you have to make regularly. For your makeup, you could take a look at some YouTube tutorials and play around for a while until you’ve found the one that you like.

High on Confidence

Finally, let’s think about confidence. All of the tips we’ve mentioned above will push you towards looking your best, but the impact won’t be quite as powerful if you’re low in confidence. If you’re looking to turn heads, then confidence is the way to do it — everyone notices that person that seems secure within themselves. The tip we’ve outlined will naturally give you more confidence (who doesn’t feel great when they’re looking their best?), but there are other things you can do too, such as setting yourself challenges, learning a new skill, and getting rid of those things that may cause you to lose confidence in the first place. 

Banish Your Anxieties About Visiting the Doctor

Whether you’ve got a routine health check planned or you want to discuss a particular issue, visiting the doctor can be nerve-wracking. If you’re feeling anxious about an upcoming consultation, don’t let your worries prevent you from accessing medical help. Instead, take a look at these top tips to banish your anxieties now:

Be honest

At the start of your appointment, tell your doctor how you’re feeling and identify what you’re feeling anxious about if you can. It’s perfectly normal to feel worried about your health and your doctor will be able to put your mind at rest about any specific concerns you have. Remember – anxiety can sometimes be a symptom in itself, so telling your doctor how you feel will assist them in making the right diagnosis and prescribing an effective treatment. 

Ask for pain relief

Many patients undergo minor procedures in their doctor’s office, rather than in hospital. Generally, this is a much quicker and easier way to obtain the treatment you need. Of course, you might feel apprehensive about experiencing pain or discomfort when you’re due to have a procedure of some sort. 

If so, ask your doctor whether it’s appropriate for a local anesthetic to be used. Xylocaine gel is one of the most commonly used forms of anesthetic and it’s ideal for use in a clinic or doctor’s office. Successfully numbing the area for around 20-30 minutes, you can relax once you know that your procedure will be pain-free and stress-free. 

Take someone with you

If you’re feeling nervous about meeting with your doctor, ask a close friend or family member to attend the appointment with you. Providing you give permission for your doctor to discuss confidential matters with you in their presence, they can even accompany you into the consulting room. Sometimes even having someone with you in the waiting room can be a great relief, so arrange to have someone with you for moral support. 

Practice relaxation techniques

When you feel anxious, your body can respond in many different ways. Some people might feel shaky, breathless, or nauseous, for example, while others may experience palpitations, weak legs, or dizziness. Fortunately, you can reduce or eliminate these symptoms by practicing relaxation techniques in advance. 

Even learning how to take deep, calming breaths can be surprisingly effective at combatting anxiety. When we feel nervous, we tend to breathe more quickly, which leads to increased carbon dioxide levels. In turn, this can increase feelings of dizziness, headaches, and shortness of breath. By learning how to breathe calmly, you can stop this cycle and halt the symptoms of anxiety swiftly. 

Overcoming Health Anxieties

If you suspect you’re unwell, it’s not surprising that you feel anxious about visiting your doctor. Similarly, if you struggle to cope with a clinical environment or you have a fear of needles, for example, you may dread having a procedure. However, medical professionals are committed to helping you access the treatment you need. By informing them of your anxieties, you can ensure that your doctor will take your feelings into account and take steps to make the visit as stress-free as possible.  

It’s Time To Make Some Positive Changes

There’s no doubt that taking care of one’s health is incredibly important. This is especially true right now. The reality is that there has likely never been a time in many of our lives where we have spent quite so much time thinking incredibly carefully about our health. However, the truth is that your health has all kinds of different impacts on your health as a whole even without the conditions of the current crisis. Not only can it impact the way that you feel physically but it can even have an impact on your mental health and wellbeing. Your mind and your body are obviously connected and if you’re not taking care of both as much as possible, you’re likely to end up feeling exhausted, sick, and miserable. With that in mind, here are some things that you can do in order to make some positive changes in your life for the sake of your health.

Your habits

Woman With White Sunvisor Running

Source

We all have various habits in our lives. Things that we do on a daily or even constant basis that can either make our lives easier or harder depending on what they are. Something like biting your nails is hardly the most desirable habit in the world and not only can it cause a lot of pain and discomfort but it can also increase the chances of you getting sick. Obviously, habits that increase your chances of getting sick are things that are on many of our minds right now. However, this time is a great opportunity to develop some habits that are far more positive for your health overall. Things like making sure that you’re able to wash hands as thoroughly as possible aren’t just useful during this current pandemic but are an excellent habit to get into well into the future. Likewise, many of the habits of mindfulness that many of us are developing during this time can be incredibly positive moving forward.

Your lifestyle

Times are tough right now and that’s something that we’re all having to deal with. However, the mistake that a lot of people make is that they end up developing elements of their lifestyle in order to deal with tough times that aren’t exactly that helpful when it all comes down to it. Finding the energy to cook and eat healthy meals can often be a challenge and that leads some people to rely heavily on takeout and junk food. And sure, there’s nothing wrong with that. However, if you indulge in those kinds of things too much, it can end up making you feel worse. The same applies, to an even more significant degree, to things like alcohol. Sure, having a drink now and then really isn’t that big of a deal but if you get to the point where you’re relying on alcohol to feel better about the current state of things, that’s a pretty serious issue and a situation that you really don’t want to get yourself into.

Your job

A person’s job can often be the most significant source of stress and anxiety for them, something that has most certainly been pronounced by the current state of affairs. One of the best things that you can do to try and minimise the negative impact that your job has on your health and wellbeing is to focus your energy in other places like a personal hobby or talking to friends and family. Obviously, your options for activities outside of work right now is a whole lot more limited than it was before but there are still ways to take your mind off your career so that you’re dragging any stress from it into the rest of your life.

Your friend circle

Source

No matter how tough things can get a lot of the time, there are few things better than having a genuinely positive support network around you to help you get through it. Now is a time for many of us to come together and take care of each other. However, if you find that certain people in your life are making life even more difficult than it already is, then that’s something you need to deal with. Obviously talking to them is the first step but if you find that someone is genuinely committed to particularly toxic behaviour, sometimes the best thing that you can do is to just walk away from that relationship. You’d be amazed at just what a positive difference it can make in your life letting that weight off your shoulders.

Your home

Obviously, the chances of being able to sell your home and move right now are pretty slim. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to put up with a home that makes you feel worse. Whether it’s stress from clutter and mess or a bigger issue with something like damp, there are always things that you can do to make your home a more positive space. It’s often a simple and small change but one that can have a big impact.

The reality of trying to be healthy is that it’s never going to be easy. There are plenty of things in life where the easy option is often the one that sacrifices your health. Whether that’s eating a plate of junk food, indulging in some unhealthy behaviors, or neglecting certain things that you should be doing. The truth is that, for the most part, there really isn’t anything wrong with the occasional slip up when it comes to your health. Slipping on your diet or avoiding a couple of workout days every now and then really isn’t going to have that much of a negative impact on your life. Of course, that doesn’t apply to the current situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The reality is that it’s all of our responsibilities to make sure that we’re following all of the correct procedures. There are plenty of aspects of your health that you can ignore from time to time, but for the good of both yourself and everyone else around you, the rules of social distancing and washing your hands simply aren’t one of them.

Simple Tips Of Working From Home To Be More Productive

What you can't claim as working from home tax deductions

Working from home can bring with it many benefits, from productivity growth to flexibility improvements if you know how to do it.

Here are some simple tips to help you to be more productive while working remotely.

Act like you are going to the office.

When working from home, do all the things you’d do to prepare for an office role: Get up early, make (or go get) coffee, and wear nice clothes. This will get you in the your usual working mindset.

Just because you’re not working at an office doesn’t mean you can’t, well, have an office. Rather than cooping yourself up in your room or on the couch – spaces that are associated with leisure time – dedicate a specific room or surface in your hIf you’re struggling to come up with a reasonable work schedule for yourself, start with the solitary tasks in the morning. Save phone calls, meetings, and other collaborative work for when you’ve officially “woken up.”ome to work.

When working from home, you’re your own personal manager. Without things like an in-person meeting schedule to break up your day, you can be quick to lose focus or burn out. To stay on schedule, segment what you’ll do and when over the course of the day.

Of course, you might be working from home but still have “company”. Make sure any roommates, siblings, parents, spouses, and dogs (well, maybe not dogs) respect your space during work hours. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you’re home.

Social media is designed to make it easy for you to open and browse quickly. To counteract your social networks’ ease of use during work hours, remove them from your browser shortcuts and log out of every account.

Social media is designed to make it easy for you to open and browse quickly. To counteract your social networks’ ease of use during work hours, remove them from your browser shortcuts and log out of every account.

It can be so easy to get distracted that you avoid breaks altogether. Don’t let the guilt of working in the building you sleep in prevent you from taking five to relax. Rather than just opening YouTube, however, use your breaks to get away from your desk.

You might be under the impression that working from home establishes more work-life balance, but be careful with that assumption. Working from home can also feel like being at a casino – you can get so caught up in your activity, in a relaxing environment, that you lose complete track of time.

Avoid over working

The boundaries between our work and personal life are blurring. Prevent yourself from working longer hours.

SHORTCUT TO CALCULATE WORK FROM HOME EXPENSES.

From 1 March – 30 June (and pending reassessment beyond) the ATO is allowing an across-the-board 80 cents per hour claim for your running expenses. When working from home, do all the things you’d do to prepare for an office role: Set your alarm, make (or go get) coffee, and wear nice clothes. This will get you in the your usual working mindset. 

 

How To Maintain Your Beauty Regime in Lockdown: 5 Tips You Can Use

Throughout the lockdown you might be missing your regular trips to the hair salon, getting your mani-pedi done or pamper days at the spa. However, there are certain things that you can do at home that will ensure that you’re maintaining your beauty regime while staying safe from the virus.

A beneficial way of practicing your self-care, it will make you feel relaxed and pampered – something that everyone could do with during this time. Just like maintaining your fitness routine, it will bring a sense of normality to quarantine life.

But where do you start? Here are 5 tips that you can use to help you to keep up your beauty regime throughout the next few months.

  1. Keep Moisturized 

Being inside all of the time can cause havoc to your skin – whether you’re constantly turning the heating or air conditioning up. So the key to happy skin is to keep it moisturized. This should be done both at night and in the morning. Ensuring that your skin is healthy and doesn’t become dry, you’ll feel more refreshed and ready to start the day.

Moisturizer, face creams, serums and more can also be easily ordered online, so you don’t have to worry about venturing into your local store (for example on Pharmacy Online).

  1. Make DIY Face/Hair Masks

If you’re used to purchasing hair and face masks from your local store, well you’ll be pleased to know that you can create your own at home with a small number of ingredients. The perfect opportunity to get crafty in the kitchen, they will give your hair/face the nourishment and moisture they need. 

For a face mask, you could use a variety of ingredients, including avocado, honey and natural yogurt. For a hair mask, you could use honey, aloe vera gel and lemon (amongst other wonderful, natural ingredients.

  1. Run a Bath With Essential Oils

The ultimate way to unwind is with a long, hot soak in the tub. Rejuvenating the skin, you’ll feel calm and at ease afterwards. If you really want to treat yourself, as well as adding essential oils to the tub, you could use a body scrub while in it or a body lotion afterwards. 

  1. Treat Your Nails To A Manicure 

As aforementioned, you’re probably missing getting your nails done at the salon. But there are kits that you can use to create the manicure-look at home. 

If you normally love to get your nails done, this will help you to achieve a similar look, while the lockdown continues. There are so many tutorials and step-by-step guides online that will help you to do this too.

  1. Give Up The Makeup

Although applying makeup throughout the lockdown might make you feel as though life’s normal, it will only damage your skin in the long term. So, as part of your beauty regime, why not give the makeup a miss for a while? This will give your skin time to breathe and will make it feel so much more refreshed.

If You Want White Teeth, You Should Avoid These Foods

,

We would all like to have white teeth. Not only is it a priority of the culture, but it also signals health and vitality. Plus, a great smile helps create good first impressions when we meet new people.

Unfortunately, not everyone has white teeth, and you may even be considering seeing an orthodontist because of your smile, but it is not always the result of poor hygiene. Mostly, it’s just the foods that we eat. 

Fruits and vegetables contain chemicals called tannins. These are chemicals that give the foods that we eat their characteristic color. 

Plants use these pigments to signal to bees and protect themselves from the environment. But they’re also dyes – and that’s the point at which your teeth can get into trouble. When you eat these foods month after month, year after year, they eventually incorporate themselves into the enamel, causing it to look duller and browner. 

The good news, though, is that a lot of this discoloration is superficial. Clinics like DentEssential, for instance, point out that you can usually get rid of this with a single visit to the hygienist. 

But what about the six months between visits? What can you do to avoid stains then and keep your teeth white year-round? 

The answer is simple: avoid the highest-tannin foods! Or if you can’t, blend them up and drink them through a straw, bypassing your teeth. 

Coffee

Sorry all you coffee lovers out there, but the world’s favorite drink is one of the leading causes of tooth discoloration. Tannins from the coffee bean have a nasty habit of incorporating themselves into the tooth enamel and turning your gnashers brown over time. 

The heat of coffee makes this problem worse. The high temperature softens the enamel and makes it more prone to infiltration. 

So what’s the solution here? Should you avoid coffee altogether? 

Avoiding coffee won’t do you any harm – and it might do you some good if you drink cup after cup of the stuff. But you can avoid going without by drinking your coffee through a straw. No – it’s not the done thing, and it looks a little strange, but it does help keep your pearly whites white. 

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are delicious, but here again, you need to be careful. Oranges, lychees, and the rest all contain abundant tannins that can make their way onto your teeth. 

Fortunately, you can quickly whip these fruits up into a smoothie and use the straw method to guzzle them. 

Berries

Berries are high in anthocyanins – cyan-colored pigments that make your mouth look purple after you eat them. 

As you might expect, these phytochemicals can stain, so it is critical to rinse your mouth out after you eat berries.

Green Tea

All teas have a nasty habit of coloring your teeth, but green tea is one of the most insidious. It looks relatively benign, but don’t let its soothing green color fool you. This drink is chock full of chemicals that color your teeth and make them go brown. 

So, there, you have it: some of the foods that you should avoid if you want white teeth. Keep your diet simple and be wary of particularly colorful menu items. 

 

Do You Feel Like A Real Adult?

We put a lot of expectations on ourselves but there’s one thing that we’re all constantly told to do from an early age: grow up. Many of us just kind of assume that feeling like a real grown-up is something that inevitably happens with time but the truth is that this isn’t actually the case. A lot of people end up in adulthood while still feeling like they don’t really know what they’re doing. If you want to start feeling like a grown-up, you have to start taking responsibility for your life. Here are just a few ways that you can do that and start feeling like a real adult.

Get involved in local politics

Snore! I’m sure that’s what you might be saying at the thought of local politics. Politics can be pretty dry at the best of times. And local politics doesn’t even have the newsworthy glamor of a national election. But, believe it or not, local governments have a surprisingly serious effect on your life. The best thing that you can do is make sure you’re aware of who your local representatives are and how you can contact them. Making changes in government might seem too big for any person to make a difference but getting involved at a local level is a great place to start.

Take care of your health 

One of the hardest lessons that many people have to learn is that their health is something they have to take an active part in looking after. If you don’t you could end up in some seriously unpleasant situations. It’s time to start taking care of every aspect of your health. Whether that involves getting in touch with a place like the McCrae Dental Surgery in order to take care of your teeth, to contacted your doctor to discuss any issues that you’re having with your mental health, it’s something you should never ignore. Ignoring your health is a fast way to make sure that your life never feels entirely in your hands.

Stay active

In the same way that your health is something you have control over, the way you feel on a day to day is just as much in your hands. Living a more active life is an essential ingredient when it comes to getting everything you can out of life. You’ll have more energy, you’ll feel better about yourself, and your body will be happier and healthier than ever before. An active lifestyle is often a lot easier to achieve than many people assume and it can make you feel like you have more control over your life.

A lot of the things that come with feeling like a real adult aren’t exactly the most exciting things in the world but that’s the reality of living in the modern world. If you want to start feeling like you have more control over your life then the first step is to acknowledge just how much control you have over the direction that it takes. Once you can to that, you’ll start feeling like you’re far more in charge of your own life.

Boost Your Anti Aging Foods

,

There’s nothing you can do to stop ageing. Sadly everybody gets older and die eventually. If feeling and looking younger than your years is important to you, you’ll probably know that some foods give you energy and make you feel full of life, and others drag you down and put your straight into a food coma.

People live in Japan who eat a diet rich in fish, vegetables and soy, low in fat and sugar, have the longest lifespan the lowest levels of heart disease. Every meal you eat is an opportunity to fend off ageing, so eat the right food. A disease fighting, anti-ageing diet means cooking from the scratch, using fresh ingredients instead of relying on the lettuce in your burger for one of your five a day portions of fruit and veg (that’s the story of my life).

Antioxidants could add years to our lives buy fighting free radical damage, if we are getting enough. For very basic good health, you need five a day – five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day ( a portion is around a handful). But to fend off aging , you need to step up a level and pack in as many antioxidants as possible.

Let’s start with some most easy to find and affordable anti ageing foods:

Spinach

It all in the color – spinach and other dark green vegetables such as kale, rocket and spring greens are packed with hundreds of disease fighting micro nutrients. Spinach is good at protecting eyesight as well as keeping the arteries clear of cholesterol, reducing blood pressure and lowering the risk of cancer. Baby spinach leaves contain more than 90%more antioxidants than iceberg lettuce.

Onions

Onions are high in the flavonoid quercitin, which can cut heart disease risk by 755%. Flavonoids also boost the immune system. One study showed a strong link between regular consumption of onions and a reduced risk of stomach cancer.

Broccoli

Broccoli come s from a family of cruciferous vegetables (including cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts) that contain high levels of sulphur compounds which increase the enzymes that stop cancer cells growing. They also contain high levels of the antioxidant vitamin C and cholesterol lowering fibre. If there are any leaves left on the stalk, don’t discard them before cooking – they contain more carotenoids than the florets!

Sweet potatoes

While white potatoes provide low amounts of antioxidants, the darker skinned sweet potato is packed with antioxidants. They are simply delicious and so easy to cook. They can be baked in their skins, or boiled. Try cutting them into strips and roasting them in the oven in a little olive oil to make sweet potato chips.

Nuts

Nuts got a bad reputation during the 1980s fat free diet craze. We think nuts make us fat. They are high in calories, but in moderation ( a handful, a few times a week) they can reduce your risk of having a heart attack by up to 50%. They are packed full of monounsaturates, which lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.

Wholegrains

Foods come from the wholegrain, those that still contain the antioxidant- packed wheatgerm, will help to lower your risk of heart disease, hypertension and certain cancers.

Yogut

Yogurt is a good anti ageing food as it’s full of probiotics or ”good bacteria” essential for essential for healthy digestion and boosting the immune system. Getting your digestive system working effectively means you’ll also get the most out of the other anti-ageing foods you are eating.

Consume a Balanced Diet

What you choose to eat every day has a direct effect on your appearance, so it is important to consume a balanced diet. Everyday Health states that nutritious foods reduce your chances of developing chronic diseases as you age, and it elevates your energy, which can make you naturally more vivacious. Although nutritional needs do vary among seniors, eating more vegetables, fruits, small portions of lean meats, fish, beans and whole grains are especially helpful. When you eat healthier, it is easier to keep the pounds off and avoid developing life-threatening health conditions that negatively impact your appearance.

The older that you get, the more important that it becomes to develop life-saving and beauty-magnifying habits with a sound diet, regular exercise, and a worry-free mind. Maintaining your beauty regimen and using products that nourish your skin is important for reducing anti-aging and appearing years younger. Every day that you make the choice to do something positive to make yourself look and feel good, your natural beauty and inner glow will shine through.

Why Having a Healthy Smile is More Important Than You Think

A healthy smile reflects more than just your oral health. In fact, our teeth and gums are a great indicator of our overall physical health. As well as examining your teeth, tongue, and gums to diagnose certain conditions, medical professionals often look to your oral health to determine whether you’re at risk of developing other health problems. 

To learn just how important a healthy smile is, take a look at the ways your oral health can affect your wellbeing…

Improve Heart Health

A good oral hygiene routine removes plaque from your teeth and prevents it from turning into tartar. When plaque is left on the surface of your teeth, it begins to damage the enamel and causes decay. Of course, plaque doesn’t just affect your teeth; it damages your gums too. 

An early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis, often occurs because of plaque buildup. Characterized by spongy, swollen or bleeding gums, it can quickly develop into a more severe form of gum disease if it’s left untreated. 

However, the damage plaque causes doesn’t stop there. If it isn’t removed via brushing and flossing, plaque can impact your heart function too. With studies still ongoing, researchers are exploring the ways in which dental problems contribute to heart disease. 

It’s possible that plaque can actually affect your heart health in two ways, which highlights the importance of practicing a good oral hygiene routine. Firstly, plaque from your mouth could migrate throughout the rest of your body and eventually cause blockages in your arteries. When your arteries are partially blocked, it prevents blood from flowing through them effectively, which means your heart and other organs won’t get the oxygen or nutrients they need to function optimally. 

Secondly, the presence of plaque increases your risk of developing bacterial infections. As plaque itself contains millions of bacteria, it doesn’t take much it to get into your bloodstream. When this happens, bacteria will cause inflammation at the site of any existing damage and potentially cause infection within your body. This has been linked to increased instances of endocarditis, which is an infection of the inner lining of the heart muscle. 

Due to scientific links between gum disease and heart health, taking care of your teeth and gums will do more than just prevent oral hygiene issues. By flossing and brushing regularly, you could keep your heart in tip-top condition too. 

Decrease the Risk of Dementia

Many people assume that dementia is a natural part of the aging process, but this isn’t the case. Dementia is actually a degenerative condition, which means it gets progressively worse over time, but it doesn’t affect everybody, and it isn’t an inevitable part of getting older.

As researchers learn more about Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia, they have identified biological markers that indicate how and when dementia developers. When dementia occurs, it’s often because abnormal structures affect how the brain works. These structures, known as neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques, prevent the nerve cells from communicating normally and cause inflammation to occur. 

Although the exact way in which gum disease contributes to dementia is still being studied, numerous researchers have made the link. In addition to this, a bacterium commonly found in gum disease, Porphyromonas gingivalis, has been found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which may highlight why people with gum disease seem to have an increased risk of developing dementia.

Other theories purport that an excess of dental plaque causes damage to the bodies’ blood vessels, which eventually increases the number of toxic proteins in the brain, thus leading to dementia. Additionally, it is thought that the ongoing inflammation which is present when someone has gum disease causes the entire body to be more at risk of inflammation. As people with dementia typically have inflammation within the brain, anything which increases the risk of inflammation could potentially increase the risk of dementia too. 

While the science behind the mechanism is still being understood, there are a variety of studies that show that people with gum disease are more likely to develop dementia. Due to this, regular brushing and route visits to the best dentist in your area are a must. By reducing plaque buildup in your mouth, there’s a good chance you could reduce your risk of developing dementia in later life too. 

Defeat Diabetes with Oral Health

Diabetes can cause a wide range of symptoms but few people realize that it can affect your teeth and gums. When your blood sugar levels aren’t well-controlled, it can cause damage to numerous parts of the body, including your gums, heart, kidneys, and liver. When blood sugar levels are too high, the blood vessels in your body are damaged. This means they are unable to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the rest of your body.

When your gums don’t get the nutrients they need, the risk of an infection occurring increases. Similarly, it’s possible that bone loss could be exacerbated if the supply of nutrients isn’t sufficient. In addition to this, uncontrolled blood sugar means there can be a higher level of glucose in your saliva. Increased glucose means bacteria can multiply, which also increases the chances of an infection taking hold. 

Due to this, people with diabetes have a higher risk of developing gum disease. In fact, your dentist may advise you to get checked for diabetes when they first diagnose you with gum disease. Although a good oral hygiene routine won’t be enough to manage your diabetes alone, it can certainly reduce the risk of subsequent problems occurring. When you implement a good oral hygiene routine, for example, you’re removing excess plaque, which limits the ability of bacteria to thrive in a high glucose environment. 

Protect Your Body with a Healthy Smile

Oral health should never be viewed in isolation. As well as increasing the risk of some health problems, the health of our teeth and gums can also provide crucial information regarding conditions affecting other parts of our bodies. By visiting your dentist regularly and maintaining a healthy smile, you can successfully maintain your overall physical wellbeing and reduce the risk of developing health problems in the future. 

Distressing By Decluttering And Cleaning

Are your drawers tidy and ordered? Do you only have clothes you like and wear regularly in your wardrobe? Are all the appliances in your home essential and in working order? Is your desk piled up with unsorted paperwork? Is your car clean and well maintained? Is the area under your bed well ordered and dust free? Is there any mysterious boxes and bags of unknown “stuff” lying around your house? Do you recycle and decluttering periodically?

It’s finally Easter Weekend and I’m having a good few days to sit down and ask myself the above questions. Mostly importantly, there’s finally some time to have a good clean up. Clean up the house, clean up my mind and make life simple.

Deep cleaning is good for your soul.

The good news is I’m aware of it and have started to clean up once in while.

Storage cabinets

I’ve gone through cupboards and drawers and threw out lots of useless items accumulated. On the upside, I also found almost a full bottle of hand sanitiser. This is something money can’t buy in this current environment, you know. Hand sanitisers are sold out everywhere right now.

Wardrobe

This is a major and ever evolving area. I’ve been ruthless this time and put a few big bags of clothes in the local donation bin. Most of them are never worn or in mint condition. From now onwards I’ll only buy clothes in neutral colours and in simple styles.

Kitchen cupboards

Gone are the slow cooker and blender. These appliances are good ideas but never used. Talking about being ruthless. There are hundreds of pretty dishes that I still can’t bring myself to get rid of. Should have only bought a couple of bowls and plates and be simple! “Unused stuff” can take up so much space and be a huge money waster. No wonder I’m poor. If you want to be financially successful, think before you buy!

Getting rid of your clutter and you’re free to redefine yourself. Your space becomes clearer. Life becomes less stressful. It makes you feel you are in control of your life by chucking out things you don’t need.

I only started decluttering a few years ago. Before that, I had all the ornaments, travel trinkets, plants, designer clothes, silver jewellery that are too fancy to wear everyday and things for projects never been undertaken.

The Chinese believe that all these unlovely, unwanted thins lying about haphazardly block the flow of energy – the chi in our homes. Obviously I’m not Chinese enough. Cutting my belongs will be an ongoing process and I need to cultivate ruthlessness.

It’s hard to feel unstressed when your home is dirty and messy. Even if it’s clean, keeping it that way is often a major cause of stress. Very often, I feel too tired or too busy to clean. But a clean home gives me so much joy and energy so there must be easier way to keep our homes clean.

The answer is clean as you go.

Get dressed as soon as you get up

I’m very sloppy when I work from home or having days off. But try this, the minute you get up, make your bed and get dressed. Wash up (make up is optional) and comb your hair. You’ll be amazed how much more productive you can be.

Aways have a clean kitchen sink

If you prepare and cook food, wipe down the counter top quickly as soon as you are done. Wash dishes when you are done with them. It’s easily said than done I know. But don’t make it a habit leaving dirty dishes pile up in the sink. With a shinning sink, you feel you are in control.

Put away clothes when you take them off

I used to have clothes piled up everywhere in the bedroom, in the bathroom. It doesn’t take much effort to put clothes away whenever you take them off. If they are clean, put them back in the wardrobe. If they are dirty, put them in the cleaning basket. It’s that easy and make you feel so much better!

Take out garbage whenever you are leaving home

Before you leave home, check if there’s any garbage to take out.

Make it a habit to declutter regularly and clean as you go. You’ll fee much less stressed and more in control of your life for sure.

3 Simple Steps To Stay In Shape

Do you have an ache in your lower back, a tight, pulling feeling in your neck and your shoulders up in your ears? If so, then you are not alone. Nowadays I probably spend more than 10 hours seated and could feel my waistline expanding by minute.

This kind of sedentary lifestyle means your back and stomach muscles become severely underused. It means you body is heading for a disaster and you need to stand up, get active ( 30 minutes a day for a adult) and learn to maintain good posture.

How to stay in shape and feel more energised? A good place to start is to do something about the neglected areas of your health regime. When you are out of shape, it’s very possible that you are over eating. You don’t exercise. You don’t sleep well. Or all of the above.

1. Sleep well

Most people skip sleep all week and then play catch up at the weekends. That’ll not only knock out your body clock but also make you fell lethargic and even sleepier when you do wake up. For effective sleep, aim for seven solid hours a night. To aid your sleep have a warm bath to make you feel drowsy. Lower the room temperature. A cool environment improves sleep. Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, diet drinks and some pain killers) five hours before bed and don’t go to bed hungry. Also don’t eat a heavy meal two hours before bed, as this will cause a restless night.

2. Eat well

Be aware of how much you eat and what you eat. These two things alone determine your weight gain. Not all foods are made the same. Generally it’s the food that tastes good usually packs the most on the calorie front. keep a food diary and note where your weak spots lie. This will not only help you to be honest about what you eat but will also help you to create a healthier food plan to nourish your body.

Eat like a healthy person and don’t go with mad diets. Healthy people don’t police what goes into their mouths, feel guilty when they eat something “bad” and skip meals because they want to lose weight. Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are not. Don’t over eat. When you tend to over-eat, stop. Find something else to do that takes your mind off eating. If you’re truly having a bad day, and food is the only remedy to make your better, give in to it in a small way. Then move on!

3. Exercise often

Sadly, for many people, myself included, the idea of exericse is more abhorrent than a diet. That’s why people start diets everyday and people only tend to start exercising either at New year or when the beach season comes. This is down to one simple reason: in order to exercise you need to take action, which means you actually need to move. Whereas diet, you can literally just do nothing. Both equal weight loss but studies show that people who exercise win in the long run.

That’s because exercisers:

  • Have more self-esteem and confidence because their bodies feel stronger.
  • Have leaner bodies than people who diet because muscle takes up a third of the space of fat
  • Keep weight off for longer than dieters
  • Feel great in genera, as exercise releases feel good endorphins

How to keep exercising and stay in shape then?

First of all, you need to stay motivated. Find a sport or activity that suits you and inspires you, as well as getting you results. Create a realistic vision of how you’d like to stay in shape in the long run.

Make exercise a habit. Keep doing it every day or at lease 3 – 4 times a week. All you need is 30 minutes a day. When tempted to break your habit, remind yourself your are only sabotaging yourself. Every time you break it means you have to start all over again!

Of course life doesn’t run smoothly for anyone and it doesn’t take much to give us an excuse to break down. When there are times you have a setback, remember to jump back on the wagon and keep going.

You have to see exercise and activity as part of your life to. Get use to moving and your can stay in shape effortlessly.