All posts by Tia

BEAUTY, ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Benefits of Retinol and How to Use It in Your Routine

Benefits of Retinol and How to Use It in Your Routine

Every time you reach for an anti-aging product or an anti-acne scarring cream, you’re bound to see products containing retinoid or retinol.

If you’ve taken the best acne scar treatment before, you may also have heard your physician recommend products with retinol to further improve your skin condition. It’s not only treated as a product that evens skin tone. But it’s also helps your skin cell turnover faster. It has the ability to remove dead skin cells quicker and help healthy ones come to the skin’s surface.

What is Retinol

Retinol is a kind of retinoids, which comes from vitamin A. The role of vitamin A in the body is to support cell growth, immune function, reproduction and vision among other things. Because retinol is a “weaker” form of retinoid compared to others, it can be bought over-the-counter.

How Retinol Works

Retinol triggers the skin cells on the surface of the skin so that the turnover becomes faster. New skin cells are then generated resulting in smoother and more even skin. The healthy cell turnover helps ease cystic acne, as well as reduces breakouts by keeping pores clear of clogging.

It also helps increase the skin’s production of hyaluronic acid which helps keep the skin look plump and young-looking. Retinol also helps boost collagen production and prevents collagen breakdown. Collagen is a kind of protein that helps with skin elasticity, and it’s a substance that makes up about 35% of all the protein in the body.

The Benefits

From aging to acne, retinol has become known as a go-to cure for all skin problems. Retinol was first marketed as an anti-acne and acne-clearing agent, but once physicians noted that it also helps reduce the signs of aging, they rebranded it as an anti-wrinkle product.

There’s a long list of wonderful benefits from using retinol, and below are some of them.

Anti-Aging

Retinol helps your skin look more youthful by reducing the appearance of wrinkles, restore skin that’s been damaged by the sun, and it also gets rid of uneven spots. Although wrinkles are beautiful, and physical flaws like dark spots are nothing to worry about, it’s still good to prevent skin imperfections from forming.

Retinol does these things by boosting the production of collagen. Fine lines can be caused by the decrease of collagen production and collagen breakdown, two issues that retinol helps solve.

Of course, for more effective anti-aging results, you can always undergo different types of professional treatment. Research and learn more about plastic surgery centers to find the best to suit your needs.

Helps Treat Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition or an autoimmune disease diagnosed by darker, itchy, dry and scaly skin. Retinol can be used due to its ability to increase skin cell turnover and its properties that help improve skin appearance. However, for severe conditions, one will need to apply stronger forms of retinoids. A physician’s prescription is needed in such cases.

Brightens and Evens Skin Tone

Dull, lackluster skin can be bothering as you would want your skin to look healthy. Lackluster skin can be caused by sun damage, stress, lack of sleep and poor lifestyle habits. Retinol helps by toning down the skin cells that produce the darker pigments called melanin.

Helps Treat Acne

Studies have shown that retinol is effective in treating inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne. It also has the ability to reduce pimple marks aside from its capability to stop new ones from developing.


How to Use

Before we discuss how to properly use retinol for skincare, please note that you should never wear it during day time. Only apply retinol on your skin during the night, as it makes your skin very sensitive and can increase the risk of sunburn. If you choose to wear a small amount of retinol product in the morning then remember to always put sunscreen on.

Retinol products should have the instructions at the back. For added guidance, here’s how to add retinol to your daily routine.

Use with Care

Retinol is a great addition to your skin care regimen. But you have to consult with your dermatologist first. It’s important to note that retinol will come in various strengths so better start off with something that has 0.1% retinol before progressing to 0.5%, 1%, or 2%. Always do a patch test first on the inside of your elbow or your neck to make sure that you don’t have any allergic reactions to the product. Other than those, it’s a powerful ingredient that will gain you benefits the more you use it.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Home Remedies To Aid The Battle Against Chronic Pain

Home Remedies To Aid The Battle Against Chronic Pain

Whether you experience chronic health issues such as arthritis, are recovering from an injury, or simply have trouble with joint pain, living with chronic pain can be tough. Treating that pain isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t want to rely too much on prescribed medications. However, there are places like RELATYV At Home Pain Management in Texas and helpful natural options you can consider, including some of the following.

Link – CC0 License

Needling the problem

When you’re opting not to go for the modern medicine approach, turning to more traditional techniques may work, instead. Acupuncture might be an ancient Chinese form of medicine but a lot of people find that it is just as effective at helping with pain, today. One of the potential explanations is that the treatment releases endorphins, which are positive mood-alerting chemicals that can also numb sensations of pain.

Herbal remedies

Avoiding medication doesn’t mean that you take nothing to help address your chronic pain. A lot of people take supplements such as willow bark and turmeric that are recommended by many as helping to fight off chronic pain. Cannabis products have become a lot more popular for treating pain and you might even be able to grow your own, where legal, with the help of products like Gavita. If you are taking any medication to manage any conditions, however, it is recommended to check with your doctor that there’s no risk of your supplements affecting other treatments.

Add anti-inflammatories to your diet

Chronic pain is often caused by inflammation. This is especially true of pain affecting the joints and back. To that end, the body does have its own anti-inflammatory response, which can be aided by eating foods high in anti-inflammatory ingredients like kale, spinach, tomatoes, and salmon. You can also use IV treatments such as those available from Drip Hydration to load the body with these ingredients directly.

Find the right temperature

If the problem is inflammation or some other kind of physical tightness or ache, then applying heat or ice directly to the site of pain might help as well. In general, you want to use cold packs or ice for inflammation or swelling, especially immediately following any type of exercise injury. Heat, on the other hand, is better for aches that feel stiff, especially for sprains and similar injuries.

Work out the pain

For physical pain, taking the physical approach can often be the right solution. Massage therapy may be able to offer acute relief by increasing the blood flow to pained areas and to ease tensed muscles that might be squeezing on the painful area. Getting a good night’s sleep can be crucial in helping your body relax and, as such, taking steps to increase sleep quality such as a new mattress may be key.

The relief that people feel from chronic pain can differ from person to person and method to method. Just because one doesn’t work doesn’t mean that none of them will work. Often, it takes time and some trial and error to find the best method for you.

Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Actionable Steps To Improve Family Wellness

Actionable Steps To Improve Family Wellness

(Unsplash CC0)

As a parent, the health of your family will obviously be a priority to you. The last thing you want is for anybody to get sick, from the youngest members of your family to the oldest. As such, there are probably things you are doing already in relation to everybody’s health and wellbeing. This is great news if so.

Of course, a few reminders are always useful. So, consider the following. While you may be doing some of these things already, there are also ideas on this list that you may not have thought of yet. You will be better able to achieve your health goals if you commit to any of these and you will also protect the health of your family too. 

#1: Schedule in those all-important healthcare checkups

It’s sometimes the case that we can forget to schedule health appointments when we’re too busy. Or we simply neglect the need to do so and only book appointments when somebody in our family is suffering in any way. However, prevention is often the best way forwards when it comes to our health, so schedule those appointments, even if everybody is feeling fine. If there are any issues, these will be flagged and dealt with before other problems set in. 

6-monthly checkups are recommended when it comes to dental care, for example. And 2-yearly checkups are recommended for the optician. It’s also important to visit the doctor if the adults in your family haven’t had a health screening in a while. And if you haven’t yet done so, you should also book an appointment with the best pediatricians for your children, as regular check-ups are equally as important as they start to grow and age.

#2: Schedule in no-screen days

(Unsplash CC0)

We can all be guilty of spending too much time in front of a screen. However, there are health consequences, including those health risks related to a sedentary lifestyle. Obesity can become a major problem for any member of your family who is regularly inactive, and stress, depression, and the risk of diabetes are other consequences. 

If you can limit screen time you will reduce these problems and have more time for physical activity. This might be on the weekend when there is no school or work, or it might be one evening a week when you are all together. Spend time doing something outdoors, perhaps by going for a walk or by taking up a shared hobby. Or on those pesky rainy days, you could use these ideas on keeping your children active indoors. 

You don’t have to place a screen ban for the entire day as it might be hard to achieve. However, if you can limit screen time as much as possible, there will be more time for exercise, as well as increased bonding time with your family. 

#3: Manage your family’s unhealthy habits

Encourage each member of your family to choose an unhealthy habit that they need to quit or cut back on. For your children, it might be cutting down on sweets or junk food. For the adults in your family, it might be drinking less alcohol or quitting smoking. As we discussed above, another unhealthy habit might include too much screen time. 

To manage these habits, you could make a pact with one another to quit or cut down. You could also promise family rewards if people manage to stick to the goals they set themselves. This can be useful if some people are more resistant to giving up certain things than others. 

As a parent, you can also do what you can to help others. Bringing less junk food into the house and cooking healthier meals is obviously one thing you can do. And you could also find ways to distract yourself and others from unhealthy habits, such as planning activities that don’t involve screen time. 

#4: Be a good role model

If you want your children to follow healthier habits, you need to role model good behavior. This means no looking at your phone if you have placed limits on screen time. This means no sitting in front of the TV if you have told your children to be more active. And it also means no chomping down on a bar of chocolate if you have told your children they need to eat healthier snacks. 

The actions you take will influence what others do so be mindful. If you can role model healthy habits, such as going for a walk each day, it might be that your family members will follow your good example. 

Finally

Are there things you need to do to improve the health of your family? The ideas we have presented here are just the start. So, consider what else you need to do and then take actionable steps for the improved health and wellbeing of every family member.

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Keeping Costs Down When Renovating

Keeping Costs Down When Renovating

Despite people thinking that renovations are usually an expensive project, it is possible to update your home to a high standard without needing to break the bank. You just need to think about the areas you can save some money. 

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya from Pexels

Let’s have a look at some of the ways you can save money on home renovations below: 

Think About The Supplier You Use 

Just because a supplier is a large supplier, it doesn’t necessarily mean that is the best option. It’s easy to think that your only option is to go for the big brands, after all, they have shiny flyers, a great-looking website, a sales team, and tv adverts. But, a smaller supplier may have better deals, a smaller team, and therefore and a more personalized service. It is worth taking note of the costs in each place and going to the lowest costs. 

Be Your Own Project Manager

This has to be one of the easiest ways to reduce the costs of a renovation project. You know exactly what you want and how much you have to play with it. If you’re completing a large project, you can’t underestimate the workload that it entails. It can be a time-consuming and tedious task. However, when you are in control of your own project you have complete control of where the money is spent and you don’t need to fork out the wage for hiring someone. 

Set A Budget 

Just like with any other money you part with, you need to set yourself a budget. Think about what you want to do, how much you can afford to spend, and gather a rough estimate of how much it’s going to cost in supplies. It’s a good idea to look at things such as your roof financing, remortgaging, or loans before you start a project as it will give you an idea of how much you have to spend and what you need to stay under for your affordability. 

Make Use Of Old Materials 

You may find that some of the old materials that you plan on removing during a renovation can be reused, especially the larger items. Bricks are a really good example of this. If your roof tiles are in good condition, they can also be a great material to reuse or resell to make some extra money. If you are renovating an older property, it may be a good idea to blend the new and old together. 

Do The Work Yourself 

When it comes to renovation work, DIY can go a long way to helping reduce costs. Any of the jobs you can do yourself will be a hell of a lot cheaper than hiring someone to do it for you. Your confidence in doing it yourself will determine how much you are actually able to do without any help. If you are dealing with electricity or gas, it’s always best to seek the help of a professional who is qualified. You can save a hefty sum if you simply do the painting in your project. Do you work to a tight budget when renovating? How do you save money? 

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Need To Bring A Creative Architectural Design To Life? The Advantages Of Drywall

Need To Bring A Creative Architectural Design To Life? The Advantages Of Drywall

Drywall is a building material used to finish interior walls in buildings and residences. Drywall is often used to create special design features in architecture. For example, you can use drywalls to make elegant eaves and arches that will add a sense of style to your home or place of business. In most cases, drywall sheets are framed with wood or metal studs and covered with gypsum-based plaster. Drywall Repair is recommended in case of damage, to ensure the continued integrity of the structure. 

Image Credit

It’s worth mentioning that there are different types of drywall for particular applications—for example, fireproofing drywall provides additional protection against heat, while soundproofing drywall is used to limit the amount of noise from a particular area.

Drywall takes special attention, so you can achieve a seamless look. Installing electrical outlets should look pristine, so it looks as if they were always meant to be there.

If you have an electrical challenge, it’s best to schedule a professional such as this electrician moorabbin company, or reach out to an urgent electrician in time of an emergency; as they will be able to provide you with high quality job which should prevent any reoccurring and future problems.

Keep reading to learn the advantages of using drywall to make your space a masterpiece all its own.

Read: MAJOR RENOVATIONS THAT WILL ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOME

Installation

In most areas, drywall installation requires licensing by state law. This means that anyone planning on installing this material must be aware of all applicable codes and permit requirements before starting work. In addition, it’s important to find an electrician and a plumber to do inspections during the wall-finishing process. This way, any issues with plumbing or wiring can easily be addressed—and, in some cases, avoid costly removals and repairs later on. It goes without saying that if you’re not comfortable working with electricity or gas lines, then you should hire professionals who are licensed for such work.

Particular details should also be considered when choosing drywall for your home or business. For example, the sheets should be framed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and properly staggered.

In order for drywall to serve its purpose, it must be plumbed so that it hangs straight when installed on the walls. Most taping compounds are applied over drywall seams between panels of varying lengths. In some cases, this seam may run all around an entire room, while in others, there may only be two pieces of material meeting in one corner.

Read: FORGET INTERIOR DESIGN! THINK ABOUT THE EXTERIOR DESIGN OF YOUR HOME

The advantages of drywall:

Strength

Drywall is composed of gypsum reinforced with a paper backing, which makes it relatively strong compared to other interior finishes.

Soundproofing

The material used to create drywall is dense and heavy. This means that the noise from a particular area will be greatly reduced by installing drywall in an adjacent room.

Fire resistance

As previously mentioned, there are different types of fireproof drywall available on the market. This type of wall panel withstands high temperatures for up to 30 minutes while limiting the spread of flames.

Moisture resistance

Drywall can absorb around 13% of its weight in water before cracking. In addition, this porous material repels water and prevents mold growth when installed properly.

Versatility

In most cases, drywall is installed on bare studs. This makes it simple to add more drywall onto an existing wall in order to increase its thickness or provide extra support for a particular area.

Cost

Drywall costs less than other types of interior wall coverings such as ceramic tile and marble.

Ease of use

After being installed, drywall can be easily painted over using specialized paints, which are both durable and easy to clean. In addition, the material is also lightweight compared to other types of interior finishes. Additional painting over time will keep walls looking fresh while preventing cracking due to humidity changes.

​Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.