Category Archives: ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Tips from fixing the room to finding health remedies in the kitchen.

BEAUTY, ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

You are Flawless: Easy Ways to Prevent Acne and Dry Skin

You are Flawless: Easy Ways to Prevent Acne and Dry Skin

Spots, zits, pimples, whatever you want to call them, these little devils can be a nuisance to a woman’s self-esteem and confidence in her appearance. If you’ve suffered from acne, and it is likely you have or will have at some point during your life, you understand the annoyance and frustration which they can bring. A red spot on the face is difficult to hide and requires makeup to cover it, which can only exacerbate the problem. After all the prodding, pressing and damaging your skin, dryness typically follows, which can be another pain. To prevent these skin problems from ever occurring, here are a few easy ways to keep your skin healthy and acne-free.

pexels-photo-192474Image credit

Wash your face twice daily

This might seem like an obvious one, but it is the most effective for quick results. Around 20 percent of women in their 20s and 30s suffer from acne and one of the main reasons is lack of personal hygiene. Find a good face cleanser, a bowl of warm water and a soft towel to pat your face dry. Make sure you don’t rub with the towel, this can spread any bacteria from the acne and worsen the outbreak. If you can, stick to a routine daily where you schedule time to clean your face. Moisturizer can prevent dry skin effectively, but only use it if you currently have no areas of acne on the face. Go to your local beauty store and pick a moisturizer which is scent-free. There is nothing worse than choosing the wrong type of skin products, which can cause skin irritation. To solve this problem, do your research before buying and ask a shop assistant for advice.

Drink more water

24441559784_4d3a18403c_bPicture source

The question of how much water to drink has always been a conundrum, but the most common answer is around eight glasses per day. If we were all perfectly honest, we would say that we don’t drink enough, but the health benefits are countless. Not only is water good for your skin, but it can fix other beauty-related problems and improve the internal function of your body. Issues such as, withered hair, brittle fingernails, strong-smelling body odour and headaches, are all a result of not drinking enough water. One great tip is to have a glass of water with every meal, that way you are receiving your daily portion without really noticing it. For those of us who don’t enjoy the taste of tap water, invest in one of the best RO systems to filter and remove any impurities in the water. By doing this you will have better water and be on the right track for healthier skin.

Hands away from the face

It may sound odd, but your hands harbour a decent amount of bacteria, and if you touch your face, that’s wear it all goes. Did you know that something so silly like touching your face too much, can give you the flu? There are a few other reasons why you shouldn’t keep touching your face, and dirty skin is one of them. Items such as, phones, doorknobs, and keyboards contain millions of germs, and if they get on your face, an unwanted acne breakout will occur. If you have a habit of placing your hands on your face, try holding a stress ball to distract yourself. This bad habit could be the reason for your spots. So next time you’re watching Netflix, keep your hands away from the face!

Get a good night’s rest

pexels-photo-206396Image via Pexels

Yes, sleep is the answer to many health issues, and one of them is the repairing of your skin! The importance of sleep is underestimated and should be as high on your health list as that of eating. Who would’ve known that a lack of sleep, even two or three hours less, could cause a spot breakout?  If you’re struggling to sleep, check out these tips for getting better shut-eye. From reading a book before bed to doing a substantial amount of exercise in the day, these simple activities can maintain and regulate a healthy sleep pattern.

Avoid wearing too much makeup

Some of us couldn’t bear the thought of wearing no makeup for the day, but if you want cleaner, more spot-free skin, this might have to happen. Of course, there are some products which are made for acne-prone skin, but the safest, fastest bet to clear up acne is to go makeup-free for a while. Not only do the ingredients themselves irritate your skin, but if you forget to wipe a day’s worth of makeup off before going to bed, the bacteria is festering on your skin all night. So do yourself and your skin a favour, go natural for a few weeks!

Do some exercise

pexels-photo2Image from Pexels

Slotting time in for exercise is also crucial for your health and a way to get better, spot-free skin. There is a range of great exercises to choose from and enjoy doing. Squats, sit-ups, light jogs and swimming, the list is endless. As you exercise, blood flow increases and carries nutrients and oxygen to cells throughout your body. Exercise can also decrease stress, which in turn, reduces acne and eczema. So, by following a fun, simple workout everyday, not only are you losing weight, but you’re preventing those nasty spots and dry skin!

Eat these types of foods

Food glorious food, this is definitely true and applies to those foods which help our skin. Many foods have been proven to possess a vast amount of health properties which help to improve the quality of our skin. Dark berries, watercress, and red grapes are full of skin clearing antioxidants. Tomatoes aid collagen production which keeps skin firm. Next time you make spaghetti bolognese add some fresh garlic! You might smell after, but it’s worth it! Garlic helps kill any unwanted bacteria in your body which stops skin infections and acne. There are an abundance of Twitter channels which are dedicated to the acne-removal cause and which give fantastic tips, one of them is AcneSkinSite.

Hopefully, at least one of these methods works for your skin. If not, consider popping down to the doctors and getting some acne treatment. We can’t let spots dictate our life.

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

BEAUTY, ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME, SEX & LIFE

Watch Out For The Signs That Show You Need To See A Dentist

Watch Out For The Signs That Show You Need To See A Dentist

Looking after your teeth is vital to your health, dental and for other areas of your body. But there is alarming statistics about dental health and hygiene that suggest the majority of us don’t visit our dentists enough.

Despite the fact many of us have white teeth that appear to be in rude health, many of us have serious underlying problems. So, if you experience any of these issues on a regular basis, you should really make an appointment with your local dentist.

The sooner you book a visit, the better, too – you can nip most of the major dental issues in the bud at an early stage and have a better chance of recovery.

Here are some danger signs that you really should see your dentist sooner rather than later.

fun-cold-elegance-face-41208Picture Credit

You haven’t been to the dentist for more than a year

In an ideal world, you should attend your local orthodontics center twice a year at a bare minimum. So, if it’s been longer than 12 months since your last visit, it’s time to book that appointment. Some dental problems won’t show up until they are well ingrained, and only a professional eye will be able to spot issues at an early stage.

You suffer from sensitivity issues

Sensitive teeth are something that many people put up with – but failing to visit your dentist for a checkup and diagnosis of your problem could result in a lot of different issues. Some people have naturally sensitive teeth, of course, but it is also important to understand that it can often be a sign of tooth decay. If you experience sensitivity issues that have a particular location, book yourself in for an x-ray – you may need a filling.

You notice white spots on your teeth

Your teeth are protected by a layer of enamel, but this can wear down over time due to plague and other types of dental damage. When it occurs, it creates white spots on your teeth, and it’s vital that you go to your dentist sooner rather than later. Actually, your enamel is dissolving due to a buildup of acidic bacteria, and it won’t stop without the correct treatment.

You develop inflammation in your gums

If you suffer from inflamed gums, get yourself to the dentist, as many different issues can arise. When plaque starts to harden, it causes damage to the gums, and you might be developing a periodontal disease or even something like gingivitis. Further on down the line you might end up with severe tooth decay, and may even have to have entire teeth removed.

Color changes

Do you pay attention to the overall color of your mouth? If not, it’s time to start. Discoloration – as well as unusual lumps and bumps – could be a sign of something serious like oral cancer. Again, it is critical that you don’t move slowly on this, as the earlier you get your diagnosis, the more likely it is you will get a successful treatment.

Looking after your teeth doesn’t take much effort – a simple visit to the dentist twice a year is all, and regular brushing is all you need. So, no more excuses!

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

How Eco-Friendly Homeowners Like You Can Conserve Water

How Eco-Friendly Homeowners Like You Can Conserve Water

March 22 was world water day. The day was designed to emphasize the importance of saving water, not only because of the vast amount of energy required to transport it to people’s homes (read more at the Sydney electrician site) but because the world’s freshwater supply is under pressure. Take the Aral Sea in Central Asia, for instance. The sea level of the Aral Sea has fallen by over a third since the middle of the twentieth century and continues to fall today thanks to the demands of the local population.

It’s gotten many eco-conscious homeowners thinking about what they can do to save water. Here are a few things you can do to reduce your water consumption.

Cut Down On Showers

Showers are often seen as a frugal alternative to baths because they are perceived to use less water. However, they only use less water if showers are short. Longer showers – that is, in the 20 minute-plus range – actually wind up using more water than the average bath.

outdoor_poolside_showerWikimedia Commons

Older showers are even worse. These often use as much as a gallon of water a minute. So if you want to stay eco-friendly, make your showers as brief as possible.

Repair Leaks

Millions of tons of water are lost every year thanks to leaky piping. As such, next time you do your waterwork plumbing, check and make sure that there are no leaks. If there are, then you could be paying over the odds for your water bill and causing unnecessary damage to the environment.

Take advantage of the Sun
Instead of running your lights and whites through 2-3 washing machine cycles, hoping that they will eventually come out as bright or white as you knew them, consider hanging them out in the sun. The process is called sun bleaching and is a bulletproof method to remove difficult spots and brighten your clothes. As a quick tip spread them out as much as possible for a better result.

Stop Watering Your Lawn

It’s nice to have a bright, green lawn during the hot summer months. But watering your lawn in the summer takes up a lot of water. More than baths and showers combined.

When it comes to lawns, you’ve got two options. You can either get a smaller lawn and replace the rest with gravel landscaping and shrubs. Or you can change the type of grass you use to one that is more able to cope with the warm summer temperatures. Different species of grass have different tolerances, so choose wisely. Remember that in extended periods of heat and drought your lawn will still go brown.

Build A Rain Collector

Rain collectors are an excellent way to reduce your impact on the environment and store water for your garden for when it really needs it. You can attach a hose or a sprinkler to your rain collector if your collector is on a raised platform.

Install Modern Toilets

If you live in an older home, there’s a good chance that you’ve got an older toilet. In the past, toilet manufacturers weren’t so bothered helping their customers save water, and so each flush was several gallons. Now though, toilet manufacturers are making loos which use a fraction of the water. Choose one of these if you want to be more eco-friendly.

Water Your Plants In The Morning

Gardeners have known for a long time that watering your plants in the morning is better because it gives the water time to soak into the soil before the sun evaporates it all.

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

In Case Of Emergency… Protecting You And Your Home

In Case Of Emergency… Protecting You And Your Home

As a homeowner, you want to do what you can to keep your house in a good state of repair, but for some of us, there isn’t all that much we can do if we live in an area at risk for natural disasters. There are areas that are more prone to more natural disasters than others, and if you live in one of these places, you need to make sure you have a plan in place should something happen. First things first…

ray-2174602_960_720Image

Have The Right Insurance Policies  

Do you have all the right ones in place? If you live in an area that experiences a lot of flooding, and your policy doesn’t cover it, then not only have you lost or damaged all of your possessions but you won’t receive a payout on them so you can replace the items. For many, they think that mortgage insurance will cover them, but this is a different thing to homeowner’s insurance, which you need also.

Have A Plan

If you anticipate a natural disaster in your area, then you will need to make a plan of action which you can follow should something happen. There are things like a disaster kit which you can get from sf72.org which gives you plenty of handy tips. But for you and the area you live in, you need to plan things like meetup points if you get separated from your loved ones. As well as a plan in place, make sure you have supplies ready and stocked in a big bag that you can carry. There should be enough in the bag to last a few days. You should also have all of your family’s documents, like birth certificates and medical information, stored in a safe place (such as a portable box that’s fireproof), and make digital copies stored on a flash drive.

flash_flood_-_geograph-org-uk_-_657563Image Source

Have A Handy List Of Contacts

In the event of any emergency, it is handy to have a list of the people you will need to contact. From relatives to the cleanup people, once the disaster has passed, you will need to get back up on your feet as quick as possible. There are websites for cleanup specialists like prorestorationcompany.com who will repair the damage to your home. Once the damage has been done, it can take a while to get back to normality, so it’s handy to have people you can rely on.

Be Prepared…

Wherever you live, you can do some research on the history of the place, and if your area has a history of earthquakes, when was the last one? Is there one due? While it’s not healthy to be in a state of worry about disasters, it does help if you are prepared for one. An escape plan for your home is the very least you can prepare, and if your family know the plan and the available options, it means that they can escape safely. It is a part of life for so many of us now that we need to make sure we have a backup plan, so think about it, and get one ready.

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, SEX & LIFE

Quick Start Eco Home Improvements

Quick Start Eco Home Improvements

16660749958_d9448bb7b4_zSource

So you’ve decided you want to do more for the environment.

That’s great. However you got to this point, the world is going to thank you for it. It’s an uphill climb of learning how to make the most of the resources you have available to you, but it’s going to be so worth it.

The best thing about making this change is that you can start making improvements to your consumption of resources pretty much immediately. No slow process, gradually doing your bit – but immediate alterations that you can do (or at the very least, plan for) over the course of a couple of days. While some of these quick start ideas might seem small, it all contributes, and that’s what counts.

So if you want to dive right on into a more ecological life and home, where can you make the changes today?

1) Ditch plastic. Plastic is horribly bad for the environment, both in its production, how it’s a byproduct of the oil industry, and the length of time it takes to biodegrade. Switching your home food storage to glass not only improves your consumption, but it’s also possibly better for your health – did you know some plastics have been proven to contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals?

2) Start composting. Rather than throwing your food waste into the trash, start a separate compost bin which, over time, will produce usable fertilizer for any garden projects. If you don’t have any intention for garden projects, then look at local classifieds – there’s always a nearby gardener who’d be happy to take it off your hands.

3) Look into alternative energy. The less you take from ‘the grid’, the better it is not only for your wallet, but for the future of the planet. Solar panels are a reliable form of energy (solar power is used to power NASA exploratory spacecraft, for example) and it’s relatively simple to find professional solar installers who can affix panels to your home. Generating your own electricity is about as eco as it gets, so start making enquiries ASAP.

4) Cut your paper wastage. We’re so used to having paper whenever we want that we don’t think of how often we use it. Try and cut down on printing, choosing to use email wherever necessary – you can even sign documents online now. You can also contact your utilities and telecoms provider and ask to switch to paperless billing; there’s often a financial incentive for doing so, too.

5) Change your cleaning products. Some of the chemicals that are found in cleaning products have real, detrimental effects on the ecosystem when they are washed into the general supply. There’s something of a perception that eco-friendly cleaning products are not as effective, which is simply not the case. Experiment with different brands until you find something that works for you, or even try homemade cleaning products that can have a powerful impact on your ability to keep your home clean.

So now you have some starting points, what’s holding you back?

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