Category Archives: SEX & LIFE

Tips on sexual health, mental health, relationships, and everyday healthy life.

SEX & LIFE

8 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy on a Long Car Ride

By Guest Blogger Adam F.

8 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy on a Long Car Ride

Mom… Dad… Are we there yet?

1-driveThat’s the question every parent who steps into a vehicles with a young child should be prepared to hear ad nauseam. But with a little preparation ahead, you should be able to keep your kids occupied, and happy and of course, quiet in the back seat of your car.

How to Keep the Kids Busy?

1.     Bring Reading Materials

Wherever you go, you should always pack a good number of reading materials for you and your children. Magazines, picture books and comics are all great options, but you should also consider hitting up sites like Audible and downloading a couple of audio books for your kids.

2.     Prepare a Kid-Friendly Playlist

You could always bring a music player loaded with a playlist filled with your children’s favorite music. However, if you want to have a wide variety of songs in your car, it would be smarter to load up a few, customized playlists on your Spotify account (or any other service you might be using).

3.     Pack a Kit

Letting your kids play and build different things with toys like LEGO is always an awesome, fun way to keep them busy, no matter where you are. While this may sound like a challenge during a long road trip, you could easily create a portable LEGO kit by putting all of the bricks in a small lunch box, for example.

4.     Scavenger Hunt Sheets

Some items you’re bound to see on any road in America, Europe or Asia, so it would be a good idea to print out some scavenger hunt sheets filled with some of those items. This will create a great game for the whole family, and if you have a young child, still unable to read, make sure to print out sheets with pictures.

2-drive5.     Play Car Games

In addition to scavenger hunts, the license plate game and the ever-classic I Spy, our could always play the simple, but fun ABC game, where you search for different items outside of the car in alphabetical order. This will engage every single member of your family, and help you pass the time.

6.     Family Friendly Movies

If you have TV screens in your car, be sure to bring a few family-friendly movies or some educational show along for the ride. Of course, if you don’t have any screens in your vehicle, you can always use a laptop, tablet or simply your phone. But if you plan on streaming their movies, make sure that you’re using a secure Express VPN to protect your private data, before you connect to a public network.

7.     Give Your Kid an Old Camera

Even though you might not be aware of it, but there are still disposable cameras out there. And while your kids are still learning how to handle a smartphone (and take pictures naturally), you should give them a disposable cam they can share. And once they start snapping photos, they’ll surely have fan throughout the trip.

8.     Buy Enough Snack and Drinks

If you’ve gone through all the above activities, your only option is to take out a few snacks and make sure that everyone has something to munch on. If you’re planning on bringing some cool items, such as sodas and ice cream, you should bring a portable cooler, filled with ice.

Ensuring Your Security

But this isn’t all about your patience and sanity, as a matter of fact, the more you’re distracted, the more unsafe you are. Because if you spend a lot of time solving fights and getting into shouting matches with your children, you’ll eventually stop paying attention to the road.

3-driveRecent studies have shown that a huge number of car accidents are associated with distracted parents. As Car Junky reports, around 25% of car crashes happen when a distracted parent is dealing with his kids in the back seat.  So in order to make sure that this doesn’t ever happen to you, you have to ensure that your kids are completely satisfied throughout the trip.

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.

Adam, a reasonably successful web development has been publishing articles onwefollowtech.com for the last couple of years. When he is not hard at work you can find him on the basketball court or at the nearest Chinese restaurant, eating his favorite Chow Mein and reading fortune cookies.

 

ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME, SEX & LIFE

A Healthy Lifestyle Through The Ages: A Timeline

A Healthy Lifestyle Through The Ages: A Timeline

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Living in the world that we do, it’s more important now than ever to lead a healthy lifestyle. As medicine, technology and research advances, better levels of health are more accessible to us. And, we also know a lot more about staying healthy than our elders ever did. But, health doesn’t come with a one size fits all kind of attitude; it will mean something different to everyone. Lifestyle factors do play a significant role in this, but, you will also find that age does too. At various stages in life, we require different things, both health wise and in our lifestyles.

Childhood

First up, let’s talk about childhood. If you have little ones, this could be something you already know, or that you benefit from. But, children require a totally different level of nutrition than we do as adults. They’re still growing. And fast. They need to sure that their growth is aided by not only what they eat and drink, by their lifestyles too. Fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, is amazing for growing children, but so is generous amounts of exercise, love, support and fun, if you want to raise a well-balanced, healthy kid.

Teens

Before long, that kid will turn into a teen and again, their healthy lifestyle needs will change. From birth to around the age of 18, a children’s needs will change, but there is a significant different when they hit their teenage years: enter an influx of hormones. This could mean that their reaction to different foods will change, and their lifestyle choices will start to take affect. At this age, you need to learn and adapt to realize what it right.

Young Adult

Then we hit our young adult stage. This could be anywhere from 18-22, until around our late or mid-thirties. It’s often the time that you’re spent living and learning, growing as a human, dating and finding your feet in life. Although you are (and your children will be) grown at this stage, you still have vital health needs that will shape your future. Your lifestyle choices may affect your fertility or predisposition to terminal illnesses. So although you feel fearless, it’s time to think about the future with the decisions you make.

Middleaged

You get married, have children and before you know it, you’re middle-aged. Now, this figure will depend on your outlook on life. It could be considered as anywhere between 40-60, to say the least. During this part of your life, you’re going to want to cut back on things like drinking and smoking, if you haven’t already. You’ve done well with your diet and exercise to stay healthy for this long, but it won’t last for ever if you don’t start taking health advice seriously (click here for more healthy living ideas).

Old Age

And then, it’s on to old age. It could be anytime after the age of 60, or whatever the retirement age is for you. Seniors have vitally different health needs to adults, teens, and children. In fact, their bodies may be declining at a rapid rate. If you have elderly parents, it’s important to know how to care for them and help their health out as best as you can. And think ahead to when you’re a senior, to know what essential health tips might apply to you too.

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

The Tooth About Maintaining A Healthy Mouth

The Tooth About Maintaining A Healthy Mouth

Looking after your health is always an uphill struggle, because everything you do in the world weathers your body in some way or another. Perhaps unexpectedly, one of the places most susceptible to health problems throughout the day is your mouth. Although, this isn’t really so shocking when you give the matter a little thought.

Your mouth is exposed to food each and every day, along with countless other things that you might inhale simply by walking through the city, which means you’re ingesting numerous bacteria every second that you breathe. So, avoiding issues within your mouth, whether that involves your gums or teeth, is quite difficult.

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The goal of attaining a healthy mouth can seem incredible strenuous, as it requires a carefully-planned diet and a strong hygiene routine, each and every day. Still, this doesn’t need to be such a stressful thing. Here are some simple truths about keeping your teeth, gums and general mouth healthy without too much effort or hassle.

Work on any damage today.

Whether you’re 4 or 40, you’ve most likely already worn away at the protective coating of your teeth. Sealants are a great way to shut down any potential issues before they cause some serious damage or pain to your teeth and gums. So few people understand the importance of sealing up any problems before they can manifest into anything more detrimental to their health, but that’s the first and most important piece of advice I can think to offer.

Any plaque build-up, gum pain, or other mouth-related problems should be checked out too. Of course, you might not even know if something which seems like a problem is a serious or trivial issue, so dental experts such as those at PMD Dental Care could help you.

Diet, diet, diet.

Eat your greens, and cut out the chocolate. What heartbreaking advice. Of course, that’s not entirely true. A good diet is crucial to the health of your entire body, which is a fact that has no exception when it comes to maintaining a good standard of oral health.

It’s easy to think of a good diet as something which only affects your stomach. You’re allowed occasional treats, of course. If you eat healthily in other ways, and exercise well, then your physique won’t be affected by sweet and sugary foods. Of course, exercise might shed some of the weight brought on by sugar, but that won’t stop the damage it does to your mouth. Cut down on acidic foods and drink. You’ll notice the difference to your teeth.

Brushing and flossing your teeth.

This is the advice we dreaded as kids. Yes, brushing and flossing your teeth can seem dull or monotonous, but it’s the easiest way to brush your teeth. 30 seconds in the morning and evening, or maybe even a quick brush in the middle of the day if you’re at home, can work wonders to not only keep your teeth looking whiter, fresher and free of plaque, but to avoid gum disease.

Flossing is crucial when it comes to looking after your oral health, because food builds up over time in those hard-to-reach places, ultimately causing the most damage to your gums. As the tar builds up, it can eat away at your teeth and weaken the gum of any targeted areas in your mouth.

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.

SEX & LIFE

Surviving a Scorching Summer Heat Wave

Surviving a Scorching Summer Heat Wave

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If you live in the southern hemisphere, you’ll already be experiencing a gorgeous hot summer, if not you have a couple of months to prepare! Either way, getting through a heat wave (especially if you live in a warm climate) can be a struggle, although the sunny days are certainly lovely. Here are some of the ways you can get through that heat wave and enjoy the summer without feeling too hot and uncomfortable.

Have Air Conditioning Installed

Even if you only live in a part of the world that gets hot for a short period, getting air conditioning installed is still worth it. You’ll thank yourself when a heat wave hits! Certain climates such as the dry scorching weather in Australia may benefit from a specialist system such as Actron Air Conditioning. The same applies if you live in South America, a southern state or anywhere else where it’s particularly hot. But either way, do your research and have a unit installed that’s right for you. During a heat wave where fans aren’t enough, air conditioning will control the temperature, so you don’t get uncomfortable and are able to sleep soundly.

Install Thermal Blackout Blinds

Thermal blackout blinds are a great way to control both the light and heat in the room. If you wake up in the morning with the sun baking you in your bed, or come upstairs to a boiling room each night where the sun has been shining through the window, then these will prevent that. They come in lots of styles and designs it’s easy to find something that suits your decor and tastes. Keep them closed or partially closed during the day to block out heat and prevent the house from heating up.

Reduce Your Body Temperature Before Bed

If you don’t have air conditioning, one of the worst parts of a heat wave is trying to sleep. Since our bodies need to drop in temperature to aid the sleeping process, when you’re too warm it’s not able to do that. It can be tempting to jump into a freezing cold bath or shower when you’re feeling warm, but actually doing that will cause you to warm up more quickly once you’re out. Taking a lukewarm bath, just a little below body temperature will cool you down and keep you cool for longer afterward too. This should give you enough time to get into bed and fall asleep.

Make Your Bed Cool and Comfy

It makes sense to have two duvets, one for the warmer months and one for the cooler months. During a heat wave, you might want to forfeit your duvet entirely and use a thin blanket instead, which will keep you comfy without trapping lots of body heat. Using breathable cotton sheets instead of thicker materials or satin/ silk will stop you from overheating or sweating during the night.

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What’s the weather like where you live right now? In the midst of winter, or enjoying a scorching summer?

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.

SEX & LIFE

The Essential Guide To Safe And Healthy Dating

The Essential Guide To Safe And Healthy Dating

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The excitement of the first date should be fun, but all too often we hear horror stories about dates going wrong. We can’t let this put us off dating, though. Most dates are safe and fun if a little bit awkward. If you’re planning a date soon, make sure you follow these top tips to ensure you have a safe and healthy experience and all the fun you want.

Talk on the phone first

If you’re meeting someone from an online dating site, make sure you speak to them on the phone before you meet them in real life. You’ll get a much better impression of their personality that way, and you’re more likely to hear if there’s something a bit weird about them.

Do your homework

At the very least you want to know his full name, his job and have a general idea about where he lives. And while you never have to admit it to him, it’s always worth doing a quick Google search of his name too. A quick look at his LinkedIn will tell you that he is being honest, and a Facebook stalk might reveal some mutual friends, who’ll hopefully be able to vouch for him.

Meet in public places

Just in case there is anything sinister about your date, it’s best to meet him in a public place the first couple of times while you get to know him. If he is worth it, he’ll understand that your safety has to come first. Try coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bowling, or even the park if the weather is good. Just make sure there are other people around, and you can leave easily if you want to. It’s a good idea to meet in the morning or at lunch time because you afternoon plans give a more organic and less awkward means of getting away if you’re just not feeling it.

Tell people where you are

Employ a buddy system, so your friend always knows where you are. Make sure you inform them if you move venue during your date, and give them an approximate time that you’ll be getting home. This just means that if anything untoward happens, someone’s always got your back. They could even come out on your first date with you – double dates tend to be less awkward, and it gives your buddy the chance to get to know your date too.

Take the essentials

You’ll want to have spare cash for a taxi, your bank card in case you get lumbered with the bill, and your mobile phone at the very least. It doesn’t hurt to carry mace too, just in case of an emergency. Making sure you’ve got everything you need means you can get away easily if your date starts to go south.

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Don’t drink too much

It can be tempting to knock the drinks back to loosen your inhibitions and get over the awkwardness on the first date, but it can also inhibit your ability to read a situation. For the first couple of dates, try to avoid drinking much, or even stick to non-drinking activities. You’ll find that you get to know your date more thoroughly when you’re coherent the whole time too.

Don’t leave food or drink unattended

Some people are just plain horrible. While it’s unlikely you’ll meet anyone with an ulterior motive, it’s always best to be as safe (and suspicious) as you can. Leaving a drink or a meal unsupervised could allow someone to slip drugs into them, which could compromise your safety. Finish your food and drink before heading to the restroom during a meal or in a bar – the risk just isn’t worth it.

Don’t give too much away

Early on in your dates, try not to give too much information away about yourself. For example, let them know the area of town in which you live, but not your street address. They can know your profession, but not your place of employment. It just means that if they turn out to be weird and you cut them off, they have no way to contact you or find you.

If you’re worried, leave

Don’t second guess yourself as a judge of character – if someone seems a bit weird to you, or you’re just not enjoying the evening, you are entirely within your rights to leave. Trust your instincts – if they get over-familiar or inappropriate too quickly, or anything that they say leaves you feeling a bit uncomfortable, remember that you know best. And don’t compromise your safety or happiness for the sake of saving some random guy’s feelings. If you’re worried about just walking out, ask the staff to call you a taxi or call a friend to come and meet you.

Give feedback

If you’re dating online and it does go wrong, heaven forbid, make sure you report his profile to the dating site and give them an outline of your concerns. It means that other women will not have to face the same problems as you, so it’s all about looking out for each other.

Practice safe sex

This should go without saying, but it is all to easy to get carried away in the heat of the moment. When you’re at that stage with your date, make sure you’re carrying condoms, as well as him. Don’t let him try to talk you out of safe sex – the risks just aren’t worth it.

Get regular check-ups

Even if you’re super careful, if you’re dating it’s important that you have regular sexual health check-ups, just to be on the safe side. Free std testing is available all over the country, so there’s no excuse not to.

Enjoy yourself

Don’t get too caught up in the end-game, just enjoy the process of dating, getting to know people, and having fun. If you’re too focused on where you’d like to end up, you could miss vital red flags, or just lose out on the enjoyment of it all.

Dating is really fun and doesn’t have to be scary. Just remember to keep your wits about you, your friends on hand, and to take it slowly, and you’ll have a safe and fun time.

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.