BEAUTY, ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

How To Cement Better Habits

How To Cement Better Habits

Something that will help all of us to live better lives is the ability to foster and cement good habits on a regular basis, especially when we are replacing bad ones. It might be better to think of them more as useful habits and less useful habits in that regard. If you are wondering how you can effectively cement some better habits into your daily life, then there are many things to consider. Let’s take a look at some ideas of how you might be able to do this more effectively. You’ll find the following is all really useful.

Read: 7 HABITS THAT DESTROY YOUR EYES

Take Stock

One of the first things you need to do is to take stock of your life as it currently stands, in particular your habits and what they tend to be. It’s hugely important here that you are being as honest with yourself as possible, as otherwise, you are going to struggle to actually make the necessary changes. As part of this, you might find that there are some un-useful habits that you would rather do away with, or you might sense a distinct lack of a particularly useful habit that you think you should develop. You will now need to follow your nose with regard to those.

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Identify Some Goals

Next up, you can start to think about some of the things that you would like to be different in your life, so you can start working towards them. In short, you should try to identify some goals so that you can decide on which habits you might want to begin developing and building from. It might be as simple as wanting healthier teeth and gums, or as huge as wanting to lose a lot of weight, or anything in between. Just make sure you are clear on them.

Read: 4 HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER

Break New Habits Down Into Components

Once you know what you are aiming for, you can start to think about the habits that these will require – and in order to make that more manageable, you might want to break down those identified habits into smaller components that are easier to put into place. In the case of having healthier teeth, as we mentioned above, that might include: visiting your local dentist, setting an alarm to floss, and so on. This is going to feel much more doable than trying to do big changes all at once.

Get support for the bad habits

Bad habits can form easily and it’s something you want to identify before working on removing them from your life. For example, smoking is for many, a bad habit that has developed over time and often from a young age. That’s why smoking cessation programs are a great way to tackle the bad habit with professional support.

Getting support for bad habits is going to help remove them so that you can make way for better habits instead.

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Turn Habits Into Routines

Next up you are going to want to turn those habits into genuinely unbreakable routines. This is when their effectiveness starts to become really clear, and it’s the kind of thing that can really radically transform your life. One way to achieve this is to use a process known as gamification, where you trick the mind into the new habit by treating it as a game. This can be very effective, and it’s something you might want to check out if you are really keen on making big changes in your own daily life and seeing those results very soon.

​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.

BEAUTY, ORGANIC HEALTH & HOME

Looking After Yourself Head To Toe

Looking After Yourself Head To Toe

Are you in need of a little TLC? Have you overlooked parts of your self-care regime? You are not alone, with the demands of busy lives, work schedules, and family commitments it can be hard to prioritize yourself and your wellbeing. To help give you the boost you need and recharge the way you look and feel, here are some ways you can look after yourself from your head to your toes. 

Photo credit; Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

Hair

Starting at the very top, what condition is your hair in and when was the last time you went to the salon to have it cut? If you can try to make some time to make an appointment for a freshen up, a cut and color, or a new style. Those dry and split ends will thank you for it. Alternatively, you can simply dedicate some time to spending a little longer in the shower and using a hydrating or caring mask for your hair to give it a new lease of life and leave you feeling brighter. 

Teeth 

Your teeth make up such a formative part of your face, appearance, and smile. A straight, white set of teeth can make all the difference to how you look and feel so spending a little time and perhaps money to improve your smile could be game-changing. If you are conscious about your teeth then schedule an appointment with an orthodontics clinic to see how they may be able to help you. Or perhaps you might simply benefit from a DIY home tooth whitening kit to brighten up your smile. 

Hands 

Moving further down to your hands now, or more specifically your nails. Together with your face, your hands are part of yourself that is on display all of the time and used for so many things. Therefore looking after your hands should take priority. Ensure you moisturize your hands day and night with decent hand cream and why not treat yourself to a manicure to freshen up your nails and give your hands and nails the TLC they deserve? Finally, a top tip if you are out and about all day – don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your hands. Hands are commonly overlooked when it comes to sunscreen but are often the most exposed. This will help to protect your hands and help reduce the signs of aging 

Gut health 

The health of your gut is thought to impact your overall health and wellbeing considerably more than researchers ever realized. Ensuring you fill your body with healthy and nutritious foods can have a profound effect on the workings of your gut and in turn the rest of your body, health, and wellbeing. Some simple ways you can do this are to eat more fiber, drink plenty of water and ensure you take sufficient amounts of prebiotics. 

Feet

Finally, finish up with your feet. Your feet take you everywhere and should be treated with love and respect. Be sure to pamper your feet, make an appointment to remove hard skin, keep toenails cut, and treat yourself to a pedicure every now and then to keep your feet in the best possible shape. 

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 To Control The Humidity In Your Home

How To Control The Humidity In Your Home

Having to deal with too much humidity is neither fun nor comfortable. Even worse is when there is increased moisture and humidity in your home. It can sometimes feel hot, sticky, and just downright disgusting. But it’s more dangerous than just making you feel bad. The structure, surfaces, and condition of your property can be severely damaged by high humidity and moisture levels.

Did you know that too much moisture can hurt paint, wood, insulation, and siding, among other things? What about the fact that allergens and pollutants like mold, dust mites, and mildew can easily get into it? All these things can be very bad for your lungs, and it’s even worse if you already have allergies, asthma, or other lung problems.

Ideal indoor humidity levels are between 30 and 50 percent. Keeping humidity levels in your home at a manageable level will not only make you more comfortable, but it will also improve the quality of the air in your home and make it safer. Read on to find out more. 

Photo by Sunsetoned

How Can You Tell If Your Home Is Too Humid? 

Obviously, you can’t walk around all the time with a humidity or dew meter. But how do you know when the humidity inside your home is too high? There are a few telltale signs, like foggy windows, clammy skin, and a heavy but warm atmosphere. But when there is too much moisture in the air in your home, it can smell like mildew or seem musty.

Here are a few ways to find out if your home has too much humidity:

Look for noticeable condensation on windows, reflective surfaces, pipes, and the walls of your basement. If you do find it, touch the area around it and look at the walls and other nearby surfaces to make sure the moisture hasn’t spread.

On the ceiling, look out for wet spots or stucco that is falling apart. Moisture often shows up as a change in color, which can be hard to see in some lighting conditions.

Do you see paint that is peeling or hear floorboards that are creaking too much? That could be because of moisture. 

If you or someone in your family has shortness of breath, common allergy symptoms like wheezing, a severe headache, or a cough that won’t go away, it could be because of the humidity.

Mold and mildew can sometimes smell like smoke, so check your home for that. If you’ve been at home for a long time, try going outside for a while and then coming back. After getting some fresh air, you should be able to smell, and notice smells better.

If you suspect mold in the home, it’s best to schedule home testing from certified professionals to understand what kind of mold you are dealing with. Mold can happen in all sorts of climates, as long as it has the right climate to grow.

To find mold testing in North Kingstown, RI or a location closer to you, do some research to make sure the company you choose conducts thorough testing – bonus points if they also offer comprehensive mold remediation services.

Are there any walls, floors, or shelves that feel soft or wet?

Do you see dark spots or spots of a different color?

Some of these signs may not mean you have a humidity problem if they are on their own, but if you’ve had more than one, you should probably have your home checked.

What Causes Humidity In The Home? 

Several things affect how humid a home is, such as its design, construction, and materials, as well as the use of vapor retarders, insulation, and how airtight it is. Humidity is, of course, also directly affected by the weather and temperature in the area. In Florida, for example, a home’s average humidity will be much higher than that of a home in New England.

A home can also be more humid if the air conditioner is too big, which can happen in places where it is hot. When an AC unit is much too big for a home, it cools too quickly and in short, inefficient cycles. This makes it turn on and off often, which lets humidity build-up. The air conditioner’s evaporator coil pulls moisture out of the air, making it less humid. But that can only happen if the air has enough time to move through the unit. If your system turns on and off too often, the humidity of the air coming into your home won’t change.

You can tell if your air conditioner is too big by how often and how long it runs. On the hottest days, each cycle will only last about 10 to 15 minutes before it turns off. If you have your HVAC unit installed and maintained by experts, however, this should be much less of a problem. 

How To Decrease Humidity In Your Home

There are a lot of things you can do and tools you can use to lower the humidity in your home. Don’t forget that you’ll want to know how to lower humidity in the house in the winter as well as the summer:

Dehumidifiers: Most of the time, dehumidifiers are put in basements, but you can get big ones that work for an entire property. They work best when all the windows and doors in a room or area are closed. They take water out of the air, but they can’t be close to walls or other things, or the air won’t flow right. 

Proper Ventilation: You want to make sure that places with a lot of moisture, like the kitchen and bathrooms, have enough airflow. When there is moisture in the room, turn on the vent fans and leave them on. If you think that moisture is causing problems, get more fans. If you don’t have exhaust fans, you can open one or two windows.

Air Conditioning Devices: Air conditioning units do more than just cool the air inside a home. They also get rid of humidity and moisture. Just make sure that the unit you have put in is the right size for how big your property is.

Weatherstripping: Putting weatherstripping around your home’s doors and windows to make an airtight seal that keeps cool or warm air from escaping and stops excess humidity from coming in. They are especially important in places where it is hot and humid outside.

Insulation: If you don’t know, insulation is used to keep heat in and keep out extra dust and other particles. If a home’s walls are properly insulated and aren’t already damp, cool and warm air won’t be able to get out or in through cracks in the walls.

Interior Changes: There are many things you can do to change the inside of your home. For example, you can install ceiling fans, clean your AC ducts and filters regularly, and more.

​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.

BEAUTY

What Is Reverse Hair Washing?

What Is Reverse Hair Washing?

New trends come down the pike and leave people saying, ‘What is that all about?’.

The fact is that beauty trends come and go, but a lot of today’s beauty tips stem from improving history. That is kind of the case with reverse hair washing.

So what is reverse hair washing?

Reverse Hair Washing

The process of reverse hair washing is doing just that; You wash your hair in reverse.

  1. Of course, it starts with wetting your hair.
  2. Next, apply your conditioner. If the conditioner’s directions say to let sit for a minute or two, follow the directions as per usual.
  3. Rinse out the conditioner completely and then apply shampoo.
  4. Scrub the scalp and rinse, thoroughly.

Best Way To Shampoo

When shampooing your hair it is best to focus on the scalp and pull the suds to the ends. That’s because the oils are at the scalp. The ends can dry out if you focus the shampoo on the ends. Shampooing the ends and scrubbing can cause quicker color-fading, too.

When it comes to conditioning, do the opposite. Focus conditioning the ends and then run fingers through roots. This places the main focus on the ends, keeping them nourished and healthy. Too much conditioner on the scalp can cause hair to go limp.

What’s the Purpose of Reverse Hair Washing?

Reverse hair washing is to prevent shampoo from removing too much of your natural oils from the scalp and hair.

By conditioning first, you are adding another layer of moisturizer onto the natural oil. By the time you shampoo the hair, it is only able to lightly strip the oils, leaving behind a clean feeling on your locks.

History of Reverse Hair Washing

Only dating back to the 2000s, reverse hair washing was probably inspired by the Egyptians since in B.C. times, women would lather their hair in oils, then wash their hair with water and citrus juices. The citrus strips the hair from oils, so to keep the hair soft, it needed extra oils to strip out while purifying the hair. Fyi, citrus is very purifying.

Benefits of Reverse Hair Washing

The benefits of conditioning first and shampooing after is simple. It doesn’t allow the hair to lose natural oils. The results are nice, too. The hair will be fuller-looking and shiny.

Not For Everybody

Reverse hair washing has benefits. However, it’s not for everybody. Those with thick, curly or super dry hair will probably not benefit from this technique. It can be an issue with detangling hair after the hair gets wet.

Whether you love to reverse hair wash every time or once in a while, remember to be proactive and use a heat protector when drying or styling your hair with heat products. It’s better to prevent damage than to repair damage.

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, TIPS IN ACTION

How to Keep Yourself and Your Family Safe on the Road

How to Keep Yourself and Your Family Safe on the Road

via Pexels

Summertime is a great time to hit the open road and explore new places. But it’s important to remember that safety should always be your top priority when you’re on the road. So whether you’re driving long distances or just around town, these tips will help keep you and your loved ones safe while you’re on the move.

1) Get car insurance

The first step to keeping yourself safe on the road is to make sure you’re properly insured. If you’re involved in an accident, car insurance will help cover the cost of damages and injuries. However, be sure to shop around and compare rates before you choose a policy so that you get the best coverage for your needs.

And don’t forget to insure your family members who are driving, too! If they’re involved in an accident while driving your car, their medical bills will likely be covered by your insurance policy.

2) Get a lawyer

If you’re involved in a car accident, the next best thing you can do is to get a lawyer. A lawyer will help you navigate the legal process and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. If the other driver was at fault, their insurance company might also be required to pay for your damages.

Even if you aren’t involved in an accident, having a lawyer on retainer is always a good idea. They can provide legal advice if you’re ever pulled over or ticketed for a traffic violation and give you valuable information like car accident statistics. And if you find yourself in a situation where you need to go to court, they’ll be there to represent you. So don’t wait until it’s too late to get a lawyer – start looking for one now so that you’re prepared in case of an emergency.

3) Drive defensively

One of the best ways to avoid an accident is to drive defensively. This means being aware of your surroundings and watching out for other drivers who may not be paying attention. For example, always use your turn signals when you’re changing lanes, and don’t tailgate the car in front of you. And if someone cuts you off in traffic, resist the urge to honk your horn or flip them off – it’s not worth getting into a road rage incident over something like that.

Defensive driving also means being extra cautious in bad weather conditions. If it’s raining or snowing, slow down and leave more space between you and the car in front of you. It’s better to arrive at your destination late than never at all.

4) Keep your car in good condition

Making sure your car is in good working order is another important step to taking care of yourself on the road. Be sure to get regular oil changes and tune-ups and check your tires before long trips. If you’re ever stranded on the side of the road, having a well-maintained car will make it easier for someone to come to help you.

In addition to keeping your car in good shape, you should also keep an emergency kit in it at all times. This should include a first-aid kit, a flashlight, flares, and jumper cables. That way, if you ever find yourself in a bind, you’ll be prepared.

By following these tips, you can help keep yourself and your family safe on the road. So this summer, don’t let concerns about safety stop you from hitting the open road – just be sure to take some precautions before you go.

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.

Everyday Tips from Tia