Easy Tips for a More Eco-Friendly Home Life

If the environment is a concern and you would like to take positive steps to protect it, your home is a an excellent place to start. Many times we waste energy and adopt habits that are not particularly eco-friendly, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Have a look at the tips below for ideas on how to create a greener, healthier home for you and your family. 

Use Natural Cleaning Products

The cleaning products we use should be our first consideration. It’s common to rely on chemical-laden cleaning products that are damaging to the environment. Instead, we can use eco-friendly cleaners that will keep us healthy along with the environment. Think: baking soda, vinegar, natural soaps.

Make the Most of Solar

If you want to make a big impact, you could think about shifting the source of the energy you use at home to a greener and more sustainable option. For many, this will mean using solar energy. Innovative companies like choosesolar.com can provide you with more information about making the switch to solar and moving towards green energy sources for you home. 

Use a Programmable Thermostat

Using a programmable thermostat will not only save you money in energy costs, it will help to make your home more eco-friendly by giving you greater control over the temperature in your house. This is important because when you have precise control over the temperature, you can reduce energy use while maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature. 

Skip the Dryer

If you’re someone who often relies on the dryer to dry clothes, towels, and bed sheets, you may want to reconsider this practice. You can save a significant amount of energy by skipping the heat dryer and air dry your laundry instead. Invest in a sturdy drying rack and place it near a heater vent or fireplace. A fan can also help to shorten drying time. Wear and tear on your clothing will also be reduced. Air drying your clothing is a small, yet sustainable change that will help to make your home life greener. 

Repair, Reuse, Recycle

Instead of throwing away an item, consider repairing or reusing it. In our throw away culture, repairing appliances, electronics, furniture, and clothing will go a long way in reducing our waste. Investing in quality products that will last is also important. Steer clear of shoddy, poorly made items that will only last a season or two. If an item is beyond repair, recycling it is the next best option.  

By adopting these simple habits, we can create a more eco-friendly approach to life and keep our homes clean and green. What steps have you taken in your home to live a sustainable life? Please share your ideas in the Sustainability comment tab.  

Here's How to Boost Your Confidence with a Happy and Healthy Smile

 

In today’s world where perfection is the ideal, you can experience self-consciousness when you believe your appearance falls short of the latest beauty trends. While we should never alter our appearance simply to conform to societal expectations, we should strive to improve our well-being. And the condition of our smile can be a reflection of our overall physical and mental health. 

If your teeth are misaligned, discolored or have cavities, you may feel self-conscious and unsure. It can lead to low self-confidence and more. Often, we don’t realize we are suffering from low self-esteem caused by the health of our teeth—but it's a reality for many. It may be time to consider your dental health. If you have missing teeth, you can fix your tooth gap with a replacement tooth or use aligners to straighten crooked teeth.  

Is Your Smile Causing Low Self-Esteem?

Subtle behaviors and habits may indicate that poor dental health is triggering low self-esteem. Do you find yourself avoiding mirrors or reflections? Would you rather not speak during meetings? When in public, do you cover your mouth while speaking or feel uncomfortable expressing yourself?

These are a few indicators of low self-esteem. Happily, this doesn't have to be a life-long condition. It's easy to improve your dental health and, in turn, improve your confidence. You will be able to laugh and smile more freely, which helps to boost your health and outlook.

How to Improve Your Smile

Once you realize your smile is causing low self-esteem, you can take action to correct the issue. It's important to seek medical intervention. Locate an experienced dentist who will examine the condition of your teeth and craft a treatment plan. It might take time to see results, but the effort will be worth it in the long run with a beautiful smile and improved confidence.

Make Dental Care a Priority

Most people don’t consider dental care a priority, which can cause significant issues over time. If you have restored a healthy smile, it's important to maintain it. Make sure to have regular dental appointments to keep your teeth healthy, strong, and disease-free. We need consistent professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar and to keep bacterial growth under control. 

Also, learn how to keep your teeth healthy by brushing and flossing twice each day. Avoid sugary foods and minimize starchy foods. Sugar encourages the growth of bacteria in your mouth, leading to tooth decay and gum disease. Lastly, drink plenty of water and brush your teeth before heading off to bed as most bacterial growth happens while sleeping.

How to Create Boundless Energy and Health by Loving Your Mitochondria

For the last few years or so, mitochondrial health has been a wildly popular topic in health circles. Many have heard about mitochondria but don't really know what they are or why they are important. One of their main functions is to produce energy on a cellular level. In other words, mitochondria are our cell’s powerhouse. They produce cellular energy, which is known as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). As luck would have it, keeping our mitochondria in top shape is fairly straightforward. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Key Nutrients 

There are a wide variety of nutrients that can help keep our mitochondrial functioning at optimum levels. Magnesium is one common supplement that is essential to produce energy. When we stressed, our magnesium stores are impacted. You can also incorporate additional enzymes like NAD+, which reacts with oxygen in the mitochondria to give your energy a boost. Also consider B vitamins, selenium and Vitamin E. 

Awareness of External Influences

We live in an age where our external environment can greatly impact our health. Cellular damage is something that we cannot see, but we can minimize. External influences, such as chemicals in the environment and alcohol, can cause mitochondria damage. However, the oxidative damage of these influences cause can be curbed by consuming antioxidants. This will also protect and provide essential nutrients for your mitochondria.

Incorporate More Protein Into Your Diet 

It's important to have a diet rich in protein because amino acids such as glutathione work to protect the mitochondria. When you incorporate more protein into your diet, especially complete protein with the complete spectrum of amino acids, you will feel more energetic. Many people believe that the body cannot utilize more than 30 grams of protein in an hour, but this has actually been debunked. If you feel you could use an energy boost, be sure to increase your protein intake through foods like fish and eggs. For vegans, there are a wide variety of protein sources that contain essential amino acids, such as quinoa, legumes, and nuts. 

Practice Detoxification 

Since mitochondria are sensitive to toxins, detoxification is crucial for optimal function. Consider doing a juice detox every spring to keep your mitochondria humming and happy. Reducing inflammation, supporting gut health, and exercise all play an important role in mitochondrial health as well. Calming stress in your life is also essential. By adopting these few simple steps, you can enjoy vibrant health and boundless energy now and in the future.

Is stress ruining your life? Learn how to tame this health destroying beast with a few simple tips

Stress is such a common occurrence in our daily lives that we have come to the point where we barely question its presence. And yet, when we ignore these heightened states of pressure, our physical, mental and emotional health suffers. But it doesn't have to be this way. Taking a cue from those who are cool under fire, we can transform our daily experience into one that is productive, relaxed and actually enjoyable.

Danger signs of stress

According to the Mayo Clinic, chronic stress leads to heart disease, obesity and diabetes, as well as:

• Headache
• Anxiety
• Over or under eating
• Restlessness
• Anger
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Lack of focus 
• IrritabilityLoss of libido
• Insomnia
• Social withdrawal

Since stress also suppresses the immune system, we are more prone to colds and influenza along with cancer. Risk of stroke increases too. Thankfully, we can break this damaging cycle with a few lifestyle adjustments.

More unflappability, less stress

In "7 Things Calm People Do Differently," Lindsay Holmes pinpoints several specific methods for reducing our daily stress load and orienting ourselves in a positive way.

Find your center

Michelle Carlstrom, senior director of the Office of Work, Life and Engagement at Johns Hopkins University, observes that centering practices like meditation, prayer or focusing on the breath "help a person push pause, reflect and try to stay in that moment to reduce racing thoughts and reduce interruptions. I believe any strategy that aims to do that absolutely reduces stress." Even just a few minutes of centering each day can encourage an unruffled orientation.

Express gratitude

Research has shown that using techniques which inspire positive mental states, such as appreciation and gratitude, reduce health destroying cortisol by 23 percent while increasing health promoting DHEA.

A study published in the journal Integrated Psychological and Behavioral Science found "DHEA was significantly and positively related to the affective state warmheartedness, whereas cortisol was significantly and positively related to stress effects ... The results suggest that techniques designed to eliminate negative thought loops can have important positive effects on stress, emotions and key physiological systems."

Sleep

People who are calm get the recommended amount of sleep each night, between 7-8 hours. Many also take naps, recognizing the habit reduces cortisol and boosts productivity as well as creativity. Just make sure a midday snooze is kept under 30 minutes.

Socialize

When stress hits, those who manage it well tend to spend time with family and friends. Socializing helps reduce tension and anxiety, while buffering negative effects. Calstrom recommends blowing off steam with close friends, workmates or family when life becomes too tense.

Identify stressors

"It's important to realize that everyone is functioning at a really fast pace but carrying a lot of stressors," notes Carlstrom. "Pause, count to 10, and say 'Is this something I need to tackle? How significant is this going to be in three months?' Ask yourself questions to frame it and get perspective. Find out if this stress is real or if it's perceived."

Use vacation time

Besides increasing overall productivity and job satisfaction, taking a break and going on vacation can keep stress levels under control. Holiday trips have been shown to lower blood pressure, improve immunity and even extend lifespan.

Unplug

By taking an email sabbatical, we can dramatically lower our level of stress. A study at the University of Irvine in California discovered a break from email significantly lowered worker's stress and increased focus. Backing away from the computer also allows for more enjoyment of stress relieving, pleasurable activities.

Self-care 

Improving your self care regime is a great way to reduce stress, and there are so many options to try. Popular self care remedies include yoga, mediation, journal writing, or treating yourself to a pedicure. When you have a pedicure you’ll feel completely relaxed and pampered, plus your nail technician can recommend any further health treatments you may need, such as laser fungus nail treatment. With the right self care regime, it’s easier to lift your spirits.

Help Keep Depression at Bay With These 3 Tips

Depression is a condition that is frequently misunderstood. Many times, people who have never experienced it mistake depression for sadness. But the fact is that you don’t even have to be sad to be depressed. And those suffering from the condition often find it difficult to trace their feelings back to a root cause. 

To help clarify, depression is a mood disorder that can manifest in a number of ways, including, but not limited to anger, loss, or sadness. Many do not experience crying jags or bouts of melancholy. Instead, depression is felt as an extreme feeling of lethargy and emptiness. The condition is not uncommon. An estimated 8.1% of adults are depressed—and this is likely to increase as a result of the current pandemic. 

However you experience depression, there is no universal cure. Some recover from the condition, while others learn to live with it for the rest of their lives. A treatment may work for one person, yet have no effect on another. Therefore, managing your symptoms can be a process of trial and error. You may need to try several different options before you find one that works for you. What’s important is that you try to remain as patient and optimistic as possible. 

To get you started, here are three options that can help to keep depression at bay.

Self-care 

Depression can worsen when you have stress or worry in your life, so self-care is crucial. If you have a high-pressured job, consider speaking with your employer about your concerns and find a way to lighten your workload. Time management strategies are also beneficial to help create more relaxing downtime. Whenever you can, indulge in a bit of self-care to brighten your mood. This could include relaxing baths, exercise, a massage, or spending quality time with friends and family.

Therapy

Many people find that taking about their depression is an effective way of relieving their symptoms. Speak with your doctor about options for counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy. If this isn't possible, find a close friend or family member to share your concerns with instead.

Medication

There are several types of medication used to treat depression. Depending on your symptoms, your healthcare provider might prescribe a course of antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, or antipsychotic medications. It’s important to note that all medications affect people in different ways and their benefits and side effects can vary from person to person. Along with prescription drugs, there are also many natural solutions used to treat depression. These can include herbal supplements, essential oils, vitamins, and medical marijuana, which can be purchased at outlets such as Harvest House of Cannabis. Whichever you choose, it is important to discuss any new medication with your doctor before use.