Category Archives: General

Premature Greying; Not So Much Of A Silver Linin

Collaborative Posts, General

They say life isn’t perfect, but your hair can definitely be. Every woman loves her hair and takes pride in its beauty. This is why it is almost physically painful to see strands of silver on them one fine morning. Premature greying of hair is common and it is not without cure. You don’t have to sit back and let your hair take the toll. There are plenty of perfect solutions to restore your hair to its former glory and prevent future greying.

Why Does Premature Greying Occur?

There are a lot of reasons ranging from genetics to habitual reasons that contribute to early greying of hair. If you are someone with darker tones in your natural hair, it will be more noticeable and annoying. Here are some of the reasons why greying occurs early.

* Genetics: Sometimes genetic makeup can contribute to early greying. If your parents or grandparents have had to undergo early greying, chances are you will have to as well. There are serums you can use and coloring is an option as well.

* Stress: Stress is an emotion that takes your body to panic mode. This can cause it to ignore aspects of beauty and concentrate on saving your life. Hence it is necessary to relax more.

* Autoimmune diseases: Diseases like alopecia and vitiligo can cause your body cells to attack itself, resulting in the destruction of hair cells.

* Thyroid disease: Hormonal imbalance can cause hair loss and greying as well.

* Smoking: Studies have found that greying occurs early in smokers as compared to non-smokers.

* Vitamin B12 deficiency: This is one of the common causes of grey hair and can be treated and cured.

Cures For Greying Hair

Greying hair can be cured permanently in certain cases restoring your hair health. If the cause is genetics, coloring may be the only option. However, in other cases, there are plenty of ways to restore your hair’s natural color.

An innovative solution to grey hair is by using a regenerative serum such as what you can find here on www.svhairregeneres.com. Using serums can improve your overall hair health in terms of volume, shine, and texture as well. Serums are used to increase hair strength, giving you a flawless look.

In case of thyroid disease caused grey hair, treatment can restore the hormonal imbalance and restore the natural hair color. For autoimmune diseases, there are various treatments available to cure the hair fall as well as greying processes. For lifestyle based greying, you can change your diet to include more protein foods and also foods such as Indian gooseberry, milk, brown rice, and almonds to improve hair health.

Preventing Grey Hair

Often hair is described as a sign of overall health. Changing your lifestyle, diet and using suitable products can improve the way your hair looks and feels, giving you a glow. Using the right products can even restore grey hairs into their original color without using chemical-based coloring.

Proteins and carbohydrates form the main sources of minerals and vitamins are required to have healthy hair. Including this into your diet can keep greying at bay.

5 Most Dangerous Parasites That Live Inside Human Body

Collaborative Posts, General

Parasites are the small organisms that can enter your body via different routes and cause a multitude of diseases. Your body becomes a host for them as they feed on your blood and nutrients, going unnoticed even as they thrive on your skin or within the digestive system. While some parasites are harmless, others can be relatively dangerous. It becomes crucial to identify them and be vigilant so that you can take preventive and protective measures against them. Here are some parasites that you should watch out for.

Whipworm (Trichuris Trichiura)

Whipworm is so called because it closely resembles a cow whip and can reach a length of two inches. Humans get infected with this parasite through dirt mixed in human feces which are loaded with the worm’s eggs. Young children are more likely to be infected as they crawl around and put their fingers in their mouth. Whipworms can cause severe weight loss, anemia, diarrhea and rectal prolapse.

Elephantiasis (Lymphatic filariasis)

The disease called Elephantiasis is caused by parasitic worms that are transferred via mosquitoes. They can live in the host’s body for years, during which they can produce millions of larvae that reside in the blood stream. The worms target the lymphatic system and cause the limbs to swell up. The disease is widely prevalent in Africa, where it has inflicted thousands of people.

Guinea Worm (Dracunculiasis)

Another dangerous parasite that affects humans is Guinea worms, which enter the body through water contaminated with fleas that carry the worm’s larvae. The worm latches to the intestinal walls in the initial stages and gradually enters the tissues. The worst thing about the disease is that it has no apparent symptoms. Subsequently, they can result in blisters on the feet through which the worm comes out and multiplies by laying eggs (if female).

Liver Fluke (Fasciola and Clonorchis sinensis)

Liver fluke is a parasite that looks like flatworms and make its way into the human body through infected water, vegetables or fish. They travel through the intestines and get attached to the bile ducts of the liver. Gradually, they can cause liver infection, jaundice and severe stomach ache. They reproduce at a rapid pace and can even live inside the human body for as long as two or three decades.

Hookworms (Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus)

Hookworms are usually contracted by walking barefoot outdoors as they live in mud mixed with human feces. They travel long distance, from the foot to the lungs and finally to the trachea. Further, they can reach the digestive system as the host swallows them with the food. They suck blood from the intestinal walls, leading to inflammation, infection and anemia.

Being watchful about the symptoms of parasites is your best bet. You can check out https://microbeformulas.com/blogs/microbe-formulas/12-parasite-die-off-symptoms-and-how-to-fight-them to get a better idea about the symptoms to look out for. Once you notice anything amiss, it is best to consult a doctor who will give you proper diagnosis and treatment. At the same time, it is advisable to take preventive measures to avoid getting them in the first place.

Learning Tips For Beginners At Tarot Reading

Collaborative Posts, General

If you want to learn tarot reading and add one more to your repository, then use the tips below to know where to start.

Don’t Let The Complex System Get To You

Tarot reading is a highly obscure system that requires expertise and talent to understand. However, don’t let that discourage you. You can easily start learning tarot but don’t try to learn all at once. It is very important to keep things simple to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Rather than trying to outdo yourself, take it slow and start with simple techniques. As you learn the basics, you can gain the confidence to go deeper into the world of tarot reading.

Establish A Connection With The Cards

People who want to learn tarot reading often make the mistake of equipping themselves with too many technical books about it. However, tarot specialists say that there is very little to be gained from that knowledge until you form a connection with the tarot cards at a personal level. Your knowledge of mechanical terms will not help you the way your intuition will. This is why you need to take inspiration from your daily life to master the card reading.

Make A Habit Of Drawing A Card Every Day

The expert tarot card reading website, Psychic2Tarot.com, recommends beginners to get into a habit of drawing a card every day. You should ask the tarot to tell you what your experiences will be today. You can then compare notes to see if it matches the card you drew earlier today. As you do this on a daily basis, your personal connection with the tarot card will grow and make you more skilled at reading it correctly.

Refine Your Intuition

The first lesson that the tarot beginners need to learn is to sharpen their instincts. However, it is also the single most complex thing for them to hone. Expert tarot readers recommend first timers to avoid the books and draw from the energy of tarot card. It doesn’t matter if what you feel is different than the books, but don’t let that dishearten you. Never underestimate the importance of intuition when reading tarot cards.

Start With Yourself

If someone tells you that you cannot read tarot for yourself, then ignore what they say. Tarot is a powerful medium that has helped many people get on the road to self-discovery. In fact, who better than yourself to read the cards? Find some time each day to do the reading and you will learn a lot about yourself through the process.

Start Small

Why get into it headlong when you can take small steps and learn it well? Rather than trying to cram everything at once, try to learn at a pace that is both enjoyable and reasonable. The process of reading and interpreting the cards should not be frustrating. Start by learning up to 3 keywords associated with each card and start writing about it to form a mind-body connection.

Avoid The Rulebook

There is no wrong or right way to read tarot cards. If someone tells you otherwise, they are either lying or don’t know what tarot reading is. The only one rule you need to follow in tarot card reading is to stay ethical at all times.

Know What It Means To You

Before you start reading tarot cards, you need to know the answer to this very pertinent question – how does it work? As you reflect on this question, you will come up with many answers within yourself that will reveal what it means to you and how it can be used in the most effective manner.

Needless to say, this answer will vary from person to person, and that is alright. You need to understand that Tarot cards are a predictive tool that can be used to know yourself deeply in a fun way and also earn your friend’s admiration for knowing how to read the cards.

Use it Responsibly

Don’t make the mistake of asking the tarot same question repeatedly, hoping to get an answer that you want to hear. This is not the correct use of this tool and it will not yield the most honest response. Additionally, never use tarot cards when you are emotionally down and incapable of handling an honest vision.

Tarot reading should be done consciously. Pay attention to all the cards being drawn out and keep an open mind about what you see. Accept the wisdom that these cards unleash and treat its insight with respect.

5 Tips for First-time Foster Carers to Raise Happy Children

General

Your decision to become a foster carer is a sign of your desire to support and nurture a child who needs the love, affection and warmth of a loving family. While fostering is a temporary arrangement, it leaves a permanent mark on the psyche and personality of a child, which is why it is important for first-time foster parents to understand what they are getting into and prepare themselves for the experience.

If you’re soon going to be a foster carer for the first time, the following five tips will help you make the most of the experience.

Stock up on patience and perseverance

Every carer wants their foster children to feel comfortable in their new home, but remember that you can’t rush the process and it can take a few weeks before the child opens up to you. Raising children requires tons of patience, but with a foster child, who may have fallen upon rough times in the past, you will need to be even more patient and understanding and learn to calm down and let go when you feel angry or frustrated or disappointed. Therefore, before you apply to become a foster carer, you need to build the mindset needed to help a child feel welcome, supported and loved in their new home.

Fostering is a full-time responsibility so it’s important to prepare yourself and your family mentally and emotionally before you take in a foster child.

Don’t impose your thoughts and beliefs, however well meaning

Even if you know that your beliefs are meant to make it easy for your foster child to adapt to a new environment, refrain from imposing your thoughts and opinions on the child, as it can make them feel they are being pressured to subscribe to your ways of living and thinking, which will only make them more averse to blending in with your family.

Give a new foster child the space and time to explore and accept your way of living so that they’ll do it of their own free will. This way they’ll be more willing to listen to you and understand that you mean well.

Set rules and be firm

Sometimes, in an effort to help a child settle down swiftly, foster carers tend to be overly indulgent and forget to set boundaries and rules. This may seem like just the trick to help a child bond with you faster, but as with biological children, over-pampering eventually backfires in the form of bad behaviour, tantrums and adjustment issues. There is a thin line between being dominating and inculcating discipline in children. Set rules early on and be a loving yet firm parent if you want to help a foster child learn the skills they need to build healthy personal and social relationships.

Be accepting of changes

Educating yourself and learning what you need to know about foster care is an important first step in this enriching journey of nurturing another human being and helping them grow into a happy adult.

Indeed, you may have prepared yourself for the changes in your household and family dynamics that will come along as you add a new member to your family. At the same time, you need to be open and accepting of the other changes that usually accompany a fostering experience.

For instance, when you take in a foster child, you’ll have social workers from the city and the state visiting your home from time to time. New people bring new ideas, and if you’re capable of accepting change with an open mind, you’ll be able to provide greater support to the child.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help

A foster child may have been through a traumatic situation for which they may need the support of a qualified therapist. If you’ve having difficulty in helping the child adjust to their new life in your home or feel that the child needs a special educator or therapist, don’t blame the day-to-day challenges on yourself and contact the foster agency or worker to share your concerns.

In the same vein, don’t get disheartened if you see yourself feeling tired or stressed after a few weeks or months of fostering. It can happen even to experienced and well-prepared foster parents, as the actual experience of caring for a child in need can be more challenging than it seemed at first.

Don’t stop yourself from sharing your feelings with a close friend and don’t shy away from seeking professional counselling if needed.

What’s In My Bathroom Cupboard?

General, Random

We never had a bathroom cupboard or cabinet until we have the bathroom renovated in January of this year and now we have 2.

I, by I, I really mean the husband uses the mirrored cabinet for all his hair products gels, waxes, spray bottles but I won’t bore you with that.

In our cupboard we have:

Toilet paper – One of the essentials to be in the cabinet as you don’t want to be caught short while doing your business.

Sanitary care – A ladies essentials for once a month.  will say no more.

Toilet rim blocks – I think there is like 6 of them in there I buy a couple every time I see them on offer as I am really OCD about my toilet, like to make sure it is clean and smells fresh.

Antibacterial wipes – Another essential I love, to just wipe down all the surfaces and it leaves the room smelling all Citrusy and clean.

Bleach – I get through so many bottles as put it down the toilet every other day, I don’t buy expensive bleach just Aldi’s own brand as it does what I need it too and smells good.

Other cleaning products -We have got Flash bathroom,  Astonish bathroom and Mr Muscle.  I use these weekly when cleaning but I know I am running low so need to stock up on more soon.

Johnson’s Shampoo & Infacare bath foam – Obviously these aren’t mine, we keep Freddie’s products in here too

Frog hand mitt – Not been used yet but it’s cute

Shower Scrunchy – Spare one as they came in a pack of 3

Shower gel – Lime scented, Aldi’s own brand,  smells delicious

What’s in your cupboard?

I now Tag – Rachel from Coffeecakekids,  Simon & Charli from Whisky & milkshakes, Michaela from Adventuresofayorkshiremum, Rachael from Lukeosaurusandme and Alex from Bettertogetherhome

Tackling The Laundry With Persil Powergems | Review

General, House, Reviews

I actually don’t mind washing, Is that wrong to say? Its’ the putting away and drying stage I hate the most and there never seems to be enough room in the house to get it dry.

Since becoming a first time mummy to Freddie, I thought I did alot of washing before when there was just me and my Husband but now my washing has literally exploded and more than doubled, not to mention the amount of clothes Freddie gets through in a day sometimes.  With a little help from Persil it makes the washing that little bit easier to cope.

I am not lying when I tell you I was genuinely excited to try out Persil’s all-new Powergems washing crystals.  As soon as you open the cap, you’re hit by the fresh scent of the green and white crystals. They smell so… clean and fresh.  We have never used persil before as my Hubby has sensitive skin, but will be sure to buy them again.

Persil Powergems are great and work wonders on Freddie’s and our tough to remove stains.  They leave the clothes smelling fresh with no visible stains in sight.  It also doesn’t leave any debris from the gems themselves on your clothes which I was a little worried about.

They are on the pricier side of what I would normally pay, starting at £5 for a 12-wash pack, £8 for a 19 wash pack and £11 for a 30 wash pack. We’ll be keeping an eye out to see if it’s ever on offer though.  I may only ever buy these when they are on offer.

  • I brought this product myself and loved it so much I wanted to share my experience with you.

Meal Planning Monday 25/9/17

Food & Drink, General, Linkies

I haven’t been very successful with keeping up with this linky, but I will post as and when I remember as I’m very busy trying to organise things for our wedding with less than 6 weeks to go now.

Beef, Cheese, Cuisine, Delicious, Dinner, Food, Fresh

This weeks meal plan is:

Chicken Tikka Stirfry with Egg Noodles

Chilli Burgers with Monterey Jack & smoked bacon loaded fries

Chicken En croute with homemade Potato Wedges

Cottage Pie with Vegetables

Chicken Tikka Curry with Rice

Lasanga, Chips & Garlic Bread

Roast Dinner with all the trimmings

What’s on your meal plan this week?

 

Education Quizzes Review

General

Apple, Education, School, Knowledge, Apples, Red, Book

We all want our kids to do well in School, Right? There is a lot of pressure on kids to do well and get good grades by both parents and teachers.  This blog post will give you that extra support and helpful links.

I was recently invited to take a look at Education Quizzes’ huge range of revision quizzes which span all age ranges and subjects.  Education Quizzes primary objective is to help children to be successful at school. Study of the school curriculums is made easy and enjoyable with our suites of KS1, KS2, 11- Plus, KS3 and GCSE quizzes and all the quizzes are all written purely by teachers.

My mum was a teacher for geography and my dad was always great at maths so used to always help me with those subjects.  I never understood maths when I was in school and really struggled but now I work in an accounts payable team dealing with numbers and figures every day.  Who would of thought it?

I had a go at some of the GCSE maths questions, starting off with sequences and I remember struggling with these when I was younger and I have discovered I’m stil not great but did get 9 out of 10, so not too bad considering the amount of years that have passed me. Then I had a go at geography with the farms and farming quiz, didn’t do great with that one.  Think i’ll be practicing these myself.

One of the great things I found about Education Quizzes was how diverse their material is; if you have several children of all different age ranges, studying many different subjects, a subscription to Education Quizzes could be a real invaluable experience.

Education Quizzes have also recently released a Schools’ Subscription package. With this package, parents and teachers can all work together, and students can access the quizzes – both for use in lesson time and from home with their parents. The more students a school signs up with, the cheaper the subscription becomes – meaning parents and teachers alike could benefit from this resource from as little as £2 a month per child..

For anyone who is interested in nature there are links to daily blogs/articles at nature matters

Overall Education Quizzes could be a really useful resource for parents and teachers alike. You can sign up and subscribe as an individual for Education Quizzes here. I can definitely see how Education Quizzes could benefit a teacher in the classroom. It would be particularly useful for setting homework that is automatically marked (a great time-saver if used in moderation!) and for easy and consistent cover lessons.

The Subscription is a monthly fee of £9.95 and can be cancelled at any time.

Alternatively, if you are an educational establishment or you would like to share this info with your child’s school, information on Education Quizzes Schools’ all Packages can be found here.

  • This was a collaborative post with Education Quizzes. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

10 Things That Make Me Happy

General

I was tagged by Rachel from Coffeecakeskids to list ten things that make me happy. I really like this idea, but really struggle with what to write in these posts.  I am leaving the obviously things out that always make me happy which are my Finance Tom, My nephews Jack, Harry, Alex & Ben and my family and thinking of the other little things.

Here goes anyways.

  1. Sunshine

The weather has a massive impact on my mood if it’s sunny and warm, you’ll more than likely find me in the garden topping up my tan, lying on a sun lounger with a cold beverage in one hand.  I enjoy nothing more than wearing maxi dresses and flip-flops over jumpers and coats.  Even though been born in October I know I should have been a summer baby.

2. Flowers

As cheesy as this sounds, I love flowers and the OH always say why you buying things that are dead anyways.  No matter if it a bunch of flowers, a pot plant or flowers in the garden I love them as they brighten up any room or dull day and make me smile.  I feel I do get this from my mum as she always has flowers in her house and we buy each other the odd bunch now and again just because we want to.

Picasso flowers

3. Holidays

Every year for as far back as I can remember is always going away whether it be abroad or in this country with my parents.  I love to get away and see different places and countries etc.  Some of the destinations I have been to are Spain, Amsterdam, Lanzarote, Cyprus, Turkey, Cornwall, Ibiza, and Wales, I’m sure there are others but can’t recall some of them as I was only little.

4. Camera/phone

These are both things I love and couldn’t live without because I take so many photos on them to treasure and then every so often uploads them all to my computer to make sure they are all backed up and safe and I don’t lose any of my memories.

5. Pyjamas

More so in the winter months, but I love nothing more than coming home from work and getting changed straight into my pyjamas, pulling my thick fluffy slippers and dressing gown on too and snuggling up on the Sofa.

6. My pets

This may sound silly to some people, but not to me.  I have 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs and a dog that I share my house with and I love nothing more than coming home and been greeted by my dog, Carly.  She is always happy to see us when we walk in from work and always manages to put a smile on my face even if I have had a rubbish day at work.  The same with my rabbits and guinea’s, I go in the garage and talk to them, fuss them and cuddle them, they are also always happy to see me, running up to the front of the cages squeaking and climbing up the front for fuss.

7. My Home

Again sounds like a silly one but me and my partner brought our first home nearly 3 year now and I love nothing more than going home to know that I have succeeded in life and purchased my first home and got on the property ladder, which wasn’t easy after years of saving up then trying to find a property.

8.  Tea

I’ve always been a tea drinker and I love nothing more than a perfect cup of tea when I get up in the morning with maybe a few cheeky biscuits to dunk in it aswell.   It can’t be milky or like “piss water” and can’t be too black like “builders tea” and the milk has to go in before the water.

9. Clothes

I love nothing more than a bit of shopping, I have to be in the mood for it though, I can’t just go shopping,  I have to really want something before I go and buy it, but then can also spend a fortune in one go if I see things I like.

10. A good TV Series

I’m not normally a TV person  but if I find a decent TV series to watch such as “Suits” which I was addicted too a few months ago, that makes me happy as it will give me something to watch during the day/ evening snuggled on the sofa with the fiance.  We have recently just started watching “Orange in the new black”

What are the things that make you happy?  Leave a comment below with yours.

 

Top tips to avoid Cold & Flu season!

Collaborative Posts, General, Health and Lifestyle

KEEP THE COLD OUT THIS WINTER WITH COLDZYME MOUTH SPRAY 

  • Revolutionary mouth spray targets the cause of the cold, not just the symptoms
  • Can help reduce the duration of a cold when used prophylactically

As cold and flu season approaches, protect yourself this winter with the ground-breaking ColdZyme® Mouth Spray. The product is unique in that it fights the cause of the common cold – the cold virus. ColdZyme® Mouth Spray is easy to use and begins working immediately by forming a protective barrier in the throat, where the cold virus takes hold and multiplies, protecting you from infection. ColdZyme® can help shorten the duration of illness if used prophylactically.

Whilst other over the counter remedies seek to alleviate the symptoms of the cold, ColdZyme® targets the virus itself to shorten the duration of the illness. ColdZyme® Mouth Spray is used in the oral cavity and throat, and begins working immediately by forming a protective barrier on the mucous membrane. The barrier acts osmotically on the cold viruses, trapping them and preventing them from binding with human cells, helping the body to remove them naturally.

The effect of ColdZyme® has been investigated in COLDPREV – a blinded, placebo-controlled study under advice from a UK expert in respiratory disease, Professor Sebastian Johnston from Imperial College, London. This study was conducted on 46 volunteers who were all infected with the most common virus that causes the common cold. Half of the volunteers received ColdZyme® the other half received a placebo product. The study showed that ColdZyme® reduced the virus load among infected by more than 99% compared with the placebo. Moreover, it was shown among those catching a cold, the duration of the symptoms was also reduced (from 6.5 days to 3 days).

Leading media medic, Dr Dawn Harper, in conjunction with ColdZyme which fights the cause of the common cold, have compiled a few tips that I thought might be of interest for you?

Dr Harper’s Top Tips are:

  • Wash your hands regularly – contrary to popular belief, most coughs and colds are spread by hand contact not by coughs and sneezes, so simply keeping your hands clean will go a long way to protecting yourself.
  • Wash down surfaces and door handles – the viruses that cause colds can survive for several hours outside the human body.
  • Eat a well-balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables to keep your immune system in good shape. Vitamin C and zinc are vital for a healthy immune system. Zinc is found in red meat, beans and fortified cereals, whilst foods rich in vitamin C include fruits such as oranges and strawberries and vegetables such as peppers, kale and broccoli.
  • Make sure you get into a good sleep routine. When we sleep our immune system repairs itself, so chronic sleep deprivation can make you prone to infections.
  • Manage your stress levels. Try to prioritise and delegate where possible as stress can play havoc with your immune system.
  • Consider using anti-viral tissues and keep them in your bag or on your desk if those around you have a cold to minimise the spread of the virus and make sure that tissues are put straight in the bin.
  • Use ColdZyme, a revolutionary mouth spray which targets the cause of the common cold and is clinically documented to help reduce the duration of a cold

 

 Look out for this products in store that maybe useful for you, but always be sure to read the leaflets before use.

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ColdZyme® is suitable for use by adults and children from the ages of four and upwards. ColdZyme® can help shorten the duration of a cold, when used prophylactically. If you do not have any symptoms of a cold but are likely to be exposed to the cold virus, for example when someone near you has a cold, spray 2 puffs (1 dose) ColdZyme®  into the throat every two hours up to 6 times a day while you are exposed to the cold virus.

ColdZyme® is available from Boots, Lloyd’s Pharmacy and independent pharmacies nationwide, with an RRP of £15.99 for a 20ml bottle (effective treatment for three colds, or fifty five doses), and £9.99 for a 7ml bottle, for protection on the go.

* I was sent this product free of charge for the purpose of the review, However all thoughts and opinions are my own.