Brain Health Boosters'

 

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Throughout our lives, we take steps to improve our physical and emotional well-being, but we rarely focus on our brain health. However, many people experience a cognitive decline as they get older, which can have a significant impact on their life. By prioritizing brain health, you can keep your mind active and healthy for as long as possible. For inspiration, take a look at these simple brain health boosters now:

Learn Something New

When we learn something new, we may activate different parts of the brain or actually forge new neural pathways. In addition to this, we use our brains to interpret the information, retain it, and then recall it. Essentially, learning something new really puts our brain through its paces. If you want to keep your mind young and healthy, regularly learning new things will help you to achieve your goals.

Enhance Cell Regeneration

Our body’s cells are constantly renewing themselves and regenerating but the rate at which this happens slows down as we get older. This has been linked to declining cognitive function in the past, so increasing cell regeneration via NAD+ therapy could be a viable way to keep your brain healthy. When you speed up the rate at which cells renew themselves, you can enjoy optimal brainpower.

Do Daily Puzzles

If you do the crossword in your daily newspaper, then you’re already well on the way to boosting your brain health. Puzzles help to keep the mind active, so they’re a great way to maintain your brain health. From crosswords and jigsaws to sudoku and mahjong, there are a variety of games and puzzles to explore. You can even use game consoles to train your brain with daily puzzles or play puzzle games with friends, family, and strangers online.

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Stay Physically Active

When we exercise, it helps the brain to develop new connections and nerve cells. Additionally, being physically active can increase the number of blood cells that bring oxygen-rich blood to the brain. By doing so, physical exercise helps to keep the brain healthy and can even improve brain function. Furthermore, regular exercise can help to reduce stress levels, lower cholesterol, and reduce blood pressure, which can all have a positive impact on how your brain works.

Prioritize Your Emotional Well-Being

Being depressed, anxious, or stressed doesn’t just affect the way you feel; it impacts your brain health and your overall physical health too. By addressing emotional issues, seeking help for mental health difficulties, and practicing consistent self-care, you can enhance your well-being and boost your brain health at the same time.

Make Optimal Brain Health a Goal

In the same way that we set ourselves physical health goals, you can set yourself targets for optimizing your brain health. With regular mental and physical exercise, you’ll be amazed at how clearer your mind seems and how quickly your brain seems to work. By being consistent and taking steps to improve your brain health every day, you can successfully boost your brain health and reap the rewards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ways Your Home Could Be Affecting Your Health'

 

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Most people spend the majority of their time in their homes. Whether it’s working, sleeping, or just spending time hanging out. Our homes are our safe space. But if we’re not careful, our homes could be contributing to our ill health. 

Read on for 4 ways this could happen to you. 

Mold Causes Respiratory Issues

Having any type of mold within a property is a bad thing. It can cause or exacerbate skin conditions and respiratory problems such as asthma. Mold is caused by moisture in the home. Look for the most obvious sources of moisture in your property by checking the damp course, windows, and roof for water ingress. If you do find any issues, get them repaired as soon as possible. Visit the website of local tradespeople to see if they have experience in fixing your type of issue. 

Once the source of the moisture has been found and repaired, use a specialist dehumidifier to dry out the house and walls. Clean every surface thoroughly to remove any leftover spores. Wash and soft furnishings like cushions and drapes. 

Lead Paint

Many properties built prior to 1978 were painted with lead paint. This was responsible for poisoning hundreds of thousands of children. This type of poisoning can cause a variety of symptoms from headaches, stomach pain right the way through to infertility, and even death. 

If you suspect that your home might have lead paint, there are ways you can test for this without calling a professional. For example, Amazon has these wonderful test kits that you can purchase and test your home with. If the test is positive, then you will need to have a professional come in and remove the paint if you do not feel up to the task yourself. Children are particularly susceptible to lead so, if you think that you or your children may be affected, see your doctor so they can perform a blood test. 

Household Toxins

Keeping a clean home usually requires a lot of different chemical-based cleaners. Some of these can make skin condition and breathing worse if you are susceptible. Additionally, many people make the mistake of mixing two or more cleaning products when cleaning, and can inadvertently cause a toxic gas to be created. Try and move to less chemical-based cleaners. There are many eco-friendly brands coming onto the market now. You can also learn how to use basic household ingredients to create your own cleaning products. Some cupboard basics such as white vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice can handle most standard cleaning tasks. 

Always keep any cleaning products out of sight and reach of children and pets. 

Poor Ventilation

Having a regular supply of fresh air in your home is vital to your health and wellbeing. Poor air quality within your home can cause everything from allergies, sinus problems, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and nausea. Whereas a lot of fresh air can energize and refresh you. If you are concerned that your air conditioning isn't working correctly, it's important to get a company that offers Spokane WA cooling services, or services near you, to come and make sure everything is running smoothly! 

Airing your house daily will also remove toxins and allergens from the air. If you have air conditioning, ensure that you clear out the filters regularly. Open doors and windows whenever possible. 

If you live in a particularly humid area, moisture in the air can cause issues with damp. A dehumidifier can help in this situation. 

Conclusion

If you or your family are experiencing any health problems that you can’t seem to find the cause of, be sure to assess your home and remove potential triggers from your environment. 

Giving Thanks via Zoom

 

As the pandemic continues, people have had to get creative with special occasions. Students have graduated via Zoom, couples have exchanged vows and said “I do” via Zoom, and grieving families have attended funerals via Zoom. 

This means that our holidays are going to look a little different this year. You likely won’t be pulling up a chair to the dinner table, instead, you’ll be clicking on a Zoom meeting link to give thanks via a webcam. 

Setting up a virtual Thanksgiving will likely be a first for you, but what doesn’t have to be cast to the wayside is that special feeling of being together. 

While you might not be holding hands and passing plates around the table, you can celebrate the company by participating in some entertaining Thanksgiving activities!

November!

 It has been awhile since I have shared a heartfelt post so here goes.

This has been a difficult few months for many, but honestly I feel like for us life has not changed that much.  We both are still working ( my husband opened a business in a pandemic and has been very successful), I am working in an office that I love, it is so nice to finally come to a job that I love and I am appreciated daily. 

 

Christmas is not to far away and while I am not sure what that will look like we are planning to travel to my parents house, it has been a few years since we have been there and I think we all need a break and hopefully we can go, we have our trip booked but will make the final call about 2 weeks before.  I wish I could say my Christmas shopping was all complete but it is not, I have no idea what I am buying for people, I do love to give them something that will bring them joy. 

Brooke is in graduation planning mode and finally found her dress this weekend, which she is very excited about.  It is hard to believe my baby is a senior.  She has big plans for her future and while it is hard for us to see her move and leave us in another province, we support her and will do whatever we can to make it happen for her. 

Covid is horrible and it needs to just go away, unfortunately it wont yet. 

Five Ways To Fix Property Damage'

 Property damage is something that’s part and parcel of owning a home. As it’s a space, you’re going to be using every day, and in some rooms, multiple times per day, it’s going to see its fair share of wear and tear. When it comes to property damage, it’s always best to get this fixed a lot sooner than later in order to prevent any further problems from forming as a result. Here are five ways to fix property damage.

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Assess The Damage

Firstly, with any type of damage, it’s important to assess what damage has been caused and the extent of the damage in terms of what caused it to begin with. A leak, for example, may do minimal surface damage, but a lot of damage may have occurred underneath your carpets or flooring that could lead to further problems down the line if it’s not fixed now. Gaps within the wall or cracks could be something relatively harmless, but when it comes to the area beyond the visible surface, how far does that crack or gap go? It could be that it’s gone somewhat a way, and that could result in compromising your home’s security from pests or from the weather. It’s worth assessing the damage that has been caused before you go any further in order to know exactly what has happened and how you might go about fixing the problem before it gets any worse than it already may be. 

Utilize What Skills Or Experience You Have

The skills and experience you have might come in handy with some property damage that has occurred. It all depends on what your skillset and knowledge expand to before you go fixing plumbing problems or getting tour hands on some fault electrics. Anything that requires proper professional qualifications should only be attempted by those who have the requirements needed to do the job safely and effectively. Just because you’ve changed a lightbulb or unblocked a toilet doesn’t mean you’re ready to do anything more than that.

Make sure you are utilizing any skills or experience you have in order to get the work done yourself and to save yourself some money. However, if you’re not capable of doing the work, then it’s important to get someone in who can.

Shop For The Right Products

When fixing the property damage yourself, it’s important to have the right tools needed for the job. Some fixes around the home may only require the most basic of tools, which most will likely have in their home. For others, it might be that there are some extra products and tools that you need to buy in order to do a proper job. Make sure you’re not cutting corners and that you’re getting everything you need to do what’s necessary. Look at what’s needed for the job, make a list, and pop down to your local hardware store to get everything before attempting the fix yourself.

Hire A Professional Company 

Hire A Professional Company 

For those property damages that are way outside of your comfort zone, it’s always best to hand it over to professionals. It might be that attempting it yourself could lead to further damage, which could mean further costs that you’ll need to pay for. There’s nothing worse than kicking yourself for doing something that could have been avoided. When it comes to property damage, a property damage restoration company is likely to be the best option for your needs. If you find mold on your property, a mold inspection might be best to assess the severity of the problem. They can at least assess what has happened and give you a fair and realistic quote to get the work done. Whether it’s complex plumbing or dealing with a compromise in your home’s structure, reach out to a professional.

Take It As An Opportunity To Upgrade Your Home

Upgrading your home is certainly something that needs doing time and time again, and so when you have property damage, it’s a good excuse to fix what’s been damaged. Instead of getting upset over having to spend the money, take this as an opportunity to better that part of your property that perhaps has been a problem for a while. Investing in your property is important, and this property damage fix might have been just what the property needed in order to improve its health and to hopefully add some value to your home.

Fixing property damage should be done as quickly as possible and as soon as it’s noticed. Use these tips to ensure it’s looked after well and maintained properly by the professionals when needed.

Here's How To Tell You Have Mold In The Bathroom Walls'

 There Is nothing fun about handling mold in the home. You want your house to smell good, to look good and to feel good and you can’t really do that when your lungs are aching from breathing in mold spores. It’s so important to figure out whether you have mold in the walls of your bathroom, as this is the room in the house that is most susceptible to damp and mold. Mold is linked to coughing, wheezing and worsening respiratory symptoms, so the last thing that you need is mold in the walls.

When you have bathrooms covered in mold, this can spread to the rest of the house. The drywall that you put up in other areas of the house can be affected and you will be calling someone for drywall repair quickly if you don't tackle the problem early. Mold is hazardous to your health, and you also need to clean it off using as natural methods as possible.

Once a mold inspection in Fairfield, CT (or wherever you are) has been completed and the presence of mold confirmed, here a few suggestions as to how you can get rid of the mold in your bathroom.

Below, we’ve put together a few ways to get rid of the mold in your bathroom.

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1. Use Baking Soda. A little baking soda can go a long way, and it can really help you to get rid of mold, too. It’s safe for children and pets and as well as killing off the mold, baking soda will help to absorb the excess moisture, too. It’ll dry out the walls so that the mold won’t grow back in future, too. All you need is a quarter tablespoon of baking soda and water in a  spray bottle. Dissolve it, spray the walls and use a soft sponge to wipe them down. This will get rid of the surface mold and then you can respray and leave it to dry this time!

2. Try Vinegar. It’s another household staple and it works. Vinegar is non-toxic and will work very well on moldy walls. You can add it to the baking soda, too, for a double whammy on the walls of your bathroom. This isn't vinegar that you put on your food, by the way. Add white distilled vinegar to a spray bottle and do not add water to it, you don't need it. Use a liberal amount of it on your walls, and then let it sit for an hour before you wipe it clean. 

3. Look to Tea Tree Oil. A harmless essential oil to use on mold is tea tree oil. You can use it as an alternative to bleach and other chemicals that fight mold. It’s expensive in larger quantities, but it works very well on all wall types. You want to find the tea tree oil that offers Melaleuca Alternifolia in the ingredients, as this is the magic one that will help your moldy walls. All you need is a teaspoon of it and if you don't have a spray bottle, go and buy one! 

4. Give Borax A Go. This isn't a substance that you want to swallow, as it’s toxic, but it’s also toxic to the mold on the walls. It’s affordable and found in most stores and all you need is a gallon of water and a cup of borax. Scrubbing brushes loosen the mold on the walls and you can wipe any excess off the walls when you scrub everything off. Leave the excess borax on the walls, though, as it will dry naturally and prevent any more mold from clinging on.

5. Invest In Hydrogen Peroxide. Most people have this in their bathroom cabinet for cuts and scrapes, but you can use it to get rid of mold in a non-toxic way. It fizzes up and it’s brilliant at sinking into the mold on the walls - even more than bleach can! You only need a 3% concentration in a spray bottle, and then you can saturate the mold on the walls and let it sit for ten minutes. Scrub out the area and once the mold is loose, you can use some clothes to pull it away from the wall. Keep going until the surface is mold-free and get right into the corners of the walls, too. You need to make sure that any residual spores are gone, too.

6. Control The Temperature. Bathrooms get very humid, and while you may put on the extractor fan or open the windows, you may not have done enough. You can keep the humidity low when you do this, but the aim is to keep it below 50% so add a dehumidifier. This will help you to dry out the moisture on the walls as well as the mold!